Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, prepare a real toothbrush, toothpaste, a cup of water, and pictures or charts showing healthy teeth, unhealthy teeth, and children brushing. The central idea is for pupils to understand the basic functions of their mouth, teeth, and tongue, and to learn and demonstrate simple steps for daily care, especially brushing. Ensure a safe space for movement and demonstration. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can identify the parts, state one or two care steps, and imitate brushing actions.

Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: Second Term
Week: 2
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Identifying parts of the body
Topic: Mouth, Teeth and Tongue: Functions and Daily Care
Subject Matter: How to Care for Our Mouth, Teeth and Tongue

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

Identify their mouth, teeth, and tongue.
State one function for the mouth, teeth, and tongue.
Name at least two ways to care for their mouth and teeth.

Affective Domain

Show willingness to brush their teeth daily.
Appreciate the importance of clean teeth.
Participate actively in songs and rhymes about dental hygiene.

Psychomotor Domain

Demonstrate the correct action for brushing teeth.
Rinse their mouth properly after eating.

Share ideas about healthy eating habits.
Take turns during group activities related to oral care.

Reference Materials

NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
Early Childhood Care and Education resources

Instructional Materials

Real toothbrush and toothpaste
Cup of water
Pictures/charts showing children with clean teeth, dirty teeth, and sore teeth
Picture cards of foods (healthy and unhealthy for teeth)
Storybook about dental hygiene (optional)
Video on brushing teeth for preschoolers
Mirror (optional, for self-observation)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 3-year-olds as it introduces fundamental personal hygiene habits that are crucial for their health and well-being. Learning about the functions and care of their mouth, teeth, and tongue helps them understand why these body parts are important and how to prevent common oral health problems, fostering a sense of responsibility for their own bodies from an early age.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify basic body parts and understand simple instructions like “open your mouth” or “point to your teeth.”

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Mouth, Teeth and Tongue: Functions and Daily Care

Functions of the Mouth, Teeth and Tongue

Mouth: Helps us to talk, eat, and sing.
Teeth: Helps us to bite, chew, tear, and grind food.
Tongue: Helps us to taste food, swallow, and talk.

Why We Care for Our Mouth, Teeth and Tongue

We care for them to:

Keep them clean and healthy.
Avoid bad breath.
Prevent toothache and cavities.
Help us eat and talk well.

How to Care for Our Mouth, Teeth and Tongue

Brush Regularly: Brush your teeth twice a day (morning and night) and after every meal.
Avoid Too Many Sweets: Eating too many candies and sugary snacks can harm your teeth.
Rinse Mouth After Eating: Rinse your mouth with water to wash away food particles.
Visit the Dentist Regularly: A dentist is a special doctor who checks our teeth to make sure they are healthy.
(For older children/adults: Use floss and mouthwash.)

Clean Teeth Rhyme

Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Lyrics:

Brush, brush, brush your teeth,
Every morning, every night.
Up and down and all around,
Keep them sparkling, clean and bright!

Brush, brush, brush your teeth,
After every meal we eat.
Shiny white and strong and good,
Healthy teeth for healthy food!

Actions: Pupils imitate brushing motions with their finger or a pretend toothbrush while singing.

Watch and Practise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_8zXz_B100

Key Words

Mouth – The part of our face we use to eat, talk, and sing.
Teeth – The 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.
Dentist – A doctor who helps keep our teeth healthy.
Clean – Free from dirt.

💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary

How to teach the content: Introduce each part (mouth, teeth, tongue) by asking pupils to point to theirs. Explain functions with simple actions (e.g., mime talking, chewing, tasting). Use the chart posters to show clean, dirty, and sore teeth, explaining why care is important. Demonstrate proper brushing technique using a large model or a real toothbrush and toothpaste (without water initially, then with water in a cup for rinsing). Emphasize brushing in the morning, at night, and after meals. Simplify “floss” and “mouthwash” by explaining they are for grown-ups to keep teeth extra clean, focusing pupil practice on brushing and rinsing.

What to show or demonstrate: Show your own mouth, teeth, and tongue. Use the pictures of healthy vs. unhealthy teeth. Demonstrate brushing motions (up and down, circular) on a model or your own finger. Show how to rinse with water from a cup.

How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “Clean Teeth Rhyme” after discussing brushing. Sing it slowly first, then with actions. Repeat it several times throughout the lesson to reinforce the message, encouraging pupils to join in the actions and words.

How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to learn more about brushing. Play the video, encouraging pupils to watch the actions. After watching, ask pupils to recall what they saw and practice the brushing motions shown in the video.

What to watch for: Observe if pupils can correctly identify their mouth, teeth, and tongue. Check if they can mimic the brushing actions and understand the basic reasons for oral care. Correct any misconceptions about eating too many sweets.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning
Demonstration
Guided Practice
Songs and Rhymes
Picture Talk
Question and Answer
Role-play
Imitation
Practical Activity

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets pupils and starts with a simple “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” song, emphasizing the mouth. The teacher then asks pupils to point to their mouth, teeth, and tongue.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, sing the song, and point to their mouth, teeth, and tongue.

Learning Point: Pupils recall and identify parts of the body, specifically the mouth, teeth, and tongue.

Step 2: Functions of Mouth, Teeth and Tongue

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains and demonstrates the functions of each part:

“Our mouth helps us talk, eat, and sing!” (Teacher mimes actions).
“Our teeth help us bite and chew food!” (Teacher mimes chewing).
“Our tongue helps us taste food and swallow!” (Teacher mimes tasting).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe, and imitate the actions for talking, eating, singing, chewing, and tasting.

Learning Point: Pupils understand and demonstrate the basic functions of their mouth, teeth, and tongue.

Step 3: Why We Care for Our Mouth and Teeth

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Aid/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of children with clean, healthy teeth and children with dirty or sore teeth. The teacher asks, “Which teeth look happy and healthy?” and explains that we need to care for our teeth to avoid pain and bad smells.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures, identify happy/healthy teeth, and listen to the teacher’s explanation.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the importance of daily oral care.

Step 4: How to Care – Brushing Our Teeth

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher brings out a real toothbrush and toothpaste. The teacher demonstrates how to put a small amount of toothpaste on the brush and how to brush teeth (up and down, circular motions) on a model or by miming. The teacher emphasizes brushing in the morning, at night, and after meals.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the demonstration carefully. They use their fingers or pretend toothbrushes to imitate the brushing motions shown by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils learn and practice the correct way to brush their teeth.

Step 5: How to Care – Other Habits and Rhyme

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Song Integration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses other care habits: avoiding too many sweets, rinsing the mouth with water after eating, and visiting the dentist. The teacher then introduces and leads the “Clean Teeth Rhyme,” encouraging pupils to sing and do the actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the care tips, identify foods that are good/bad for teeth, and enthusiastically sing the “Clean Teeth Rhyme” with actions.

Learning Point: Pupils learn additional oral care habits and reinforce brushing through song.

Step 6: Reinforcement Activity / Video

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Reinforcement/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the “Brush Your Teeth Song” video. After the video, the teacher leads a short role-play where pupils pretend to brush their teeth and rinse their mouths.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video, sing along, and participate in the role-play, demonstrating brushing and rinsing actions.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their learning through visual and active engagement.

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 teeth.”
“What do your teeth help you do?” (e.g., chew, bite)
“When should we brush our teeth?” (e.g., morning, night)
“Show me how you brush your teeth.”
“What happens if we eat too many sweets?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summary/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the lesson by reminding pupils to always keep their mouth, teeth, and tongue clean and healthy. The teacher praises pupils for their participation and encourages them to practice good oral hygiene at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and promise to take care of their teeth. They sing a short “Goodbye” song.

Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to adopt good oral hygiene habits in their daily lives.

Lesson Keywords

Mouth – The part of our face we use to eat, talk, and sing.
Teeth – The 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.
Dentist – A doctor who helps keep our teeth healthy.
Clean – Free from dirt.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who struggle, the teacher can provide more one-on-one guidance during brushing demonstrations, use larger picture cards, or repeat instructions slowly. Peer support can also be encouraged.
Extension: For pupils who grasp the concepts quickly, the teacher can ask them to name more foods that are good for teeth, or explain in simple terms why sweets are bad for teeth. They can also lead the class in the brushing actions during the rhyme.