Cross-Curricular Narrative Dance
Dance
•Year 4
•8 Lessons
This unit develops Year 4 students' ability to communicate stories and concepts through abstract movement rather than literal acting. By exploring diverse themes - from scientific concepts to superhero narratives - students build a sophisticated movement vocabulary whilst discovering that dance is a powerful language for expressing complex ideas. The cross-curricular connections make dance accessible and purposeful for all learners.
Lessons in This Unit
8 lessons in this unit
Lesson 1
Big Question:
How can changing levels and directions transform our movement to tell a story?
Key Objectives:
- • To create movements in response to a character idea (spy)
- • To use direction changes to develop and vary set material
Lesson 2
Big Question:
How can dancers use action and reaction to tell a story through movement?
Key Objectives:
- • To choose actions which relate to the spy character and theme
- • To remember and perform longer choreography sequences with a partner
Lesson 3
Big Question:
How can we use our bodies to show the invisible world of states of matter through dance?
Key Objectives:
- • To consider formation and timing to represent the stimulus
- • To understand the impact of dynamics on an action and use them when creating a phrase
Lesson 4
Big Question:
How can we use our bodies to show the scientific properties of solids, liquids and gases through movement and timing?
Key Objectives:
- • To use canon to represent liquid flow and movement sequences
- • To use contrasting dynamics to clearly represent different states of matter
Lesson 5
Big Question:
How can we use our bodies to represent the extraordinary powers of superheroes through dance?
Key Objectives:
- • To remember and repeat dance actions with increasing accuracy and fluency
- • To create imaginative dance ideas in response to superhero stimulus
Lesson 6
Big Question:
How can we use action and reaction to create compelling dance narratives that communicate superpowers?
Key Objectives:
- • To use action and reaction to relay a dance idea effectively
- • To work collaboratively with a partner to create phrase work relating to the stimulus
Lesson 7
Big Question:
How can we use our bodies to tell stories through dance instead of acting them out?
Key Objectives:
- • To use gesture effectively in dance performance
- • To use actions which represent an idea rather than literal acting
Lesson 8
Big Question:
How can we use our bodies to tell the story of an incredible journey?
Key Objectives:
- • To use gestures and movements to represent different places and ideas
- • To explore and create different pathways in dance