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Key
Stage 2
Victorians
Tracy Challenor
Dance
Key Stage 2
Victorians
Lesson Plan for Key Stage 2 Dance
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Objectives:
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Explore movement related to the Industrial Revolution
Improvise freely, translating ideas from a stimulus into movement
Create and link dance phrases using a simple dance structure
Perform dances with awareness of rhythm, dynamics and expression
Work independently with a partner and in a small or large group
Appreciate the music that accompanies the dance
Describe and evaluate how the dance might be improved
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: awareness of rhythm, timing and appreciating all types of music
Unit Contents:
Week 1: Inventions
Week 2: Building
Week 3: Time to Travel
Week 4: Children at Work
Week 5: Dance Rehearsal
Week 6: Rehearse and Perform
Tracks Used (click on links below to audition)
 “And Then”
 “Take Flight”
 “Who Dunnit”
 “Artificial Respiration”
 “Heavenly Beats”
 “It's OK”
 “Come and See”
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
Week 1: Inventions
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Starter
Discuss briefly the Victorian era including the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 1901. Tell the children about the historic changes that occurred including amazing
inventions of this time e.g. the telephone, vacuum cleaner, typewriter, sewing
machine, stamp (penny black) cola, car, electric light bulb, post-box, radio, camera,
train and underground railway. Use pictures of these inventions and discuss how
they have changed today.
Warm up
 “And Then”
The children weave in and out the space using change of direction and different
pathways. When the music stops, call out an invention. They can hold a still frozen
position or ‘use’ the invention until the music begins again. Don’t forget to remind
the children, for example, what the telephone would have looked like back then.
Main
A

 “And Then”
The children find a partner and the teacher calls out an invention. One of the pair
then uses their body to move into the shape, whilst the other child pretends to use
the chosen object. The children have to think quickly as they only have 10 seconds
to move from one object to the next.
B

 “Who Dunnit”
Split the class into 2 groups.
Choose 1 child from each group to move each member of their group one at a time
and place them into a position where, at the end, they will pretend to take a group
photograph. The chosen child has total control and carefully places the other
children near to one another: they may, for example, put someone’s hand on
someone else’s head. Encourage them to choose their stills wisely, as the children
will be expected to hold still until all have been placed into the picture.
C

 “Take Flight”
Children move about the space, independently exploring new and exciting ways of
moving. Encourage children to experiment using their bodies in different ways. Use
whole body as well as isolating different parts of the body. Consider using slow and
quick movement, unusual shapes on different levels, exploring turns, jumps, rolls,
falls and gesture.
D

 “Take Flight”
Show children pictures of Victorian photographs.
Children move into groups of 4or 5 and begin as if in a Victorian photograph: sitting
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
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on chairs, beginning still and quite sombre. Movement could begin with small
gestures, seated and then children slowly move out of the picture.
Ask children to give ideas about how they can do this; e.g. in canon, unison or two then one - then two. Each child creates 3 or 4 movements as they move around the
chairs and one another, coming together with other members of their group,
performing their moves using meeting and parting.
Encourage children to think back to their improvisation: what interesting moves
could they use? After children have created their set motif, they then move back
into the photograph.
E
let each group perform to the rest of the class and discuss how their dances can be
improved.
Cool Down
 “Take Flight”
Children stand in a circle. In canon each child in turn falls carefully and slowly to
the floor. The next child doesn’t begin to fall until the child before them is
completely still. When all children are still this is reverse so first child slowly rises
followed by the next and so on this is an excellent exercise to help children to
practise moving slowly.
Key Vocabulary:
canon, unison, gesture, still, improvisation
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
Week 2: Building
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Starter
Discuss briefly why the Industrial Revolution happened. You could talk about how
before this began timber, stone, lime mortar and concrete were readily available.
Talk about how the change brought the use of iron, coal and steel. Discuss the
types of buildings that these would have been used for - e.g. cotton mills - which
were initially made of timber. Explain why they may have burnt down.
Focus your discussion on the development of the railroads, tunnels and bridges and
talk about the famous engineer Brunel and his suspension bridge. Show pictures
here.
Warm up
 “Artificial Respiration”
Split the class into two groups.
Group one moves around the space and slowly, working as a team, begins to form a
large tunnel for the second group to pass under. After the last person has moved
through, the children forming the tunnel break away and move to form another.
Instruct the children moving through the tunnel that they will be moving on and off
the stage area.
Change groups. Observe imaginative ideas.
Main
 “Heavenly Beats”
A
Ask the children to sit quietly and listen to the music. They are to imagine they are
workers, building the bridges, railways and tunnels and then proceed to create this
improvisation.
Following this, ask the children what type of movement does the music convey? (e.g.
repetitive actions, pushing, pulling, lifting, rolling, etc.)
Discuss all ideas and then ask the children to move to the music again using the
shared ideas.
B
In pairs, the children share their ideas and create 2 of their favourite moves each,
which they then put together. Add expression. Practise until children are confident.
C
The children then move into groups of 4 and teach their moves to the other
children. Or they can all perform their 4 moves in unison or at different times,
facing different directions on different levels.
D
If the children are focusing their movement on a bridge, they could work as a
group to make the bridge-shape using their bodies.
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
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E
Each group performs their building sequence to the other groups.
Cool Down
 “Artificial Respiration”
Face a partner on opposite sides of the room; slowly move towards the other person
when they reach perform push, pull actions. The children can turn, roll and jump as
they travel. They then cross over and travel back to their original position.
Key Vocabulary:
transference of weight, push, pull, appreciation, expression
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
Week 3: Time to Travel
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Starter
Discuss last week’s lesson. Talk about different forms of transport that were
invented by the Victorians, e.g. hot-air balloons, later followed by the Wright
Brothers’ invention of the plane; cars; steam ships and trains. Provide visual aids to
show the styles.
Warm up
 “It's OK”
Practise this footwork, which consists of 4 steps: (begin neutral)
count 1 - right foot forward with weight down, knees bent
count 2 - step down on left foot
count 3 - step back on right foot
count 4 - weight down on left leg forward.
(Moving like a train: right forward, left back, right back , left forward). Once
children are clear with this step, form a line and weave a pattern around the hall
moving in unison. Perform slow first then try double time.
Main
 “It's OK”
A
Split into two groups, each on either side of the room.
Group one travels into the space first, exploring different ways of travelling:
turning, jumping, gliding, rolling, backwards, sideways.
Encourage children to watch each other but to then think of their own ideas. Signal
for the children to move out of the space, back to their original place at the side,
and the other group then moves into the space.
B
Choose some children to show their interesting ways of travelling.
C
Discuss different methods of Victorian transport and ask children to think of their
own favourite, encourage them to create dance moves that will depict this mode of
transport.
D
In small groups of 4 or 5 children, focus on direction and pathway patterns,
creating movement based on a decided mode of transport. Choose a chief
choreographer from each group to offer the first ideas and then change over as
they progress.
E
Recap on the building dances from last week and practise adding ‘D’ on to this. If
children are in different groups, that is fine: they could use 8 counts to move to
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
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their new group.
F
Practise linking the Building and Time to Travel sections together.
Cool Down
 “It's OK”
Half of the class are ‘1’s and half ‘2’s.
Children weave in and out of the space. ‘1’s make tunnel shapes with their bodies for
‘2’s to travel through. Then change over.
Key Vocabulary:
weave, locomotion,choreographer
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
Week 4: Children at Work
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Starter
Discuss the children’s work created so far. What have they enjoyed the most?
Talk about how children worked at a very early age in the Victorian times (as young
as 5). You could discuss rich and poor families; why the children went to work (i.e.
adults had large families and thought it was good for children to work). Discuss how
they think it may have affected the children. Offer visual aids here: either video
clips or pictures. Discuss the conditions that the children worked in: discuss how
they think it may have felt.
Children worked on farms, in factories, as servants, as chimney sweeps, in coal
mines etc. You could ask the children if they had to work today what they would
choose to work as!
Tell the children that today some of them are going to be the children at work and
others are going to become the machines in the factories they had to work in.
Warm up
 “Heavenly Beats”
Imagine you are working in a busy factory. What movement would you do?
Think of repetitious moves along a production line that you could do as a whole
class. Offer ideas and gather ideas from the children and link together.
Main
A

 “Come and See”
Begin standing and ask the children to imagine they are walking to their place of
work. It’s a long walk, so they begin to dance along the way. Discuss expression
which the children will add to their free-movement in response to the music.
B
Repeat the walk, this time each child remembers a pathway and thinks of 3
movements along the way to express how they are feeling.
C
Practise the pathways, so each child knows which way they are going.
D

 “Heavenly Beats”
In small groups, the children create repetitive machinery. Discuss working together
and using all bodies as one tool. This could include spins in and out of a closed circle
of children holding hands; Linking arms and twisting into patterns and then twisting
back.
Let the child watch one another’s work from ‘B’ and ‘D’ and then choose 3 or four
children to represent the children going to work . As they enter the factory the
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
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machines begin to move.
E
First, the children move about the machines, weaving around each group busily,
moving quickly. The children could then show tiredness and continue to scurry to
keep up with the machines.
F

 “Come and See”
Machines slowly grind to a halt. The children repeat their earlier movements as
they travel home.
Cool Down
 “Come and See”
All children walk around slowly in the same direction. As one child passes another
they gently rest their hand on the top of that Childs head as they do so that child
twirls slowly to the ground and then rises again. So children are slowly moving up
and down at different times. Encourage children not to rush.
Key Vocabulary:
rise & fall, expression, open & closed
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
Week 5: Rehearsal
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Starter
Discuss last week’s lesson and explain that this week we are going to link together
all we have done so far.
Warm up
 “Heavenly Beats”
Repeat Cool down from last week but increase tempo.
All children walk around quicker this time, in the same direction. As one child
passes another, they gently rest their hand on the top of that child’s head so they
twirl to the ground and then rise again. So children are moving up and down at
different times. Encourage children to work on making this flow swiftly but not to
go too quickly.
Main
A
Begin to work through each section to ensure each child remembers the content of
each part of their dance.
 “Heavenly Beats”
Building – groups of 4/5 perform sequence
 “It's OK”
Time to Travel – Move to change groups; perform travel section
 “Come and See”
Children at work – 4/5 chosen children walk and expressive movement
 “Heavenly Beats”
Machines in the factory - Groups of 4/5/6
 “Come and See”
Children at work - Children return home, repeating set motifs.
Practise as much as needed to ensure children are clear of entrances and exits.
B
Discuss how the dance can be improved.
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
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Cool Down
 “Come and See”
Lead a flexibility stretch . Side stretch. Moving slowly with the music. Reach up and
relax down. Stretch quads, hamstrings calves and inner thighs. Include upper body
stretch.
Key Vocabulary:
flexibility, motif
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291
Victorians
Week 6: Rehearse and Perform
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Warm up
 “Heavenly Beats”
Repeat Rise and fall
Main
A
Rehearse whole Dance. Work on fluid links.
 “Heavenly Beats”
Building
 “It's OK”
Time to Travel
 “Come and See”
Children at work
 “Heavenly Beats”
Machines in the factory
 “Come and See”
Children return home
B
Add last new section if time permits. Children still often had time to play in
Victorian times. Discuss outside play activities, ball games, hopscotch, skipping,
oranges and lemons, hoop and tag.
Children to split into groups of 3 and choose 3 activities to link together.
Choose ending position.
C
Perform during assembly or to another class.
Cool Down
 “Come and See”
As week 5
Key Vocabulary:
performance, timing, direction
© 2012 [Author]
Madmusik, 62 Holcombe Vale, Bathampton, BA2 6UX; brian@madmusik.co.uk; +44 (0)1225 313082; fax: 0871 528 3291