Page 2 - Pre-school dance plans term one- ELC parent copy

Hello parents and staff,
Our creative dance classes develop self-expression and creativity while increasing body awareness and fitness. Each 30-minute lesson is themed to align with a popular preschool topic and includes a warm up, with stretching, locomotor movement and exercises to improve finger dexterity; a choreographed dance; an action song; work with props; and a warm down. We believe that children deserve the best! So all of the music we use is of the highest quality, carefully selected to suit the theme and mood of each dance. All of our dance teachers are trained dancers or performers with a passion for working with children in their early years.
This document contains all of the lesson plans for Term One and describes in detail the educational and dance aims for each activity. We have also included MP3s and lyrics for all the action songs and poems in the plan so you can follow along during the lesson and practise with the children afterwards.
Every time you dance with children you help them to develop multiple areas of learning including: Physical Development (Moving and handling), Physical Development (Health and self-care), Communication and Language (Listening and attention), Mathematics (Shape, space and measure), Expressive Arts and Design (Exploring and using media and materials) and Expressive Arts and Design (Being imaginative). We introduce a new theme based on typical preschool curriculum topics (e.g. ‘People Who Help Us’) every two weeks in order to help the children with Understanding the World (The world). In addition, whilst the content of every lesson is different we use the same familiar structure for each, thus establishing a recognisable routine which improves Mathematics (Shape, space and measure) and Personal, Social and Emotional Development (Managing feelings and behaviour).
These areas of learning are incorporated into every lesson. The educational aims listed in the lesson plans below are additional to these.
Each lesson also has dance aims and we focus on a particular set of dance aims each term. They are:
Term One: to explore different forms of locomotor movement, practise stopping and changing direction, walk in time with the pulse and march.
Term Two: to slide, practise stopping and starting, move with arms opposing legs, gallop, leap, jump and balance on one leg.
Term Three: to practise stopping and changing direction, hop, step-hop and skip.
Term Four: to run on tippy toes, perform 'Butterfly Runs' (quick moving feet with slow moving arms), practise stopping and starting and balance on one leg.
Please note that the aims listed are for classes with 15 or less children. Activities for larger classes need to be adapted and so some of the aims may not be met. Furthermore, your teacher may make small changes to these plans to accommodate your particular group’s needs. This includes simplifying the activities for children under three.
Many Sparkles,
Lucy Milan Davis – Company Director
© 2019 Lucy Sparkles LTD