Josh Austin, Cassandra Cleverley, Tom Denness

Lesson Class #: Grade 2 Dance- with a focus on Course Phys. Ed (45 mins)
Title/Focus demonstrating the 3 levels of space.

PROGRAM OF STUDY OUTCOME

● (A2-9) perform simple movement sequences by using elements of body and space
awareness and relationships, alone and with others.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the three levels of space (low, medium, and high), to show a variety of
heights as they move. (Applying)
2. Move safely in space in relation to other students. (Applying)
3. Utilize a scaffolding sequence to teach a particular skill. Connect animal movements to
the way your body moves. (Applying)

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

● An Auditory Speaker
● Movement Visual Cue Cards and Tape
● Dance Scarves

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

● Have an auditory speaker present and ready to be used for the beginning of class
● Have the animal movement visual cue cards taped to the wall for students to consider
during the warm up
● Provide the dance scarves for the fall and rise activity
● Age and lesson appropriate music, songs prepared in a playlist (listed below in
connection to activities)

PROCEDURE

Introduction Time

● Have students enter the gym and make their way to a circle in the middle 5 mins
of the space.
● Talk with students about how personal space ensures safe movement
 practices. How can we now adjust our circle to demonstrate this idea?
● Assess previous knowledge. Do students know the difference between
high, medium and low movement in space?
● Teach any relevant language that will be used in the lesson. Ensure
students know that to be successful they need to follow directing words
and apply them to the relevant context.
● Explain how students are getting from the circle to the side of the room
for the first activity. Give students a specific type of movement in order
to get there safely. Example: Marching like the leader of a band.

Body Time

Topic 1) Have students line up on one side of the gym and 5 mins
Animal reference the pictures posted for the week on the
movement wall of movement.
warmup 2) Highlight how each movement card on the wall is
associated with a specific animal to give a visual
example of the skill.
3) Students will follow the cards from top to bottom
that have been posted on the wall (5 cards). They
will do the traveling movement to the other end of
the gym and repeat it on the way back. Once they
have completed the first movement they will move
onto the next card.
4) Students will be working at their own pace based on
individual skill level, so encourage students to use
their understanding of spatial awareness. (rehearsal
of the concept occurs here)
5) Once students complete the 5 cards in the warmup
activity have them freeze at the end of the gym in an
animal pose. (frog, flamingo, rabbit, turtle)
Songs listed below will be played while students participate
in warmup.
Song 1: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=OwRmivbNgQk)
Song 2: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61lFv47C_uU)

Topic 1) Ensure all students are ready for the next task 12 mins
3 levels in space at the end of the gym. Pause and freeze in a
 pose to prepare for the next part of the
activity.
2) Ask students who can demonstrate one of the
levels in space. Limit this to two students and
then ask all students to stand up as we
discuss the 3 separate levels.
3) Have students spread out in the center of the
gym ensuring they have room to move freely
and safely.
4) Discuss the lowest level of movement (no
higher than the knees). Use a visual aid of
being stuck in slime or in a big puddle of
mud to help students understand what parts
of their body should be moving. Song 1: Play
this song when dancing in the low level of
space. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=bw2nif3jt6w)
5) Highlight how dancing in different levels can
eventually be linked to create sequences in
space. Ask students how they can make their
movements big when they are low to the
ground. (Use of breathe and arm pathways)
6) Explore the other two areas of space.
Emphasize how the songs give us examples
of animals we can find and ways we can use
our bodies at these levels.
7) Song Two: Play this song when students
dance in the middle level of space. Ensure
students know to listen to auditory cues about
how many fish you need to find and interact
with at this level.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=DFYoRju7NCE)
8) Song 3: Play this song as students move in
the high level of space. Challenge students to
stay on the balls of their feet to empathize
height and reach.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=VaARSaHa5GA)
Songs can be cut shorter if students are understanding the
 concepts and where their bodies need to be in space.

Topic 1) Have students find their own space and freeze in 10 mins
Freeze in time a pose at one of the three levels. Ensure all
students are focused as the next activity begins.
2) Integrate the previous activity into freeze dance
by yelling out the level students must dance in
space, while matching the action word in the
song.
3) Tell students when they hear the singer to freeze
in a pose in one of the 3 levels. They must stay
still and listen to the directions as to what kind of
shoes they will need to put on. When instructed
they will move however the special shoes have
asked them too.
4) When the song reaches 2:30 (after the motorbike
movement) students will listen to the instructor
and hear how many partners they will have to
find. When they pose they must all be linked
together in some way, connecting a part of their
body.
- How can we use the elements of dance while
working in groups to express our ideas and
shape our bodies in interesting ways?
5) Analyze if students have understood how the
prompts make them move in the three different
spaces.
Song: Late last Night (https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=HMc5VP7A2WU)

Topic 1) Introduce the difference between rise and fall 10 mins

Fall and rise movements and compare them to the idea of a
balloon.
2) Highlight how rise and fall occupies all three of
the levels in space. Demonstrate and explain the
idea alongside students so they will be able to
match it to the music and verbal cues during the
activity.
3) Hand out scarves so each student has one. Ask
them to let the scarf sit quietly in their lap,
 students may need to place their hands on their
head if excited to encourage focus!
4) Explore movement with the scarf using the visual
of painting a big picture. Students need to fill the
space on the canvas at all three levels
incorporating the ideas used in the prior 2
activities.
5) Play the movement song and have students
explore different pathways of the body while
using the prop. Explain that props can help us to
reach more levels in space and enhance creativity
of movement.
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5yorYED9Ew

Conclusion Time

● Students will return the scarves to the designated area, neatly and safely. 3 mins
● Encourage students to demonstrate the animal movements they practiced
in class at home for their parents/guardians and explain what level of
space each animal movement represents.

Assessment

● At the end of the lesson students will be able demonstrate the 3 levels of space
(Learning Objective #1).
● Class List - A sheet detailing lesson objectives, can be used to measure student
understanding and demonstration of concepts. (Learning Objectives #1, 2, 3)
● Side Coaching- If a student is struggling during the song, step in and provide them
additional support.

Additional Notes:
Songs listed in the playlist will be in order on the device and plugged into the speaker prior to the
start of the class.

Resources
Wall of movement prompt cards:
Reflection
 Developing a Physical Education lesson centered around dance presented unique
challenges we worked to address as a team. As we were attending to the foci and learning
objectives of the lesson, we were tasked with being creative in terms of planned activities and
acquiring resources. Using a backward design approach, we could pinpoint movement-based
learning tools that would connect back to the objective and enhance student growth. We wanted
to ensure that our lesson plan was detailed so that if someone with no background knowledge
had to step in, they could effectively lead and explain the activities. We chose an objective
relatively outside the realm of comfortability for most people regarding lesson creation in PE.
Dance is very open-ended, so we decided to highlight a specific word used in the outcome
statement to focus our approach. As we began creating movement-based activities, we used age-
appropriate representations to enhance the learning experience. Animals were an easy way to
depict different body movements in space and connect them with the outcomes we aimed to
achieve at the end of the lesson period. We wanted to ensure that the information provided in
each planning section was connected and reintegrated back into the foci of the lesson. Down to
the music, our actions were intentional in supporting student understanding because movement is
not an easy thing to teach or for many to demonstrate!