Class: Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3, JSS 3)
Term: 1st Term
Week: 9
Age: 14 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: National Values Education
Curriculum Theme: Social Studies
Previous Lesson: Harmful Traditional Practices and Their Effects
Topic: Harmful Traditional Practices (Part 2)
Subject Matter: Examples of harmful traditional practices: Use of children for begging, Child agriculture labour, Female circumcision, Early marriage, Maltreatment of widows, etc. Female genital mutilation, beliefs and dangers of early marriage.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain:
(a) Identify examples of harmful traditional practices in society.
(b) Explain the dangers of early marriage and female genital mutilation.
Affective Domain:
(a) Show concern about the effects of harmful traditional practices on victims.
Psychomotor Domain:
(a) Participate in group discussions or role plays that condemn harmful practices.
Social Domain:
(a) Cooperate with others to suggest ways to stop harmful traditional practices.

Reference Materials

The following resources was used in planning this lesson:

9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
Lagos State Unified Scheme of work for Junior Secondary Schools
UNICEF – “Harmful Practices” (https://www.unicef.org/protection/harmful-practices)
World Health Organization – “Female Genital Mutilation” (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation)
Relevant Textbooks

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Pictures or posters showing harmful traditional practices
Flashcards showing examples of harmful practices
Short video clips or newspaper reports on early marriage and FGM
Chart illustrating causes and effects of harmful practices
Whiteboard and markers

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson will help pupils recognize and understand the dangers of harmful traditional practices and promote social values that respect human rights and dignity.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have already been introduced to the meaning and general concept of harmful traditional practices and can recall some examples from their environment.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Harmful Traditional Practices

Examples of Harmful Traditional Practices

Harmful traditional practices are customs and cultural beliefs that cause injury or suffering to people, especially women and children. They are usually passed down from older generations.

Examples include:

Use of children for begging: This involves sending children to beg on the streets instead of allowing them to go to school.
Child agricultural labour: Many children are forced to work on farms for long hours under the sun, denying them education and childhood.
Female circumcision or female genital mutilation (FGM): This is the cutting or removal of parts of the female genital organs for cultural reasons, which causes pain and health problems.
Early marriage: Forcing young girls to marry before they are mature leads to physical, emotional, and social problems.
Maltreatment of widows: In some cultures, widows are accused of killing their husbands, made to drink bath water of the corpse, or deprived of inheritance rights.

Beliefs Behind Harmful Traditional Practices

Many people continue harmful practices because they believe it maintains cultural purity or family honor. However, these beliefs are based on ignorance and outdated traditions.

These include:

Belief that FGM preserves virginity and prevents promiscuity.
Belief that early marriage protects girls from immorality.
Belief that a widow must be “cleansed” to remove bad luck.
Belief that child labour contributes to family income.

Dangers of Early Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation

Early marriage and FGM are among the most dangerous harmful practices affecting girls. They destroy health, limit education, and reduce freedom.

The following are dangers of early marriage:

It causes health problems such as obstetric fistula and early pregnancy complications.
It denies girls access to education.
It leads to poverty and dependence.
It can cause emotional and physical abuse.

The following are dangers of female genital mutilation (FGM):

Severe bleeding and infection.
Difficulty during childbirth.
Loss of sexual pleasure and trauma.
Risk of death from complications.
Long-term psychological problems.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques:

Discussion, Lecture, Storytelling, Explanation, Role Play, Group Work, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

To deliver this lesson, the teacher will adopt the following steps:

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils questions about traditional practices in their communities and recalls what was taught in the previous lesson.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share examples of traditional practices they know.
Learning Point: Pupils are reminded of what harmful traditional practices mean.

Step 2: Examples of Harmful Traditional Practices

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains and lists examples of harmful traditional practices with pictures and real-life examples.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions, and mention examples they know.
Learning Point: Pupils identify and understand harmful traditional practices in society.

Step 3: Beliefs Behind Harmful Traditional Practices

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the beliefs that make people continue these harmful practices.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils discuss and suggest reasons why these beliefs are wrong.
Learning Point: Pupils understand that harmful beliefs should be replaced with correct knowledge.

Step 4: Dangers of Early Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation and Role Play
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the dangers of early marriage and FGM and allows pupils to perform a short role play showing their effects.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils act short scenes and discuss lessons learned.
Learning Point: Pupils identify dangers of early marriage and FGM and how to prevent them.

Step 5: Note-Taking

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher dictates or writes the summary of the lesson on the board for pupils to copy.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy notes neatly.
Learning Point: Pupils have accurate records of the lesson content.

Step 6: Evaluation/Review

Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

Mention four examples of harmful traditional practices.
State three beliefs behind harmful traditional practices.
List three dangers of early marriage.
Mention two dangers of FGM.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer the questions orally.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson objectives.

Step 7: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes
Teaching Skill: Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the main points and encourages pupils to stand against harmful traditional practices.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and make commitments to avoid harmful practices.
Learning Point: Pupils value human rights and commit to positive cultural change.

Lesson Keywords

FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) – Cutting of parts of female genitals for cultural reasons.
Early Marriage – Forcing a girl or boy to marry before maturity.
Widowhood Practices – Cruel treatment of widows after their husband’s death.
Child Labour – Using children for work harmful to their health or education.
Beliefs – Ideas or traditions people accept as true without questioning.

Differentiation

Teacher supports slower learners with simplified examples and visual aids while advanced pupils engage in leading group discussions or role plays.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Handle the topic with sensitivity as some pupils may have personal experiences related to these practices. Use real-life examples cautiously to encourage empathy and awareness.