Little Fishes in a Brook for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: First Term
Week: 7
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Songs and Rhymes
Curriculum Theme: Songs and Rhymes
Previous Lesson: Familiar rhymes and songs
Topic: Little Fishes in a Brook
Subject Matter: Little Fishes in a Brook

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Recite the rhyme “Little Fishes in a Brook” correctly.
• Identify and name different members of a family.
• State at least one duty of a father and a mother.

Affective Domain

• Enjoy singing and dramatizing the rhyme.
• Appreciate the roles and duties of family members.

Psychomotor Domain

• Dramatize the actions in the rhyme (swimming, catching, frying, eating).
• Perform simple actions related to family duties.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in group recitation and dramatization.
• Discuss family roles respectfully with peers and the teacher.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

• Picture cards of a brook (small stream), fish, fishing hook, and a cooking pot.
• Picture cards showing a father working, a mother cooking, and a family eating.
• Real or toy fish, hook, and pot (if available and safe).
• Chart with the rhyme “Little Fishes in a Brook”.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps Pre-School Level 4 pupils develop language skills, memory, and rhythm through an engaging rhyme. It also introduces them to basic family roles and responsibilities, fostering an appreciation for the contributions of each family member.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify some common animals, know some simple rhymes, and can name their father and mother.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Little Fishes in a Brook

The rhyme “Little Fishes in a Brook” is a fun and simple song that tells a story about catching and eating fish, while also highlighting the roles of different family members.

Rhyme: Little Fishes in a Brook

Lyrics:

Little fishes in the brook,
Father caught them with a hook,
Mother fried them in a pan,
Baby ate them like a man.

Actions:

• “Little fishes in the brook”: Wiggle fingers like swimming fish.
• “Father caught them with a hook”: Pretend to cast a fishing line and pull it in.
• “Mother fried them in a pan”: Pretend to stir something in a pan.
• “Baby ate them like a man”: Rub tummy and make eating gestures.

How to use the rhyme: The teacher will recite and sing the rhyme with clear actions. Pupils will listen, then repeat the rhyme line by line, and finally sing and dramatize it together.

Understanding the Rhyme and Family Roles

The rhyme shows us how different family members help each other:

• Father: The rhyme says “Father caught them with a hook.” Fathers often work to provide for the family, which can include fishing or other jobs.
• Mother: The rhyme says “Mother fried them in a pan.” Mothers often cook food and take care of the family at home.
• Baby: The rhyme says “Baby ate them like a man.” Everyone in the family enjoys the food and benefits from the work of others.

Duties of Family Members

In our homes, family members have different duties to make sure everyone is happy and well cared for:

• Father’s Duties:
  • Works to earn money for the family.
  • Protects the family.
  • Helps teach children good things.
• Mother’s Duties:
  • Cares for the children.
  • Cooks food for the family.
  • Keeps the house clean.

Everyone in the family helps each other and works together.

Watch and Practise

Let’s watch a video of the rhyme and sing along, doing the actions together!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_l29J34n9o

Key Words

• Fish – An animal that lives in water.
• Brook – A very small stream or river.
• Hook – A curved piece of metal used for catching fish.
• Pot – A round container used for cooking.
• Father – A male parent.
• Mother – A female parent.
• Family – A group of people related to each other, often living together.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Display picture cards of a brook, fish, hook, and pot.
• Show pictures of a father working (e.g., fishing, driving), a mother cooking, and a family eating together.
• Point to the words on the rhyme chart as the rhyme is recited.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in a short warm-up song. The teacher then shows pictures of fish and a small stream (brook) and asks if anyone knows what fishes do in water or how they are caught.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and share their ideas about fish.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and their prior knowledge about fish is activated.

Step 2: Introduction of the Rhyme (Teacher Recitation)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Modelling/Listening

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the rhyme “Little Fishes in a Brook” by reciting it clearly with appropriate actions and expressions. The teacher points to the rhyme chart and relevant picture cards (fish, brook, hook, pot) as the story unfolds.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, observe the teacher’s actions, and look at the pictures.

Learning Point: Pupils become familiar with the sound and rhythm of the rhyme and its storyline.

Step 3: Guided Rhyme Recitation

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Repetition/Oral Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher recites the rhyme again, line by line, encouraging pupils to repeat each line after her. The teacher guides them to perform the actions as they repeat.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat the rhyme line by line with the teacher and try to do the actions.

Learning Point: Pupils begin to memorise the rhyme and associate words with actions.

Step 4: Dramatization of the Rhyme

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Dramatization/Movement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the entire rhyme together, encouraging them to perform all the actions. The teacher may ask some pupils to come forward and demonstrate the actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions, individually or in small groups.

Learning Point: Pupils develop confidence in reciting and dramatizing the rhyme.

Step 5: Discussion on Family Roles

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Picture Talk/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses the rhyme to initiate a discussion about family members. “Who caught the fish in the rhyme?” “Who fried it?” “Who ate it?” The teacher then shows pictures of a father working and a mother cooking and asks pupils to identify their duties.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer questions, identify family members in the pictures, and suggest simple duties of their parents.

Learning Point: Pupils understand that family members have different roles and duties.

Step 6: Role-play of Family Duties

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Role-play/Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to do simple role-play activities, such as pretending to cook (mother’s duty), pretending to go to work (father’s duty), or pretending to help clean (children’s duty). The teacher reinforces the idea of helping each other.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in short role-play activities, mimicking the actions of family members.

Learning Point: Pupils actively demonstrate understanding of family duties through action.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4–5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. Let’s recite the rhyme “Little Fishes in a Brook” together.
2. Who caught the fish in the rhyme? (Point to a picture of a father).
3. Who fried the fish in the rhyme? (Point to a picture of a mother).
4. What is one thing your father does for your family?
5. What is one thing your mother does for your family?

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

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and effort. She reminds them that families are important and everyone helps each other. The teacher sings the rhyme one last time with the pupils.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along and listen to the teacher’s concluding remarks.

Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and feel a sense of accomplishment.

Lesson Keywords

• Fish – An animal that swims in water.
• Brook – A small river.
• Hook – Used to catch fish.
• Pot – Used for cooking.
• Father – Male parent.
• Mother – Female parent.
• Family – People living together, related to each other.
• Duties – Things we need to do.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle to recite, the teacher can use hand-over-hand actions, repeat lines slowly, or focus on just the first two lines of the rhyme. For identifying duties, provide only two choices for father’s and mother’s duties.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the rhyme and concepts, the teacher can ask them to name other family members (e.g., brother, sister, grandparents) and suggest what duties they might have. They could also draw a picture of their family doing their duties.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure all picture cards (brook, fish, hook, pot, father, mother, family) are ready and visible. Practise the rhyme and its actions thoroughly. When teaching the rhyme, use clear pronunciation and lively actions to capture pupils’ attention. Emphasize the connection between the rhyme’s story and real-life family roles. Encourage all pupils to participate in the dramatization, even if they are shy, by joining in with the group. Observe pupils’ ability to perform actions and answer questions to gauge their understanding of both the rhyme and the family duties. Remember that understanding of family duties should be demonstrated through simple oral responses and actions, not complex explanations.