A Dance for Global Goal 2: Zero Hunger

2. Zero Hunger
Dance/Movement
Grades 5-8
40-60 Minutes

Materials Needed

  • • Open space for movement
  • • Audio playback device
  • • Whiteboard or large chart paper
  • • Markers
  • • Notebooks or Paper
  • • Pens/Pencils

Goal 2: Zero Hunger

You can find an introduction to Goal 2, as well as the Targets & Indicators, Objectives, and Action Planning Resources on the Goal overview page.

See Goal 2 Overview
Goal 2 icon

Welcome students to an exciting movement exploration, and explain that today they will be using the power of their bodies to explore the important idea of Global Goal 2: Zero Hunger.

Discuss how Global Goal 2 is a commitment to make sure everyone, everywhere, has enough healthy food to eat, all the time. It means kids can grow strong and learn well, and families have enough nutritious food every day. It's about fairness, health, and making sure no one goes hungry.

Tell students that dance and movement are amazing ways to express feelings, tell stories, and understand big ideas without having to use words. We can use movement and dance to show challenges, feelings of hope, and how we can all work together to make things better.

Begin with a gentle warm-up to get the class ready to move. Focus on stretching and loosening up. As the class stretches, guide them to think about movement that helps them feel ready, strong, and prepared.

Examples of warm-up movements:

  • Spine Rolls: Slowly roll down from head to knees, then back up
  • Shoulder Shrugs and Rolls: Release tension
  • Ankle and Wrist Circles: Loosen small joints
  • Full Body Shake: Shake out the whole body
  • "Wake Up" Stretch: Reach wide then up to the sky
1

Word and Movement Spark

Explain that the class will be using a "Word and Movement Spark" to brainstorm ideas for dancing. Call out words connected to Global Goal 2, and have students think about how those words make their bodies want to move, or what sounds those words make them think of. Write the words on the whiteboard. After saying each word, give students a few moments to think about the corresponding movement/sound, then invite quick demonstrations.
2

Example Words and Movements

Hunger: tummy rumble sound, slow tired slump, empty reaching hand, quiet sigh, heavy step

Sharing: open hands, reaching out, gentle giving motion, two people coming together, wide smile

Growth: starting small and slowly getting taller, stretching upwards, unfurling like a leaf, gentle sway

Strength: standing tall, strong arms, determined face, firm feet, powerful punching motion, flexing muscles

Harvest: bending and picking motion, gathering things, full basket, sounds of rustling crops, happy sigh of completion

Empty: hollow chest, open floppy hands, slumped shoulders, quietness, looking around for something missing

Full: big round belly, satisfied sigh, expansive arms, stretching out, bouncing with energy, joyful jump

Helping Hands: hand reaching out, hands joining together, gentle lift, supportive touch, warm hug motion

This brainstorm will directly generate movement vocabulary for students to use in the next activity.
1

Phase 1: The Challenge/The Seed's Struggle

Play the "Challenges" music. Guide students through movements that reflect scarcity, hunger, or difficulty in getting food. Imagine you are a tiny seed, trying to grow in very dry, hard ground. How do you push? How do you struggle to stretch upwards? You are a person searching for food. Your steps are heavy and slow. You look around, but the cupboards are empty. What if you were trying to find clean water for your plant or yourself, and it was far away or difficult to reach?
2

Phase 2: Action or Growth/Growing and Helping

Transition to "Hope and Action" Music. Guide students through movements that show effort, growth, and people helping each other. A gentle rain falls. You are that dry seed again, and you feel the water. How do you start to push up, little by little, stretching toward the light? You are a farmer, caring for the new plants. How do you gently dig, plant, water, and then watch the crops grow tall and strong? You are part of a community sharing food. How do you pass a delicious, imaginary fruit to a friend? How do you accept it?
3

Phase 3: Hope or Solution/The Big Harvest and Celebration

Continue with "Hope and Action" music, increasing energy. Guide movements that celebrate abundance and community. It's harvest time! The fields are full! How do you move to gather all the wonderful, healthy food? Now, everyone is sitting down together for a big, shared meal. How do you move to show fullness, happiness, and connection with everyone around you?

Encourage students to use their whole bodies, including facial expressions, to convey their feelings.
1

Create Food Story Statues

Divide students into small groups (3-4 students). Explain that each group will create a "Food Story Statue" - a frozen picture using bodies and faces. The statue can show either a challenge related to hunger OR an action/solution for zero hunger. Give groups 5-7 minutes to plan and practice their single statue.
2

Encourage Students to Consider

Clear Message: What specific idea are they trying to show without words?

Body Language: How do their bodies show the emotion or situation?

Facial Expressions: How do their faces help tell the story?

Levels and Space: How can they use different heights and positions?

Props (Optional): How can they use any small props to make their picture clearer?

Circulate, offering encouragement and guidance.
1

Present Statues

Have each group present their "Food Story Statue" silently to the class, holding the pose for about 5-10 seconds.
2

Mirror the Pose

After each group's statue, have the rest of the class (the audience) gently mirror the pose for a few seconds. Explain that mirroring helps us understand and feel what the artists are trying to show.
3

Share Observations

After mirroring, invite a few audience members (classmates) to share what they saw and felt when looking at the statue.
4

Group Explanation

Finally, invite the presenting group to explain their intended message: What idea about Global Goal 2 did your statue show? Repeat for all groups.
1

Gentle Wave Goodbye

Explain that the class will now end this movement journey with a "Gentle Wave Goodbye" to any tension in their bodies. Have the class imagine a soft, slow wave moving through them, from their heads all the way to their toes.
2

Cool-Down Movements

Head/Neck Wave: Gently drop chin to chest, slowly roll head side to side

Shoulder/Arm Wave: Let wave move down shoulders, wiggling elbows, wrists, fingers

Torso Wave: Gentle wave through back, slowly arching then rounding

Leg/Foot Wave: Wiggle knees, ankles, toes

Full Body Wave: Slow wave from head to toes, releasing all tension
3

Deep Breaths

End with a few deep breaths, emphasizing feeling calm and ready for the next activity.
Have students reflect on their learning experience through discussion or writing. Ask guiding questions like:
1
How did using our bodies to move and create statues help you understand Global Goal 2: Zero Hunger in a different way?
2
What did you learn about how people might feel when they don't have enough food, or when they are helping others, through our dance exploration?
3
Which movements or statues made you think or feel the most, and why?
4
What does our "Moving Towards a Full Plate" activity tell us about how we can all work together to make sure everyone has enough healthy food?
5
What's one small thing you can do in your own life today to show kindness or help someone who might need something, perhaps inspired by our "Journey of Food"?
  • Consistent and enthusiastic involvement in all phases of the lesson, including the warm-up, brainstorming, movement explorations, group statue creation, and class discussions.
  • Understanding of the core concept of Global Goal 2 (Zero Hunger, ensuring everyone has enough healthy food), as demonstrated through movement choices, statues, and verbal contributions during discussions.
  • Originality and effectiveness in using bodies to convey emotions and ideas related to both the challenges and the hopes/solutions for "Zero Hunger." Look for clear effort in expressing the feeling and concept.
  • Ability to work effectively within small groups during the statue creation, contributing ideas, respecting diverse interpretations, and collaborating cohesively.
  • Ability to articulate learning and personal connections during the reflection and summary discussion.
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