Bathing and keeping the skin clean for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: Third Term
Week: 4
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Physical & Health Education
Curriculum Theme: Health and Wellness
Focal competence: Practising habits that promote personal well-being, prevent illness and support a healthy lifestyle

Skills:

• Maintaining general body cleanliness through bathing, teeth brushing, cutting of nails and hair care

Previous Lesson: Benefits of toilet hygiene and hand washing
Topic: Health And Hygiene: Bathing And Skin Care
Subject Matter: Bathing, keeping the skin clean

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Describe proper bathing.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of regular bathing for good health.

Psychomotor Domain

• Demonstrate ways of keeping the skin clean.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Physical and Health Education for Primary Schools, Book 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Soap
• Sponge
• Towel
• Water
• Basin or bucket
• Hair cream
• Body cream/lotion
• Pictures showing children bathing and drying their bodies
• Small doll for demonstration
• Cones or safe markers (for movement activities if applicable)
• Whistle where appropriate (for attention/transitions)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it teaches Primary 1 pupils fundamental personal hygiene practices. Understanding proper bathing and skin care helps them maintain cleanliness, prevent common illnesses, and develop healthy habits from a young age. These practices are crucial for their overall well-being and confidence.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are familiar with different parts of their body and have a basic understanding of what it means to be clean or dirty.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Health And Hygiene: Bathing And Skin Care

Why We Bathe

We bathe to:

1. Remove dirt and germs from our bodies.
2. Smell nice and fresh.
3. Prevent sickness and skin problems.
4. Feel good and healthy.

Materials for Bathing

The things we need for bathing include:

1. Clean water
2. Soap
3. Sponge or washcloth
4. Clean towel
5. Clean clothes
6. Body cream or lotion
7. Hair cream

How to Bathe Properly

To bathe properly, we should follow these steps:

1. Pour water on our body.
2. Apply soap all over our body with a sponge.
3. Rub the sponge gently on all parts: head, face, neck, arms, chest, stomach, back, legs, and feet.
4. Rinse off all the soap with clean water.
5. Make sure no soap is left on the body.

Drying the Body and Wearing Clean Clothes

After bathing, it is important to:

1. Use a clean towel to dry our body completely.
2. Put on clean clothes.

Basic Skin Care and Avoiding Unsafe Products

To care for our skin:

1. Apply body cream or lotion to keep the skin soft.
2. Apply hair cream to our hair.
3. Do not share bathing materials like sponges or towels with others.
4. Avoid using creams or soaps that are not meant for children or that make the skin itch.

Frequency of Bathing

We should bathe at least two times every day:

1. In the morning, before going to school.
2. In the evening, before going to bed.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Observation

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and tells a short story about a child who always bathes and feels fresh, compared to one who does not and smells bad. The teacher then asks, “Who likes to be clean and smell nice?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the story and respond to the question, expressing their preference for cleanliness.

Learning Point: Importance of cleanliness

Step 2: Discussion on Why We Bathe

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils why they think it is important to bathe every day. The teacher guides them to explain that bathing removes dirt and germs, makes them smell nice, and keeps them healthy. The teacher uses pictures to illustrate.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share their ideas and listen to the teacher’s explanation, looking at the pictures.

Learning Point: Reasons for bathing

Step 3: Identifying Bathing Materials

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Identification/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays real bathing materials (soap, sponge, towel, basin, cream) or pictures of them. The teacher names each item and asks pupils to repeat the names and state their uses.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the materials, repeat their names, and state their uses.

Learning Point: Bathing items identification

Step 4: Demonstrating Proper Bathing Steps

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: Using a small doll, the teacher demonstrates the steps of proper bathing: pouring water, applying soap, scrubbing all body parts, and rinsing thoroughly. The teacher explains each step clearly.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the demonstration carefully and mentally follow the steps.

Learning Point: Proper body washing

Step 5: Practising Drying and Dressing

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Practical Application

Teacher’s Activity: After the bathing demonstration, the teacher shows how to dry the doll with a clean towel and apply body cream. The teacher then puts clean clothes on the doll, emphasising the importance of clean attire.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch and discuss the importance of drying well and wearing clean clothes.

Learning Point: Skin drying and dressing

Step 6: Discussing Skin Care and Bathing Frequency

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses basic skin care, like applying cream, and reminds pupils not to share personal bathing items. The teacher also asks how many times they should bathe daily and reinforces bathing at least twice a day.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and confirm the frequency of bathing and the importance of not sharing items.

Learning Point: Regular bathing practice

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. Why should we bathe every day?
2. Mention two things we use for bathing.
3. Show me how you would wash your arm (using an imaginary sponge).
4. How many times should we bathe in a day?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Bathing and skin care knowledge

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes about why we bathe and materials for bathing into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Cleanliness notes recording

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils that keeping clean by bathing regularly is very important for their health and happiness. The teacher encourages them to practice what they have learned every day.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils acknowledge the importance of daily bathing.

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Draw and colour two things you use when bathing.
2. Write down one reason why we must bathe every day.
3. Tell your parents or guardian the steps you follow when bathing.

Lesson Keywords

• Bathing – Washing the body with water and soap.
• Hygiene – Keeping clean to stay healthy.
• Skin care – Taking care of our skin to keep it healthy.
• Sponge – A soft material used for washing.
• Towel – A cloth used for drying the body.

Differentiation

Support for weaker learners: Provide visual aids like large pictures of bathing steps. Encourage them to demonstrate simple actions like scrubbing an arm. Use simple, repetitive language. Pair them with faster learners for support during activities.

Extension for faster learners: Ask them to explain the importance of each bathing material. Challenge them to list more reasons why bathing is good for them or to draw a sequence of bathing steps.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further visual learning, search on YouTube for: primary 1 bathing hygiene nigeria

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, gather all necessary instructional materials such as a small doll, soap, sponge, towel, and clean clothes for demonstration. Begin by engaging pupils with a story or questions about cleanliness to activate prior knowledge. Clearly demonstrate the bathing steps using the doll, allowing pupils to observe and mentally sequence the actions. Emphasise the importance of drying thoroughly and applying cream after bathing. During the discussion on bathing frequency, encourage pupils to share their daily routines. For note-taking, guide pupils to copy the “Why We Bathe” and “Materials for Bathing” sections from the Board Summary. Continuously check for understanding through questions and allow pupils to practice simple actions. Reinforce the message that regular bathing is key to good health and hygiene.