The Arts · Grade 1 · Body Language and Movement · Term 3

Locomotor and Non-Locomotor Movements

Exploring different ways the body can move through space (walking, running, jumping) and in place (bending, twisting, stretching).

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• DA:Pr5.1.1a

About This Topic

Locomotor movements carry the body through space, including walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, galloping, leaping, and sliding. Non-locomotor movements happen in place, such as bending, twisting, stretching, pushing, pulling, rocking, and swinging body parts. Grade 1 students identify and perform these actions to build body awareness and control, meeting Ontario Arts curriculum expectations in dance for performing with basic technique.

This topic supports creating short movement phrases that combine both types, fostering creativity and spatial understanding. Students answer key questions like whether skipping travels across the room or stays in place, helping them distinguish movement qualities. Links to physical education strengthen gross motor development, while describing actions builds vocabulary for drama and language.

Active learning suits this topic perfectly since young children grasp concepts through their bodies. When students mirror partners or play movement games, they experience differences kinesthetically and receive instant feedback. Collaborative challenges encourage peer teaching, boost confidence, and make abstract distinctions concrete and enjoyable.

Key Questions

1. Is skipping a movement that travels across the room or one that stays in place?
2. Can you hop forward three times, then wiggle in place?
3. Would a dance be boring if we only ever stayed in one spot? Why?

Learning Objectives

• Identify and demonstrate locomotor movements that travel through space.
• Identify and demonstrate non-locomotor movements that occur in place.
• Compare and contrast locomotor and non-locomotor movements within a short movement sequence.
• Create a simple dance phrase combining at least two locomotor and two non-locomotor movements.

Before You Start

Basic Body Awareness

Why: Students need to be able to identify and move different body parts before they can explore traveling and in-place movements.

Key Vocabulary

Locomotor Movement	A movement that travels from one spot to another, changing the body's location in space. Examples include walking, running, and jumping.
Non-Locomotor Movement	A movement that is performed in one spot, without changing the body's location. Examples include bending, twisting, and stretching.
Travel	To move from one place to another through space. Locomotor movements are used to travel.
In Place	To stay in the same general area without moving to a new location. Non-locomotor movements are performed in place.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Skipping is a non-locomotor movement that stays in place.

What to Teach Instead

Demonstrate skipping across the room to show body travel, then hopping in place for contrast. Peer discussions during partner mirrors help students revise ideas, as they feel the difference kinesthetically and articulate it clearly.

Common Misconception

Non-locomotor movements like bending or twisting are not real dances.

What to Teach Instead

Create group phrases mixing both types to show how non-locomotor adds variety and expression. Station rotations let students experiment, revealing their role in full-body control and creative sequences.

Common Misconception

All jumping movements stay in place.

What to Teach Instead

Model jumping in place versus leaping forward; students practice in pairs to compare. Active echoing games clarify that direction determines locomotor status, building accurate mental models through trial and repetition.

Active Learning Ideas

Whole Class: Echo Movements

Teacher models a locomotor movement like skipping, and the class echoes it across the space. Repeat with non-locomotor actions like twisting in place. Select student leaders to model for the group, discussing travel or no-travel after each round.

25 min·Whole Class

Small Groups: Movement Stations

Set up four stations: locomotor travel (hopping path), locomotor pathways (gallop zigzag), non-locomotor bends and stretches, non-locomotor pushes and pulls. Groups rotate every 5 minutes, practicing and recording one movement per station on clipboards.

35 min·Small Groups

Pairs: Follow the Leader

Partners take turns leading locomotor or non-locomotor sequences for 30 seconds, such as run then bend. Followers mirror exactly. Switch roles three times, then share favorite combos with the class.

20 min·Pairs

Individual: Movement Journal Dance

Play music; students move freely using locomotor to cross the room and non-locomotor in place. Pause to sketch or label one of each in journals. Repeat twice, varying music tempo.

20 min·Individual

Real-World Connections

• Choreographers for musical theatre productions use both locomotor and non-locomotor movements to tell stories and create engaging performances on stage. They must consider how dancers move across the stage and express emotions while staying in one spot.
• Athletes in sports like basketball or soccer use locomotor movements to move around the court or field, but also use non-locomotor movements like bending to dribble or twisting to shoot, all while staying within the playing area.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Ask students to stand up and perform a locomotor movement when you say 'travel' and a non-locomotor movement when you say 'in place'. Observe if students can correctly distinguish and perform the two types of movements.

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a worksheet showing pictures of various movements. Ask them to circle the locomotor movements and put a square around the non-locomotor movements. Include a question: 'Name one way you can move your body without leaving your spot.'

Discussion Prompt

Present students with a short dance sequence (demonstrated or video). Ask: 'Which movements in this sequence made the dancer travel across the floor? Which movements did the dancer do while staying in one spot? How did combining both types of movement make the dance more interesting?'

Frequently Asked Questions

What are examples of locomotor and non-locomotor movements for grade 1?

Locomotor examples include walking, running, jumping forward, hopping, skipping, galloping, leaping, and sliding, all moving the body through space. Non-locomotor examples are bending, twisting, stretching, pushing against air, pulling imaginary ropes, rocking, and swinging arms or legs, all staying in place. Use these in dance to develop control and awareness, as per Ontario curriculum.

How do you teach grade 1 students to distinguish locomotor from non-locomotor?

Start with whole-class demonstrations and echoes to feel travel differences. Use key questions like 'Does this move you across the room?' during stations or pairs. Visual cues like tape lines on the floor mark space boundaries, reinforcing concepts through repeated physical practice and group sharing.

How can active learning help students understand locomotor and non-locomotor movements?

Active learning engages Grade 1 kinesthetically, making distinctions memorable. Games like follow-the-leader or stations provide hands-on trials with peer feedback, helping students self-correct travel errors. Collaborative rotations build observation skills, while fun challenges ensure high engagement and retention of body awareness for dance performance.

What games make locomotor non-locomotor fun for grade 1 arts class?

Try Echo Movements for quick whole-class practice, Movement Stations for exploration, or Pairs Follow the Leader for leadership. Freeze Dance with loco/non prompts adds joy. Each ties to curriculum standards, promotes safe spacing, and lets students create phrases, blending physical literacy with artistic expression.

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