In this lesson designed for kindergarteners, students experience the alphabet through movement.
Experience the Alphabet in movement, working alone and with a partner, locomotor words (actions), movement pathways
Class expectations (Good listening, following directions, be creative, be active), Space boundaries, personal boundaries, goals for class today
With students spread out in the space, have them make different letters of the alphabet using only their arms, their legs, one arm and one leg, their whole body. Next, have them make a letter with their whole body, then take that letter shape, walking, running, jumping, hopping, crawling, rolling, etc. Repeat with a few different letters.
In partners, create letters together. Have students experiment with a few and encourage them to work together to create the letter.
Without a partner, have students practice their handwriting skills by using different body parts to write letters in the air. Practice writing big letters, small letters, writing with your elbow, your nose, your foot, on the ceiling, on the floor in the air all around.
Review dance vocabulary used during the lesson with the students as they cool down and stretch.
Extension to the Lesson
Have students select a letter on their own, make it with their body and then see if they can trace the letter in a big pathway on the floor with a locomotor movement. For example: Jump the pathway of a large J on the floor, or Skip the pathway of a large S, or crawl the pathway of a large C, etc.
Follow Up Resources
See the alphabet warm-up video in our lesson plan section.