Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, prepare clear pictures or real examples of various good food items, and ensure you have a clean space for any demonstration. The central idea for pupils is that “good food” is clean and makes them strong and healthy. Observe if pupils can point to good food pictures and mimic actions like washing hands.
Class: Pre-School Level 1
Term: Third Term
Week: 9
Age: 2 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Topic: GOOD FOOD
Subject Matter: GOOD FOOD: Meaning of good food – clean and nutritious food.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify pictures of good food.
- Name one or two examples of good food.
- State that good food makes the body healthy.
Affective Domain
- Show interest in eating clean and nutritious food.
- Participate in a song about clean hands.
Psychomotor Domain
- Point to good food items on a chart.
- Mimic washing hands before eating.
Social Domain
- Listen attentively during the lesson.
- Share their understanding of good food with peers.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 1
- Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Instructional Materials
- Charts showing various food items (good and not-so-good)
- Pictures of fruits, vegetables, rice, beans, yam, eggs
- Posters illustrating clean food preparation
- Video clips on healthy eating for children
- Real examples or toy models of fruits and vegetables (e.g., banana, orange, apple, carrot)
Rationale for the Lesson
Understanding good food is crucial for 2-year-olds as it lays the foundation for healthy eating habits and overall well-being. This lesson helps pupils recognise foods that make them strong and teaches them the importance of cleanliness in food preparation, preventing common childhood illnesses.
Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils are familiar with different types of food they eat at home and school. They can recognise common objects and follow simple instructions.
Lesson Content/Board Summary
GOOD FOOD: Clean and Nutritious Food
Good food is food that makes our bodies strong and healthy! It helps us grow big and keeps us from getting sick.
- Clean Food: Food that is washed properly and prepared in a clean place. We must wash our hands before we eat!
- Nutritious Food: Food that gives our body what it needs to play and learn.
Examples of Good Food
- Fruits (e.g., orange, banana, mango)
- Vegetables (e.g., carrot, ugu leaves, spinach)
- Yam
- Rice
- Beans
- Eggs
- Fish
Good food makes us:
- Strong
- Healthy
- Grow big
- Prevents sickness
Clean Hands Song
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Lyrics:
Wash, wash, wash your hands,
Wash them clean and bright.
Rub and scrub and rinse them well,
Before you eat your food, so right!
Actions: Mimic washing hands, rubbing palms, scrubbing fingers, rinsing under water, then making a happy face and pointing to mouth.
Watch and Learn About Good Food
Key Words
- Good food – Food that makes us strong and healthy.
- Clean – Not dirty, washed properly.
- Strong – Having power, not weak.
- Healthy – Not sick, feeling good.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Introduce “good food” using simple, repetitive language and enthusiastic gestures. Point to pictures of good food on charts and name them clearly. Emphasize “clean” by showing a picture of someone washing hands or food.
What to show or demonstrate: Use real fruits/vegetables or toy food items. Hold them up, name them, and ask pupils to repeat. Demonstrate washing hands with imaginary soap and water. Use the charts and posters to show examples of good food and clean preparation.
How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the “Clean Hands Song” slowly and clearly, demonstrating the actions. Repeat it several times, encouraging pupils to join in with actions and simple words. Praise their participation.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to learn more about good food. Play the video once or twice. After watching, ask pupils to point to any good food they saw in the video or repeat simple words from the song.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils can distinguish good food from other items on charts. Watch for their engagement in the song and their attempts to mimic actions. Correct any misconceptions about what makes food “good” or “clean” through simple explanations and repetition.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
- Play-based Learning
- Demonstration
- Guided Practice
- Songs and Rhymes
- Picture Talk
- Question and Answer
- Repetition
- Manipulation of Objects
Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Greeting/Engaging
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and leads them in a familiar “Good Morning” song. The teacher then asks, “What do we eat to make us strong?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and may shout out names of food or make sounds.
Learning Point: Pupils are settled and introduced to the topic of food.
Step 2: Meaning of Good Food
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Visual Aid
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains in simple terms what “good food” means, using gestures and a happy face. “Good food makes us strong! Good food makes us healthy! Good food helps us grow big!” The teacher shows pictures of strong, healthy children.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, watch the pictures, and try to repeat “strong” and “healthy.”
Learning Point: Pupils understand that good food is beneficial for their bodies.
Step 3: Identifying Good Food
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Identification/Naming
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays charts with various food items (e.g., fruits, vegetables, rice, yam). The teacher points to each good food item, names it clearly, and asks pupils to point and repeat the name. “This is an orange! It is good food. Can you point to the orange?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils point to the named food items on the chart and try to repeat the names.
Learning Point: Pupils can identify and name common good food items.
Step 4: Cleanliness and Good Food
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Song
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that good food must be clean. “We must wash our hands before we eat good food!” The teacher demonstrates washing hands and then leads pupils in singing the “Clean Hands Song” with actions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the demonstration, try to mimic washing hands, and sing along with the actions.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the importance of clean hands before eating and practise a hygiene song.
Step 5: Why Good Food is Important
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Video
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reiterates that good food makes us strong and healthy and keeps us from getting sick. The teacher then plays the short video on healthy food, encouraging pupils to watch and listen.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and watch the video, pointing to familiar food items they see.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of the benefits of good food through visual and auditory input.
Step 6: Practical Application
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Movement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher holds up pictures of good food and asks, “Is this good food?” If yes, pupils clap their hands and show their “strong” muscles. If no (e.g., a picture of candy), pupils shake their heads. The teacher guides them to make the correct choice.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by clapping, showing muscles, or shaking heads, guided by the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils actively practise identifying good food and associate it with strength.
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.
- “Point to a good food on the chart.”
- “What do we do before we eat good food?” (Teacher models washing hands)
- “Does good food make us strong or weak?”
- “Can you name one good food?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate (e.g., pointing, mimicking hand washing, saying “strong,” naming a food).
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.
Step 8: Conclusion
Time: 1 minute
Teaching Skill: Summarizing/Praise
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always eat clean, good food to stay strong and healthy. “Good job, children! Remember to eat your good food!”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the praise and repeat “good food.”
Learning Point: Pupils conclude the lesson with a positive reinforcement of the main message.
Lesson Keywords
- Good food – Food that makes our bodies strong and healthy.
- Clean – Not dirty; washed properly.
- Strong – Having power; not weak.
- Healthy – Not sick; feeling good.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who struggle, use only 2-3 very familiar good food pictures. Provide hand-over-hand guidance for pointing. Repeat names and actions more frequently.
- Extension: Encourage pupils who grasp the concept quickly to name an additional good food item they eat at home or identify good food in a different picture.
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