Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before this lesson, prepare clear pictures of different types of ships and boats. Ensure you know the melody and actions for “All the Big Ships Sail” to guide pupils effectively. The central idea is for pupils to recite the rhyme with actions and identify ships, showing an understanding of what ships are and what they do. Observe pupils’ participation in reciting the rhyme and their ability to point out ships in pictures.

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 5
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Songs and Rhymes
Curriculum Theme: Songs and Rhymes
Previous Lesson: Simple rhymes about animals or everyday objects.
Topic: ALL THE BIG SHIP SAIL
Subject Matter: ALL THE BIG SHIP SAIL.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

Recite the rhyme “All the Big Ship Sail” with some accuracy.
Identify pictures of different types of ships.
State one or two things ships do (e.g., carry people, carry goods).

Affective Domain

Enjoy participating in singing and reciting the rhyme.
Show interest in learning about ships and water transport.

Psychomotor Domain

Perform simple actions associated with the rhyme.
Point to and select pictures of ships when asked.

Participate actively in group recitation and role-play.
Take turns during discussions about ships.

Reference Materials

NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4.
Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources.
Suitable early-years rhyme books.

Instructional Materials

Rhyme books.
Large pictures of various ships (e.g., cargo ship, passenger ship, fishing boat).
Chart with the lyrics of “All the Big Ships Sail.”
Toy boats (optional).

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps 5-year-olds develop language skills, memory, and rhythm through the familiar structure of a rhyme. It also introduces them to concepts of transportation, specifically water transport, and expands their vocabulary related to the world around them. Engaging with the rhyme and identifying ships connects learning to real-world objects and experiences.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are familiar with reciting other simple rhymes and songs. They have some basic understanding of water and things that move on it.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

ALL THE BIG SHIP SAIL

A ship is a very large boat that travels on water, like the ocean or a big river. Ships carry people and many different things from one place to another.

The Rhyme: All the Big Ships Sail

Tune: Traditional Nursery Rhyme

Lyrics:

All the big ships sail on the ocean,
The ocean, the ocean.
All the big ships sail on the ocean,
So early in the morning.

All the little boats sail on the river,
The river, the river.
All the little boats sail on the river,
So early in the morning.

All the big ships sail on the ocean,
The ocean, the ocean.
All the big ships sail on the ocean,
So early in the morning.

Actions:

“All the big ships sail”: Make a large swaying motion with arms.
“On the ocean”: Make wavy hand motions.
“All the little boats sail”: Make smaller swaying motions with hands.
“On the river”: Make a flowing motion with hands.
“So early in the morning”: Stretch arms up like waking up.

Key Words

Ship – A very large boat that travels on water.
Sail – To move across water using wind or an engine.
Ocean – A very large area of salt water.
Boat – A small vessel for travelling on water.

Watch and Sing Along

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK9n5G3gJ3k

💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary

How to teach the content: Introduce the concept of ships by asking pupils if they have seen big boats or pictures of them. Explain that ships are like very big boats that travel on large bodies of water. Present the rhyme lyrics on a chart and read them clearly, pointing to each word. Explain the simple meaning of key words like ‘ship’, ‘sail’, and ‘ocean’ using the pictures.

What to show or demonstrate: Show various pictures of ships and boats, asking pupils to identify them. Demonstrate the actions for the rhyme clearly and slowly, inviting pupils to imitate you. Use toy boats if available to show how they move on water.

How to use the rhyme/song: Recite the rhyme line by line, having pupils repeat after you. Gradually add the actions. Sing the rhyme together several times, encouraging pupils to join in with both words and actions. You can sing it faster or slower to add variety.

How to use the video: Introduce the video as a chance to see ships sailing and to sing the rhyme with others. Play the video once for pupils to watch and listen. Play it again, encouraging them to sing along and do the actions. After watching, ask pupils what they saw in the video (e.g., different ships, the ocean).

What to watch for: Observe if pupils are attempting to recite the rhyme, even if they miss some words. Check if they can follow the actions. Pay attention to their ability to correctly identify ships from the pictures you show.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Role-play, Imitation, Repetition.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Warm-up

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and starts with a short, familiar song about water transport, like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” The teacher then asks pupils if they have ever seen a big boat or a ship.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along with the warm-up song, and share their experiences or knowledge about boats/ships.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and introduced to the theme of water transport.

Step 2: Presentation of the Rhyme

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Modelling/Recitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the rhyme “All the Big Ship Sail” and explains that it is about ships moving on the ocean. The teacher recites the entire rhyme clearly, pointing to the words on the chart.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively to the teacher reciting the rhyme and observe the words on the chart.

Learning Point: Pupils are exposed to the new rhyme and its rhythm.

Step 3: Guided Recitation with Actions

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Imitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher recites the rhyme again, line by line, demonstrating the simple actions for each part. The teacher guides pupils to repeat each line and imitate the actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat the rhyme lines after the teacher and try to perform the actions as demonstrated.

Learning Point: Pupils begin to learn the rhyme and associate actions with the words.

Step 4: Identifying Ships with Pictures

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Recognition/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows various pictures of different types of ships and boats. The teacher asks pupils to point to and name the “ship” in the pictures, reinforcing the concept of what a ship is.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils point to the pictures of ships and try to say “ship” or “boat.”

Learning Point: Pupils develop visual recognition skills and identify ships.

Step 5: Video Reinforcement

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Multimedia Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the video of “All the Big Ships Sail” and encourages pupils to watch, listen, and sing along with the actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video, sing along, and perform the actions with enthusiasm.

Learning Point: The video reinforces the rhyme, actions, and visual understanding of ships.

Step 6: Role-play and Discussion

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Role-play/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to role-play being a ship sailing on the ocean, making swaying movements. The teacher asks simple questions like, “What do ships do?” or “Where do ships go?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils engage in role-play, moving like ships, and attempt to answer the teacher’s questions about ships.

Learning Point: Pupils express their understanding through movement and simple verbal responses.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4–5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

Ask individual pupils to recite a line or two of the rhyme.
Show pictures and ask pupils to identify a “ship.”
Ask, “What does a big ship do?”
Ask pupils to show the action for “sailing on the ocean.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarising/Closure

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and effort. The teacher briefly recaps that they learned a rhyme about ships and identified what ships are. The teacher encourages them to sing the rhyme at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the recap and respond to praise.

Learning Point: The lesson is brought to a positive close, reinforcing learning.

Lesson Keywords

Ship – A large vessel that travels on water.
Sail – To move on water.
Ocean – A very big sea.
Boat – A small vessel that floats on water.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who find it difficult to recite the whole rhyme, focus on just the first verse or a few key lines. Use larger, very clear pictures of ships for easier identification. Provide hand-over-hand guidance for actions.
Extension: Encourage pupils who grasp the rhyme quickly to lead the actions or to identify different types of ships (e.g., passenger ship, cargo ship) from the pictures. Ask them to describe what they think it would be like to be on a ship.