LESSON 4: Moving Like Things I Know
Lesson Focus: Movement Association  
Age Group: 2-3 years old
Duration: 30 minutes
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Remember: Recall familiar movement types (e.g., animals, vehicles, weather, everyday actions).
2. Understand: Connect movements to objects/creatures by identifying key features (size, speed, level, quality).
3. Apply: Transform basic movements into clear representations on cue (e.g., walk → stomp like a dinosaur; wave → swish like a tree).

MATERIALS:

1. Music player with 2–3 instrumental tracks 
2. Visual prompt cards/icons: animals (cat, bird, elephant), objects/vehicles (car, aeroplane, train), nature (tree, rain, wind), actions (brush teeth, sweep)
3. Drum or hand clapper (start/stop/freeze)

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LESSON PROCEDURES:
1. Welcome and Warm-Up (3 minutes)
- Gentle wake-up to calm track: sway like a tree in a light breeze; tiptoe like a cat; flap small like a chick; stomp softly like a dinosaur but keep it controlled.
- Frame the focus: “We’ll move like things we know. Watch how we change speed, size, and shape.”

2. Vocabulary and Ideas Brainstorm (3 minutes)
- Show a few prompt cards. Ask quick hands-up: “Name an animal/vehicle/weather we know.”
- On each: elicit 1 movement feature. Example: elephant = heavy/slow; bird = light/high; car = smooth/fast; wind = swishy/swirly.

3. Model: From Basic Move to Representation (4 minutes)
- Start with a simple base move, then transform it:
  - Walk → heavy stomp = dinosaur.
  - Jump → tiny hops = bunny.
  - Arms out → smooth swoop = aeroplane.
  - Sway → big sway with branches = tree.
- Use clear language: “Base move is walk. Change quality: heavy and slow. Now it’s a dinosaur.”
- Contrast 1–2 “not quite” examples and refine: “If the dinosaur is too fast, make it slower and heavier.”

4. Guided Practice A: Animal Parade (5 minutes)
- Teacher calls and shows: “Cat… Elephant… Bird… Frog… Dinosaur… Snake.”
- For each, cue 10–12 seconds with drum start/stop; children move around space safely, using qualities:
  - Cat = quiet tiptoe, low level.
  - Elephant = heavy steps, arms as trunk, slow tempo.
  - Bird = light steps, small flaps, mid-to-high level.
  - Frog = small crouch jumps within safe range.
  - Dinosaur = wide stance, slow heavy steps.
  - Snake = smooth, winding path with shoulders/arms; feet stay safe and forward.
- Reset posture between prompts.

5. Guided Practice B: Things That Go (4 minutes)
- “Car… Train… Aeroplane… Bicycle.”
- Add simple features:
  - Car = smooth gliding steps; steering wheel hands.

  - Train = linked arms in pairs or solo “choo-choo” arms; rhythmic chug.
  - Aeroplane = arms wide, gentle banking turns; slow and spacious.
  - Bicycle = on-the-spot pedalling legs; handlebar hands.
- Emphasise safe spacing and no running.

6. On-the-Spot Mix and Match (4 minutes)
- Show two cards quickly in sequence and have class transform base moves:
  - “Tree (sway) → Wind (faster swish) → Rain (light fingertip taps).”
  - “Cat (tiptoe) → Freeze → Car (smooth steps).”
- Encourage children to say the qualities before moving: “Light and small,” “Heavy and slow.”

7. Application Game: Guess What I Am (4 minutes)
- Teacher chooses one prompt and performs silently for 10–15 seconds; children guess the object/creature and the qualities used.
- Invite 1–2 confident pupils to perform while others guess. Keep choices familiar and safe.

8. Cool-Down and Reflect (3 minutes)
- Slow “weather” cool-down: become a tall still tree; soft breeze sways; return to stillness.
- Breathing: smell the flower (inhale), blow the wind (exhale).
- Reflection prompts:
  - “Which movement looked most real? Why?”
  - “What qualities helped: big/small, fast/slow, heavy/light?”

ASSESSMENT
- Recall: Learner can name or select a familiar category (animal/vehicle/weather) when prompted.
- Association: Learner links at least one accurate quality to the chosen thing (e.g., bird = light/high).
- Transformation: Learner adjusts a base movement to represent the thing on cue with approximate clarity.
- Control and Safety: Learner maintains spacing, starts/stops on drum, uses safe ranges (no collisions, controlled levels).

REMARKS
- Safety and Inclusion:
  - No full-speed running; turns are gentle; avoid floor work if space is crowded.
  - Offer seated/spot-only versions (e.g., seated “aeroplane” arms, on-the-spot “bicycle” legs).
- Classroom Management:
  - Use consistent cues: drum = start/stop; “Freeze” card for stillness.
  - Model before asking for child demonstrations; keep examples brief.
- Language Support:
  - Pair each card with one quality word and a gesture; repeat: “Elephant: heavy and slow.”
  - Encourage echo phrases: “Light and high,” “Heavy and slow.”
- Differentiation:
  - Emerging learners: choose from 2–3 options with strong contrasts (bird vs elephant; car vs train); slower pace.
  - Confident learners: combine two qualities (big but quiet), or create a 2-action mini-sequence (tree → wind).
- Transitions:
  - Pre-cue changes: “Ready to change in 3-2-1.”
  - Reset to neutral stance after each prompt.
- Environment:
  - Clear obstacles; mark boundaries; spread evenly.
  - Place music source and drum where start/stop is quick.