Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, prepare clear picture cards or posters of various professions and their places of work. Gather simple props for role-play, such as a toy stethoscope, a small apron, or a toy steering wheel. The central idea for pupils is to understand that different people do different jobs to help our community. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can name at least three professions, where they work, and what they do, and express what they might want to be when they grow up.
Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Third Term
Week: 7
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Social Habits
Curriculum Theme: Social Habits
Previous Lesson: People in Our Neighbourhood
Topic: PEOPLE AND THEIR PROFESSIONS
Subject Matter: Different professions, places of work and what people do.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify at least three different professions.
- Name the places where people in different professions work.
- State what people in different professions do.
Affective Domain
- Appreciate the work done by people in different professions.
- Show interest in discussing what they would like to be when they grow older.
Psychomotor Domain
- Point to pictures of different professionals and their workplaces.
- Perform simple actions related to different professions during role-play.
Social Domain
- Share their ideas about future professions with their classmates.
- Participate actively in group discussions and activities.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources
- Relevant picture books on community helpers
Instructional Materials
- Chart showing different professions and their workplaces
- Posters with pictures of people in various jobs (e.g., doctor, teacher, farmer, police officer)
- Picture cards of tools used by professionals (e.g., stethoscope, chalk, hoe)
- Simple dress-up clothes or props for role-play (e.g., doctor’s coat, small apron, toy steering wheel)
- Audio player for songs
- Video player/screen for educational video
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson introduces Pre-School Level 3 pupils to the concept of different jobs people do in their community. Understanding professions helps children recognise the roles people play, appreciate their contributions, and begin to think about their own place in society. It also expands their vocabulary and understanding of the world around them.
Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can identify different people in their immediate environment, such as their parents, teachers, and neighbours. They know that people do different things at home and in school.
Lesson Content/Board Summary
PEOPLE AND THEIR PROFESSIONS
A profession is a special job or work that someone does to earn money and help others. Everyone does a job!
Different Professions, Places of Work and What People Do
- Teacher: Works in a school. A teacher teaches children to read, write, and learn new things.
- Doctor: Works in a hospital or clinic. A doctor helps sick people get well.
- Nurse: Works in a hospital or clinic. A nurse cares for sick people and helps the doctor.
- Farmer: Works on a farm. A farmer grows food like yam, rice, and vegetables for us to eat.
- Tailor: Works in a tailor’s shop. A tailor sews clothes for people.
- Driver: Works on the road. A driver drives cars, buses, or trucks to take people and goods from one place to another.
- Police Officer: Works in a police station. A police officer keeps us safe and makes sure everyone follows the rules.
- Firefighter: Works in a fire station. A firefighter puts out fires and helps people in danger.
- Baker: Works in a bakery. A baker bakes bread, cakes, and biscuits for us to eat.
- Trader/Seller: Works in the market or a shop. A trader sells goods like food, clothes, and toys.
Our Community Helpers Rhyme
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
Lyrics:
Teacher, teacher, in the school,
Teaching children, what a cool!
Doctor, doctor, in the clinic,
Helping sick ones, quick, quick, quick!
Farmer, farmer, on the farm,
Growing food to keep us warm!
Police officer, strong and brave,
Keeping all of us so safe!
Actions:
- Teacher: Pretend to write on a board.
- Doctor: Pretend to listen to a heartbeat with a stethoscope.
- Farmer: Pretend to dig with a hoe.
- Police officer: Stand tall and point to a badge.
Watch and Learn About Professions
Key Words
- Profession – A job or work someone does.
- Workplace – The place where someone does their job.
- Help – To make things easier for someone or to give assistance.
- Community – All the people living in one area.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Begin by asking pupils what their parents or guardians do for work. Use the chart and posters to introduce each profession, clearly stating the name, where they work, and what they do. Emphasise the helping aspect of each job. Encourage pupils to repeat the names of the professions and their actions.
What to show or demonstrate: Point to each professional on the chart/posters. Demonstrate simple actions associated with each job (e.g., pretending to write for a teacher, pretending to drive for a driver). Show picture cards of tools and ask pupils to match them to the correct professional.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “Our Community Helpers Rhyme” after discussing several professions. Sing it slowly first, demonstrating the actions. Repeat the rhyme several times, encouraging pupils to join in with the words and actions. You can also play the audio version if available.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to see more people who help us. Ask pupils to watch carefully and try to remember the names of the jobs they see. After watching, discuss some of the professions shown in the video and ask pupils to name any new ones they learned.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils are able to correctly identify the professions and their workplaces. Listen for their pronunciation of the new words. Watch for engagement during the rhyme and video, and their willingness to share their future aspirations.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
- Play-based Learning
- Demonstration
- Guided Practice
- Songs and Rhymes
- Picture Talk
- Question and Answer
- Role-play
- Repetition
- Practical Activity
Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engaging/Recalling
Teacher’s Activity: Greet pupils warmly. Ask them what their mummy or daddy does when they go to work. Ask if they have seen a doctor or a teacher before.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and share simple answers about their parents’ work or people they have seen.
Learning Point: Pupils recall familiar people and their activities, linking to the concept of work.
Step 2: Explaining Professions
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explaining/Illustrating
Teacher’s Activity: Explain simply that a profession is a special job someone does to help others and earn money. Use the chart/posters to introduce a few common professions like Teacher, Doctor, and Farmer, showing their pictures and saying what they do and where they work.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, look at the pictures, and repeat the names of the professions and their workplaces.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the basic meaning of “profession” and identify initial examples.
Step 3: Exploring More Professions and Actions
Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstrating/Guiding
Teacher’s Activity: Introduce more professions from the chart (e.g., Tailor, Driver, Police Officer, Firefighter, Baker, Trader). For each, show the picture, name the profession, state their workplace, and demonstrate a simple action they perform. Ask pupils to imitate the actions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch, listen, repeat the names and workplaces, and imitate the actions demonstrated by the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils learn more professions, their workplaces, and associated actions.
Step 4: Rhyme Reinforcement
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Singing/Movement
Teacher’s Activity: Lead pupils in singing the “Our Community Helpers Rhyme” with actions. Sing it twice or thrice, encouraging full participation.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along with the rhyme and perform the corresponding actions.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their knowledge of professions through song and movement.
Step 5: Video Observation and Discussion
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Facilitating/Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: Introduce the video about community helpers. Play the video. After the video, ask pupils to name some of the professions they saw and what those people do.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and then share the names of professions they identified from the video.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their understanding and identify professions from a different visual medium.
Step 6: Role-Play and Future Aspirations
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Encouraging/Role-playing
Teacher’s Activity: Ask pupils, “What would you like to be when you grow up?” Encourage a few pupils to share their ideas and briefly act out what they would do (e.g., “I want to be a doctor and help sick people!”). Use simple props if available.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share their future aspirations and perform simple actions related to their chosen profession.
Learning Point: Pupils connect the concept of professions to their personal future and express their interests.
Step 7: Evaluation/Review
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.
- “Who can point to the picture of a doctor?”
- “What does a farmer do?”
- “Where does a teacher work?”
- “Tell me one thing you want to be when you grow up.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate (e.g., pointing to pictures).
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson by identifying professions, places of work, and what people do.
Step 8: Conclusion
Time: 1 minute
Teaching Skill: Summarising/Reinforcing
Teacher’s Activity: Briefly summarise that everyone has a special job to do, and all jobs are important because they help our community. Thank pupils for their participation.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and repeat that all jobs are important.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the importance of different professions in the community.
Lesson Keywords
- Profession – A job or work someone does.
- Workplace – The place where someone does their job.
- Teacher – Someone who teaches in a school.
- Doctor – Someone who helps sick people.
- Farmer – Someone who grows food.
- Police Officer – Someone who keeps us safe.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who struggle, use larger, clearer picture cards. Focus on just two or three key professions and use more repetition. Provide hand-over-hand guidance for actions during the rhyme. Encourage pointing rather than verbal responses initially.
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concepts quickly, ask them to name other professions they know from their community (e.g., vulcanizer, hairdresser). Encourage them to describe what their own parents or guardians do in more detail. Ask them to draw a picture of themselves in their chosen future profession.
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