Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before the lesson, ensure you have a variety of clear animal charts or pictures (e.g., dog, cat, bird, cow) and a doll or toy readily available. The central idea for pupils is to observe and identify simple body parts on different animals and then point to the similar parts on themselves. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can point to the head, eyes, and legs on both an animal picture and their own body.
Class: Pre-School Level 1
Term: Second Term
Week: 4
Age: 2 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Pre-Science
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Our Body Parts
Topic: Animals
Subject Matter: Animals and Humans: Similar Body Parts
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify different animals on charts.
- Name simple body parts like head, eyes, and legs on animals.
- Point to similar body parts on both animals and humans.
Affective Domain
- Show interest in observing and learning about animals.
- Participate actively in class activities.
Psychomotor Domain
- Point to body parts on animal pictures and on themselves.
- Imitate simple animal movements or sounds.
Social Domain
- Take turns when identifying animals or body parts.
- Share learning materials with classmates.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 1
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources
- Suitable early-years science workbooks
Instructional Materials
- Charts of various animals (e.g., dog, cat, bird, cow)
- Posters showing animal body parts
- Pictures of different animals
- A doll or a toy animal
- MP4 Player (for video)
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson helps 2-year-olds begin to understand the living world around them by observing and comparing familiar animals. By identifying similar body parts between animals and humans, pupils develop early observation skills, expand their vocabulary, and build a foundational understanding of basic biology, connecting their own bodies to the animal kingdom in a concrete way.
Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can identify some common animals and are familiar with naming some of their own body parts like head, eyes, and legs.
Lesson Content/Board Summary
Animals and Humans: Similar Body Parts
What are Animals?
Animals are living things that can move, eat, and grow. They come in many shapes and sizes, like dogs, cats, birds, and cows.
Parts of Animal Bodies
- Animals have a head.
- Animals have eyes to see.
- Animals have ears to hear.
- Animals have a nose to smell.
- Animals have a mouth to eat.
- Animals have legs or feet to move.
- Some animals have a tail.
Similarities Between Animals and Humans
Animals and humans have many body parts that are similar. Plants do not have these body parts.
- Head: Animals have a head, and humans have a head.
- Eyes: Animals have eyes to see, and humans have eyes to see.
- Ears: Animals have ears to hear, and humans have ears to hear.
- Nose: Animals have a nose to smell, and humans have a nose to smell.
- Mouth: Animals have a mouth to eat, and humans have a mouth to eat.
- Legs/Feet: Animals have legs or feet to move, and humans have legs/feet to move.
We can point to these parts on ourselves and on the animals!
Key Words
- Animal – a living thing that moves and eats.
- Head – the top part of the body.
- Eyes – parts we use to see.
- Legs – parts we use to walk or move.
Animal Body Parts Song
Tune: “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes”
Head, eyes, ears, and nose, ears and nose!
Head, eyes, ears, and nose, ears and nose!
Animals and humans, we all have those!
Head, eyes, ears, and nose, ears and nose!
Actions: Pupils point to their own head, eyes, ears, and nose as the teacher sings. Then point to the same parts on an animal chart.
Watch and Learn: Animal Body Parts
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Use large, clear pictures or charts of animals. Point to each animal and say its name. Then, point to its body parts one by one (head, eyes, legs) and say their names clearly. Emphasize the similarities by pointing to the same parts on yourself or a doll immediately after pointing to the animal. For example, “This is the dog’s head, and this is my head.” Repeat this for eyes and legs.
What to show or demonstrate: Show various animal charts/pictures. Point to the head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and legs on each animal. Then, point to your own head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and legs to show the similarity. Use a doll or toy animal for a more concrete comparison.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “Animal Body Parts Song” after explaining the similar body parts. Sing it slowly and clearly, demonstrating the actions (pointing to body parts on self and then on an animal chart). Repeat the song several times, encouraging pupils to join in with actions and simple words.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to see more animals and their body parts. Play the “Animal Body Parts Song” video. Encourage pupils to watch, listen, and try to point to the body parts on themselves or in the video as they are mentioned. After watching, ask simple questions like, “What part did the animal have?” and prompt for “eyes” or “head.”
What to watch for: Observe if pupils can correctly point to the head, eyes, and legs on both the animal pictures and their own bodies. Watch for engagement and participation in the song and pointing activities. Correct any misconceptions gently by re-demonstrating.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
- Play-based Learning
- Demonstration
- Guided Practice
- Songs and Rhymes
- Picture Talk
- Question and Answer
- Imitation
- Manipulation of Objects (pointing to charts/dolls)
- Repetition
Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Greeting/Engagement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and sings a simple welcome song. The teacher then makes a few animal sounds (e.g., “Moo!”, “Woof!”) and asks, “What animal makes this sound?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greeting, sing along, and try to guess the animal sounds.
Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and ready for the lesson, connecting to familiar animals.
Step 2: Presentation (Introducing Animals)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Identification/Naming
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows various animal charts/pictures one by one, naming each animal clearly (e.g., “This is a dog,” “This is a cat”). The teacher asks pupils to repeat the animal names.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, listen to the names, and repeat the names of the animals after the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise and name different animals.
Step 3: Presentation (Animal Body Parts)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Observation/Labelling
Teacher’s Activity: Using an animal chart (e.g., a dog), the teacher points to its head, eyes, and legs, saying, “This is the dog’s head,” “These are the dog’s eyes,” “These are the dog’s legs.” The teacher encourages pupils to point along.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher, listen to the names of the body parts, and try to point to the head, eyes, and legs on the animal chart.
Learning Point: Pupils identify and name simple body parts on animals.
Step 4: Comparison (Animals and Humans)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Comparison/Association
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher points to the dog’s head on the chart and then points to their own head, saying, “Dog has a head, I have a head!” The teacher repeats this for eyes and legs. The teacher also shows a doll and points to its head, eyes, and legs.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the comparison, point to their own head, eyes, and legs, and point to the doll’s parts as guided by the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils understand that animals and humans share similar body parts.
Step 5: Guided Practice (Identifying Similarities)
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to point to the “head” on a different animal chart (e.g., a cat) and then to their own head. The teacher then leads the “Animal Body Parts Song” with actions, encouraging pupils to sing and point.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils point to the requested body parts on the animal chart and on themselves. They sing along and perform the actions for the song.
Learning Point: Pupils actively practise identifying similar body parts through pointing and singing.
Step 6: Reinforcement (Video and Movement)
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Engagement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the short video about animal body parts. After playing the video, the teacher asks pupils what body parts they saw and encourages them to point to those parts on themselves.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video, listen to the song, and try to point to the body parts mentioned. They respond by pointing to their own body parts.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their learning through visual and auditory input, and active participation.
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.
- “Point to the dog’s eyes on the chart.”
- “Point to your own head.”
- “What part do we use to see? (Prompt for ‘eyes’).”
- “Can you make a sound like an animal?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate by pointing to body parts and making animal sounds.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson by identifying similar body parts.
Step 8: Conclusion
Time: 2 minutes
Teaching Skill: Recap/Closure
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them that animals and humans have many similar body parts. The teacher encourages them to look for similar parts on animals they see at home or in books.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher and participate in a final goodbye song or chant.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and are encouraged to continue observing their environment.
Lesson Keywords
- Animal – A living thing that moves, eats, and grows.
- Head – The top part of the body where the eyes, nose, and mouth are.
- Eyes – The parts we use to see.
- Legs – The parts animals and humans use to walk or move.
- Similar – Alike in some way.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils needing extra help, focus on only one or two animals and just the head and eyes. Use hand-over-hand guidance to help them point. Provide more repetition and one-on-one prompts.
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, encourage them to identify more body parts (e.g., ears, mouth) on different animals. Ask them to make the sound of each animal they identify.
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