DANCE DRAMA LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Topic: Animals and the Origins of Community Arts

Context: Year 2, Class of 20 students, Understanding different animals and the characteristics that shape their
movements
Theme:
Shape, Space and Locomotor transitions
GLEFTS
Improvisation
Performance structure and design is extended and arrangement using cannons, unison and constrast are
present
Learning outcomes
Students will cognitively understand how their bodies make movements to create those of animals. Students will be
able to use their psychomotor thinking to link their previous knowledge of Australian animals and connect it to
dance.
Assessment
In level 2 of the dance and drama curriculum students "begin to select, arrange and make choices about ways of
using arts elements, principles and/or conventions from individual arts disciplines as they investigate the use of
skills, techniques, processes, media, materials, equipment and technologies relevant to the arts disciplines in which
they are working" (AusVELS, 2015). Students also experiment with ways of expressing and communicating ideas
and feelings to particular audiences or for particular purposes" (AusVELS, 2015). Students in level 2 of the
AusVELS curriculum also "use the whole body or body parts to improvise movements matching sounds or the
movement characteristics of particular animals" (AusVELS, 2015).
Cross Curriculum links:
"Students learn to work in teams to complete structured activities within a set timeframe (the teacher may select the
teams and allocate roles and responsibilities). Students learn to stay on task and share resources fairly"
(Interpersonal Development, AusVELS, level 2, 2015).
"Listen for specific purposes and information, including instructions, and extend students own and others' ideas in
discussions" (ACELY1666. English, AusVELS, level 2, 2015).

WHAT - content

HOW strategies and approaches

Warm up Kinesthetic tune-up

COMPLETE THE GUIDELINES FOR EACH ACTIVITY

Introduction of the concept/theme

Students are promoted with a discussion about animals
and what types of animals are their favourite. What noises
do they make?

10mins
Students will be on the floor in the space sitting with
their legs crossed. Teacher instructing and discussing
in front of the group
Hands up to answer, no talking when other people are

Exploring and developing ideas (creating & making)

Read the story The three Billy Goats Gruff
After the story is read to class
-Discuss who are the main characters in the book
-Discuss and describe what type of voices each character
might have etc loud or soft

10 mins
Students will be on the floor in the space sitting with
their legs crossed. Teacher is reading book The Three
Billy Goats Gruff in front of the group. Prompting with
discussion questions

-Discuss how Big Billy Goat Gruff might have a voice that
is loud and slow, not loud and fast (and others)
Practicing their voice, physical (technique) and social
skills
After this discussion, re-read the story with the students
using body percussion sound effects (stamping for Big
Billy Goat, clapping for the mid-sized Bill Goat and patting
knees for the Little Billy Goat)
-Play music that have different volumes and ask students
to dance around the space as the Billy Goats. Explain
when the loud music comes on they will be a Big Billy
Goat and when the soft music is play it is the Littlle Billy
Goat Gruff.

Hands up to answer, no talking when other people are

10mins
Students move around the whole space creating goat
movements.
Teacher is reading story again then roaming the room
never having their back turned to students (outside
perimeter of space) while students are moving.
Students listen to instructions then are free to create
their personal movements
Monitor that students are wearing correct clothing and
using techniques that wont injure them.
If students are struggling, show ideas through dance
instruction and visual imagery.

Development - Exploration
Practicing their physical and social skills. (How can you
challenge them further?)
Students will get spilt into groups to dance their own
animal stories. They will have to pick only Australian
animals, the story concept and rehearse it as a team.
ISARE is very important to explain to students.

15mins
Students have time to move around an allocated area
in the space that their group will be working in.
Teacher is roaming the area never having their back
turned to students (outside perimeter of space).
Students listen to instructions then are free to design
and speak to their group when creating.
Monitor that students are wearing correct clothing and
using techniques that wont injure them.
If students are struggling, show ideas through dance
instruction and visual imagery.
Discuss what ISARE is and how they can use this time
to effectively create their movement pieces. This is the
students rehearsal time.

Culminating Dance/Play - Presentation

Students will now use the previous skills learnt to act and
out their animal story. Each group will perform a short 1 -2
minute story and dance while the other students become
the audience.
Introduction (beginning)
Group 1 and group 2 perform
Development (middle)
Group 3 and 4
Resolution (ending)
Group 5
Discussion Memory integration

15mins
Students group by group will perform in front of the
other students who will create the audience.
Teacher is watching each group for assessment.
Students listen to instructions
Students are waiting silently for their groups
Monitor that students are wearing correct clothing and
using techniques that wont injure them.
Monitor students performance and group skills for
assessment.

How did you find this activity?

How was working in groups?
Why did you choose those animals?
What could you have done better?
Did we all create movements that described and showed
the audience what animal you were?
Closure
Final class stretches and discussion to be done with
students siting in a circle following the teachers lead

Students will be prompted to answer questions while

being seated on the floor in front of the teacher

On floor in circle following teacher

Lecturer in Primary Arts Education (Dance/Drama): Jacqui Dreessens

jacqui.dreessens@deakin.edu.au
Tel: (03) 5227 2231 ext: 72231