Year: 4

/ Lesson: 1/6 / Time: 35 - 45 min / No. of children: 30
Unit Title: Magic Faraway Tree: Focus Characters
Focus – The unit aims to encourage children to:
* explore and create characters and narratives in response to a range of stimuli;
* use simple choreographic principles to create motifs and narrative;
* perform more complex dance phrases and dances that communicate character and narrative;
* know and describe what you need to do to warm up and cool down for dance;
* describe, interpret and evaluate their own and others’ dances, taking account of character and narrative.
Vocabulary: In this unit children will have an opportunity to use a range of words and phrases, such as: character, narrative, costume, props; describe, analyse, interpret, evaluate; communication, gesture; words to describe choreographic devices, e.g. unison, canon, repetition, action and reaction, question and answer; mobilise joints; diet.
Main Learning Outcomes: By the end of this lesson, most children should be able to:
* compose movement phrases working with a partner, using action and reaction;
* perform a range of stepping patterns combined with actions alone and with a partner;
* have a better understanding of how the dynamics of movement influence meaning particularly characterisation;
* experiment with a range of actions, varying and combining spatial patterns, speed, tension and continuity when working with a partner;
* communicate through their dances and perform with fluency and control;
* understand more about warming up;
* describe and interpret dance movements using appropriate vocabulary;
* suggest how dances and performances can be improved.
Assessment: This needs to build upon pupil’s previous experience, relate to the learning outcomes identified in the objectives, be a shared process involving the children [who should be challenged to reflect critically and match children’ abilities. High quality learning will happen through:
Formative: by ensuring ongoing achievements are recognised and directional feedback is given and planning for next stages of learning.
Summative: recording systematically the progress of the pupil, which will inform them [and other teachers / parents].
Diagnostic: identify children with special needs and G&T to provide appropriate support [see dance inclusion spectrum / STEPs]:
* Through talking: to children while creating their dances [reflecting on their products]
* Through listening: carefully to discussions between children and / or as they appreciate their own / others work.
* Through observation: in relation to the learning outcomes; look for imaginative responses to the stimulus; developing control and understanding, during the creating, performing and presentation of dances
* Through viewing: a video of the children creation and performing of their dances
* Through analysing: children written work, diagram’s and records of their dances
QCA Core Task: create and perform dances based on characters and narratives using the dance idea ‘welcome to the house of fun’ the dance should have 2 or 3 sections, which can be based on characters, hall of mirrors [land of spells] and a comic fight [casting a spell / between characters]
Resources: digital camera, dance stimulus sheet [MEH], dance inclusion spectrum [MEH]. Shakespeare play, ‘Macbeth’, looking at the scene of the three witches and focus on the poem.
Props: dance sticks, ribbon sticks, brooms, Hoops [cauldrons], pictures of witches, wizards, goblins, fairies, mummies, skeletons, cats and mice, clockwork mice, fairy dolls [feathers to explore lightness], wings, wands.
CDs and music: ‘Apparition on the Train’ and ‘The Prisoner from Azkaban’, [both from Harry Potter], ‘Pink Panther’ [Alan Tew Orchestra], ‘The Jellicle Ball’ or ‘Macavity The Mystery Cat’ [both from Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber], The Carnival of the Animals: Kangaroos [Saint Saens], The ‘Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ [Dukas].
Videos: ‘Magic Faraway Tree’ [Land of Spells], ‘Cats’, [Lloyd Webber], ‘Sorcerers Apprentice’ [Disney], ‘Wizard of Oz’, [Franks] [focus on how the witch flies and spells out Dorothy’s name]. Can also be linked with Top Dance card: ‘Laugh a Minute’ [Youth Sports Trust].
In the Classroom: Children will have listened to and watched the story of ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ focussing on the chapter, ‘The Land of Spells.’ Show children various pictures of the characters in the story. Ask children to look at the different pictures and to describe them? What makes them different? Discuss how they will be using them during the session of the dance; encourage them to draw on their experience of narrative and character from drama and the story. Watch the ‘Sorcerers Apprentice’ [Disney] for spell ideas.
Teaching Activities / Teaching Points/Management & Organisation
Initial Activities [10 min.]
1. Mind shower movement vocabulary. Children to quietly discuss their words before sharing them. / In pairs of mixed ability. Elicit words from children to suit the characters, e.g. fairy, light, wispy, fly, twirl etc. Ask what pathway would each character take, e.g. goblin would travel low in a zigzag pathway, a witch would fly, loop-the-loop, etc. Words can be shared verbally or physically by demonstration in front of the class.
2. Identifying characters. [Use feathers, mice & witch doll]. / Whole class, sitting in a circle. E.g. Fairies: use feathers, 1 per child [to explore lightness]. Children to blow gently, look at pathways the feather travels, e.g. curved, high and falls low]. For mice: use clockwork mice to look for travelling ideas. For witches, use a witch doll; discuss her appearance [read the poem from Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’].
3. Use of space. [Encourage spatial awareness and discourage following other children]. / Whole class. Instruct children to focus on one point in the room, travel towards it [do not follow any one]. Once children get to their ‘spot’ focus on another and travel to that [encourage different forms of travel].
4. Play Musical Statues. Individuals travel around room. When music stops, make a shape: e.g. witch [spiky shape], wizard [big shape]. / Individuals, then partner work. Teacher led. Encourage shape, gesture, stillness and projection. Progress to involving a partner in your still shape [increase the speed of travel to increase the heart rate]. Use demonstrations as appropriate. Help children to appreciate how the warm up is mobilising their joints.
5. Character pictures. / Individually. Select a picture. Ask the children when the music stops to freeze like the picture.
Development [25 - 30 min]
6. Create a phrase including travelling, turning and finishing with the character’s picture. / Individually. Encourage use of space, through exploring different pathways, and changing levels, shape and speed.
7. Develop and practise the phrase and make movements more flowing [still finishing with the magazine picture]. / In pairs. Encourage children to meet a partner. Then ‘A’ teaches ‘B’ their action phrase and ‘B’ teaches ‘A’. Perform both phrases in unison, copying and mirroring the still body shapes. Introduce music, when children have practised their phrases.
8. Explore different partner relationships, e.g. one behind the other, side-by-side, mirroring.
/ In pairs. Teacher plays music and encourages children to be aware of each other’s movements.
9. Decide on a clear beginning for the dance. / In pairs. E.g. starting with ‘pose.’ Play the music and stress the need to use clear shape, action, and rhythmic phrasing in their movement.
10. Share movement with another pair. / Encourage pairs to make suggestions for the movement material, how motifs could be improved to communicate the dance idea more clearly. Use evaluative sheets / white boards. Pair A performs to Pair B; you need to identify a focus for children to comment on. Swap roles.
11. Practise and refine. / In small groups. Using the suggestions combine both pairs work into one phrase. Pair A, and then Pair B.
12. Demonstrations / Half class perform and the others observe. Elicit comments from both performers and audience. Encourage children to talk about how successful they think different motifs are in expressing the dance idea.
Cool down [3 –5 min]
13. As a class, identify what you like best about your dance. / Whole class to share ideas. Ask children what they will focus on next time to make it an even better dance?
Lesson Evaluation

[Written by Merie Eglesfield-Hope 2005]