Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, please gather real items like a clean toothbrush, a small tube of child-friendly toothpaste, and a cup of water for demonstration. Also, prepare pictures or charts showing a healthy mouth, different uses of the mouth, and children brushing their teeth. The central idea for pupils is to understand that their mouth has important uses and needs daily care to stay clean and healthy. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can identify their mouth, name some of its uses, and demonstrate a simple brushing motion.
Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Second Term
Week: 4
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Good Hand Washing Habits
Topic: CARE OF THE MOUTH: USES, CLEANLINESS AND HEALTHY HABITS
Subject Matter: Care of the Mouth: Uses, Cleanliness and Healthy Habits
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify their mouth and point to it.
- List at least two uses of the mouth (e.g., eating, talking).
- Name items used to clean the mouth (toothbrush, toothpaste).
Affective Domain
- Express appreciation for having a clean and healthy mouth.
- Show willingness to practise good mouth care habits.
Psychomotor Domain
- Demonstrate a simple brushing motion with a toothbrush.
- Mimic rinsing their mouth with water.
Social Domain
- Participate in discussions about healthy habits for the mouth.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources on hygiene
Instructional Materials
- Real toothbrush and child-friendly toothpaste
- A small cup of water
- Pictures/charts showing:
- A mouth with healthy teeth
- Children eating, talking, smiling
- Children brushing their teeth
- Healthy foods (fruits, vegetables) and sugary treats
- Video on brushing teeth for children
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is important for 4-year-olds as it teaches them about a vital part of their body, the mouth, and its functions. Understanding how to care for their mouth helps prevent tooth decay and promotes overall health, establishing good hygiene practices from an early age.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can identify basic body parts and understand the importance of keeping themselves clean (e.g., washing hands).Lesson Content/Board Summary
CARE OF THE MOUTH: USES, CLEANLINESS AND HEALTHY HABITS
What is the Mouth?
The mouth is a very important part of our face. It helps us do many things.
Uses of the Mouth
Our mouth helps us to:
- Eat: We chew our food with our teeth.
- Talk: We use our mouth to make sounds and speak words.
- Smile: We show our happy faces with our mouth.
- Taste: Our tongue helps us taste sweet, sour, bitter, and salty foods.
Cleanliness and Care of the Mouth
To keep our mouth clean and healthy, we must:
- Brush our teeth:
- Brush at least twice a day (in the morning and before bed).
- Use a toothbrush and a tiny bit of toothpaste.
- Brush all our teeth – front, back, and top.
- Rinse our mouth: After brushing and eating, rinse with clean water.
- Visit the dentist: A dentist is a special doctor who checks our teeth.
Healthy Habits for the Mouth
- Eat healthy foods like fruits and vegetables.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Do not put dirty fingers or objects in your mouth.
Bad Habits to Avoid
- Not brushing your teeth regularly.
- Eating too many sweets, chocolates, and sugary drinks.
- Putting dirty things into your mouth.
Key Words
- Mouth – The part of our face we use to eat, talk, and smile.
- Teeth – Hard white parts in our mouth that help us chew food.
- Tongue – The soft part in our mouth that helps us taste and talk.
- Brush – To clean our teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Toothpaste – The special cream we use with a toothbrush to clean our teeth.
- Clean – Free from dirt.
- Healthy – Strong and well, not sick.
Brush Your Teeth Song
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
Brush, brush, brush your teeth,
Every morning, every night.
Up and down, and round and round,
Keep them clean and shining bright.
Brush, brush, brush your teeth,
Keep them healthy, clean, and white!
Actions: Mimic brushing teeth up and down, then round and round, then point to teeth and smile.
Video Demonstration: How to Brush Your Teeth
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Begin by pointing to your own mouth and asking pupils to point to theirs. Use the charts and pictures to illustrate the uses of the mouth. For cleanliness, demonstrate with the real toothbrush, toothpaste, and cup of water, showing the correct brushing motion and how to rinse. Discuss healthy and bad habits using contrasting pictures (e.g., apple vs. sweets).
What to show or demonstrate: Show the actual toothbrush and toothpaste. Demonstrate the gentle circular and up-and-down brushing motion on your hand or a model. Pretend to put a tiny bit of toothpaste on the brush, brush, and then rinse with water.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “Brush Your Teeth Song” after discussing how to brush. Sing it slowly first, demonstrating the actions. Repeat it several times, encouraging pupils to sing along and do the actions with you. This helps reinforce the brushing steps.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to see how other children brush their teeth. Play the video, asking pupils to pay attention to how the children brush. After watching, discuss what they saw and encourage them to mimic the brushing actions from the video.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils can correctly identify their mouth and articulate at least one use. Watch for their engagement in the brushing demonstration and their ability to mimic the actions. Correct any misconceptions about eating too many sweets or not brushing.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Imitation, Practical Activity, Video PresentationInstructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Greeting/Engagement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in a short song about body parts, then draws attention to the mouth. “Good morning, children! Let’s sing ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’. Now, can you point to your mouth?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, sing the song, and point to their mouth.
Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and identify the mouth as a body part.
Step 2: Identifying the Mouth and its Uses
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Observation/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of people eating, talking, and smiling. “What are these people doing with their mouths? What do you use your mouth for?” The teacher guides pupils to list uses.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures, identify the mouth, and orally state uses like “eating,” “talking,” “smiling.”
Learning Point: Pupils understand that the mouth has several important functions.
Step 3: Discussing Care of the Mouth (Brushing)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces a toothbrush and toothpaste. “To keep our mouths healthy, we must clean our teeth. We use a toothbrush and toothpaste.” The teacher demonstrates how to put a tiny bit of toothpaste on the brush and the correct brushing motion.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the toothbrush and toothpaste and watch the teacher’s demonstration of brushing.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise tools for mouth care and observe proper brushing technique.
Step 4: Practising Brushing and Rinsing
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Imitation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes pretend toothbrushes (or asks pupils to use their fingers as brushes) and guides pupils to mimic the brushing motion. The teacher also demonstrates how to rinse with water and asks pupils to pretend to rinse.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils mimic brushing their teeth and pretend to rinse their mouths with water.
Learning Point: Pupils physically practise the actions for cleaning their mouth.
Step 5: Healthy Habits and Bad Habits
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Picture Talk/Comparison
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of healthy foods (fruits, vegetables) and unhealthy foods (sweets, fizzy drinks). “Which foods are good for our teeth? Which ones are not so good?” The teacher discusses not putting dirty things in the mouth.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify healthy and unhealthy foods and discuss why some are better for their teeth.
Learning Point: Pupils learn about foods that affect their mouth health and other good habits.
Step 6: Rhyme/Video Reinforcement
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Song/Visual Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing the “Brush Your Teeth Song” with actions. Afterwards, the teacher plays the short video on brushing teeth for children and asks pupils to watch carefully.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song with actions and watch the video, observing the brushing techniques.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce learning through song and visual demonstration.
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 your mouth.”
- “What do you use your mouth for?” (e.g., eating, talking)
- “What do we use to clean our teeth?” (toothbrush, toothpaste)
- “Show me how you brush your teeth.”
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/Encouragement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the importance of mouth care and encourages pupils to practise brushing their teeth at home every day. “Remember to always brush your teeth and eat healthy food to keep your mouth happy!”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the importance of daily mouth care.
Learning Point: Pupils are motivated to adopt good mouth care habits.
Lesson Keywords
- Mouth – The part of our face we use to eat, talk, and smile.
- Teeth – Hard white parts in our mouth that help us chew food.
- Brush – To clean our teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Toothpaste – The special cream we use with a toothbrush to clean our teeth.
- Clean – Free from dirt.
- Healthy – Strong and well, not sick.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who struggle, use larger pictures of the mouth and brushing tools. Provide hand-over-hand guidance for the brushing motion. Repeat key instructions slowly and clearly.
- Extension: Encourage advanced pupils to name more healthy foods or explain why it’s important to visit the dentist. Ask them to identify other body parts that need to be kept clean.
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