Primary School Dance for Reception and Key Stage 1

Written and compiled by Val Sabin 2002

The teaching material in the Key Stage 1 Primary School Dance manual has been organised to form a complete and detailed scheme which includes long term, medium term and short term planning.

How do you use the scheme?

Long Term Planning

In the Teaching Guide the unit titles are set out in a grid to enable easy identification of Long Term Planning. There is more than enough material available for each year group and this enables schools and teachers to exercise choice when planning. The co-ordinator (in discussion with staff) identifies which of the four units of work will be used in each year group and places them in the relevant time slots.

Medium Term Planning

At the beginning of each unit of work, the medium term plan is detailed. It contains learning objectives, unit framework and expected learning outcomes together with a full page of suggestions for linked classroom activities. For Foundation Stage the Medium Term Plan follows the same format, but in addition outcomes are linked to early learning goals.

Short Term Planning

The detailed lesson plans form the short-term planning. The detailed content allows teachers to use them in a way which is compatible with their levels of confidence and skill.

The scheme comprises 4 units of work (24 lesson plans) for each year group, however, flexibility is also built in to allow, for example, the use of dances for reception to be used in Year 1 by adding more detail of movement or working with a partner. The whole scheme has been written to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding, in a progressive manner. Learning Objectives, Expected Learning Outcomes and dance frameworks both for each unit and for each dance clarify planning and focus learning. The lesson plans are written in great detail so they can be used immediately as they stand or adapted to suit the expertise or teaching style of the teacher or the attitude and ability of the class.

All lesson plans have been thoroughly tried and tested, however, the rate at which individual classes progress may be very different. Whatever the rate of progress there will always be more than enough material for one lesson in each lesson plan and indeed, in some cases, they could be extended to two or even three lessons. This abundance of lesson material allows a teacher to choose for example, 4 from 6 lessons from a unit in order to follow a topic being worked on at the time, then revisit the unit later for the unused lesson material. Each dance has a page of ideas for stimuli and related activities. Many of the activities have photocopiable masters in the appendices.

There is a range of styles of music, 12 traditional pieces and 37 pieces specially designed for the dances. There are:- simple, complex, orchestral, funky, and story telling music, some with special sound effects.

The dances arise from a wide range of stimuli; tactile, the elements, stories, poems, music etc. The dances gradually progress from individual through to pair work and some small group dances, with all of them generating creative and imaginative ideas.

Foundation Stage dances include suggestions for linked classroom activities. Many of these activities focus on accessing the Early Learning Goals in other Areas of Learning whilst remaining directly linked to the theme of the dance.

Throughout the manual, skills and movement materials are obviously repeated, revised and extended in different creative situations. This enables children to improve the quality and depth of their performances and to extend their knowledge and understanding. A gradual development of choreographic awareness and understanding of the language of dance will enable children to observe and appreciate each other’s work and describe what they see and feel, using appropriate vocabulary.

Minimum expected standards of performance are identified with activities directly linked to Attainment Target levels, so assessment is more clearly defined. Assessment sheets are also provided.

Photocopiable - Copyright Waived

The manual is printed on good quality card enclosed in a sturdy four-ring binder for intensive use. If the manual is kept centrally in the staff room, a teacher can extract, photocopy and return lessons as often as required to build up a personal dance file. Providing it is a school that has purchased the manual the special copyright waiver allows unlimited photocopying within that school.