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Astronomy: performance skills

Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can apply technical and expressive skills to improve my performance.

Key learning points

  1. Move: applying and rehearsing technical skills improves accuracy in performance.
  2. Think: anticipating how an action looks to others involves imagination.
  3. Feel: giving feedback to others requires self-belief in our knowledge and opinions.
  4. Connect: giving and receiving feedback involves trust and cooperation from all involved.

Keywords

  • Extension - lengthening through the limbs and/or torso

  • Expressive - a set of skills that communicate character, mood or atmosphere

  • Performance - the act of showing work to an audience

Common misconception

The pupils should only use ideas introduced by the teacher.

Cross curricular lessons offer scope for pupils to include additional content by bringing, sharing and consolidating subject knowledge from other curriculum areas. Enabling pupils to expand the action content will increase motivation and engagement.

Teacher tip

To gain the maximum benefit of peer feedback, pupils need time to implement it immediately and not wait until the next lesson.

Equipment

suggested music

Content guidance

Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Prior knowledge starter quiz

4 Questions

Q1.
In dance, what term describes speed and force?

space
Correct answer: dynamics
relationships

Q2.
What performance skill does an accurate placement of an action or position involve?

Correct answer: precision
musicality
focus

Q3.
What term do we use to describe working with others cooperatively?

creativity
choreography
Correct answer: collaboration

Q4.
Which of the following is an example of contact work?

choreography
Correct answer: counter balances
cannon

4 Questions

Q1.
How do the deaf community applaud a performance?

clapping
cheering
Correct answer: hand waving

Q2.
In dance, what do we mean by the term ‘extension’?

Correct answer: lengthening
using facial expression
change of focus

Q3.
Which of these is not an expressive skill?

musicality
projection
Correct answer: balance

Q4.
What perspective can a performer gain from feedback?

their own
Correct answer: the audience’s
the accompaniment’s

To help you plan your 10 physical education lesson on: Astronomy: performance skills, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...