Warm ups

Warm-Ups and Introductions

Qualities of a good warm-up or introductory activity:
    -easy and quick to organize
    - should be challenging
    - give students choice
    - gradually increase in intensity and complexity (safety)
    - increase core temperature
    - lead or build into the main body of the lesson
    - aid in reviewing past content
    - should be fun
    - should incorporate at least two of the following warm-up styles: individual, partner tasks, fitness blasts, aerobic fitness, minor games, teacher lead, student lead, general fitness, group tasks (Hopper, 2002)

1. Grand March to the beat.

            - Without music then with music

            - Clap out rhythm without music

            - Clap and walk to the rhythm

            - Grand March to the beat

            - Grand march with different music

2.    Dance Tag

        - when tagged, have to do a dance move to whatever music is being played

        - to be freed someone has to face you and mirror your dance move for three seconds

3.    Walk to the Beat

        - In lines you have to walk to the beat of the music

        (divide class into 4 lines- one line at a time)

        - Incorporate different moves into walk-eg. head bob, snap fingers, shoulder shrugs- all to the beat of music - which will change

4.    Freeze music.

        - dance around to music - when it stops you have to freeze in the position you were in- strike a pose

5. Bean bag tag- to the beat

    - bag on head (if dropped they have to do tasks on the spot.)
   - progress to being with a partner (linking arms)
    - if tagged or been bag is dropped the partners need to make an arch. Another group has to go under arch to be un-frozen.
    - switch taggers every few minutes

6. Copy Cat

- mirroring foot work.- to the beat of the music

    forward/backwards/ sideways

    Add a bean bag on top of head (posture) - change leader on the whistle

7. Simon Says with dance moves

    if student does movement and simon didn't say they become the next simon

    play continuously to warm- up.

    Simon has to use proper dance terminology. - Schottische, box step, grapevine etc.

8. Musical Hoola Hoops

    like musical chairs, but use hoola hoops marked off in gym

    as students move around gym area, they have to be performing dance moves as designated by teacher

    when music stops- they need to find the nearest hoop

    those that don't have a hoop have to perform some designated task (dance move)

9. Exercise square

    students form a square
    select one student to go in middle and perform a dance move 20-30 - seconds
   on whistle the leader selects a new leader
    while switching - rest jog in place
    3- 5 minutes
    play up beat music and encourage creativity.


10. Reverse Grand March

    Same as Grand March- only in reverse. A good way to get them in partners.

11. Stations

    Have stations set up. Each station is a move or style previously learned.

    Students can give cues to each other on proper movements

12. Rhythm Finder

    with different instruments or clapping to the rhythm.

    Walking and playing to the rhythm.

    without and with music