Exploring what life was like for Victorian children working in a mill.
3. At the mill
The dance sequences in this session explore what it was like for Victorian children working in a mill. The jobs were fraught with danger - constant noise, the risk of being caught in the machinery - particularly for the 'scavengers' cleaning underneath - and exhaustion caused by long working hours.
Resources
Download the audio for this dance session as an mp3 file
Download / print guidance on using the dance sessions in this unit (pdf)
Lesson summary
Warm up: Spinning and weaving. Travelling in and out of the spaces making wavy floor patterns, stopping occasionally to spin round quickly on the spot.
Sequence 1: Wake up call. In groups of 3 or 4. Sleeping children being woken by parents. Travelling with tired, stumbling steps.
Sequence 2: The Weaving Machine. In groups of 4 or 5. Creating a conceptual weaving machine or loom. Using different parts of the body to perform repetitive actions and layering each other鈥檚 movements to build the complete machine effect.
Sequence 3: Scavenger Child. Solo work. Travelling on hands and knees as if beneath the enormous looms of the cotton mill; collecting imaginary bits of fluff and cotton. The occasional sound of approaching machinery cues sudden lying flat and rolling away movement.
Cool down: Stretch back straight and arms out to the sides in a big circling action.
Other units of KS2 Dance Workshop
The reign of King Henry 8th. collection
The reign of King Henry and life in Tudor England explored through Tudor dance and movement.
Romans. collection
A series of KS2 dance sessions for primary pupils aged 7 - 11 exploring the theme of Romans.
In the gym. collection
Two dance sessions focusing on personal health and fitness inspired by a gym workout.
See also...
The Victorians. collection
Age 7 - 11. Short dramas about key people and events from the era and also the lives of children. Topics include chimney sweeps, street children, Victorian inventions, Brunel, the Crystal Palace, the railways.
Oliver Twist. collection
Age 9 - 11. A full-cast dramatisation of Dickens' famous story set in Victorian London.
History - Victorians. collection
KS1 / KS2
