Hush Little Baby for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 2
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Songs and Rhymes
Curriculum Theme: Songs and Rhymes
Previous Lesson: Pupils sang familiar songs and discussed simple actions.
Topic: Hush Little Baby
Subject Matter: HUSH LITTLE BABY.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Recite and sing the song “Hush Little Baby.”
• Identify why crying unnecessarily is not helpful.
• State what to do when they need something instead of crying.

Affective Domain

• Show willingness to comfort a ‘baby’ (doll or peer) using gentle actions.
• Appreciate the importance of asking politely for what they need.

Psychomotor Domain

• Perform simple actions related to comforting a baby while singing.
• Demonstrate how to ask for something politely.

Social Domain

• Participate cooperatively in group singing and role-play activities.
• Take turns in expressing their needs.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

• Picture cards showing children crying and children asking politely
• A doll or teddy bear (to represent the “baby”)
• A bell or a small toy ring (as mentioned in the song)
• Chart with song lyrics

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps 5-year-olds develop emotional intelligence by understanding the concept of comfort and appropriate ways to express needs. Learning to ask politely instead of crying fosters better communication skills and positive social interactions, which are essential for school and home environments.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are familiar with singing simple songs, following instructions, and understand basic concepts of expressing feelings.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Hush Little Baby

The song “Hush Little Baby” is a lullaby, which is a gentle song sung to help a baby sleep or to comfort them when they are upset. It teaches us about being calm and how to get what we want in a good way.

Hush Little Baby Song Lyrics

Hush, little baby, don’t say a word,
Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.
If that mockingbird won’t sing,
Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.
If that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama’s gonna buy you a looking glass.
If that looking glass gets broke,
Mama’s gonna buy you a billy goat.
If that billy goat won’t pull,
Mama’s gonna buy you a cart and bull.
If that cart and bull turn over,
Mama’s gonna buy you a dog named Rover.
If that dog named Rover won’t bark,
Mama’s gonna buy you a horse and cart.
If that horse and cart fall down,
You’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

Meaning and Message of the Song

• “Hush” means to be quiet, calm, or still.
• The song is about comforting a baby and telling them not to cry.
• It shows that when we are calm, good things can happen, and we can get what we need.

Why We Should Not Cry Unnecessarily

• Crying without a good reason can make it hard for others to understand what you need.
• It can make you feel more upset and tired.
• It doesn’t always help you get what you want.

What to Do When You Need Something

Instead of crying, we should:

1. Ask Nicely: Use polite words like “Please” and “May I have…?”
2. Use Your Words: Clearly say what you need or want.
3. Be Patient: Wait for an adult to help you.

Key Words

• Hush – Be quiet, calm.
• Baby – A very young child.
• Cry – To shed tears, usually because of sadness, pain, or frustration.
• Ask – To request something.
• Polite – Showing good manners and respect for others.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• A picture of a calm baby.
• A picture of a child crying.
• A picture of a child saying “Please.”
• The lyrics of “Hush Little Baby” on a chart.

Asking Nicely Rhyme

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

When I need something new,
What should I say, what should I do?
“Please, may I have it?” I will ask,
That’s my polite and helpful task.
No more crying, no more fuss,
Just kind words for all of us!

Actions:
Line 1: Point to self, then shrug shoulders.
Line 2: Point to self, then shrug shoulders again.
Line 3: Put hands together as if praying, then point to mouth.
Line 4: Nod head, then give a thumbs-up.
Line 5: Shake head “no” for crying, then gently wave hands “no” for fuss.
Line 6: Smile and point to classmates.

How to use the rhyme: Sing this rhyme after discussing what to do instead of crying. Encourage pupils to perform the actions as they sing to reinforce the message of asking politely.

Watch and Sing Along

Let’s watch a video of “Hush Little Baby” and sing along with the actions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYy86yU6D7s

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Recalling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and leads them in singing a familiar greeting song. The teacher then asks pupils what they do when they are sad or need something.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and share their experiences of needing something.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall prior knowledge about expressing needs.

Step 2: Presentation of the Song

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Introducing/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the song “Hush Little Baby,” explaining it’s a song to comfort a baby. The teacher sings the first verse clearly, using a gentle voice and rocking actions with a doll.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, observe the teacher’s actions, and try to hum along.

Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the song and its calming nature.

Step 3: Guided Singing and Actions

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guiding/Practising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays the song lyrics on a chart and sings the entire song slowly, encouraging pupils to join in. The teacher guides pupils to perform simple rocking or comforting actions for a “baby” (doll or imaginary).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along with the teacher, following the lyrics on the chart, and perform the comforting actions.

Learning Point: Pupils learn the lyrics and actions of “Hush Little Baby.”

Step 4: Discussing the Message – Why Not Cry?

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils what “hush” means in the song. The teacher then uses picture cards (crying child vs. calm child) to discuss why crying unnecessarily is not helpful and can make it difficult to get what they need. The teacher uses the bell/ring as an example of something nice they might get if they are calm.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to questions, identify the pictures, and discuss the disadvantages of unnecessary crying.

Learning Point: Pupils understand that crying without reason is not the best way to get attention or things.

Step 5: What to Do Instead – Asking Politely

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstrating/Role-playing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates how to ask for something politely using “Please” and “May I have…?” The teacher then sets up a simple role-play scenario (e.g., “I want the toy,” vs. “Please, may I have the toy?”).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the demonstration and participate in the role-play, practising asking politely for an object.

Learning Point: Pupils learn and practice polite ways to express their needs.

Step 6: Reinforcement Rhyme and Video

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcing/Visualising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing the “Asking Nicely Rhyme” with actions. The teacher then plays the “Hush Little Baby” video and encourages pupils to sing along and perform actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the reinforcement rhyme with actions and sing along to the video, reinforcing the song and its message.

Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their understanding through song, rhyme, and visual aids.

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. “What does ‘hush’ mean?”
2. “When you need a toy, should you cry or ask nicely?”
3. “Who can show me how to ask for something politely?”
4. “Let’s sing the first verse of ‘Hush Little Baby’ together.”

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: Summarising/Encouraging

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their participation and reminds them to always ask politely for what they need. The teacher leads a final cheerful song.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, sing the closing song, and tidy up their learning space.

Learning Point: Pupils leave with a positive reinforcement of the lesson’s message.

Lesson Keywords

• Hush – To be quiet or calm.
• Baby – A very young child.
• Cry – To shed tears, often from sadness or needing something.
• Ask – To use words to request something politely.
• Polite – Showing good manners and respect.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle with remembering lyrics, the teacher can provide more repetition, use hand-over-hand actions, or focus on just the chorus of the song. Use larger picture cards for easier identification.
• Extension: For quicker learners, the teacher can ask them to suggest other polite phrases or create a short role-play scenario where they have to ask for something from another pupil. They can also identify other situations where asking politely is important.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Prepare the instructional materials, especially the picture cards (crying vs. asking politely) and a doll, before the lesson. Emphasize the gentle, comforting tone when singing “Hush Little Baby.” The main idea children must grasp is that using their words politely is more effective than crying when they want something. Observe pupils during role-play to see if they can correctly use polite language. Repeat the “Asking Nicely Rhyme” several times throughout the day to reinforce the behaviour. Judge understanding by observing if pupils can correctly answer questions about asking politely and demonstrate the action. Encourage all pupils to participate, especially during the singing and role-play activities.