Describing familiar objects by name, colour, size and shape for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: Second Term
Week: 6
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Reading
Focal competence: Using a wide range of vocabulary
Key competencies/values: Collaboration; Respect; Communication; Creativity and Innovation; ICT and Digital Competencies
Skills:

• Drawing different shapes of objects

Previous Lesson: Recognising Beginning, Middle and Ending Sounds in Unfamiliar Words
Topic: Identification Of Common Objects
Subject Matter: Describing familiar objects by name, colour, size and shape

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify the names of familiar objects.
• State the colours of familiar objects.
• Mention the sizes of familiar objects using appropriate words.
• Recognise the shapes of familiar objects.
• Describe familiar objects using their name, colour, size, and shape.

Affective Domain

• Show interest in observing and describing objects around them.
• Participate actively in class discussions about object attributes.

Psychomotor Domain

• Point to familiar objects in the classroom and state their attributes.
• Attempt to draw simple shapes of objects.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Macmillan Primary English for Primary 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Approved publisher-neutral text/picture cards showing various objects
• Letter, word and picture cards
• Exercise books and pencils
• Simple objects in the classroom (e.g., a book, a bag, a table, a chair, a ball, a ruler)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it helps pupils develop their observational skills and expands their vocabulary. Learning to describe objects by their attributes enhances their communication abilities and provides a foundation for more complex language use, enabling them to articulate what they see and understand in their environment.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should be able to recognise some common objects and identify basic colours.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Identification Of Common Objects

Describing Objects by Name, Colour, Size, and Shape

We can describe objects by telling their name, what colour they are, how big or small they are, and what shape they have.

Names of Familiar Objects

Some familiar objects we see every day include:

1. Book
2. Bag
3. Table
4. Chair
5. Pencil
6. Ball
7. Ruler

Colours of Objects

Objects have different colours. Some common colours are:

1. Red
2. Blue
3. Green
4. Yellow
5. White
6. Black

Sizes of Objects

We use words to describe how big or small objects are:

1. Big
2. Small
3. Long
4. Short
5. Tall
6. Tiny

Shapes of Objects

Objects also have different shapes:

1. Round (like a ball)
2. Square (like a dice)
3. Rectangular (like a book)
4. Triangular (like a slice of pizza)

Oral Description of Objects

We can describe an object using two or more words. For example:

1. A red, big ball.
2. A small, blue book.
3. A long, brown table.
4. A yellow, square box.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Observation, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to name some objects they see in the classroom. The teacher then asks them to mention the colour of one or two of those objects.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, name objects, and state their colours.

Learning Point: Recalling object names and colours

Step 2: Identifying Object Names

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Naming/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows various familiar objects (or picture cards) one by one and asks pupils to call out their names. The teacher writes the names on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and call out the names of the objects shown by the teacher.

Learning Point: Names of familiar objects

Step 3: Describing by Colour

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Observation/Vocabulary

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher picks up each object again and asks, “What colour is this (object)?” The teacher introduces new colour words if needed and writes them on the board next to the object names.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils state the colours of the objects as they are shown.

Learning Point: Common object colours

Step 4: Describing by Size

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Comparison/Vocabulary

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher presents two objects of different sizes (e.g., a big book and a small pencil) and asks, “Which one is big? Which one is small?” The teacher introduces size words like ‘big’, ‘small’, ‘long’, ‘short’ and writes them on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and use size words to describe the objects shown.

Learning Point: Size words for objects

Step 5: Describing by Shape

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Recognition/Drawing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows objects with distinct shapes (e.g., a ball for round, a book for rectangular) and asks, “What shape is this?” The teacher introduces basic shapes like ’round’, ‘square’, ‘rectangular’ and draws them on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils recognise and name the shapes of the objects.

Learning Point: Basic object shapes

Step 6: Oral Description Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Sentence Construction

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher points to an object and asks pupils to describe it using its name, colour, size, and/or shape. For example, “Tell me about this book.” The teacher guides them to say, “It is a small, blue book.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils practice describing selected objects orally using two or more attributes.

Learning Point: Describing objects orally

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is the name of this object? (Teacher shows an object)
2. What colour is this (object)?
3. Is this (object) big or small?
4. What shape is this (object)?
5. Describe this (object) using two words.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Object description skills

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on describing objects by name, colour, size, and shape into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson information

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils that they can describe many things around them by telling their name, colour, size, and shape. The teacher encourages them to practice describing objects at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and acknowledge the importance of describing objects.

Learning Point: Importance of object description

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Look around your house and describe three objects to your parents or guardians. Write down their names, colours, and sizes in your notebook.

1. Object 1: Name, Colour, Size
2. Object 2: Name, Colour, Size
3. Object 3: Name, Colour, Size

Lesson Keywords

• Object – A thing that can be seen and touched.
• Describe – To say what something is like.
• Colour – The quality of how light is reflected by an object (e.g., red, blue).
• Size – How big or small something is.
• Shape – The outer form or outline of something (e.g., round, square).

Differentiation

For weaker learners, the teacher will focus on identifying objects by name and colour, providing more repetition and visual cues. Faster learners will be encouraged to describe objects using three or four attributes and to identify less common shapes or colours.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further visual learning, search on YouTube for: describing objects primary 1 english

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, gather a collection of real, familiar objects from the classroom or prepare clear picture cards. Ensure they vary in name, colour, size, and shape to provide diverse examples. Begin by engaging pupils with known objects to build confidence. Follow the teaching sequence by introducing each descriptive attribute (name, colour, size, shape) one at a time, providing clear examples and writing key vocabulary on the board. Encourage pupils to speak in full sentences during the oral description practice. Pay attention to common errors such as confusing size and shape words. During the note-taking step (Step 8), ensure pupils copy the Board Summary accurately. Check for understanding throughout the lesson by asking frequent questions and providing immediate feedback. Support weaker learners by simplifying tasks and offering more direct assistance, while challenging faster learners to use more complex descriptions or identify additional attributes. Conclude by reinforcing the practical application of describing objects in everyday life.