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Key
Stage 1
Under The Sea
Tracy Challenor
Dance
Key Stage 1
Under The Sea
Lesson Plan for Key Stage 1 Dance
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Objectives:
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Understand and use contrasts in weight.
Explore underwater creatures and how they move.
Talk about dance; being good critical friends, using the correct vocabulary.
Explore level, direction, speed and dynamics in space.
Use a range of basic dance actions: jump, turn, roll, travel and still.
Begin to appreciate the music that accompanies dance movement.
Improvise to given stimuli.
Work independently, in pairs and in small groups with teacher’s support.
The 4 Strands of the National curriculum:
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Acquiring and Developing Skills
Selecting and Applying Skills, Tactics and Compositional Ideas
Knowledge and Understanding of Fitness and Health
Evaluating and Improving Performance
Cross Curricular Links:
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Language: learning new vocabulary, discussing dances.
Mathematics: developing spatial and counting skills.
P.S.H.E: developing children’s awareness of others.
Science: understanding the body.
Music: developing awareness of rhythm &timing; appreciating all music.
Unit Contents:
Week 1: Exploring the Ocean
Week 2: Sea Creatures
Week 3: Deep Sea Divers (Then and Now)
Week 4: Sea Dance
Week 5: Sea Dance Rehearsal
Week 6: Rehearse and Perform
Tracks Used:
 “Into The Unknown”
 “Waterfalls”
 “Epic Adventure”
 “Anywhere But Here”
 “Anger”
 “Bubbling Under”
 “It's OK”
 “Turning”
 “Wasteland”
 “Webs We Weave”
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
Week 1: Exploring the Ocean
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Starter
Talk about the topic we are going to be exploring this term. Then begin by:
 Raising your arm slowly to the ceiling and slowly down.
 Raise your arm up quickly to the ceiling and then quickly down.
 Raise your arm slowly up and then quickly down.
 Reverse.
 Walk on tiptoes slowly, then quickly.
 Ask children for ideas, encourage some quick and some slow actions: turns,
jumps, rolls, and travelling steps.
Listen to two pieces of music: one slow and one quick:
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 “Into The Unknown”
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 “Waterfalls”
Explain that although the music is slow, we can choose to move quickly if we wish
and we can also move slowly to quick music. Try this with the children beginning with
raising the arm slowly to the quick music and vice versa. Did you find this tricky?
Why?
Warm up
What type of sea creatures move slowly? Ask for ideas. Use visuals if needed or if possible - watch clips of how sea creatures move: e.g. whale, jelly fish, octopus
etc. What types of sea creatures move quickly? e.g. smaller fish, shark etc.
A

 “Waterfalls”
Ask children to imagine they are large, slow-moving sea creatures, moving in and out
of an old underwater shipwreck, moving amongst the weeds and plants. Encourage
children to weave in and out, use all of the space and avoid contact with others.
B
 “Epic Adventure”
Change to quicker music and encourage children to move more quickly, darting in and
around one another. Use quick changes of direction or zigzag patterns.
Main
A
Build a word bank with the children on the theme of Calm and Stormy seas.
Encourage children to use their own ideas; add a few of these if needed:
Calm Sea
Tranquil, floating
Lapping, rippling
Swirling, gliding
Soothing, creeping
Stormy Sea
lashing, pounding
crashing, flinging
tossing, heaving
dragging, choppy
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
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Trickling, spreading
Splishing, sighing
Meandering, settling
Ebb/flow, whispering.
whipping, swelling
Whoosh, splash
rush, dive
Whirlpools.
Discuss the calm and stormy seas and differences between them.
B
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 “Anywhere But Here”
Improvisation: Calm Sea
C
 “Anger”
Improvisation: Stormy Sea. You could offer light, flowing material - scarves or
crepe paper cut into strips - if desired.
D
Children find a space, facing front; move forwards and backwards imitating the
motion of waves. (It is a good idea to help children here, so they are in lines and
have space in which to move forward and back, as below).
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Arms moving up - or use strips of blue crepe paper or material - move forward and
back 4 x
E
Add side to side sways, taking paper or material up into the air as you sway 8 x
F
In Canon. The children in the front line lift the material up over their heads and dip
low, they then rise and move off stage. For example:- Three will run off swiftly to
stage left and three will run off swiftly to stage right.
<
X
X
X
X
X
X
>
The 2nd line then repeats this movement, then the third and so on. (Discuss timing:
observing each other so all are working together). After all children have practised
these dance motifs, split the class into two groups and allow them to observe one
another’s timing and concentration.
G
Practice E, F and G .
Cool Down
 “The Webs We Weave”
Talk about the qualities of fast and slow movements. In pairs, mirror your partner:
child ‘A’ thinks of a sea creature and performs a movement, which child ‘B’ copies.
Then change over: eg. jellyfish, octopus, stingray etc.
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
Week 2: Sea Creatures
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Starter
Discuss different underwater sea creatures. Use pictures or video clips to
familiarise children with them. Collect a word bank: octopus, stingray, turtle,
sealion, whale, shark, angelfish, starfish, crab etc. How do they move?
Warm up
 “Bubbling Under”
Shout out a sea creature and children perform the corresponding movement:
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Main
A
Octopus - travel in a zigzag pathway, moving arms up and down.
Shark - swift directional changes.
Jellyfish - bouncy and pulsating up and down motion.
Crab – scurry sideways, pinching claws.
Stingray - glide in space in a wide shape.
Flying Fish - travelling jumps; open and closed movements.
 “Epic Adventure”
Each child finds a partner. Give each pair a card with a sea creature on and words
to describe its movement. Each group will then share ideas to create two or three
movements for that creature. When they have had time to work on this, they will
find another pair of children that has been working on the same sea creature and
add there movements together. Remember to find an interesting starting position.
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Dolphins - synchronised movement, dancing, swift, graceful, joyful.
Sharks - sharp, brisk, strong, directional changes, zigzag, sudden, darting.
Jellyfish - pulsing, bouncing, up and down, rising, squishing.
Crabs - sidewalks, stop and start, pinching, pincing, snipping movements.
Flying Fish - gliding, popping, shooting, open and closed movements.
Whale - plodding, spurting, shooting, squirting, heavy, bound.
Octopus - travelling, twisting & turning, spurting, lots of arm movements.
B
Each group will then perform to the rest of the class. Encourage children to
comment positively about each other’s work, being good critical friends.
C
Practice the beginning of the dance from last week.
D
Add on: one child from each side crosses over with a partner from the opposite side
of the room, as they pass they hold the flowing material above their heads and
perform one leap as they travel across to the other side.
Cool Down
 “Anywhere But Here”
‘Sleeping Walruses’. All children lay as still as possible: if you move, line up at the
door. Last walrus is the winner!!
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
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Key Vocabulary:
synchronising, pulsing, brisk, directional changes
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
Week 3: Deep Sea Divers
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Starter
Discuss deep-sea divers of the past. What did they wear? How would they move?
(Show pictures or video clip) What do they wear today? How do they move now?
Warm up
 “It's OK”
Children imagine they are wearing an old-fashioned diving suit. How would you move?
Then - Slow, plodding, bouncy, pause, slow motion.
How would a deep sea diver move today?
Now- Floating, fleeting, gliding through the ocean.
Shout out ‘now and ‘then’ in turn: children alternate their movements between deep
sea divers of old and the present day.
Main
 “It's OK”
A
Choose a child to be a deep sea diver: they can choose ‘now’ or ‘then’.
The other children think of their favourite sea creature to represent and move
around the ocean.
The deep-sea diver may take photos of the creatures. They may circle each other
and come into close proximity but not make contact. Weave in and out and find
interesting pathways to move in.
B
Set Chairs up in an interesting way to portray an underwater shipwreck!
You can add material to lie over some parts of the chairs. (make sure the chairs are
safe to move around )
C
Children work together in small groups of 3 or 4, sharing ideas for the movement of
the deep sea diver. Each group decides whether to be a deep sea diver from the
past or present. Encourage children to use patterns and directional changes, levels,
working in unison and sometimes cannon.
D
Each group then performs their dance around the ship wreck created. (Let each
group have a practise first). Evaluate and offer constructive criticism.
E
Practise the dance so far.
Cool Down
 “Turning”
Children imagine they are moving through water, pushing as they sway from side to
side; pushing forward, up, diagonally; moving in different directions.
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
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Key Vocabulary:
unison, cannon, fleeting, patterns, directional changes
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
Week 4: Sea Dance
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Starter
Discuss what we did last week. What did you enjoy?
Warm up
 “Wasteland”
With a partner, move towards each other as a chosen sea creature. Travel away
from each other and as you move back towards each other again think of another
creature to become.
Main
 “Webs We Weave”
A
Sea Dance:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
B
Moving forward and back in lines .
Sways 8 x
Up and down in Canon, then move off stage.
Cross over in pairs, two at a time, beginning down-stage (from the back).
Recap week 2’s work on sea creatures and add this to the sea dance.
Children then place material down behind them and in pairs - or two group of pairs move across the floor to meet each other: 8 counts to meet, 8 counts to move and 8
counts to part. The children may need some practise in moving and counting to
meet and part.
Cool Down
In Pairs, follow the leader. First child performs a sea creature’s movement; second
child follows and copies. Then other child takes the lead .
Key Vocabulary:
synchronised, coiling, stationary, balance, high & low, meeting & parting
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
Week 5: Sea Dance Rehearsal
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Starter
Encourage children to talk about the dance last week. What worked well? Is there
anything we could make better? How could we end our dance?
Warm up
 “Bubbling Under”
Move in and around the space; use each other to make interesting shapes.
Imagine you are :i.
Coral - spiky, jagged, pointy shapes
ii.
Plants - stretched, waving, flowing movement.
iii.
Seaweed - rolling and tumbling at low level
Main
 “Webs We Weave”
A
Sea Dance – practise and make improvements if children feel they need to be
made. How can we make it better?
B
Sea Creatures - Practise coming on and off stage.
C
Add on – All children go back to starting position with material in hand. Move the
material vigorously to portray a stormy sea. Starting with line one, they again lift
the material up over their heads and this time remain down, placing the material
over their whole body and move gently to represent calm sea, moving softly. Repeat
with line 2, 3 and so on. Continue to move until the end of the music.
D
Practise and again discuss if any changes need to be made. They could enter one
after another on diagonal from each corner of stage at back. (i.e right diagonal
back and left diagonal back.)
[Optional]
E
Movement Extension: Run swiftly and jump - one at a time - weaving in and out,
briskly making some contact, using spins if required. Move into a circle, facing
inwards, and windmill arms outwards in cannon. As each child moves to a low level
this could then move into a roll on the floor, then up into their space exit.
F
For another extension you could add in the setting of the shipwreck and split into
more groups to make deep-sea divers.
G
Extension for Calm sea dance:i.
Whilst calm sea are moving forward and back representing the waves, 4
children could be kneeling at the front, moving up onto knees and circling
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
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their arms in a rainbow motion, then coming down on to low knees, moving
right-to-left and hands wiggling forward as if splashing in the water.
ii.
Children then rise and join in the forward and backward motion of the sea.
iii.
With the travelling turn, you could add a little hop at the end.
iv.
Add on more ideas from the children themselves.
Cool Down
Face partner and mirror their actions: imagine you are moving your hands through
water, softly and gently. Try and stay together with your partner.
Key Vocabulary:
mirroring, performance, spatial awareness
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Under The Sea
Week 6: Rehearse and Perform
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Starter
Discuss how weather affects the water!
Warm up
 “Turning”
A
Snowy and cold weather – pretend to slide on ice, skating (discuss doing this
sensibly and safely)
B
Warm and sunny weather - splashing, paddling, building sand castles, playing. What
kind of movements might we make with our bodies?
C
Windy and choppy weather - what blowing movements could we create? E.g. twisting
and turning, waves moving high, then low.
D
Place pictures of sea creatures around the room on the floor in the middle of hoops.
E
Children move around the space anti-clockwise, all moving the same way.
F
As they pass a picture, they circle around the hoop in the manner of the sea
creature.
Main
 “Webs We Weave”
Practise Sea Dance as many times as needed so all children feel happy and
confident with their entrances and exits.
This is a great dance to share with an audience in assembly!!!
Cool Down
 “Wasteland”
Practise falling carefully from high knees to floor.
Key Vocabulary:
entrance, exit, space, timing, rehearse, perform , energy and falling.
© 2013 Dance Notes
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291