Moving Safely in Personal Space
Lesson 1: Space
Click here to download Lesson Plan and Instructional Materials for Kindergarten Dance Lesson 1 (PDF)
1A. Physical Warm up:
Dance teaching artist Viviana Alcazar leads class in stretches and movement activities to help them warm up for the dance class, guiding them to move safely in personal space.
Kindergarten Dance Lesson #1: Warm up
https://youtu.be/BP8TQVBPfVk
1B. Modeling:
Using either a chart or own body as a visual aid, teacher asks students to identify the parts of their bodies that can move. (e.g., head, eyebrows, mouth, nose, shoulders, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, fingers, torso or ribs, hips, back backside, legs, knees, ankles, feet, toes.) Children move the individual body parts to a song like the “Hokey Pokey”. Movements can be practiced at the student’s desk with optional music. Next, ask the students to identify where front, side and back are in relation to their body.
As an option, using an inner tube or hula-hoop, teacher demonstrates to students what “personal space” is (may also call this “self space”). Show that the hoop or tube keeps your body free from touching anything or anyone. Explain and adhere to this safety rule : if a student bumps into another student or object they must sit down until activity is over.
Kindergarten Dance Lesson #1: Modeling
https://youtu.be/tBpxTGrIK6A
Vocabulary:
- personal space: the immediate spherical space surrounding the body in all directions. Use of space includes shape, direction, path, range, and level of movement. Refers to movement around the body axis or within a body bubble.
- general space: the immediate spherical space surrounding the body in all directions. Use of space includes shape, direction, path, range, and level of movement and involves all the space in a given area.
- locomotor movement: movement progressing through space from one spot to another. Basic locomotor movements include walking, running, galloping, jumping, hopping, skipping, sliding, leaping.
1C. Practice Locomotor:
Kindergarten Dance Lesson #1: Practice Locomotor
1D. Freeze Dance:
- freeze: to cease all movement for a period of time
Children find a place in the room where they will not touch each other or another object. The class moves to music as teacher gives prompts like: “move your arms”, “move the parts of your arm: fingers, wrists, elbows”. Periodically, the teacher stops the music and tells the class to freeze.
Kindergarten Dance Lesson #1: Freeze Dance
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