Grow Up Great
Note: Before beginning the activity, assign each child a partner.
Children are naturally motivated by movement. They engage in movement activities for the sheer pleasure of participating. Young children are curious and eager to learn about themselves and others. Creative movement fosters coordination, spatial awareness, self-understanding, and positive interactions with others. During this type of activity, children are learning about positive and appropriate emotional expression and self-control.
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.**
Children are naturally motivated by movement. They engage in movement activities for the sheer pleasure of participating. Young children are curious and eager to learn about themselves and others. Creative movement fosters coordination, spatial awareness, self-understanding, and positive interactions with others. During this type of activity, children are learning about positive and appropriate emotional expression and self-control.
Movement through space requires children to follow directions and problem solve as they work out the moves. They will plan their moves, do them, and, if they sense a problem, form an idea of how to solve it, try out their solution, and then rework the solution. Children are learning and having fun as they go through this entire process.
- It is best to teach this lesson prior to the lesson, Dancing Shapes, also found on this website.
- Rubber spots are 9” rubber discs used for marking places such as bases or positions in sports.
- Important 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.
- Be sure to go over 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), Fiesta! by Eric Chappelle (Connecting Shapes), Moon River by John Altman (Cool-Down), and Build the Bridge by Deee-Lite (Explore, Extend, and Integrate).
- Stretch by Doreen Cronin
- The Human Alphabet by Pilobolus
- Shape Space by Cathryn Falwell
- Kitchen Dance by Maurie J. Manning
- Dance Away by George Shannon
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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