LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Animal movements

Students will move like the animal they hear described in the music.

A lesson plan for grade K Dance Arts Education and Music Education

By Jo James

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • listen to music.
  • move like they think the animal would move.
  • show awareness of space.
  • demonstrate discipline in movement.
  • demonstrate awareness of movement to music.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

45 minutes

Materials/resources

  • “Animal Action” from Greg and Steve Kids In Motion (record, tape or CD);
  • record player
  • tape player or CD player

Pre-activities

Talk about how animals move. Have someone demonstrate how each animal in the song moves (horse, spider, bunny, lion, bee, and a duck). You can decide if you want the children to just move or move and sound like the animal.

Activities

Have the children find their own space in the room. Let the class listen to the music first and discuss how you will move. Let the class move to the music like the animal would.

Assessment

Teacher will watch the children move like the animal would move. Watch out for good behavior in all children. Teacher may need to redirect children who get off track. Teacher may need to listen for the volume in the class if sounds are asked for.

Supplemental information

Pictures of the animals: horse, spider, rabbit, lion, bee and a duck may be helpful for students to see the animals.

Comments

This song is a favorite movement song from my Kindergarten classes. The children really enjoy the chance to move around the room and if given a chance, sound like the animal.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

Dance Arts Education (2001)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 3: The learner will understand that dance can create and communicate meaning.
    • Objective 3.01: Express ideas, feelings, and stories through dance movement.

Music Education (2001)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 6: The learner will listen to, analyze, and describe music.
    • Objective 6.04: Respond through purposeful movement to prominent music characteristics while listening to music.
  • Goal 8: The learner will understand relationships between music, the other arts, and content areas outside the arts.
    • Objective 8.01: Recognize commonalities between music and the other arts.

  • North Carolina Essential Standards

    • Dance Arts Education (2010)

      • Kindergarten

        • K.CP.1 Use choreographic principles, structures, and processes to create dances that communicate ideas, experiences, feelings, and images. K.CP.1.1 Identify components of the elements of dance movement (body, time, space, energy). K.CP.1.2 Execute spontaneous...