Kangaroo Movement, Hopping Practice and Body Control for Pre-School Level 3

Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Second Term
Week: 8
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Physical & Health Education
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Basic body movements and animal walks.
Topic: KANGAROO MOVEMENT: HOPPING PRACTICE AND BODY CONTROL
Subject Matter: Kangaroo Movement: Hopping Practice and Body Control.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify kangaroo movement as hopping.
• Recall that frogs also hop.

Affective Domain

• Show enthusiasm for participating in movement activities.
• Enjoy imitating animal movements.

Psychomotor Domain

• Demonstrate hopping forward like a kangaroo using both feet.
• Maintain balance while performing hopping movements.

Social Domain

• Listen and follow simple instructions during group activities.
• Participate cooperatively in a movement game.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
• Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources

Instructional Materials

• Open playground or clear indoor space
• Picture of a kangaroo
• Video demonstrating kangaroo hopping
• Optional: Simple rhythmic music

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 4-year-olds as it develops fundamental gross motor skills, coordination, and balance through a fun and engaging animal movement. Practising hopping helps strengthen leg muscles, improves spatial awareness, and enhances body control, which are crucial for overall physical development and readiness for more complex movements.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can already perform basic movements like walking, running, and jumping. They can also listen to and follow simple instructions from the teacher.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

KANGAROO MOVEMENT: HOPPING PRACTICE AND BODY CONTROL

Kangaroo movement is a special way of moving by hopping. Kangaroos use their strong back legs to push off the ground and jump forward with both feet together.

When we hop like a kangaroo, we need to:

• Keep both feet together.
• Bend our knees a little.
• Push off the ground and jump forward.
• Try to land softly and keep our balance.

This helps us to control our bodies and move safely. Another animal that hops is a frog!

Movement Rhyme: The Kangaroo Hop

Tune: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”

Lyrics:

Hop, hop, hop like a kangaroo,
Jumping forward, me and you.
Both feet together, up we go,
Balance steady, nice and slow!

Actions: Pupils hop gently on both feet, moving forward. They can pretend to have small “pouch” hands near their chest.

Watch and Practise Kangaroo Hopping

Key Words

• Hop – to jump on both feet at the same time.
• Kangaroo – an animal that hops using its strong back legs.
• Balance – keeping your body steady so you don’t fall.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

• Play-based Learning
• Demonstration
• Guided Practice
• Songs and Rhymes
• Imitation
• Practical Activity
• Question and Answer

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them about different ways animals move (e.g., walk, run, fly, crawl). “Today, we’re going to learn about a very special animal movement!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by naming different animal movements they know.

Learning Point: Pupils recall prior knowledge of animal movements and are engaged for the lesson.

Step 2: Presentation of Kangaroo Movement

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Visual Aid

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows a picture of a kangaroo and asks, “Do you know what animal this is? How does it move?” The teacher explains that a kangaroo moves by hopping on its strong back legs. “It jumps with both feet together!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the kangaroo and guess how it moves. They listen to the explanation.

Learning Point: Pupils identify a kangaroo and understand that its primary movement is hopping.

Step 3: Teacher Demonstration of Hopping

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher moves to an open space and demonstrates how to hop like a kangaroo: keeping both feet together, bending knees, pushing off the ground, and landing softly while maintaining balance. “Watch carefully!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher’s demonstration attentively, observing the movement and balance.

Learning Point: Pupils observe the correct technique for kangaroo hopping.

Step 4: Guided Practice (Hopping)

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Coaching/Support

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher invites pupils to stand in an open space and guides them to try hopping like a kangaroo. “Let’s try together! Feet together, bend your knees, and hop!” The teacher provides encouragement and individual support, reminding them to keep their balance. “Good job keeping your feet together!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils attempt to hop like a kangaroo, following the teacher’s instructions and guidance.

Learning Point: Pupils begin to practise hopping with both feet and develop initial body control.

Step 5: Rhyme and Video Reinforcement

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Integration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing “The Kangaroo Hop” rhyme with actions, then shows the short video of kangaroo hopping. “Let’s sing and hop to our kangaroo song! Now, watch this video to see more hopping!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions and watch the video, further observing kangaroo movement.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding and practice of hopping through song and visual examples.

Step 6: Application and Body Control Challenge

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Challenge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to hop a short distance forward, then stop and balance. “Can you hop three times forward and then freeze like a statue? Try to keep your balance!” The teacher observes their body control.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils hop a short distance and attempt to stop and balance, demonstrating body control.

Learning Point: Pupils apply hopping skills and practise body control and balance.

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 how a kangaroo hops.”
2. “What two animals did we talk about today that hop?”
3. “Can you hop forward and then stop without falling?”
4. “What do we need to do to keep our balance when we hop?”

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: Summarization/Praise

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their efforts in learning to hop like a kangaroo and for their good body control. “You all did a wonderful job hopping like kangaroos today! Keep practising!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher’s concluding remarks and receive praise.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and are encouraged to continue practising.

Lesson Keywords

• Hop – to jump on both feet at the same time.
• Kangaroo – an animal that hops using its strong back legs.
• Balance – keeping your body steady so you don’t fall.
• Control – being able to guide your body movements.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils struggling with balance, provide closer supervision and allow them to hold onto a partner’s hand or a stable object initially. Encourage smaller, slower hops.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly master the hopping, challenge them to hop in different directions (forward, backward, sideways), or to hop over a very small, safe obstacle (e.g., a line drawn on the ground).