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

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Third Term
Week: 4
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Understanding different types of weather
Topic: HOT WEATHER: HOW TO CARE FOR YOURSELF
Subject Matter: Hot Weather: How to care for oneself during hot weather: what to eat and drink, what to wear, where to go, etc. Weekly focus: Hot Weather: How to Care for Yourself.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify hot weather by its signs.
• Name at least two things to wear in hot weather.
• Mention at least two things to drink or eat in hot weather.
• State one safe place to stay during hot weather.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of staying cool and safe in hot weather.
• Show willingness to follow advice for caring for themselves in hot weather.

Psychomotor Domain

• Demonstrate wearing light clothes.
• Pretend to drink water or fan themselves to stay cool.
• Point to pictures showing safe hot weather practices.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in discussions about hot weather care.
• Share ideas on how to stay comfortable in the heat.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

• Light clothing (e.g., a t-shirt, shorts, a light dress)
• Charts and posters showing people in hot weather (e.g., drinking water, wearing light clothes, under a tree)
• Pictures of fruits (watermelon, orange)
• A water bottle or cup
• A small hand fan (optional)
• A hat or cap

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds as it teaches them practical ways to stay safe and healthy during hot weather, which is common in Nigeria. Understanding these habits helps children protect themselves from heat-related discomfort and illness, promoting their well-being and ability to play and learn effectively.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have experienced different types of weather, including sunny days, and have a basic understanding of personal hygiene and self-care.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

HOT WEATHER: HOW TO CARE FOR YOURSELF

Hot weather means the sun is very strong and the air is very warm. We can feel hot and sweaty.

Signs of Hot Weather

• The sun shines brightly.
• The air feels warm.
• We feel hot and sweat a lot.
• We feel very thirsty.

How to Care for Yourself in Hot Weather

To stay safe and healthy when the weather is hot, we need to do these things:

1. Wear Light Clothes: Wear clothes that are thin and loose, like t-shirts, shorts, or light dresses. These clothes help our bodies stay cool. Avoid thick or dark clothes.
2. Drink Lots of Water: Drink plenty of clean water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Water helps to cool our bodies.
3. Eat Healthy Fruits: Eat fruits that have a lot of water, like watermelon, oranges, and cucumber. These also help us stay hydrated.
4. Stay in Cool Places: Stay indoors in rooms that have fans or open windows. If you are outside, stay under a big tree or in the shade. Avoid playing directly under the hot sun for too long.
5. Take Cool Baths: Have cool baths or showers to bring down your body temperature.
6. Use a Fan: Use a hand fan or electric fan to blow cool air on yourself.
7. Wear a Hat: If you must go outside, wear a hat or cap to protect your head from the sun.

Key Words

• Hot – when the temperature is very high, making us feel warm.
• Weather – how the air outside feels (e.g., hot, cold, rainy).
• Cool – feeling a little cold or not hot.
• Drink – to take liquid into your body, like water.
• Wear – to put clothes on your body.
• Sun – the bright star that gives us light and heat.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Display charts and posters showing children wearing light clothes, drinking water, and playing in the shade.
• Show examples of light clothing (t-shirt, shorts).
• Hold up a water bottle and pictures of water-rich fruits.
• Demonstrate fanning oneself.

Hot Weather Care Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

Hot, hot weather, sun so bright,
Stay cool, stay safe, with all your might.
Drink some water, cool and clear,
Chase the heat and have no fear.
Light clothes on, and hat so grand,
Best way to care, throughout the land.

Actions:

• “Hot, hot weather, sun so bright”: Point to the sky, then fan face.
• “Stay cool, stay safe, with all your might”: Hug self, then make strong arm gesture.
• “Drink some water, cool and clear”: Pretend to drink from a cup.
• “Chase the heat and have no fear”: Wave hands away from body.
• “Light clothes on, and hat so grand”: Point to clothes, then tap head.
• “Best way to care, throughout the land”: Nod head, then sweep arms wide.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the song together with actions to reinforce the key messages about hot weather care. Repeat several times during the lesson.

Watch and Learn About Staying Cool

Let’s watch a short video about how to stay cool when it’s hot outside!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k75Bf-5L4Q

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Role-play, Practical Activity, Video Presentation.

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 “Good Morning” song. The teacher then asks pupils about the current weather outside and what they feel (hot or cold).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and share their observations about the weather.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall simple weather observations.

Step 2: Explanation of Hot Weather

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Visual Aids

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what hot weather means using simple language and shows pictures of a bright sun and people sweating. “When the sun is very strong and the air is warm, we call it hot weather. How do we feel when it’s hot? We sweat, right?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the pictures, and respond to questions about how they feel in hot weather.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the meaning and signs of hot weather.

Step 3: What to Wear in Hot Weather

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays light clothing (t-shirt, shorts) and explains why they are good for hot weather. “Look at these clothes. Are they thick or thin? They are thin and light! They help us stay cool.” The teacher asks pupils to point to the light clothes.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the clothes, identify them as light, and point to them. Some may pretend to put them on.

Learning Point: Pupils learn to identify and choose appropriate clothing for hot weather.

Step 4: What to Eat and Drink in Hot Weather

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Practical Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher holds up a water bottle and pictures of fruits like watermelon. “What should we drink when it’s hot? Lots of water! What fruits have lots of water?” The teacher encourages pupils to pretend to drink water.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils name water and fruits, and pretend to drink from a cup or bottle.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the importance of hydration and water-rich foods.

Step 5: Where to Stay and Other Actions

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Role-play/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses staying in cool places (indoors, under a tree) and other actions like taking cool baths or using a fan. The teacher demonstrates fanning and asks pupils to imitate.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, identify cool places in pictures, and imitate fanning themselves.

Learning Point: Pupils learn safe places and actions to keep cool.

Step 6: Reinforcement (Song and Video)

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Audiovisual

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Hot Weather Care Song” with actions. Afterwards, the teacher plays the short educational video on staying cool in hot weather.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song with actions and watch the video attentively.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their learning through song and visual media.

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. “How do you know it’s hot weather?” (Pupils might say “sun is bright” or “I feel hot”).
2. “Show me what kind of clothes you should wear when it’s hot.” (Pupils point to light clothes).
3. “What should you drink a lot of when it’s hot?” (Pupils say “water” or pretend to drink).
4. “Where should you stay when the sun is very hot?” (Pupils point to a shaded area in a picture or say “indoors”).

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/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the main points of the lesson, reminding pupils to always care for themselves in hot weather by drinking water, wearing light clothes, and staying in cool places. The teacher praises them for their participation.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the summary.

Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and are encouraged to practice good habits.

Lesson Keywords

• Hot – when the air is very warm.
• Weather – how it feels outside, like sunny or rainy.
• Cool – not hot, a comfortable temperature.
• Drink – to take water or juice into your body.
• Clothes – what we wear on our body.
• Sun – the bright light in the sky that makes it hot.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who are struggling, the teacher can use larger, more distinct pictures, repeat instructions slowly, and provide hand-over-hand guidance for demonstrating actions like fanning or pretending to drink. Focus on identifying just one or two key actions.
• Extension: For pupils who grasp the concepts quickly, the teacher can ask them to name other water-rich fruits, suggest other activities they can do indoors during hot weather, or explain why wearing dark clothes makes us hotter.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have all instructional materials ready, especially actual light clothing items and clear pictures. Emphasize practical demonstrations and allow pupils to actively participate by pointing, pretending, and moving. The goal is for children to internalise these habits through doing. Observe how pupils demonstrate actions (e.g., fanning, pretending to drink) as a key indicator of their understanding. Encourage all pupils to participate in the song and actions, providing extra support for shy or less confident children. Remind pupils that if they ever feel too hot or unwell, they should tell a grown-up.