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Feel the Flow

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Lesson Plan

Feel the Flow Lesson Plan

Students in grades K–12 will explore and express abstract movement through guided play, body-awareness exercises, and creative prompts, fostering physical coordination, social–emotional growth, and artistic expression at age-appropriate levels.

Abstract movement activities nurture creativity, physical awareness, and emotional expression. By adapting prompts for all K–12 levels, every learner engages at a fitting challenge, builds confidence, and connects feelings with motion.

Audience

K–12 (Kindergarten–12th Grade)

Time

40 minutes

Approach

Guided exploration with prompts, reflection, and differentiation.

Materials

Large Open Space, Movement Prompt Cards, Emotion Word Cards, Movement Reflection Sheet, and Crayons

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

  • Print and cut out Movement Prompt Cards.
  • Print and cut out Emotion Word Cards.
  • Copy the Movement Reflection Sheet for each student.
  • Clear desks and furniture to create a safe, open movement area.
  • Review lesson flow and key prompts.
  • Review differentiation ideas in the Grade-Level Adaptations section to tailor activities for your students.

Step 1

Introduction to Abstract Movement

5 minutes

  • Abstract movement means using your body to show feelings, ideas, or things instead of everyday actions.
  • Examples:
    • Glide like a drifting cloud to feel calm.
    • Bounce like a springy ball to feel excited.
    • Sway like tall grass in a breeze to feel relaxed.
    • Slither like a curious snake.
    • Ripple like water when you feel gentle.
  • Invite students to call out a word or image and then show it with their body.

Step 2

Warm-Up Circle

7 minutes

  • Gather students in a circle.
  • Lead simple warm-up stretches: reaching arms, arm shakes, ankle & wrist circles.
  • Ask: “How does your body feel when you do each movement?”

Step 3

Guided Free Movement

12 minutes

  • Shuffle the Movement Prompt Cards and let each student draw one.
  • Read the prompt (e.g., “Move like wiggly jelly”), then invite students to interpret it with full-body motions for 1–2 minutes.
  • Play soft background music.
  • Rotate until every student has tried at least one prompt.

Step 4

Emotion Movement Matching

8 minutes

  • Distribute one Emotion Word Card per student.
  • Ask students to think of and demonstrate a movement that matches their emotion.
  • Peers guess the emotion; celebrate creativity.

Step 5

Reflect & Draw

5 minutes

  • Hand out the Movement Reflection Sheet and crayons.
  • Students draw their favorite movement and circle the emotion they felt.

Step 6

Share & Celebrate

3 minutes

  • Invite volunteers to share drawings or perform a quick movement again.
  • Provide positive feedback and applause.
  • Close by asking, “How did moving make you feel today?”

Step 7

Grade-Level Adaptations

Optional

  • K–2: Use simple single-movement prompts; focus on exploring space and body parts.
  • Grades 3–5: Encourage linking 2–3 movements into a mini-sequence; add peer feedback.
  • Grades 6–8: Introduce dynamic qualities (tempo, force), partner or small-group improvisation.
  • Grades 9–12: Challenge students to design a short abstract movement piece; include a written reflection on intent, emotion, and movement choices.
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Slide Deck

Feel the Flow

A 30-minute lesson for 1st graders to explore abstract movement through creativity, expression, and body awareness.

Welcome everyone! Today we’ll guide 1st graders through a fun, 30-minute journey of abstract movement. Encourage excitement and safe exploration.

Objective & Materials

Objective:

  • Students will use guided play and body-awareness exercises to express feelings through motion, collaborate with peers, and build physical coordination.

Materials:

Review the objective with students. Show them each material and explain how it will be used.

Warm-Up Circle (5 min)

  • Form a circle in the open space.
  • Lead simple stretches: reach arms high, gentle arm shakes, ankle & wrist circles.
  • Ask: “How does your body feel when you move?”

Gather students into a circle. Model each warm-up move clearly and invite kids to notice how their bodies feel.

Guided Free Movement (10 min)

  • Shuffle and let each student draw one Movement Prompt Card.
  • Read the prompt (e.g., “Move like wiggly jelly”).
  • Students interpret with full-body motions (1–2 minutes each).
  • Rotate until every student has tried at least one prompt.

Shuffle the prompt cards beforehand. Play soft, instrumental music in the background to keep the mood calm and focused.

Emotion Movement Matching (7 min)

  • Hand out one Emotion Word Card per student (happy, curious, calm, etc.).
  • Students devise a movement that shows their emotion and demo it.
  • Peers guess the emotion after each demonstration.
  • Offer praise for creativity.

Distribute one emotion card per student. Celebrate each demonstration and encourage peers to guess the emotion.

Reflect & Share (8 min)

Reflect & Draw (5 min):

  • Give each student a Movement Reflection Sheet and crayons.
  • Ask them to draw their favorite movement and circle the emotion they felt.

Share & Celebrate (3 min):

  • Invite volunteers to share drawings or redo their movement.
  • Provide positive feedback and applause.
  • Close by asking, “How did moving make you feel today?”

Circulate while students draw, offering language support. During sharing, reinforce positive feedback and connection between movement and feeling.

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Worksheet

Movement Prompt Cards

Cut along the lines between each prompt to create individual cards. Place them face down in a pile. Students draw one card to inspire their movement.

Move like wiggly jellyFlow like a river 🌊
Twist like a tornado 🌪️Stretch tall like a giraffe 🦒
Bounce like popcorn 🍿Float like a cloud ☁️
Slither like a snake 🐍March like a soldier 🎖️
Spin like a top 🌀Crawl like a bear 🐻
Flutter like a butterfly 🦋Twist like a candy cane 🍬
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Worksheet

Emotion Word Cards

Cut along the lines between each card to create individual Emotion Word Cards. Place them face down in a pile. Students draw one card and think of a movement that shows the emotion on their card.

Happy 😊Sad 😢Excited 😄
Calm 😌Curious 🤔Surprised 😲
Sleepy 😴Angry 😠Proud 🦸‍♂️
Nervous 😬Brave 🦁Shy 😳
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Worksheet

Movement Reflection Sheet

Name: ______________________ Date: _______________

1. Draw Your Movement

Use the space below to draw your favorite movement from today.













2. How Did You Feel?

Circle the emotion you felt while moving:


O Happy O Sad O Excited


O Calm O Curious O Surprised


O Sleepy O Angry O Proud


O Nervous O Brave O Shy



Other feeling: ____________________________

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