Resource Pack
Learning Sequence
Lesson One (Exploring and Responding)
| Lesson objective/s Students explore culturally diverse examples of animal- inspired dances. Students identify an animal that they feels represents their identity and reflects aspects of their personality. Students identify distinct movement patterns for their animal | ||
| Link to Curriculum (identify relevant Strands and Content Descriptors) AC9ADA6E01: explore ways that the elements of dance are combined to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning in dance across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts. AC9ADA6E02: explore the ways that First Nations Australians use dance to continue and revitalise cultures | ||
| Resources for Students – Laptops/ Access to Internet – Planning board – Writing implements Resources for Teachers: – Modelled Dance Concept Board – Prompt Questions (See in Significant Artwork Tab) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvkUBfIq50I – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd2nTXsivHswans | ||
| Differentiation considerations – Modelled example for how to complete dance concept board. – Display table with examples of movement words that students can include in their Dance Concept Board. – Students can draw on concept board instead writing. – Sentence starting prompts for justification of animals. | ||
| Lesson Introduction | On the whiteboard create a concept web for all the words that associate with the term dance. Once concept web complete, discuss as a class how qualities of movement can express meaning, identity and storytelling. | |
| Lesson Body | Show students two different examples of animal inspired dances (make sure they differ in style and culture). Use prompt questions to guide discussion about how the dances express their meaning, tell a story and share cultural views. Use these dances to then introduce students to the different elements of dance. Have students work on their laptops to choose an animal that aligns with their personal identify and have them provide a justification for their choice. Main Activity: Have students begin to fill their concept board for their animal dance. On the planning board students will have to identify at least 2 distinctive animal movements, create a word bank for relevant movement types and identify which parts of the body they could utilize to create this movement (at this stage they do not need to complete the elements of dance section). | |
| Lesson Conclusion | Have students pair share with a peer their chosen animal and justification for choice. | |
| Formative Assessment Opportunity | Observational (walking around listening to conversations and observing dance concept board). | |
| Evaluation of Lesson Engagement / Implementation | Plans for Improvement | |
| Were the Objectives Achieved? [Formative Assessment] | Adjustments for Next Lesson | |
Lesson Two (Developing Practices and Skills)
| Lesson objective/s Students explore and practise manipulating the elements of dance. Students reflect on how altering these elements can be used to express meaning, identity and storytelling. | ||
| Link to Curriculum (identify relevant Strands and Content Descriptors) AC9ADA6E01: explore ways that the elements of dance are combined to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning in dance across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts AC9ADA6D01: develop and practise technical and expressive skills using safe dance practice and the elements of dance | ||
| Resources for Students – Planning board – Writing implements – Animal Movement Display Cards Resources for Teachers: – Whistle – Modelled Planning Board – Access to outdoor area/ space – List of Simon Says Prompts | ||
| Differentiation considerations – Modelled example of how to expand dance concept board (to include elements of dance section). – Sentence starting prompts for pair share activity. – Modelling of movement prompts for students who process information better visually. – Students can draw on concept board instead writing. – Extension: Provide prompts which combine two elements to extend high ability students. | ||
| Lesson Introduction | Have students work in pairs to identify each of the elements of dance. In their pairs have students model variations in the elements (i.e. one movement fast, and one movement slow). Have student then pair share and discuss the importance of safe dance practices including appropriate warm up and stretching. | |
| Lesson Body | Main Activity- Gamification: Simon Says: Exploring the elements of dance Include a range of commands that explore time, space, dynamics and relationships. – Begin the Simon says game by focusing on motions that warm up and stretch the body to promote safe dance practises. – Explore fundamental movements such as galloping, jumping, sliding, rolling, slithering, spinning, shrinking, exploding or collapsing. – Once students are consistent with the general prompts, extend the activity by relating prompts to different key animal movements (i.e. slither slowly like a snake). – After activity complete: rediscuss as a class how qualities of movement can express meaning, identify and storytelling. Planning: Allow student time to experiment with elements of dance for their choreography and as they do so have them expand on concept board by integrating elements of dance into their planning (see modelled examples). | |
| Lesson Conclusion | Have students pair share with a peer what one of their animal’s distinctive movement features is as well as at least one specific element of movement that they feel is appropriate to their animal. | |
| Formative Assessment Opportunity | Observational (walking around listening to conversations and during Simon Says) Completed Dance Concept Board | |
| Evaluation of Lesson Engagement / Implementation | Plans for Improvement | |
| Were the Objectives Achieved? [Formative Assessment] | Adjustments for Next Lesson | |
Lesson Three: Creating and Making
| Lesson objective/s Students learn about the role of dance maps in choreography design. Students begin planning their movement sequence through the creation of a dance map. | ||
| Link to Curriculum (identify relevant Strands and Content Descriptors) AC9ADA6D01 develop and practise technical and expressive skills using safe dance practice and the elements of dance AC9ADA6C01 manipulate the elements of dance and/or choreographic devices to choreograph dances that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning | ||
| Resources for Students – Planning board – Writing implements – Paper Resources for Teachers: – Modelled Dance Map – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxnra4q1ElA&t=118s | ||
| Differentiation considerations – Provide visual, verbal and written instructions. – Check list of what should be included on dance map. | ||
| Lesson Introduction | Show students a new dance video and have students in pairs discuss the different elements of dance that were utilised as well as what they felt the dance was communicating. As a class discuss the cultural influences and meaning for the dance. | |
| Lesson Body | Main Activity Introduce concepts of dance maps to students, taking time to explain their role in choreography design. Display a dance map on the board and discuss the different elements of dance visible on the dance map. Model to students how to read and interpret the dance map. U se a gradual release of responsibility pedagogical design to: – Model how to create a simple dance map using think aloud strategies. – Repeat this activity, this time create the dance map together with the students. – Allow students time to work individually and create their own dance map, as they do walk around and providing scaffolding as needed. (Students should use information from their completed dance concept board to assist in creation) | |
| Lesson Conclusion | Have students work in pairs to interpret each other dance map. | |
| Formative Assessment Opportunity | Observational (walking around listening to conversations and during Simon Says) Dance Maps | |
| Evaluation of Lesson Engagement / Implementation | Plans for Improvement | |
| Were the Objectives Achieved? [Formative Assessment] | Adjustments for Next Lesson | |
Differential Considerations
This learning sequence has been designed to promote inclusive participation for all students. One of the keyways this is done is through the inclusion of explicit teaching strategies, including modelling, scaffolding and think aloud techniques into all lessons. These strategies have been shown to develop positive, inclusive classrooms which support learning outcomes (Richardson et al., 2023). Scaffolding specifically within the sequence occurs both verbally through instruction and through the availability of additional resources (i.e. movement cards, sentence prompts and checklists). The sequence provides students with multiple means of engagement in line with the Universal Design for Learning Principles and allows students multiple opportunities of peer collaboration and learning through social interaction; both strategies that has been proven to support students with diverse needs (Australian Education Research Organisation, 2025; NSW Government, 2026). Furthermore, the lessons are designed to include a range of cultural perspectives, with multiple of the significant artworks within the sequence integrating Indigenous perspectives and culture into the lesson.
Assessment
The sequence has been designed in a way that supports both assessment as learning and guides students towards the eventual assessment of learning; the performance of their identity inspired animal choreographed dance (an example of which can be seen on the Arts Challenge Five tab). Formative assessment throughout the sequence can occur through observational data and through analysis of students dance concept boards and dance maps. The latter two also provide the opportunity for immediate feedback to be provided to students.
My Journey Through EDCU20042 