Frightened forest creatures and the dangerous wolves

This activity are great to:

• Develop expressive movements for conveying kindness, unkindness and sadness (longing).
  
• Combine these movements with expressive movements for representing a specific character.
  
• Practise staying in role while working direcily with a partner (teacher/peer).
• Move freely and fluently using the whole body.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ACTIVITY

1. We are goinf to explain that the wolf is in a bad mood. He is feeling angry and is being unkind, using expressive movements to imitate an angry and aggressive wolf; bending forwards a little; moving around the room on stigrrity bent legs, using soft steps; arms tight for a "closed" body; tighily hunched
shoulders; a glowering expression, jaw jutting out, teeth bared in a
fierce grin; hands held like "paws" with "claws" out. 

Then, practise together, encouraging the children to move expressively, using
the whole body. Perform the movements to the music chosen for the
angry unkind wolf (I recommend "Peter and the wolf").

2. Now, show the children how to pretend to be animals that are frightened by a dangerous wolf; huddle, squat or run away and hide, cover your head with your hands, clutch your mouth, and widen your eyes with fear.

Following, the children have to perform all the movements.

3. Then, explain that the wolf has been so unkind that no one wants to be friends with him/her. The wolf is "very lonely" and feels sad.

Show the children expressive movements for representing a sad lonely wolf; walk slowly aroundmthe room, head down, sad expression; stop periodically, raise your head, stretch your neck and howl mournfully like a wolf; sit down and pretend to cry... Next, perform these actions together.

4. Following, remind the children that the wolf feels very sad because he is lonely, he has no friends.
Ask the children to tell you why no one wants to be friends with the wolf and what he could do to make friends and then, tell the children that when the wolf stopped crying,he realised that if he wanted to make friends she would have to stop being unkind.
Ask the children to be very kind wolves and show them some expressive movements for representing kind wolves. Perform these movements to the chosen music.
Finally, ask the children to show how the kind wolf treats other animals; he touches gently, he strokes, he shares food etc.
Then some of the children to pretend to be forest creatures; the others pretend to be the wolf treating them kindly.


RESOURCES

BSO "Peter and the wolf"