Dance Lesson Ideas

Name of Activity: Hey Baby

Purpose of Activity:

Students will learn an upbeat and easy to follow dance that will increase their heat rates.
Students will be able to follow eight count sequences cued with: shake, clap, jump, grapevine, jumping jacks and march for a total of 32 counts.

Prerequisites: Grapevine, slide, march

Suggested Grade Level: 3-5

Materials Needed: Two scarves per student

Recommended music: Hey Baby on Crazy Frogs CD #2, (green cover - check iTunes store) or use any song with a good, steady, easy to follow beat.

Beginning dance formation: Line

Dance source: Adapted from a dance created by Greg Montgomery, NJ and Susan Flynn, SC.

Description of Idea

Variations:

1. During the grapevine steps, cts 17-24, ask students to try a 4 ct. turn in each direction.
2. For younger students, sliding 4 cts. each direction instead of the grapevine works well.
3. During the march, have students’ count 1-4 in different languages. I use Spanish, German, or Japanese. (This would be teacher directed so everyone calls out the same numbers.)
4. During the march students can turn and face a different wall and perform the dance facing a new direction.

Assessment Ideas:

1. Ask students to create a different move they can perform during counts 25-28. Instead of the criss cross jumps students can perform a different dance step. (i.e 4 cts of bleking; jump around in a circle for 4 cts; heel jacks for 4 cts etc.) Students can share their dance step ideas with a classmate and during the dance try the new dance moves.
2. Ask students to feel their pulse both before and after the dance. They can be asked to share one benefit that dance has on the cardio-respiratory system.

Teaching Suggestions:

Students who have difficulty following the steps are encouraged to jump, slide and march during the more difficult steps in the dance.

Adaptations for Students with Disabilities:

Providing scarves helps to engage students with limited mobility.