Grow Up Great
Note: Prior to starting the lesson, mark the floor with two straight lines of tape. The lines should be long enough for half the class to line up and perform movement without touching the person next to them.
- Make a wall shape, and move it through space with a side slide.
- Make a ball shape, and move it through space with a turn.
- Make a twist shape, and move it through space with a hop.
- Make an arrow shape, and move it through space with a gallop.
Creative movement is engaging, energizing, and fun! Teacher participation serves as a great example for children to understand how to move safely with energy and purpose. As children are enjoying the lesson, they are utilizing movement skills to enhance their learning. Movement concepts should be repeated throughout the day to reinforce concepts learned and to bridge the movement lesson through the rest of the day.
These lessons are aligned with the Common Core State Standards ("CCSS"). The CCSS provide a consistent, clear understanding of the concepts and skills children are expected to learn and guide teachers to provide their students with opportunities to gain these important skills and foundational knowledge.**
Creative movement is engaging, energizing, and fun! Teacher participation serves as a great example for children to understand how to move safely with energy and purpose. As children are enjoying the lesson, they are utilizing movement skills to enhance their learning. Movement concepts should be repeated throughout the day to reinforce concepts learned and to bridge the movement lesson through the rest of the day.
Children are active learners and learn through play. Play is how children promote and enhance their development. As children are playing, they can use the same movement exercises and movement vocabulary. Movement vocabulary used throughout the day reinforces important concepts.
- This lesson is best taught as a follow-up to the lesson, Partner Shapes, also found on this website.
- Important safety rules of dance lessons:
a. Listen to the teacher; wait to move, and stop movement when the teacher tells you.
b. Keep your body safe while moving.
c. Stay in your own self-space.
- Review the routine with assistant teachers so that they are familiar with the steps before beginning the activity.
- Musical selections can be found online. Search for Introduction and Royale March of the Lion by Camille Saint-Saëns (Warm-Up), Morning Fours by Eric Chappelle (Moving Shapes), Moon River by John Altman (Cool-Down), and Siwa by Samite (Explore, Extend, and Integrate).
- The Shape of Me and Other Stuff: Dr. Seuss’s Surprising Word Book by Dr. Seuss
- Dance! by Bill T. Jones and Susan Kuklin
- Shapes, Shapes, Shapes by Tana Hoban
- When a Line Bends . . . A Shape Begins by Rhonda Gowler Greene
While we believe that the books and resources recommended may be of value to you, keep in mind that these are suggestions only and you must do your own due diligence to determine whether the materials are appropriate and suitable for your use. PNC has no sponsorship or endorsement agreement with the authors or publishers of the materials listed.
There are currently no Common Core Standards for pre-k, but these lessons are aligned as closely as possible to capture the requirements and meet the goals of Common Core Standards. However, these lessons were neither reviewed or approved by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices or the Council of Chief State School Officers, which together are the owners and developers of the Common Core State Standards.
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