Dinah Blow Your Horn, Recitation and Role-Play for Pre-School Level 3

Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Third Term
Week: 6
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Songs and Rhymes
Curriculum Theme: Songs and Rhymes
Previous Lesson: Recitation and role-play of a familiar nursery rhyme
Topic: Dinah Blow Your Horn: Recitation and Role-Play
Subject Matter: Dinah Blow Your Horn. Weekly focus: Dinah Blow Your Horn: Recitation and Role-play.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Recite the “Dinah Blow Your Horn” song correctly.
• Identify key words from the song like “Dinah,” “horn,” and “train.”
• Understand the basic meaning of the song related to a train journey.

Affective Domain

• Show enthusiasm while singing and performing actions.
• Listen attentively to the teacher and peers during recitation.

Psychomotor Domain

• Perform appropriate actions for the “Dinah Blow Your Horn” song.
• Participate in a simple role-play activity based on the song.

Social Domain

• Take turns and cooperate with peers during role-play.
• Participate actively in group singing and activities.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
• Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources

Instructional Materials

• Pictures of a train and a train horn
• A toy horn (optional)
• Flashcards with keywords: Dinah, horn, train, all aboard
• Chart with “Dinah Blow Your Horn” lyrics

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps 4-year-olds develop language skills through recitation, enhance motor skills with actions, and foster social-emotional growth through role-play and cooperation. Learning “Dinah Blow Your Horn” also introduces them to concepts of transportation and sound in a fun and engaging way, connecting to their everyday experiences.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have previously learned and recited other simple nursery rhymes and participated in basic movement activities and group play.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Dinah Blow Your Horn: Recitation and Role-Play

The song “Dinah Blow Your Horn” is a traditional children’s song about a train getting ready to depart. Dinah is calling for everyone to get on the train by blowing her horn.

Dinah Blow Your Horn Song

Tune: Traditional

Lyrics:

Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow your horn?
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow,
Dinah, won’t you blow your horn?

Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah,
Someone’s in the kitchen I know,
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah,
Strumming on the old banjo!

Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o,
Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o,
Fee, fie, fiddly-i-o,
Strumming on the old banjo!

Actions:

• “Blow your horn”: Make a blowing motion with hands near mouth, or pretend to pull a train horn cord.
• “Someone’s in the kitchen”: Point to an imaginary kitchen, then make a ‘shhh’ gesture.
• “Strumming on the old banjo”: Pretend to strum a banjo.

Watch and Practise

Key Words

• Dinah – The name of a person in the song.
• Horn – A device that makes a loud sound, like on a train.
• Train – A vehicle that runs on rails, used for carrying people or goods.
• All aboard! – What a conductor says when it’s time to get on the train.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

• Songs and Rhymes
• Demonstration
• Guided Practice
• Role-play
• Picture Talk
• Repetition
• Question and Answer

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Motivation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and starts with a warm-up activity, perhaps a short movement song related to travel or sounds, like “The Wheels on the Bus.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and participate in the warm-up song and actions.

Learning Point: Pupils are settled and ready for the lesson.

Step 2: Introduction to the Song

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Introduction/Visual Aid

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of a train and a train horn. “Who knows what this is? What sound does a train horn make? Today we will learn a fun song about Dinah and her train horn!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the pictures and imitate train horn sounds.

Learning Point: Pupils connect the lesson to familiar objects and sounds.

Step 3: Teacher Recitation and Actions

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Modelling/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher recites the “Dinah Blow Your Horn” song clearly, performing the actions. The teacher repeats it once more, slowly.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and observe the teacher’s actions.

Learning Point: Pupils become familiar with the song lyrics and actions.

Step 4: Guided Recitation and Actions

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Repetition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the song together, guiding them through the actions. The teacher repeats the song several times, encouraging full participation.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along with the teacher and perform the actions for the song.

Learning Point: Pupils practise reciting the song with actions and build confidence.

Step 5: Introduction to Role-Play

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Setting the Scene

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that Dinah blows her horn to tell people to get on the train. “Who wants to be Dinah and blow the horn? Who wants to be the train conductor and say ‘All aboard!’?” The teacher briefly demonstrates simple role-play.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation and express interest in different roles.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the concept of role-play related to the song.

Step 6: Guided Role-Play

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Facilitation/Role-play

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils in simple role-play. Some pupils pretend to be Dinah blowing the horn, while others pretend to be passengers getting on the train, or the conductor saying “All aboard!” The teacher ensures everyone gets a turn.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils take turns acting out the roles of Dinah, passengers, or the conductor.

Learning Point: Pupils engage in imaginative play and practise social interaction.

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.

1. “Can you sing ‘Dinah Blow Your Horn’ for me?”
2. “Show me the action for blowing the horn.”
3. “What does Dinah blow in the song?”
4. “What does a train conductor say when it’s time to go?”

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: Reinforcement/Closure

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and encourages them to sing the song at home. “You all did so well singing and acting today! Keep singing ‘Dinah Blow Your Horn’!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the praise and express enjoyment.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and are encouraged to continue practising.

Lesson Keywords

• Dinah – The name of a girl or woman in the song.
• Horn – A device that makes a loud sound, like on a train.
• Train – A vehicle that moves on tracks and carries people or things.
• Recitation – Saying a poem or song from memory.
• Role-play – Pretending to be someone else or act out a situation.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who find it difficult, the teacher can provide more one-on-one guidance, simplify the actions, or allow them to just hum along. Use hand-over-hand guidance for actions if needed.
• Extension: Encourage more confident pupils to lead a small group in singing or to create additional actions for other parts of the song. They could also suggest other things a train might do or sounds it might make.