Kerriann Manziano, John Lisella, and Matt Lichtenstein

Title of Activity: Dancing With Scarves- Preschool

1. This activity is appropriate for young children because it allows them to use their imagination to explore the scarf in different ways and be creative in their movements. It can be a fun and exciting tool when paired with music so the children can move around and discover what their bodies can do with the scarf; it is a tool for self-expression. It addresses their motors skills by allowing their bodies to move and explore the different movements taught by us with the scarf like walking and waving the scarf or galloping. It challenges their cognitive skills by having them follow us in a routine and seeing if they can perform the movements after we do. It challenges their social skills by having them interact with the music and each other; are they having fun, laughing, and enjoying themselves or are they shy, quiet, and not having fun?

2. We are going to use mirroring and practice. We will do a movement and the students will follow us and mirror the movements we are doing. This strategy is appropriate because children need guidance, and when learning something new the children like to follow what the teacher is doing. This allows them to feel comfortable by having someone to look at and do it too.

3. The students will learn and be able to demonstrate the locomotors movements we perform by having them mirror our movements. The locomotors movements include walking and galloping. The students will also be able to demonstrate throwing the scarf up and catching it. This displays their hand-eye coordination skill and allows them to practice it. The scarves are perfect for this movement learning because they float in the air and can allow students to take their time and focus on catching the scarf. They will also understand and demonstrate body and space relationships, agility, flexibility, and listening skills.

4. The equipment we will need is a bag full of scarves and music. The music we will play includes Let It Go- Frozen.

Introduction: John Lisella

Introduce myself and other group members: My name is John this is Kerriann and Matt. How many of you like to dance? Can you show me some dance moves? Wow great dance moves! Have many of you have seen the movie Frozen? Who liked the movie Frozen? What was your favorite part? Today we will be dancing to the song “Let it Go” from Frozen with scarves. Kerriann will hand out the scarves and explain the activity.

Development: Kerriann Manziano

Hello boys and girls, I am going to give you each a colored scarf. What does the scarf feel like? What do you imagine when you hold the scarf? Can you see through it?

Now I want you to just wave the scarf really, really high, as high in the sky as you can go. Now can you wave the scarf really low, so low it almost touches to ground? Can you throw the scarf up and catch it? Let us see! Can you switch hands? Wave it in your left hand; now wave it in your right hand. Can it be a horse’s tail? Let me see your horsetails as you gallop around the room! Stop! What other animal can you imagine you are with the scarf? Show me your animals! Now can you move it in a big circle? How about in a fast circle; now go really slow. Can you make a triangle? What other shapes can you make with the scarf by moving? Show us!

Now boys and girls who saw Frozen the movie? Now we are going to dance to Frozen!

*While the song Let It Go is playing*

Every time “let it go” plays in the song, we will throw the scarf up and catch it.

I will have the students move around freely in the room exploring their scarf with the music and dancing however he or she wants to. Then after a few seconds I will encourage the students to follow along with me as I move the scarf across the front of our bodies, now behind the body, and now all around the body.

Can you make big circles like a ferris wheel, or put it above your head like a helicopter blade spinning really fast.

Wave it like a flag above your head, now switch hands.

Let’s march around the room and wave our scarfs (when the beat picks up).

Wave the scarf across your body to the right, then to the left.

“Let the snow rage on!” wave your scarf really fast and high in the air and stomp your feet like you a big snowstorm! You can even move in a circle, spinning in one spot.

On the last verse of the song “the snow never bothered me anyway”, jump up and throw your scarf and strike a fun pose.

Closure: Matt Lichtenstein

I will gather the children at the end of the activity and make a circle. In that circle I will ask them what they learned in the lesson and what their favorite part was. As a closure remark I will ask them to show me what their favorite movement was with the scarf. I will say we had so much fun coming in and dancing with you boys and girls and we hope you had fun too!