Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before this lesson, gather a variety of real plants such as potted flowers, leaves, or small branches, and pictures of different plants. The central idea for pupils is to understand that plants are living things that grow from the soil and can be found all around us. Ensure a safe, supervised outdoor space for pupils to explore and identify plants. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can point to plants and name simple parts like “leaf” or “flower.”

Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: First Term
Week: 1
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Pre-Science
Curriculum Theme: Pre-Science
Previous Lesson: Identifying different things in the school environment
Topic: LIVING THINGS: PLANTS, MEANING AND IDENTIFICATION
Subject Matter: LIVING THINGS: PLANTS. Meaning of Plants. Identification of Plants. Examples of Plants E.g. Flower.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

Identify plants in the school environment.
State that plants are living things.
Name simple parts of a plant, like a leaf or a flower.

Affective Domain

Show curiosity and interest in observing plants.
Appreciate the presence of plants in their surroundings.

Psychomotor Domain

Point to different plants in the environment.
Mimic actions of plant growth (e.g., reaching up).

Participate in a guided group exploration of the school environment.
Take turns sharing their observations about plants.

Reference Materials

NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Suitable early-years science workbook/textbook

Instructional Materials

Real plants (e.g., potted flowers, leaves, small branches, grass)
Pictures or charts showing various plants (trees, flowers, fruits, vegetables)
Posters of living and non-living things
MP4 Player (for video)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps 3-year-olds connect with the natural world around them by identifying plants as living things. Understanding plants fosters early scientific observation skills and introduces the concept that living things grow and provide for us, laying a foundation for environmental awareness.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have seen various objects and things in their home and school environment and have a basic understanding of “living” and “non-living” in simple terms.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

LIVING THINGS: PLANTS

Plants are living things that grow from the soil. They need water and sunshine to grow big and strong.

We can see plants all around us, like:

Trees (big plants)
Flowers (pretty plants with colourful petals)
Grass (small green plants on the ground)
Leaves (green parts of plants)

How to identify plants:

They are usually green.
They have leaves and stems.
They grow from the ground.
Some have flowers or fruits.

What plants give us:

Food (like fruits and vegetables)
Fresh air to breathe

Key Words

Plant – A living thing that grows in the soil.
Leaf – The flat, green part of a plant.
Flower – The colourful part of a plant.
Grow – To get bigger.

Our Plant Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Green, green plants, so tall and grand,
Growing all around the land.
Leaves and flowers, big and small,
Plants give food for one and all.
Green, green plants, we love to see,
Growing strong for you and me!

Actions:

“Tall and grand”: Hands go up high.
“Around the land”: Hands sweep around in a circle.
“Leaves and flowers”: Wiggle fingers for leaves, make a cup shape with hands for a flower.
“Plants give food”: Pat tummy.
“Love to see”: Point around the room/outside.
“Growing strong”: Make muscles with arms.

Watch and Learn About Plants

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0fC7S-7N2g

💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary

How to teach the content: Begin by showing real plants and pictures. Explain simply that plants are living things that grow. Point to the leaves, stem, and flower on a real plant. Emphasize that plants give us food and fresh air. Use simple, clear sentences and repeat key concepts.

What to show or demonstrate: Display real plants (potted plants, leaves, flowers) and point out their parts. Show pictures of different plants like trees, grass, and food plants. Demonstrate the actions for the song.

How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “Our Plant Song” after discussing what plants are and what they give us. Sing it together with the pupils, demonstrating the actions. Repeat the song 2-3 times to help pupils learn the words and actions.

How to use the video: Introduce the video by saying, “Let’s watch a short video to learn more about plants!” Play the video “All About Plants for Kids – Science for Kids.” After watching, ask simple questions like, “What did the plants need to grow?” or “What parts of the plant did you see?” Encourage pupils to mention leaves, flowers, or roots.

What to watch for: Observe if pupils can distinguish plants from non-living objects during the outdoor activity. Listen for their ability to repeat “plants are living things” and name a simple part like “leaf” or “flower.”

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning
Demonstration
Guided Practice
Observation
Songs and Rhymes
Picture Talk
Question and Answer
Practical Activity

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils, sings a short welcome song, and asks them to look around the classroom for things they see. “Good morning, children! Let’s look around. What do you see?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher and mention some objects they see in the classroom (e.g., table, chair, book, bag).

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and ready to observe their environment.

Step 2: Exploring the Environment

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Observation/Guided Discovery

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils outside to a safe area in the school compound. “Let’s go outside and see what beautiful things we can find growing in our school!” The teacher points to different plants (trees, grass, flowers). “Look at this! What is this green thing?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils walk around with the teacher, observe the plants, and point to them. They might touch leaves or flowers gently.

Learning Point: Pupils identify various plants in their immediate environment.

Step 3: Discussing Observations

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: Back in the classroom, the teacher asks, “What did we see outside? What were those green things growing from the ground?” The teacher shows real leaves and flowers. “These are called plants!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils mention “green things,” “flowers,” or “trees.” They look at the real leaves and flowers shown by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils connect their outdoor observations with the word “plant.”

Step 4: Meaning of Plants

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Concept Building

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains, “Plants are living things, just like you and me! They grow big. They need water and sunshine to live.” The teacher shows a chart of living things. “Can you say ‘plant’?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat “plant” and “living thing.” They point to plants on the chart.

Learning Point: Pupils understand that plants are living things.

Step 5: Identifying Plant Parts and Examples

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Identification/Vocabulary

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses real plants and pictures to show parts. “This is a leaf (points to a leaf). This is a flower (points to a flower). Some plants are big trees, and some are small grass.” The teacher asks, “What is this part?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils point to leaves and flowers on real plants or pictures and repeat their names. They identify different types of plants shown.

Learning Point: Pupils identify and name simple parts of plants and different plant examples.

Step 6: Reinforcement Activity (Song and Video)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing “Our Plant Song” with actions. Then, the teacher plays the short video about plants. After the video, the teacher asks, “What do plants give us?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song with actions. They watch the video and then respond “food” or “fresh air” when asked what plants give us.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of plants through song and visual media, and recall what plants provide.

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.

“Point to a plant in the classroom (e.g., a potted plant).”
“What is this part of the plant called? (Teacher shows a leaf).”
“Are plants living things or non-living things?”
“Name one thing plants give us.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate (e.g., pointing, naming, saying “living thing,” “food”).

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summary/Closure

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarizes the lesson: “Today we learned about plants! Plants are living things that grow all around us, and they give us food and fresh air. Let’s remember to take care of plants.” The teacher thanks the pupils and dismisses them.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and say “thank you” to the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils recall the main points of the lesson and are encouraged to care for plants.

Lesson Keywords

Plant – A living thing that grows from the soil.
Leaf – The green part of a plant.
Flower – The colourful part of a plant.
Grow – To get bigger.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who need extra help, provide larger pictures of plants, offer fewer choices when identifying, and repeat names of plant parts more frequently. Use hand-over-hand guidance for pointing.
Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, encourage them to name additional plants they see at home or identify more parts of a plant (e.g., stem, roots if shown on a chart). Ask them to mention another benefit of plants besides food.