Copyright for teachers

You can download all collection materials in this resource for education purposes. For more information, go to copyright for teachers.

Activity 1: Dance

Ask the students to choose a style of dance. Have them investigate the history of this dance style:

• Where did it originate?
• Does it accompany specific music?
• Is it related to any other styles of dance?
• Who are some famous dancers in this style?
• If suitable, have students learn a short dance routine and perform for the class to music.

Activity 2: Drama

• Have students stand in a circle.
• Ask one student to step into the circle and begin acting out a scene.
• At any moment, call out ‘Freeze!’
• Another student enters the circle and starts a new scene, using the frozen pose as a cue.
• Continue until five or six students are in the scene.
• When it’s time to finish, call out ‘Curtains down!’
• All students must wrap up the scene and exit the circle.
• Repeat the activity with a new group of students.
• Provide prompts or scenarios if students are unsure how to begin.

Activity 3: Music

Play students a selection of music from different genres. Ask students to make notes as they listen. Ask them to consider:

• What is the tempo of the music? Does it change throughout the music? (Tempo/rhythm)
• What instruments can they hear? (Arrangement)
• How does the music make them feel? Does it sound happy or sad? (Tone)
• Can they identify patterns or recurring themes? (Structure)
• After the music pieces are finished, engage the class in a discussion about the music they heard and what they wrote down. What things did the class agree on? Were there any differences?

Activity 4: Dance costume design activity

Have the students listen to this oral history recording from Kristian Fredrikson (1940–2005): Timestamp: 00:00-03:37

• Have the students discuss and explore costume styles from different parts of the world.
• Taking some ideas from Kristian’s recording, have the children design their own costume for a dancer.

Activity 5: Historical

Access the newspaper article about Harry Houdini and ask the students to write a short play based on the life of Houdini, as written about in the article.

Activity 6: Drama

As a class, read a book (or continue a book the class is already reading) and then have students, working in groups, re-imagine a chapter of the book as a theatrical production. Have them write a script with action directions and character lines. Get them to think about how they can use their bodies to convey emotions and represent abstract or physically improbable ideas or scenarios.

Activity 7: Music

Have students create a short piece of music based on their favourite item or toy. Print out a blank music score available online. Encourage the students to think about the tone and feeling of the piece. For simplicity keep within one octave and monophony. As an extension have students attempt polyphony. This may be easier with a keyboard or piano, there are also many apps that simulate a keyboard instrument.