Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Third Term
Week: 4
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Songs and Rhymes
Curriculum Theme: Songs and Rhymes
Previous Lesson: Learning and reciting other simple rhymes with actions.
Topic: HERE WE GO AROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH
Subject Matter: HERE WE GO AROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Recite the rhyme “Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush” correctly.
• Identify some daily habits mentioned in the rhyme, such as brushing teeth, washing clothes, and combing hair.
• State at least one benefit of playing with friends at the right time.

Affective Domain

• Enjoy participating in singing and performing actions for the rhyme.
• Appreciate the importance of good hygiene habits for personal care.
• Show willingness to play cooperatively with classmates.

Psychomotor Domain

• Perform the actions associated with each verse of the rhyme.
• Demonstrate the action of brushing teeth in the morning and at night.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in group play and singing.
• Interact positively with peers during the rhyme and related activities.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4.
• Early Childhood Care and Education resources.
• Rhyme books.

Instructional Materials

• Chart of “Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush” rhyme.
• Picture cards showing children brushing teeth, washing clothes, combing hair.
• Model toothbrush and toothpaste.
• Open space for movement.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps 5-year-olds develop language and memory skills through rhyme and song. It also introduces important daily hygiene habits in a fun, engaging way, connecting them to real-life routines. Furthermore, the interactive nature of the rhyme promotes social skills and cooperative play, essential for building positive relationships with peers.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify some parts of their body and know other simple rhymes with actions. They have some understanding of basic daily routines like bathing and eating.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush

This rhyme teaches us about important daily habits and how to play together.

Rhyme Lyrics and Actions

Tune: Traditional

Lyrics:

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush,
On a cold and frosty morning.

Actions: Pupils hold hands and walk in a circle.

This is the way we brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth, brush our teeth.
This is the way we brush our teeth,
On a cold and frosty morning.

Actions: Pupils mime brushing their teeth.

This is the way we wash our clothes,
Wash our clothes, wash our clothes.
This is the way we wash our clothes,
On a cold and frosty morning.

Actions: Pupils mime washing clothes (rubbing hands together).

This is the way we comb our hair,
Comb our hair, comb our hair.
This is the way we comb our hair,
On a cold and frosty morning.

Actions: Pupils mime combing their hair.

This is the way we play with friends,
Play with friends, play with friends.
This is the way we play with friends,
On a cold and frosty morning.

Actions: Pupils hold hands and skip or dance in a circle.

Key Messages from the Rhyme

• Good Hygiene: Brushing teeth (morning and night), washing clothes, combing hair keep us clean and healthy.
• Playing with Friends: It is fun and important to play together. Playing helps us learn to share and take turns.

Key Words

• Mulberry – A type of tree that grows berries.
• Bush – A small plant with many branches.
• Brush – To clean with a brush, like brushing teeth.
• Wash – To clean with water and soap.
• Comb – To tidy hair with a comb.
• Friends – People we like to play and spend time with.

Watch and Move Along

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_j_xXWpL6M

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to sing a familiar rhyme they know with actions. The teacher uses this as an open class activity to ascertain pupils’ knowledge of rhymes and actions. The teacher then introduces the new rhyme, “Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush,” telling them it’s a fun song about things we do every day.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, sing a known rhyme with actions, and listen attentively to the introduction of the new rhyme.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and their prior knowledge of rhymes is assessed.

Step 2: Presentation of the Rhyme

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Modelling/Recitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays the chart of “Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush.” The teacher recites the entire rhyme clearly and slowly, pointing to the words on the chart as they go. The teacher then recites it again, demonstrating simple actions for each verse.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen carefully to the rhyme and observe the teacher’s actions. Some may attempt to say a few words or mimic actions.

Learning Point: Pupils become familiar with the rhyme’s words and rhythm.

Step 3: Guided Practice of Actions

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to stand in a circle. They sing the rhyme verse by verse, teaching and practising the actions for each part (walking in a circle, miming brushing teeth, washing clothes, combing hair, playing with friends). The teacher provides support and correction as needed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils stand in a circle, hold hands, and perform the actions for each verse as guided by the teacher, imitating the movements.

Learning Point: Pupils learn and practice the physical actions associated with the rhyme.

Step 4: Discussion of Daily Habits

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils, “What did we do in the song to keep clean?” The teacher uses picture cards of brushing teeth, washing clothes, and combing hair to reinforce the discussion. They emphasize that we should always brush our teeth in the morning and at night, and always care for our body by keeping clean.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer questions, identify the habits from the picture cards, and repeat the importance of brushing morning and night.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the hygiene messages embedded in the rhyme.

Step 5: Reinforcement with Video and Cooperative Play

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Aid/Facilitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the “Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush” video. After the video, the teacher leads a brief discussion on the “play with friends” verse, asking, “Why is it good to play with our friends?” The teacher guides them to state some benefits like sharing, having fun, and learning together.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and sing along, performing actions. They then share their ideas on why playing with friends is beneficial.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of the rhyme and its social message.

Step 6: Pupil Application

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Observation/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks individual pupils or small groups to demonstrate specific actions from the rhyme (e.g., “Show me how you brush your teeth,” “Show me how you comb your hair”). The teacher encourages all pupils to recite the rhyme together one more time.

Pupils’ Activity: Individual pupils or small groups demonstrate actions. All pupils recite the rhyme with actions.

Learning Point: Pupils confidently apply their learning by demonstrating actions and reciting the rhyme.

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.

1. Ask pupils to recite the rhyme “Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush.”
2. Ask pupils to show the actions for “brush our teeth.”
3. Ask pupils to name one thing they do to care for their body, as mentioned in the rhyme.
4. Ask pupils to state one benefit of playing with their friends.

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: Summarizing/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their active participation. They briefly recap the importance of the daily habits and playing with friends. The teacher leads the pupils in singing the rhyme one last time as they prepare for the next activity.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme one last time and prepare for the next lesson.

Learning Point: The lesson is reinforced and concluded positively.

Lesson Keywords

• Mulberry – A type of plant.
• Bush – A small tree.
• Brush – To clean your teeth.
• Wash – To make clean with water.
• Comb – To make your hair tidy.
• Friends – People we play with.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle with the actions, the teacher can provide hand-over-hand guidance or simplify the movements. More repetition of specific verses can be given. Use larger picture cards for easier identification of habits.
• Extension: Encourage advanced pupils to lead the actions for a verse or explain in their own words why a particular habit is important. They could also suggest other daily habits not mentioned in the rhyme.