SECOND GRADE-DANCE

TENSION AND RELEASE: Freeze, melt and shake lesson.

CHICKEN DANCE: This is called the bird dance in the book. You can allow the children to make up their own dance. The chicken dance uses 4 characteristics of a chicken to create it’s dance and pattern. Can you think of an animal or machine and find four characteristics that distinguish it. Put those four movements into a pattern.

MIRRORING: See lesson in the book. This concept should be used to cause the students to concentrate and do very purposeful movement. This should not be a copying lesson. The students should attempt to do the movements synchronized, and mirrored.

THRUST AND FLOAT: Shel Silverstein’s poem is wonderful to create the mood for these concepts. The lesson is in the book. These are two effort skills, these movements will transfer to various skills and activities throughout the entire curriculum. Be sure that your students understand the difference between these two concepts, not only verbally, but physically as well. There is also a lesson called “Thrust and Float”, which uses music. Both lessons work on the two effort skills.

BUNNY HOP VARIATIONS: Enough of the bunny hop! Review the bunny hop, and then let the class get in groups of 2 and create their own version of the bunny hop. 6 counts in place and two counts traveling. Explain the concept of the bunny hop, how every 8 counts; it starts the pattern over again. They can do what ever eight counts they want, a long as they have in place movement and traveling during the eight counts, and then repeat the pattern. After the groups of two have an idea, and can perform it, let the groups combine for four and teach each other their respective dances.

RHYTHM HOOPS:

RHYTHM STICKS: This is a great way to practice group work! One person taps out a rhythm, while the group creates a dance with mirroring/synchronization. Limit the movement. (IE: four traveling steps, and four in place movements, and then repeat.)

RHYTHM AND FITNESS: This lesson begins in Kindergarten and first grade. You have introduced the concepts of moving the body to rhythm in various situations. This lesson should expand the concepts of fitness together with rhythm, continuing the process of showing the links between all the physical skills the students will learn throughout the years. This should be a lesson that allows the students to create a basic Aerobic routine. Begin with a review of the cardiovascular and strength cards as your part one. You can set them up as a circuit and let the students do the stations to music. This should have already been taught in the first unit. As a part two, have your students choose up to four different exercise they like the best, practicing each one separately using a pattern. Part three should allow your students to put their three exercises together with a partners to create a repeating pattern. Allow time to show the routines that stand out.