Square dance basics: a 35-minute 7th grade PE dance lesson

1. Form squares of 8: four pairs, each pair on one side of the square facing the center. Number the pairs 1 to 4 going around.
2. Teach the calls: honor your partner (a small bow or nod); circle left (all join hands and walk left); forward and back (4 steps in, 4 steps out); do-si-do (walk around your partner back to back and return); promenade (walk side by side with your partner around the square back to your place).
3. Practice each call slowly with counts, then link two calls together.
4. Call a short routine with music: honor, circle left, forward and back, do-si-do, promenade home.
5. Student volunteers take turns as the caller, using the call list.
6. Finish with "honor your partner, honor your corner."

Safety: walk, never run, in circles and promenades; hold hands lightly or link elbows; clear the floor of bags and leave space between squares. Every session: warm up first, clear the space, keep water nearby, and stop if anything hurts or a student feels dizzy or unwell.

Differentiation: students who need support can be the caller, or dance with a partner holding a scarf between them. A student who uses a wheelchair can dance in a square with wider spacing and roll the promenade path. Students who are ready can learn allemande left and an elbow swing at walking pace. English learners can follow call cards with arrows.

Quick check: call two moves in a row without demonstrating and watch whether each square follows correctly.

For a full year of free grade 7 PE sessions, see Move Every Day from UpOnly Learning.

For more ideas at this grade, browse the other free activities on the Hub.