Lesson 3 - Travelling with Levels in Dance
Creative Circus Storytelling Through Movement and Dance
•Nursery
•Dance
•Start Planning Better PE Lessons
Sign up free to access 3 complete units per month, unlimited activity library, and your personal locker.
What's included
- Complete activity instructions & timing
- Teaching tips & differentiation strategies
- Assessment guidance & success criteria
- Downloadable lessons & units
How can we travel through space like circus performers using high, medium and low levels?
Learning Objectives
- To be creative in our use of travelling movements
- To show use of different levels in our travelling movements
- To move safely in space taking care of ourselves and others
Key Outcomes
- Students will travel safely and creatively in space
- Students will demonstrate different levels when travelling
- Students will create a short travelling section using motif actions
Equipment & Resources Required
Position for clear sound throughout hall
Alternative: Tablet with speakers, CD player
Queue tracks: Circus Clown, Overture Chase, Circus Music
Alternative: Any upbeat music suitable for dance
High (yellow), Medium (blue), Low (red) markers around room
Alternative: Coloured cones, ribbons, picture cards
Key Vocabulary
How high or low our body moves - high (standing tall/jumping), medium (crouching), low (on floor)
Moving from one place to another using different body actions
A special movement pattern that we can repeat and remember
The area around us where we can move safely without bumping into others
Skill Progression Pathway
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Prior Learning
- Basic awareness of personal space
- Simple travelling movements like walking and running
- Following simple instructions
Current Skills
- Travelling with different levels
- Moving safely in shared space
- Creating simple dance sequences
Next Steps
- Combining travelling with partner work
- Adding emotions and characters to movements
- Creating longer dance sequences
Milestone Indicators
Key Teaching Points
- Emphasise safety through heads up, eyes forward movement
- Connect all movements to circus theme for engagement
- Celebrate creativity and individual interpretation
- Use clear level demonstrations with exaggerated positions
- Build confidence through supportive peer feedback
- Maintain connection between motif and new travelling elements
- Encourage smooth transitions rather than jerky movements
Common Misconceptions
- Children thinking levels only apply to static positions - clarify levels can be used while travelling
- Believing travelling must be fast - emphasise controlled, smooth movement
- Thinking there's only one 'right' way to perform movements - celebrate diverse interpretations
- Assuming levels must be extreme - show that medium level can be just as important
- Believing performance is about perfection - focus on effort and creativity over technical perfection
SEN Adaptations
ADHD
- Regular movement breaks built in, clear boundaries for activity areas, opportunities for leadership roles
dyspraxia
- Simplified movement patterns, extra practice time, break down sequences into smaller steps
autism spectrum
- Clear structure and routine, visual schedule of lesson sections, quiet space available if overwhelmed
visual impairment
- Use tactile level markers, provide physical guidance for level changes, verbal descriptions of all movements and demonstrations
hearing impairment
- Visual demonstrations of all instructions, use of vibrating equipment for music, clear visual signals for start/stop
physical disability
- Adapt levels to child's physical range, seated versions of travelling movements, use of mobility aids in dance
Cross-Curricular Links
Science
Understanding how bodies move, balance and coordination, exploring forces in movement
Art
Visual interpretation of circus themes, creating movement patterns, understanding levels as visual elements
Music
Moving to rhythm and beat, understanding tempo and timing, responding to different musical styles
Teacher Guidance
Positioning
Move around perimeter of space during activities, central position for demonstrations and whole-class instruction
Observation Focus
Watch for safe travelling, clear level changes, engagement with task, peer interactions
Intervention Points
Step in if unsafe movement observed, support nervous performers, redirect off-task behaviour
Demonstration Notes
Use exaggerated movements to show clear level differences, model safe travelling, show smooth transitions between motif and travelling sections
Verbal Cues
- •'Heads up, eyes forward for safe travelling!'
- •'Show me a clear level change!'
- •'Move with the music!'
- •'Find your own space!'
Safety Considerations
Space & Surface Requirements
Space Requirements
Minimum 8m x 10m clear floor space, suitable for 30 children moving simultaneously
Surface Check
Non-slip surface, clear of obstacles, adequate space between any fixed equipment
Equipment Safety
Safety Checks
- •Music system positioned safely out of movement area
- •Volume level allowing teacher instructions to be heard
- •No trailing wires in movement space
Risk Management
Key Risks
- •Collisions during travelling activities
- •Falls during level changes
- •Overexcitement leading to unsafe movement
Risk Mitigation
- •Clear boundaries established for movement area
- •Emphasis on controlled, safe travelling throughout lesson
- •Regular reminders about heads up, eyes forward
- •Teacher positioned for maximum supervision
Supervision & Emergency Procedures
Supervision Points
- •Position where all children visible during activities
- •Move around space during exploration phases
- •Monitor for fatigue during repeated practice
Emergency Procedures
Stop activity immediately with clear signal, assess any incidents, appropriate first aid response available