Everyday Movements Game

Year Level

Foundation (Prep)

Duration

50 minutes

Class Size

25 students

Unit

Dance Explorations for Foundations Lesson 2 of 10

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will build on their prior movement experiences by engaging in a guided dance game that explores everyday movements such as brushing teeth, cooking, and walking the dog. The activities encourage students to embody these movements creatively while adhering to safe dance practices. This lesson uses a complete instructional model involving retrieval of previously learned movements, setting clear learning goals, teacher modelling, guided practice, and independent creative expression.

Victorian Curriculum Alignment

Content Descriptions from The Arts - Dance (Foundation)

VCADAF001: Use play, imagination, arts knowledge, processes and/or skills to discover possibilities and develop ideas.
VCADAF002: Create arts works in a range of forms to communicate ideas from lived personal or social experiences.
VCADAF003: Share artworks with audiences.
VCADAF004: Explore ways in which the arts reflect and shape the world and their own stories.

Capabilities

Personal and Social Capability: Cooperation and communication through movement.
Critical and Creative Thinking: Imaginative exploration of movement ideas and self-expression.

Key Focuses

Safe and expressive movement practice.
Creative interpretation of familiar everyday actions through dance.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Recall and perform previously learned basic dance movements safely.
Imitate and creatively interpret everyday movements (brushing teeth, cooking, walking the dog) using expressiveness and body awareness.
Demonstrate safe dance practice by moving with control and awareness of space and others.
Share their movement ideas with peers, using verbal and non-verbal communication.

Resources

Open classroom space free from hazards
Visual aids or picture cards showing the actions: brushing teeth, cooking, walking the dog
Music with a moderate beat and tempo (optional)
Soft floor mats or carpet (if available)

Lesson Breakdown

1. Welcome and Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Welcome students. Briefly review the prior lesson’s movements through a quick replay of one or two key movements learned.
Lead a simple warm-up focusing on whole-body stretches, including arms, legs, neck, and gentle jogging in place to prepare bodies for movement.
Explain today's lesson focus: exploring everyday movements through dance.

2. Learning Intentions and Success Criteria (3 minutes)

Share with students:
"Today we will move like we do everyday things, but with our dance bodies! We will learn to be safe, creative and have fun."
Success criteria: "We will show our dancing with control, can tell a story with our movements, and listen to each other."

3. Teacher Modelling of Everyday Movements (10 minutes)

Using picture cards or verbal prompts, teacher models exaggerated and clear dance movements for:
Brushing teeth: arm movements mimicking brushing, reaching and bending.
Cooking: stirring, chopping, reaching, balancing movements.
Walking the dog: holding an imaginary leash, stepping carefully, looking around.
Emphasise safe body use: bending knees, controlled arm movements, awareness of personal space.
Encourage students to watch closely and ask questions about each movement.

4. Guided Practice (15 minutes)

Play an Everyday Movements Game:
Call out one of the actions (brushing teeth, cooking, walking the dog).
Students respond by moving as the teacher modelled.
Encourage students to add their own creative twists to the movements while remaining safe.
Use positive reinforcement and reminders of safety (e.g., "Remember to move carefully and not bump your friends!")
Repeat several rounds, increasing speed or adding musical accompaniment for engagement.
Invite some students to demonstrate their unique movements to the class to support peer learning.

5. Independent Creative Expression (10 minutes)

Ask students to choose one everyday action and create their own short dance sequence (3-4 movements).
Play soft background music and allow students to practise their sequence independently or in pairs.
Option for some students to perform their sequence to the class, fostering confidence and communication.

6. Cool Down and Reflection (5 minutes)

Lead a slow cool-down, guiding students through calm stretches and deep breathing.
Gather students in a circle for a reflective chat:
What was your favourite movement?
How did you stay safe while moving?
What new ideas did you have?
Encourage positive feedback among peers.

Assessment

Formative assessment will be ongoing through:

Teacher observation of student ability to safely replicate movements and add creative variations.
Anecdotal notes on student engagement, willingness to experiment, and spatial awareness.
Peer feedback during sharing time, focusing on descriptive and positive communication.
Self-reflection prompts during cool-down and discussion.

Differentiation

Provide more modelling and physical prompts for students who need extra support.
Encourage more advanced students to invent additional movements or combine two everyday actions.
Use visual cues and simplify language for students with English as an additional language or younger learners.

Safety Considerations

Clear the learning space of obstacles.
Set expectations for safe personal and shared space.
Regular reminders to move carefully and respect classmates' space.

Teacher Reflection Notes

Observe student responses to structured versus independent movement.
Reflect on the effectiveness of games for engagement.
Plan to connect these everyday movements to creative narrative dance in subsequent lessons.

This lesson is designed to ignite imagination and creativity with movement rooted in real-life actions, fostering foundational dance skills while keeping in line with the Victorian Curriculum Arts learning objectives for Foundation students. It provides a strong scaffold from teacher-directed to student-led movement exploration, supporting diverse learning needs and incorporating critical capabilities for young learners.

Teaching Instructions