Stomp Out Loud

This is a 2 class period activity for 7th and 8th grade students. Class periods are 40 minutes.

On day 1 students are shown the Youtube video "Stomp - Stomp Out Loud". After viewing the video, students are divided into groups of 6-8. They are provided with equipment such as tennis rackets, wiffleball bats, basketballs, bowling pins, hockey sticks, etc. and asked to use them in unusual ways to create various rythms in routines.

In their small groups, students brainstorm ideas for their routines. They practice their ideas and begin to put them into routines to share with the rest of the class. The teacher circulates from group to group providing feeding and keeping students on task. At the end of the first class period, groups perform segments of their routines for the rest of the class. This allows groups that may be struggling with the task to get some ideas from their classmates.

At the beginning of day 2 the teacher reviews the focus of the activity with the students. Groups that need to review the Youtube video are given the opportunity to do so. Other groups continue working. They may use ideas from other groups as well as incorporate and new ideas from group members.

Groups are given 20 minutes to iron out their ideas and consolidate them into a 2-3 minute group routine. Each group then performs their best version of Stomp Out Loud for the rest of the class. Routines are also videotaped and uploaded to the Physical Education Department's Web page on the School Web site.

This lesson provides students with the opportunity to work together in small groups to foster teamwork and creativity in a rhythmic activity. Having the video of a dance group performing similar routines serves as the inspiration for the students.