When you and your students explore the letter S, these books can be springboards and inspiration for improvisation and dance projects.
S is for Stomping
Stomp, Dinosaur, Stomp is full of playful action words to use with preschool, kindergarten, and first grade dancers.
"Mighty Tyrannosaurus loved stomp, stomp, stomping, gigantic legs striding, enormous jaws opening…."
The book explores 11 different dinosaurs and a wonderful list of action words, including:
- Stomping
- Swishing
- Gliding
- Swooping
- Soaring
- Hunting
- Pouncing
- Zooming
Use the book in a variety of ways to inspire improvisational activities, a "dino dance," or little vignettes about each animal in small groups.
S is for "Someone Says"
I am a big fan of author Carole Lexa Schaefer and artist Pierr Morgan (listing two of their books here in this post). Someone Says is a delightful version of the simple game Simon Says. I like to read the book to the class and then make my own improv – a blend of freeze dance and Simon Says. I call it "Someone Says." We start to dance around the space to music. When the music stops, I call out a student's name and he/she decides how we will move next. "Olivia says, let's……" I give each student an opportunity to select a movement idea.
S is for Squiggle
Carole Lexa Schaefer and Pierr Morgan also created the book The Squiggle. In The Squiggle a red ribbon becomes many different things – ripples in water, a snake, and exploding fireworks. The book is easy inspiration for a dance with ribbons or scarves. How many different ways can we move? Can we move like _______? What animals and objects in our world can inspire us?
S is for Skipping
Skipping is one of the essential locomotor steps. Step hop, step hop, step hop….
In Ready, Set, Skip! (by Jane O'Connor and illustrator Ann James), a girl shares all of the actions she can do, but skipping is currently not one of them. Then, her mother teaches her, and she is excited with this new action.
Use the book as a lesson starter as you embark on skipping with your students.
S is for Star Climbing
Over the years, Star Climbing (Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson) is one of the picture books I have used most in dance classes. The words literally dance off the page and inspire a magical, whimsical project. A little boy dances amongst the stars:
Tiptoe over low-lung clouds
Leap from star to shining star
Skip across bright silver stones.
S is for "Silly Sally"
"Silly Sally went to town, walking backwards, upside down." So begins this playful picture book by well-known children's author Audrey Wood.
The main character encounters different animals, and does a certain action with each one (a jig with a pig and leapfrog with a dog).
One idea would be to create a whole dance using the entire text; another idea would be to read the book to your students and then play with some of the key concepts, especially ways of moving backwards and upside down. Use the book as a starting to point to explore many ways of moving backwards and upside down (or the concept of "direction" in general).
S is for Seasons – Spring and Summer
I love books and poetry that explore the seasons. Over the years, I have written about numerous books with a seasonal theme. Check them out here.
S is for Snow
Snow Dance, by Lezlie Evans with illustrations by Cynthia Jabar, is a great book for children in preschool through second grade. Can our dancing make it snow? What are all of the wonderful actions we do outside on cold days and snowy days?
This book is simply a fun book to read during the winter months. You might also use this book as a springboard for a wintery dance.
Purchase a copy here.
S is for Slow
The concept of fast and slow is always a source of play and joy with young ones. These two books can be read before you explore fast and slow with students. How can animals inspire us?
Fast and Slow: An Animal Opposites Book - Lisa Bullard
"Slowly, Slowly, Slowly," said the Sloth - Eric Carle
——————–
Dancing Words Blog 