Diane Louise Jordan has the second dance session about Aesop's famous fable.
2. Fast and frantic, or slow and steady?
After recapping the sports day exercises, the race continues through the countryside and by the riverside, with children linking together to make more obstacles for Hare and Tortoise to go round, through, under, over, etc. But Hare takes a break by the garden gate, waltzing into dreamland, and falls asleep. Meanwhile, Tortoise progresses slowly and steadily. Encouraged and cheered on by the other forest animals, Tortoise is first across the finish line. Hare arrives too late but his disappointment turns to a dance of slow-motion congratulations. We end with a summer Party, all dancing cartoon-carnival style.
Resources
Download the audio for this dance session as an mp3 file.
Guidance on using the dance sessions in this unit with your group (pdf)
Lesson summary
Warm up: Recap forest sports day. Quick recap of forest animals sports day exercises: stretches, jogging and star-jumps.
Fast and frantic, or slow and steady? Recap of Hare and Tortoise movements from the first session in this unit.
Rocks and logs, brooks and bridges. In groups, with a Hare and a Tortoise negotiating their way around, under, through, over and under small animals acting as countryside 'props' or obstacles.
Hare takes a break by the garden gate. All take a breather as Hare 'waltzes into dreamland', wandering off to sniff meadow flowers and nibble carrots, ending in a snooze.
At the finish line. With the class divided in two, each half creates a 'scene', with Tortoise arriving at the finish line, and two rows of small animals making encouraging actions. Then everyone dances in role as Hare, waking up, rushing to the finish, then turning his disappointment into slow-motion congratulations.
Summer party. Everyone moves around the room freely, with greeting gestures and celebration movements, travelling in and out of the spaces.
Related units of KS1 Dance: Time to Move
The Pied Piper of Hamelin. collection
A three-part unit based on the traditional story, popularised by the poem by Robert Browning.
Alice in Wonderland. collection
Three dance sessions exploring the story Alice in Wonderland through dance.
The Great Fire of London. collection
Pete Hillier has three exciting dance sessions exploring the Great Fire of 1666.
