Examples of Bad Toilet Habits to Avoid for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 10
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Pupils have learned about basic hygiene practices.
Topic: BAD TOILET HABITS TO AVOID
Subject Matter: Examples of bad toilet habits to avoid.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify and name at least three bad toilet habits.
• Explain simply why certain toilet habits are bad.

Affective Domain

• Show willingness to avoid bad toilet habits.
• Understand the importance of good toilet hygiene.

Psychomotor Domain

• Demonstrate the proper way to wash hands after using the toilet.
• Practice good toilet habits like flushing and cleaning up.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in discussions about toilet hygiene.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education resources on hygiene
• Relevant picture books on toilet training and hygiene

Instructional Materials

• Charts showing good and bad toilet habits
• Posters illustrating handwashing steps
• Pictures of a clean toilet and a messy toilet
• Soap, water, and a small towel (for demonstration)
• Picture cards of items like a flush handle, toilet paper, soap

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds as it teaches them essential hygiene practices that prevent the spread of germs and illness. Understanding and avoiding bad toilet habits helps children develop personal responsibility, maintain a clean environment, and protect their own health and the health of others in the school and home.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are familiar with using the toilet and have some basic understanding of cleanliness and germs.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

BAD TOILET HABITS TO AVOID

Bad toilet habits are things we do in the toilet that are not clean, can spread germs, or are unsafe. We must learn to avoid them to stay healthy and keep our environment clean.

Examples of Bad Toilet Habits:

1. Not flushing the toilet after use: This leaves waste and makes the toilet dirty and smelly for the next person.
2. Not cleaning up after oneself: Leaving splashes or dirt around the toilet seat or floor.
3. Not wiping properly or leaving used paper messy: This can spread germs and make the toilet unhygienic.
4. Not washing hands after using the toilet: Hands carry germs from the toilet to everything we touch, making us sick.
5. Eating in the toilet: The toilet area has many germs, and eating there can make us sick.
6. Drinking water from the toilet reservoir or closet: This water is not clean and is very dangerous; it can cause serious illness. We should only drink clean, safe water from a cup or bottle.

Why are these habits bad? They spread germs, make the toilet dirty and smelly, and can make us or others sick. Some habits, like drinking toilet water, are very dangerous.

Key Words

• Bad habits – things we do that are not good or clean.
• Flush – to press the handle or button to send water through the toilet to clean it.
• Germs – tiny things we cannot see that can make us sick.
• Clean – free from dirt and germs.
• Wash hands – to clean our hands with soap and water to remove germs.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Pictures of a toilet with the flush handle.
• Pictures showing hands with soap and water.
• A chart with simple illustrations of good and bad toilet habits.
• Demonstrate the steps for proper handwashing.

Clean Hands Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Toilet time is done, you see,
Wash your hands, just like me.
Soap and water, rub and scrub,
Germs go down the drain, glug, glug.
Clean, clean hands, so fresh and bright,
Keep us healthy, day and night!

Actions: Rub hands together like washing, make scrubbing motions, pretend to rinse hands under water, shake hands dry.

How to use the rhyme: Sing this song after discussing the importance of handwashing. Encourage pupils to do the actions as they sing.

Watch and Learn Good Toilet Habits

Let’s watch a short video that shows us how to use the toilet well and keep ourselves clean and healthy.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Repetition, Practical Activity.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Recalling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in a short song about keeping clean. The teacher then asks pupils what they do when they need to use the toilet.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along and respond to questions about using the toilet.

Learning Point: Pupils are reminded about cleanliness and prepare for the lesson topic.

Step 2: Introduce the Topic – Good vs. Bad Habits

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Visual Aids

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of a toilet and asks what it is used for. The teacher introduces the idea of “good habits” (things that are clean and safe) and “bad habits” (things that are dirty, unsafe, or spread germs) in the toilet. The teacher states the lesson topic: “Bad Toilet Habits to Avoid.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the toilet and listen to the explanation of good and bad habits. They repeat the lesson topic.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the concept of good and bad habits related to toilet use.

Step 3: Discuss Bad Habits: Not Flushing and Not Cleaning Up

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows a picture of a toilet that has not been flushed. The teacher explains why “not flushing the toilet” is a bad habit (smell, germs). The teacher then discusses “not cleaning up after oneself” (leaving splashes). The teacher demonstrates how to flush a toilet using a picture or a model.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures, discuss why these habits are bad, and practice the flushing motion.

Learning Point: Pupils identify not flushing and not cleaning up as bad habits and understand their consequences.

Step 4: Discuss Bad Habits: Improper Wiping and Not Washing Hands

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Practical Application/Song

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains “not wiping properly or leaving used paper messy” as a bad habit, emphasizing cleanliness. The teacher then highlights “not washing hands after using the toilet” as a very bad habit. The teacher demonstrates proper handwashing steps (wet, soap, scrub, rinse, dry) and leads pupils in singing the “Clean Hands Song.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, discuss, and practice the handwashing actions while singing the song.

Learning Point: Pupils learn about proper wiping and the critical importance of handwashing after toilet use.

Step 5: Discuss Bad Habits: Eating in the Toilet and Drinking Toilet Water

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Safety Awareness/Warning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses “eating in the toilet” and explains why it is unhygienic and can cause sickness. The teacher then strongly warns against “drinking water from the toilet reservoir or closet,” explaining that it is very dirty and dangerous and can make them very sick or even cause death. The teacher emphasizes that only clean drinking water should be consumed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and understand the dangers of these habits, especially drinking toilet water.

Learning Point: Pupils identify eating in the toilet and drinking toilet water as dangerous habits.

Step 6: Reinforcement through Video and Discussion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Review

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the short video on good toilet habits. After the video, the teacher asks pupils to identify the good habits they saw in the video (e.g., flushing, wiping, washing hands) and how these contrast with the bad habits discussed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and identify good toilet habits, linking them to avoiding bad ones.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of good toilet habits by observing and discussing the video.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. “Name one bad thing we should NOT do in the toilet.”
2. “What must you always do after using the toilet to keep your hands clean?”
3. “Why is it bad to not flush the toilet?”
4. “Show me how you would wash your hands.”

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/Encouraging

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always practice good toilet habits to stay healthy and clean. The teacher encourages them to tell an adult if they see someone practicing a bad habit.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and affirm their commitment to good toilet habits.

Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to apply what they have learned in their daily lives.

Lesson Keywords

• Flush – to clean the toilet with water.
• Germs – tiny things that can make us sick.
• Hygiene – keeping ourselves and our surroundings clean.
• Wash hands – cleaning hands with soap and water.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle, the teacher can focus on just two key bad habits (e.g., not flushing, not washing hands) and use larger, clearer picture cards. Provide hand-over-hand guidance for handwashing demonstration.
• Extension: For quicker learners, ask them to identify another place where good hygiene is important (e.g., kitchen, playground) or to explain in their own words why drinking toilet water is extremely dangerous.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have all the necessary visual aids like charts, posters, and pictures of toilets, soap, and water. Prepare a clean space for the handwashing demonstration. Emphasize the dangers of drinking toilet water very clearly, but calmly, to avoid scaring the children. Focus on positive reinforcement for good habits rather than just dwelling on the negative. Repeat the “Clean Hands Song” multiple times throughout the day or week to reinforce handwashing. Observe pupils during toilet breaks to see if they are applying the learned habits, providing gentle reminders when needed. Understanding is best shown by pupils demonstrating the correct actions (e.g., pretending to flush, showing handwashing steps) and verbally identifying the bad habits.