Let's Move is presented by Justin Fletcher and Cat Sandion (and guest presenters) and provides off-the-shelf dance resources for KS1 suitable for Autumn, Spring and Summer terms. The units below have been arranged thematically. Scroll through the titles to see what's available. For more information on using Let's Move see below.
Seasons
Autumn days. collection
Cat Sandion presents a unit of two programmes exploring an Autumnal theme.
Autumn. collection
Justin Fletcher has three dance sessions exploring the theme of Autumn.
Autumn is here. collection
Katy Ashworth has a unit of four dance sessions about the Autumn.
Fireworks. collection
Justin Fletcher has two dance sessions set on Bonfire Night about the movement of fireworks.
Twas the Night before Christmas. collection
A two-part unit based on the famous poem 'Twas the Night before Christmas'.
Video: KS1 Dance: Let's Move for the Autumn term
Winter wonderland. collection
A cold and frosty unit of four dance sessions exploring winter presented by Paul Panting.
Snow world. collection
Three dance sessions exploring winter and a snowy landscape.
Opposites (Spring) collection
Justin Fletcher has two sessions exploring 'opposites' through the context of the arrival of Spring.
Egg stravaganza! collection
Justin Fletcher has three dances about eggs - hatching eggs...eating eggs...Easter eggs.
Video: KS1 Dance for the Spring term
Summer holidays. collection
Justin Fletcher has two dance sessions full of fun summer holiday activities!
Picture books
Greedy Zebra. collection
Howard Ward has four sessions based on the picture book 'Greedy Zebra' by Mwenye Hadithi.
The Gruffalo. collection
Paul Panting has two dance sessions based on 'The Gruffalo' by Julia Donaldson.
Handa's Hen. collection
Abi Eniola has two dance sessions based on Eileen Browne's popular picture book.
The Rescue Party. collection
Justin Fletcher has three sessions based on the well-known 'Percy' story by Nick Butterworth.
Room on the Broom. collection
Paul Panting has two dance sessions based on 'Room on the Broom' by Julia Donaldson.
The Smartest Giant in Town. collection
Nataylia Roni has three sessions exploring Julia Donaldson's picture book.
The Snail and the Whale. collection
Three sessions based on the popular picture book by Julia Donaldson.
Twas the Night before Christmas. collection
A two-part unit based on the famous poem 'Twas the Night before Christmas'.
Traditional stories
Aesop's Fables. collection
Cat Sandion presents dance sessions exploring three of Aesop's best-known fables through movement.
The Elves and the Shoemaker. collection
Nataylia Roni has two sessions based on the famous fairy story of a poor shoemaker and helpful elves.
The Enormous Turnip. collection
Justin Fletcher has three dance sessions exploring this well-known traditional story.
The Musicians of Bremen. collection
Justin Fletcher has three dance sessions exploring the well-known traditional story.
Noah and the Ark. collection
Justin Fletcher has three dance sessions exploring the ancient story from the Bible.
The Nutcracker. collection
Join Cat Sandion to explore the much-loved story of 'The Nutcracker' through movement and dance.
Festivals / Special days
Chinese New Year. collection
Justin Fletcher has two sessions celebrating Chinese New Year.
Diwali - Festival of Light. collection
Two dance sessions exploring the festival of Diwali and the story of Rama and Sita.
Egg stravaganza! collection
Justin Fletcher has three dances about eggs - hatching eggs...eating eggs...Easter eggs.
The journey of the Magi. collection
Dances inspired by the arrival of the three kings in Bethlehem. Presented by Katy Ashworth.
Twas the Night before Christmas. collection
A two-part unit based on the famous poem 'Twas the Night before Christmas'.
Environments / Habitats
Life in the rainforest. collection
Cat Sandion has three dance sessions exploring the rainforest, including sloths, leopards...and flying dragons!
Under the sea. collection
Cat Sandion has two dance sessions exploring creatures that live under the sea.
In the city. collection
Cat Sandion has two dance sessions exploring a busy city environment.
Winter wonderland. collection
A cold and frosty unit of four dance sessions exploring winter presented by Paul Panting.
Snow world. collection
Three dance sessions exploring winter and a snowy landscape.
Justin Fletcher has two dance sessions inspired by the theme of 'wood'.
Topics
Magic carpet ride. collection
Two sessions onboard a magic carpet as we take off on a special journey.
Time. collection
Join Cat Sandion for two programmes exploring the theme of time through dance.
Here come the clowns! collection
Two sessions presented by Katy Ashworth based on familiar clown movements and circus skils.
We've got the body rhythm. collection
Justin Fletcher has two sessions exploring some basics of movement and co-ordination.
Can we build it? collection
Justin Fletcher has two dance sessions exploring jobs on an imaginary building site.
Egg stravaganza! collection
Justin Fletcher has three dances about eggs - hatching eggs...eating eggs...Easter eggs.
Nursery rhymes. collection
Justin Fletcher with two sessions using movement to explore popular nursery rhymes.
People who help us. collection
Justin Fletcher has two sessions celebrating some of the people who help us everyday.
Opposites (Spring) collection
Justin Fletcher has two sessions exploring 'opposites' through the context of the arrival of Spring.
Pirates. collection
Justin Fletcher has two sessions with the children becoming pirates to search for buried treasure.
Minibeasts. audio
Three dance sessions presented by Nataylia Roni inspired by garden minibeasts.
Justin Fletcher has two dance sessions inspired by the theme of 'wood'.
Space. collection
Nataylia Roni has two dance sessions taking children on a space adventure!
Knights, castles and dragons. collection
A unit of three dance sessions inspired by medieval fantasy!
Justin Fletcher has two dance sessions inspired by the theme of 'wood'.
Folk dance
British folk dance. collection
Howard Ward has a series of 4 dance sessions exploring simple steps from British folk dance.
Folk dance around the world. collection
There are four dance sessions in this unit exploring popular folk dances from Africa, Greece, India and Ireland.
Using KS1 Dance: Let's Move
Let’s Move needs plenty of space. The hall or a cleared and swept classroom or similar large space is ideal.
Use the best equipment that the school has to offer for playback. Check that the loudspeaker is facing the children to ensure the best possible listening environment.
Make sure the children dance in gym shoes or bare feet. Bare feet give a good sense of contact with the floor, if your floor is safe. The children should be in PE kit to allow easy movement and to ensure that they do not become too hot. Encourage the children to listen carefully right from the start - not just to the presenter but also to the music.
Teaching points
Some tips to help you get the best out of these programmes:
- Always encourage careful listening.
- Reinforce the importance of safety (eg awareness of others, avoiding collisions, keeping well-spaced, sensible landings).
- Help the children to observe each other’s movement in a positive light and to learn from their observations.
- Give the children a sense of your own enthusiasm.
Column headings used in these Teacher’s Notes
- Timing - use this column to add timings, marking pause points etc.
- Content - a description of the individual movements and sequences that make up the programme.
- Guidance - any special points (such as groupings) and things to watch out for (such as safety points) and ways of helping the children to improve their performance.
- Evaluation - a series of questions which help to focus on the teaching points from the lesson and the children’s learning and progression in dance.
KS1 Dance: Let’s Move and the National Curriculum
Dance makes a distinctive contribution to the education of all children, in that it uses the most fundamental mode of human expression - movement. Through its use of non-verbal communication, children are able to participate in a way that differs from any other area of learning. It provides aesthetic and cultural education, opportunities for personal expression, and it also introduces students to a wealth of traditional, social and theatrical forms. In a broad and balanced curriculum, this important area of human experience should not be neglected.(‘Dance in the School Curriculum’, a paper by the National Dance Teacher’s Association and others)
Dance is acknowledged as a vital ingredient of a child’s education in the National Curriculum. The Expressive Arts documents for Scotland and Northern Ireland encourage teachers to develop dance as part of the Arts and PE curriculum. There is an emphasis on performance and clear indications that dance should be taught in both a creative and a cultural context. The children should be taught:
- to develop control, coordination, balance, poise and elevation in the basic actions of travelling, jumping, turning, gesture and stillness
- to perform movements or patterns, including some from existing dance traditions
- to explore moods and feelings and to develop their response to music through dances, by using rhythmic responses and contrasts of speed, shape, direction and travel.
Warm up
Your class will benefit from a warm up before the programme begins (if you have time). Yawning, stretching, jogging on the spot and pretending to wash the face and neck are all examples of ways of warming up. Each programme ends with a ‘cool down’ to prepare them for the return to the classroom.