Importance of history for Primary 1

Class: Primary One
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Nigerian History
Curriculum Theme: Concept of History
Focal competence: Demonstrating a sense of identity in daily living
Skills:

• Explaining the importance of history

Previous Lesson: Meaning of History, People and Events of the Past and Family History Sources
Topic: Importance of History
Subject Matter: Importance of history

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• State at least two reasons why history is important.
• Identify how history helps us know where our family came from.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the value of learning about past events.
• Show interest in stories about their family and community’s past.

Psychomotor Domain

• Participate in discussions about why history is important.
• Give simple reasons why history is important.

Social Domain

• Share simple reasons why history is important with their classmates.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Approved Nigerian History textbook for Primary 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Verified local photographs or objects related to the community’s past
• Simple charts showing pictures of past and present events
• Oral accounts of family or community history

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand why we learn about the past. It connects history to their own lives, showing them how knowing where they come from helps them understand who they are. This knowledge fosters a sense of identity and appreciation for their family and community heritage.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify some past events in their lives, such as their birthday or a past school activity. They also know that people have families and live in communities.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Importance of History

Why We Learn History

We learn history to understand:

1. Where our family and community came from.
2. Important people and events that happened before.
3. Lessons from things that happened in the past.
4. How to keep our family and community identity strong.

Knowing Where Our Family and Community Came From

History helps us to know:

1. The names of our grandparents and great-grandparents.
2. The stories of how our village or town started.
3. The traditions and cultures of our people.

Remembering Important People and Events

History helps us remember:

1. Heroes and leaders who did great things.
2. Important days like national holidays or festivals.
3. Big changes that happened in our community.

Learning from Past Experiences

We learn from history by:

1. Seeing what worked well in the past.
2. Understanding mistakes people made and how to avoid them.
3. Learning how people solved problems long ago.

Preserving Family and Community Identity

History helps to keep our identity by:

1. Passing down stories and traditions from older people to younger ones.
2. Making us proud of our heritage and culture.
3. Helping us understand what makes our family and community special.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Question and Answer, Explanation, Storytelling, Observation, Guided Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to share a happy memory from their past, like a birthday party or a fun day at home. The teacher then explains that remembering these things is a bit like learning history.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share their happy memories from the past.

Learning Point: Connecting past to present

Step 2: Discussion on Why We Learn History

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses with the pupils why people learn about the past. The teacher uses simple language and examples, like “We learn about our past to know who our grandparents were” or “We learn about past events to know how our school started.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and give simple reasons why history is important, such as “to know about old things.”

Learning Point: Reasons for learning history

Step 3: Knowing Family and Community Origins

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Example

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains how history helps us know where our family and community came from. The teacher can show a picture of an old family member or an old building in the community (if available) and tell a very short, simple story about it.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the stories and look at the pictures, understanding that history tells us about beginnings.

Learning Point: Family and community origins

Step 4: Remembering Important People and Events

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Illustration/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher talks about how history helps us remember important people (like a past school headteacher) and events (like the school’s founding day). The teacher asks pupils if they know any important people or events in their community.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils try to recall or mention important people or events they know.

Learning Point: Remembering past events

Step 5: Learning from Past Experiences

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Inquiry

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that history helps us learn from what happened before. For example, if someone made a mistake in the past, we learn not to repeat it. If something good happened, we learn to do more of it. The teacher gives a simple example, like “If someone fell because they ran on a wet floor, we learn to walk carefully.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and understand that past events teach us lessons.

Learning Point: Lessons from the past

Step 6: Preserving Family and Community Identity

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Connection

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that history helps to keep our family and community special. “When we know our history, we know what makes us unique and we can be proud of it.” The teacher encourages pupils to be proud of their family names and where they come from.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and understand that history helps keep their identity alive.

Learning Point: Preserving identity

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. Why is it important to learn history?
2. How does history help us know about our family?
3. What can we learn from past experiences?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Importance of history

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 the importance of history into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Recording lesson points

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds pupils that history helps us know about the past, learn from it, and understand who we are today. The teacher encourages them to always ask older people about their family’s history.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and remember the main idea of the lesson.

Learning Point: Consolidating lesson understanding

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Ask your parents or an older family member the following questions and write down their answers in your notebook:

1. What is one important thing that happened in our family a long time ago?
2. What is one story about our community that an older person told you?

Lesson Keywords

• History – The study of past events.
• Past – Time that has gone by.
• Community – A group of people living in the same place.
• Identity – Who a person or group is.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide simpler examples and repeat key phrases. Allow them to draw pictures instead of writing full sentences when answering questions. Pair them with stronger learners for discussions.

For faster learners: Encourage them to give more detailed reasons for the importance of history. Ask them to think of more examples of important people or events in their community.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: importance of history for kids primary 1

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, gather any simple, relevant visual aids such as old family photos (if appropriate and available), pictures of historical community landmarks, or objects from the past to make the lesson engaging. Begin by connecting the concept of history to the pupils’ personal experiences of remembering past events. Guide the discussion on why history is important, using the points from the Content Scope. Encourage pupils to actively participate by sharing their thoughts and simple reasons. Ensure the Board Summary is copied accurately after the main teaching points have been discussed and understood. Provide specific feedback during the evaluation to reinforce learning and correct any misconceptions. The homework activity is designed to extend learning by involving family members in sharing historical knowledge, which reinforces the lesson’s focus on family and community identity.