How to Care for Yourself in Cold Weather for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Third Term
Week: 5
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Understanding different types of weather (e.g., hot weather).
Topic: COLD WEATHER: HOW TO CARE FOR YOURSELF
Subject Matter: Cold Weather – How to care for oneself during cold weather: what to eat and drink, what to wear, where to go, etc.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify cold weather by its characteristics.
• Name at least three items of clothing to wear in cold weather.
• Mention at least two types of food or drink suitable for cold weather.
• State where to stay or sleep during cold weather.

Affective Domain

• Show willingness to dress warmly when it is cold.
• Appreciate the importance of staying healthy during cold weather.

Psychomotor Domain

• Point to pictures of warm clothes and warm food/drinks.
• Demonstrate how to put on a sweater or wrap a blanket.

Social Domain

• Participate in discussions about staying warm and healthy.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

• Charts showing different types of weather (hot, cold)
• Posters depicting children dressed in warm clothes
• Actual warm clothing items: sweater, cardigan, socks, hat, scarf, jacket
• Pictures of warm food (e.g., pap, soup, porridge) and warm drinks (e.g., tea, hot chocolate)
• A blanket or shawl
• Pictures of children staying indoors or under blankets

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds as it teaches them practical ways to stay healthy and comfortable during cold weather. Understanding how to care for themselves helps pupils avoid sickness and develop good self-care habits, which are essential for their well-being and daily living.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have a basic understanding of what weather means and can differentiate between hot and cold temperatures from their daily experiences.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

COLD WEATHER: HOW TO CARE FOR YOURSELF

Weather is how the air feels outside. Sometimes it is hot, and sometimes it is cold.

What is Cold Weather?

Cold weather is when the air outside is chilly, and we feel cool or shiver. It is different from hot weather when the sun is very strong, and we feel warm or sweat.

• In cold weather, we might see clouds, feel wind, or sometimes rain.
• Our bodies need to stay warm to be healthy.

How to Care for Yourself in Cold Weather

To stay healthy and warm when it is cold, we need to do these things:

1. What to Wear: Warm Clothes

• Wear clothes that keep our bodies warm.
• Examples: sweaters, cardigans, jackets, long trousers, socks, hats, scarves, gloves.
• Layering clothes helps keep us warmer.

2. What to Eat and Drink: Warm Food and Drinks

• Eat warm food to give our bodies energy and keep us warm from the inside.
• Examples: hot pap, warm soup, porridge, yam, rice.
• Drink warm drinks to stay hydrated and warm.
• Examples: warm tea, hot chocolate, warm milk.

3. Where to Stay: Keep Warm and Dry

• Stay indoors as much as possible, especially if it is very cold or raining.
• Sleep under warm blankets or duvets.
• Avoid staying in wet clothes or playing in the rain.

4. Other Important Care:

• Wash hands regularly to prevent catching colds and flu.
• Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.

Consequences of Not Taking Care in Cold Weather

• If we don’t care for ourselves properly, we can get sick.
• We might catch a cold, have a cough, or catarrh.
• It is important to stay warm and healthy!

Stay Warm Rhyme

Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Lyrics:
Cold, cold weather, brrr, it’s here,
Warm clothes on, no need to fear.
Sweater, jacket, socks so bright,
Keep us warm all day and night.
Hot pap, soup, and warm, warm tea,
Healthy, happy, we will be!

Actions: Hug self and shiver (brrr), point to clothes (sweater, jacket), rub tummy (hot pap, soup), make a happy face (healthy, happy).

How to use the rhyme: Sing the rhyme together, encouraging pupils to do the actions as they sing. Repeat several times to reinforce the message of staying warm and healthy.

Watch and Learn About Winter Clothes

The teacher will show a short video about dressing for cold weather to reinforce the lesson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N80l8-g7b8M

Key Words

• Weather – How the air feels outside (hot or cold).
• Cold – Chilly, cool, needing warm clothes.
• Warm – Feeling hot, not cold.
• Sweater – A warm top worn over other clothes.
• Healthy – Not sick, strong.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Display a chart showing a sunny day (hot) and a cloudy/rainy day (cold).
• Show actual items of warm clothing (sweater, hat, socks).
• Show pictures of hot pap, soup, and children wrapped in blankets.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them about the current weather. “How does the air feel outside today? Is it hot or cold?” The teacher reminds them that “weather” is how the air feels.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions, describing how the weather feels.

Learning Point: Pupils recall the concept of weather.

Step 2: Understanding Cold Weather

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Comparison

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows charts of hot and cold weather. “Look at this picture! The sun is shining, and people are wearing light clothes. This is hot weather. Now look at this one! It’s cloudy, and people are wearing thick clothes. This is cold weather. When it’s cold, we might shiver!” The teacher demonstrates shivering.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the charts, listen to the explanation, and imitate the teacher shivering.

Learning Point: Pupils understand what cold weather feels like and how it differs from hot weather.

Step 3: What to Wear in Cold Weather

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher brings out actual warm clothing items (sweater, hat, socks, cardigan). “When it’s cold, we need to wear warm clothes. What is this?” (holding up a sweater). “This is a sweater! It keeps us warm.” The teacher shows each item and asks pupils to name it and explain its use.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and name the warm clothing items. Some pupils demonstrate putting on a sweater or hat.

Learning Point: Pupils identify and understand the purpose of warm clothing.

Step 4: What to Eat and Drink in Cold Weather

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Picture Talk/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of warm food (pap, soup) and warm drinks (tea, hot chocolate). “What do you see here? This is hot pap! It’s good to eat warm food when it’s cold. What about this? Warm tea! It makes our tummy warm.” The teacher discusses how these items help keep us warm.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the warm food and drinks in the pictures and discuss why they are good for cold weather.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise appropriate food and drinks for cold weather.

Step 5: Where to Stay and Rhyme Reinforcement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Singing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks, “When it’s very cold, should we play outside in the rain or stay inside?” The teacher shows a picture of children wrapped in a blanket. “We should stay inside and keep warm, maybe under a warm blanket.” The teacher then leads the class in singing the “Stay Warm Rhyme.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer the question, observe the picture, and sing the rhyme with actions.

Learning Point: Pupils learn to stay indoors and use blankets for warmth, reinforcing learning through song.

Step 6: Consequences of Not Caring

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Awareness

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains, “If we don’t wear warm clothes or eat warm food when it’s cold, we might get sick. We could get a cough or catarrh. We want to stay healthy, right?” The teacher emphasizes the importance of following the care tips.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and understand the importance of taking care of themselves to avoid sickness.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the negative consequences of not caring for themselves in cold weather.

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. “Show me a warm cloth you wear when it’s cold.” (Teacher points to a selection of clothes).
2. “What warm food can we eat when it’s cold?”
3. “What warm drink can we have?”
4. “Where should we stay when it’s very cold outside?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate (e.g., pointing to a sweater, naming a food).

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarization/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them always to keep warm and healthy during cold weather. “Remember, when it’s cold, dress warmly, eat warm food, and stay cozy indoors!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and repeat the key message about staying warm and healthy.

Learning Point: Pupils internalize the main lesson points and are encouraged to practice good habits.

Lesson Keywords

• Cold – Chilly, needing warm clothes.
• Warm – Not cold, comfortable.
• Sweater – A thick top for warmth.
• Socks – Covering for feet to keep them warm.
• Healthy – Strong and not sick.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle, the teacher will use larger, clearer pictures and real objects. The teacher will provide hand-over-hand guidance for demonstrating putting on clothes and allow them to point rather than name if speaking is difficult. Repetition of key words and actions will be emphasized.
• Extension: For quicker learners, the teacher can ask them to name additional warm clothing items or suggest other warm foods/drinks. They can also be asked to describe a time they felt cold and what they did to get warm.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure all instructional materials, especially the actual warm clothing items and pictures of food/drinks, are readily available and visible. The key idea for pupils to grasp is the connection between cold weather and the need for specific actions (dressing warmly, eating warm food, staying indoors) to stay healthy. Encourage active participation by letting pupils touch the clothes, point to pictures, and demonstrate actions like shivering or hugging themselves for warmth. Observe if pupils can identify the items correctly and explain their purpose. Pay attention to shy pupils and encourage them with simple pointing tasks. Reinforce the rhyme multiple times throughout the day or week to help pupils remember the concepts.