Performance Review

Overview

This is the final lesson (Lesson 11 of 11) in the unit "Exploring Dance Elements" for Year 6 students, designed to run for 45 minutes with 25 students. Students will review recordings of their own and peers’ dance performances, engage in constructive peer feedback, reflect on their own learning, and participate in a whole-class discussion to consolidate their understanding of dance elements.

This plan aligns closely with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh, emphasizing Key Competencies, self-regulation, and communication in the Arts learning area.

Learning Objectives

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

Critically observe dance performances and provide clear, constructive feedback reflecting on the use of dance elements (level-appropriate).
Engage in self-reflection on their personal performance and identify areas of strength and goals for future improvement.
Demonstrate respectful communication by acknowledging peers’ contributions and responding appropriately.
Collaborate and participate in group reflection and discussion, showing awareness of others’ perspectives.

Curriculum Alignment

The Arts Learning Area (Dance - Levels 3 & 4)

Explore and use the elements of dance — body, action, space, time, and energy — to improvise and compose dance sequences.
Share dance works and provide feedback in ways that support the development of ideas and skills.
Develop understanding of the dance elements, and ability to express ideas and feelings through movement.

Key Competencies (NZ Curriculum, pages 12-13)

Managing self: Reflect on choices made, set personal learning goals.
Relating to others: Listen to and respect peers’ feedback and perspectives.
Using language, symbols and texts: Use appropriate vocabulary related to dance elements and feedback.

The Principles

Inclusivity: Provide an environment where diverse learners can share and feel valued, and multiple ways to give feedback are used.
Community Engagement: Encourage respect for others and co-construction of knowledge through peer feedback.

Lesson Breakdown (45 minutes)

Time	Learning Focus	Activities Description	Resources
5 min	Introduction & Expectations	Teacher sets the tone for respectful, constructive feedback. Remind students of peer feedback guidelines: focus on “what worked well,” “suggestions for improvement,” and use positive language.	Display feedback guidelines chart
10 min	Watch Dance Performances	Watch short video clips of each group’s dance performance (pre-recorded earlier lessons or live if feasible).	Projector/screen, video recordings
15 min	Peer Feedback Activity	Students work in small groups (3-4) to discuss performances using a provided feedback template: 1) Positive feedback, 2) What can be improved. Encourage use of dance vocabulary (e.g., “energy,” “space use”). Teacher and aides circulate to support student reflection and scaffold language.	Peer feedback sheets, pens
8 min	Self-Reflection	Students individually complete a self-reflection sheet answering questions like: “What did I do well?”, “What did I find challenging?”, and “What will I work on next time?”	Self-reflection sheets, pens
7 min	Group Discussion & Consolidation	Whole class discussion to share key insights from peer feedback and reflection. Teacher guides, summarises themes, and connects feedback to dance elements and performance goals. Reinforce growth mindset and learning from feedback.	Circle seating, whiteboard for notes

Assessment & Feedback

Formative assessment through observation of group discussions and evaluation of feedback quality.
Self-reflection sheets provide evidence of metacognitive strategies and student understanding of own learning.
Peer feedback assessed informally for respectful communication and application of dance element vocabulary.
Teacher provides individual and group feedback encouraging further development.

Key Teaching Strategies

Explicit modelling of giving positive, specific feedback using sentence stems (e.g., “I liked when you… because…”) and how to frame suggestions constructively.
Scaffolding language around dance elements and performance criteria.
Promoting a safe and inclusive learning environment where students feel comfortable sharing their opinions.
Use of videos to allow visual feedback and repeated viewing to deepen understanding.

Links to New Zealand Curriculum Refresh

Arts Curriculum Focus on dance reflecting the learning area statements: “Students explore, refine, and communicate ideas as they connect thinking, imagination, senses, and feelings to create works and respond to the works of others” (NZ Curriculum Refresh).
Emphasizes Key Competencies of managing self, relating to others, and communication for learning (self-reflection and peer feedback activities) .
Supports metacognition development (self-reflection strategies and goal setting) aligned with year 6 learning expectations .
Encourages respectful oral communication and use of specialized vocabulary in peer interactions, consistent with English learning goals for self-expression and audience awareness .

Resources

Pre-recorded videos of student performances.
Peer feedback templates with sentence stems.
Self-reflection sheets.
Feedback guidelines poster.
Projector and screen or large monitor.

This lesson not only concludes the unit effectively but also empowers students to think critically and reflectively about dance performance. The integration of peer learning, self-assessment, and explicit teaching of feedback skills collectively enhance confidence and communication consistent with the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum's vision for holistic student development.

Teaching Instructions