Moving Through the Forest

Overview

Students explore how animals move through a forest and create a short group dance sequence. The lesson develops safe movement, use of space, levels, pathways, rhythm, and expressive performance. The environmental theme links Dance with Science and supports respectful learning about kaitiakitanga without imitating cultural performance forms.

Learning intentions

• WALT use dance elements to communicate an idea.
• WALT perform and combine locomotor and non-locomotor movements safely.
• WALT work cooperatively to create and present a short sequence.
• WALT respond to dance by describing movement choices and effects.

Success criteria

• I can move safely using different levels, pathways, directions, and shapes.
• I can include four connected movements in a sequence.
• I can use my body, space, and energy to show a forest idea.
• I can perform respectfully and give helpful feedback.

Curriculum links

• The Arts: Dance — developing practical knowledge of dance elements, techniques, and processes.
• The Arts: Dance — developing and communicating ideas through movement.
• The Arts: Dance — communicating and presenting dance for an audience.
• The Arts: Dance — understanding how dance is used in cultural and social contexts; links to Science through living things and caring for the environment.
• Key competencies: managing self, participating and contributing, relating to others, and thinking.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and warm-up. Teacher clears a safe working space, checks that students can see one another, and opens the forest hook slide. Ask: “If the forest suddenly became silent, how might its animals move?” Lead a gentle warm-up: breathing, shoulder rolls, stretching, walking, stopping, and changing direction. Students spread out, keep personal space, and respond to movement cues.

2. 5–10 min · Context and learning intention. Teacher shows the context and WALT slides and explains that dance can communicate ideas about places, living things, and caring for the environment. Briefly introduce kaitiakitanga as caring for and protecting the natural world; explain that today’s movement is an original class response, not an imitation of any cultural dance. Read the WALT and success criteria together. Students identify one forest creature or natural feature they might represent.

3. 10–17 min · Explicit teaching of dance elements. Teacher models, using the dance elements slides, how the same action changes when performed at a high, middle, or low level; on a straight, curved, or zigzag pathway; and with strong, light, quick, or sustained energy. Use the slide icons to signal “I do”, “We do”, “You do”, “gesture”, “silent”, and “pair share”. Ask: “What changed?” and “What might this energy communicate?” Students copy, then vary a simple action such as reach, curl, turn, or step.

4. 17–25 min · Learn the movement sequence. Teacher teaches the class sequence in four phrases, using the sequence instruction slides and modelling each phrase before students practise:

5. Wake: curl low, slowly rise, reach in three directions.

6. Travel: take four quiet steps along a curved pathway, then freeze.

7. Discover: make a wide shape, turn, and change to a small shape.

8. Protect: face a partner, make a strong balanced shape, then soften and lower. Practise without music first, counting steadily. Students mirror the teacher, rehearse each phrase, and connect all four phrases with controlled transitions.

9. 25–35 min · Group choreography. Teacher places students in four groups of three and displays the group challenge slide. Each group chooses a forest idea and adapts the sequence by adding one original movement, one level change, and one clear ending shape. Remind students to share ideas, take turns leading, and keep movements safe and achievable. Students rehearse, making decisions about formation, pathway, timing, and energy. Circulate and ask: “What are you communicating?” “Where is your audience looking?” and “How will everyone be included?”

10. 35–42 min · Perform and respond. Teacher invites each group to perform while the audience watches silently and respectfully. Display the performance and feedback slide with the prompt: “I noticed… It communicated… One movement choice that was effective was…” Students perform, then receive one specific positive observation from a peer or the teacher. If time permits, groups perform once more after making one improvement.

11. 42–45 min · Cool-down and close. Teacher leads slow breathing, stretching, and a return to stillness, then revisits the success criteria on the plenary slide. Ask: “How did movement show an idea about the forest?” and “How did your group work together?” Students complete a brief pair-share and show one finger for “still developing”, two for “nearly there”, or three for “I can do this confidently” against the criteria.

Resources

• the forest dance teaching deck
• Open, hazard-free floor space
• Device and screen or projector
• Music player and instrumental music with a clear, steady beat
• Four group rehearsal areas marked with cones or floor spots
• Water and access to a first-aid kit

Assessment

• Observe safe spacing, controlled movement, use of levels and pathways, and ability to follow and connect the four phrases.
• During rehearsal, question groups about their intended meaning and note participation, cooperation, and purposeful movement choices.
• Use the final performance, peer response, and self-rating to assess whether students can communicate an idea through dance.

Differentiation

• Support students with the visual sequence slides, teacher modelling, counting, slower music, and permission to perform movements seated or with reduced range.
• Pair students strategically and offer choices of two or three movement options; use gestures and demonstrations alongside spoken instructions for EAL learners.
• Provide a rehearsal prompt: “Our forest idea is ____. We will show it by using ____ level, ____ pathway, and ____ energy.”
• Extend confident dancers by asking them to include canon, unison, a contrasting energy quality, or a deliberate change in formation.
• Check medical or sensory needs before beginning; allow students to observe, take a movement-planning role, or re-enter when ready.