Lesson Plans

Lesson 1.

Subject: “Expressing Feelings with the Freeze Game” adapted from Grizz, 1998, p.37

Objective: To help children identify and express feelings (mapping to curriculum see 'learning outcomes')

Warm up: “If you are happy and you know it”

In a circle sing the song “if you are happy and you know it” and make movements for if you want to show it that include different ways the body moves i.e. bending, twisting, reaching up high, jumping…..

Inspiration maybe Music or sound: Drum

Element of Dance: (at least one)

• Space; shape and relationships

• Energy; motion and stillness

• Time; rhythm

Movement/dance: individually (students can then work in pairs and or groups and have others identify what the feelings are)

Lesson Plan: Ask students to name aloud all the feelings they can list (worried, excited, sad, angry, shy, embarrassed, confused, etc.) Discuss the ways we show our feelings nonverbally such as through eye focus, facial expressions, gestures, posture, and muscle tension.

Call out feeling, and ask the children to make a body shape that reflects that feeling when you bang your drum once. After a moment, ask the children to move how the emotion feels, and accompany the movement of the drum. When the drum stops, the children freeze. Repeat this sequence with a variety of feelings. Instruct the children not to make any sounds or touch anyone else during the exercise, but to focus their attention on the changes they are making in body shape, muscle tension, and whether they feel open or closed.

Reflection of objectives met after activity:

Whilst the children are stretching ask them how they are feeling whilst stretching, ask them to name a feeling that was different to this that they displayed during the lesson. Ask the children to write in their journal some of the feelings explored and how expressing these feelings made them feel. They can draw a picture or explain the movement they used for each of the feelings.

Lesson 2.

Subject: “Group Shapes: Conflict Resolution”: Conflict/feeling Tableau adapted from Grizz, 1998, p.27

Objective: To help children identify feelings and separate feelings from actions (mapping to curriculum see 'learning outcomes')

Warm up: “Mirroring” Teacher stands at front of class and makes a big movement with only one part of their body, signalling out just one part and not moving any other. The students copy like they are the teacher’s mirror. Using a wide range of movements, loosening up all limbs. The students then pair up and mirror each other.

Inspiration maybe Music or sound: Music that builds to an ending (to help set the mood for the fight), or use a drum and mimic dance.

Element of Dance:

• Space; shape, level, relationships

• Energy; force

Lesson plan:

Group children in groups of eight to ten sitting on the floor in circles. Place a stack of emotion cards face down in the centre of the circle. Each child chooses a card and nonverbally acts out the feelings on the card while the rest of the circle guesses what emotion is being expressed.

Then divide the groups into four. Ask each group to create a simple scenario of a conflict that ends in a fight. Explain that a tableau is a grouping of people frozen like statues to create a scene. Ask each group to create a tableau expressing conflict: Two of the students will assume the poses relating to each other showing the fight; the other two students will assume poses behind them or next to each of the fighters showing the feelings that are underlying the anger (hurt, fear, embarrassment, etc.). Each group presents their tableau to the class, which tries to identify the feelings and the scenario.

Reflection of objectives met after activity:

Let the students discuss (with teacher assistance) how they could resolve the conflict if the fighters were removed and only the feeling people remained. Students write in their journals their thoughts about conflict and conflict resolution.

In the cool down get the students to lie on the floor, play relaxing music and describe a peaceful place for the children to image.