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Follow the Leader

First graders play the dance game “follow the leader” — watching, remembering, and copying a partner’s moves, then taking a turn to lead — building the watching and sharing skills that dancing together needs.

Grade 1Collaboration30 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Play follow the leader.
  • ✓Watch and copy.
  • ✓Take a turn leading.
  • ✓Dance together.
Essential Question

In “follow the leader,” one dancer makes a move and everyone copies it! How do you play, and how do you take turns being the leader?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Follow-the-Leader Steps

Project this and have children put the steps of playing follow the leader in order — from watching to taking a turn.

💃 Put the follow-the-leader steps in order!Try it
Tap the first step!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Warm-Up · Explore · Move · Perform · Reflect)

30 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — Copy Cat!

4 min

One dancer moves, everyone copies — that’s follow the leader!

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Do a move to copy.
  • Ask them to follow.
  • Warm up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Watch.
  • Copy.
  • Warm up.
2

Explore — Explore the Game

8 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Order the Follow-the-Leader Steps.
  • Order them.
  • Watch closely.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order them.
  • Watch.
  • Explain.
3

Move — Move

9 min

Children move.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Copy the leader’s moves.
  • Wait for the next one.
  • Take turns.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Copy it.
  • Wait.
  • Take turns.
4

Perform — Perform

6 min

Children perform.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Lead a move.
  • Follow a friend.
  • Be kind.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Lead it.
  • Follow.
  • Be kind.
5

Reflect — Reflect

3 min

Children close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name the first step.
  • Say how to be a good follower.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Dance).

NCAS
DA:Cr2.1.1

Collaborate in movement with others.

NCAS
DA:Pr5.1.1

Copy and perform movement.

NCAS
DA:Re7.1.1

Watch and describe movement.

NCAS
DA:Pr4.1.1

Move with others in space.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Step picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “First ___, then ___.”
  • Play together.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with watch and copy.
  • Copy one move.
  • Take a slow turn.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Lead a move pattern.
  • Add a mirror partner.
  • Make up new moves.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🎵Music
  • 💻Order the Follow-the-Leader Steps
  • 👟Space to move
  • 🖍️Crayons
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

followto copy someoneleaderthe one others copywatchto look closelycopyto do the same moverememberto keep in mindturnyour time to leadtogetherwith othersmirrorto copy like a reflection
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is the FIRST step in follow the leader?
Watch the leader’s move.
QUESTION 2
What do you do after watching a move?
Remember it and copy it yourself.
QUESTION 3
How do you take turns in follow the leader?
Everyone gets a turn to be the leader.

Reflect: follow the leader.

Have children play follow the leader with a family member, taking turns leading. A printable follow-the-leader sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Follow the LeaderFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Follow the LeaderQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Follow the LeaderPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: copy, follow, leader, mirror, remember, together, turn, watch
  1. to copy someone
  2. to do the same move
  3. to look closely
  4. with others
  5. your time to lead
  6. the one others copy
  7. to copy like a reflection
  8. to keep in mind

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is the FIRST step in follow the leader?
  2. What do you do after watching a move?
  3. How do you take turns in follow the leader?
Answer key — Part A: 1) follow · 2) copy · 3) watch · 4) together · 5) turn · 6) leader · 7) mirror · 8) remember
Part B: 1) Watch the leader’s move. 2) Remember it and copy it yourself. 3) Everyone gets a turn to be the leader.