Meaning and Effects of Physical Violence Against Children for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Third Term
Week: 5
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Social Habits
Curriculum Theme: Social Habits
Previous Lesson: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Topic: Physical Violence Against Children: Meaning and Effects
Subject Matter: Violence – Physical Violence Against Children – Meaning of Violence. – Meaning of Physical Violence. – Effects of Violence on Children.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Define violence in simple terms.
• Identify examples of physical violence against children from pictures and teacher’s explanations.
• State some effects of physical violence on children.

Affective Domain

• Express that physical violence against children is wrong.
• Show a desire to help stop physical violence against children by reporting to a trusted adult.

Psychomotor Domain

• Point to pictures showing physical violence and its effects.
• Participate in a simple role-play of reporting an unsafe situation to an adult.

Social Domain

• Discuss the importance of telling a trusted adult if they or someone they know is hurt.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

• Charts showing children playing happily and children looking sad or hurt
• Pictures depicting various forms of physical violence (e.g., hitting, pushing, child hawking) and their effects
• Video clips (teacher-selected, age-appropriate) on child safety and telling a trusted adult
• Puppets or dolls for role-play

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds to understand what physical violence is and how it can harm children. It teaches them that they have a right to be safe and how to seek help from trusted adults if they or someone they know is experiencing physical harm, promoting their safety and well-being.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify good and bad behaviours, understand basic feelings like happy and sad, and know some trusted adults in their lives (parents, teachers).

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Physical Violence Against Children: Meaning and Effects

Meaning of Violence

Violence means hurting someone, either their body or their feelings, to make them sad, scared, or in pain. It is not a good thing.

Meaning of Physical Violence

Physical violence is when someone hurts another person’s body. It is using force to cause pain or injury. This can be:

• Beating or hitting
• Slapping or pinching
• Pushing or kicking
• Undue punishment (punishment that hurts the body too much)
• Forcing children to do hard work like child hawking, which can lead to them being hurt or injured.

Physical violence makes children feel very bad and can cause injuries.

Effects of Physical Violence on Children

When children experience physical violence, it can make them:

• Feel pain: Their bodies hurt.
• Feel sad and scared: They cry and are afraid.
• Have injuries: They might have cuts, bruises, or broken bones.
• Not want to go to school: They might be afraid to leave home.
• Find it hard to learn: They cannot concentrate when they are scared or hurt.
• Feel unsafe: They don’t feel protected.

Physical violence against children is wrong and must be stopped because all children deserve to be safe, happy, and healthy.

What to do if you or someone you know is experiencing physical violence:

Always tell a trusted adult. This can be your mummy, daddy, teacher, guardian, or another grown-up you trust.

Key Words

• Violence – Hurting someone’s body or feelings.
• Physical Violence – Hurting someone’s body.
• Effects – What happens because of something.
• Report – To tell a trusted adult about something wrong.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Show pictures of children playing happily and safely.
• Show pictures of children looking sad, scared, or with minor injuries (e.g., a small bruise, not graphic).
• Show a picture of a child hawking and explain how it can be dangerous and lead to harm.
• Show a picture of a child telling a trusted adult.

Tell a Trusted Adult Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

If you’re hurt or feeling sad,
If someone makes you feel real bad,
Don’t you worry, don’t you fear,
Tell a grown-up, always near.
Mummy, Daddy, Teacher too,
They will help and care for you.

Actions:

• “If you’re hurt or feeling sad” – Point to self, make a sad face.
• “If someone makes you feel real bad” – Shake head “no”.
• “Don’t you worry, don’t you fear” – Hug self.
• “Tell a grown-up, always near” – Point to an imaginary adult.
• “Mummy, Daddy, Teacher too” – Point to different directions.
• “They will help and care for you” – Make a caring gesture with hands.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the song together several times, encouraging pupils to do the actions. Discuss who the “grown-up, always near” might be in their lives.

Watch and Learn: Tell a Trusted Adult!

The teacher will show a short, age-appropriate video about telling a trusted adult if you feel unsafe or are hurt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3t1QJ2X-lU

After watching, discuss the main message of the video with the pupils.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Recalling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them how they are feeling today (happy, sad, etc.). The teacher then asks what makes them feel happy and what makes them feel sad. Introduce the idea that sometimes people do things that make us feel very sad or even hurt.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and share their feelings. They listen attentively.

Learning Point: Pupils connect feelings to actions and prepare for the lesson topic.

Step 2: Meaning of Violence

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Picture Talk

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses simple language and pictures to explain what “violence” means. “Violence is when someone hurts another person, their body or their feelings. It makes people sad and scared.” Show a picture of a child looking sad and explain that some actions can cause this sadness.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures and listen to the teacher’s explanation. They may point to the sad child in the picture.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the simple meaning of violence.

Step 3: Meaning of Physical Violence

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains “physical violence” as hurting someone’s body. “This means hitting, pushing, slapping, or beating someone. It is not good.” The teacher gives examples like undue punishment and mentions that child hawking can sometimes lead to children being hurt. Show pictures of safe touch (e.g., a high-five) versus unsafe touch (e.g., a hand hitting).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures and listen to the examples. They may identify the “unsafe touch” in the pictures.

Learning Point: Pupils learn the meaning and examples of physical violence.

Step 4: Identifying Physical Violence and Its Effects

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Observation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows charts and pictures depicting various scenarios of physical violence (e.g., a child being pushed, a child looking sad after being hit, a child looking tired and vulnerable while hawking). The teacher asks pupils to identify what is happening in the pictures and how the children might be feeling. “How does this child’s body feel? How does this child’s face look?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify actions and feelings in the pictures. They may share simple observations about the pictures.

Learning Point: Pupils identify physical violence and its immediate effects on children.

Step 5: Discussing Effects and the Importance of Stopping Violence

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher further explains the effects of physical violence: pain, sadness, fear, injuries, and difficulty learning. “Children deserve to be safe and happy, so physical violence is wrong and must be stopped.” The teacher leads the class in singing the “Tell a Trusted Adult Song.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation and sing the song with actions.

Learning Point: Pupils understand why physical violence is harmful and should be stopped.

Step 6: What to Do: Reporting to a Trusted Adult (Video & Role-play)

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Video Integration/Role-play

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows the video “Tell a Trusted Adult! | Child Safety Song for Kids” and discusses its message. The teacher then uses puppets or simple role-play to demonstrate how a child can tell a trusted adult (like a teacher or parent) if they are hurt or see someone else being hurt. “What would you say to me if someone pushed you?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and participate in a simple role-play, practicing how to tell a trusted adult.

Learning Point: Pupils learn the practical step of reporting physical violence to a trusted adult.

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. “What does physical violence mean?” (Show a picture of hitting)
2. “How does physical violence make a child feel?” (Show a sad child)
3. “What should you do if someone hurts you or if you see someone else being hurt?”
4. “Who is a trusted adult you can tell?”

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: Summarising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the lesson by reminding pupils that their bodies are special and they should always be safe. Reiterate that they must always tell a trusted adult if anyone hurts them or makes them feel unsafe. End with a positive affirmation about safety.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and repeat the key message about telling a trusted adult.

Learning Point: Pupils internalise the importance of safety and reporting.

Lesson Keywords

• Violence – Hurting someone’s body or feelings.
• Physical Violence – Hurting someone’s body.
• Hurt – To cause pain or injury.
• Safe – Not in danger; protected from harm.
• Report – To tell a trusted adult about something wrong or unsafe.
• Adult – A grown-up person who can help.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who are struggling, the teacher can use more direct picture cues, simpler one-word answers, and provide hand-over-hand guidance during role-play. Repeat key phrases and the song more often.
• Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, encourage them to identify more trusted adults in their community (e.g., school nurse, pastor/imam) or suggest different ways to report (e.g., drawing a picture for an adult).

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

This is a sensitive topic. It is crucial to create a safe and supportive classroom environment. Prepare your instructional materials carefully, ensuring pictures are age-appropriate and not overly graphic. When discussing examples of physical violence, focus on the actions and their effects rather than specific individuals or overly detailed personal stories. If pupils disclose personal experiences of violence, listen without judgment, reassure them, and follow your school’s safeguarding policies immediately and discreetly. Do not press children for details in a group setting. Emphasize that children are never to blame if someone hurts them. The main goal is to empower children to understand that physical violence is wrong and to know that they have the right and the means to seek help from a trusted adult. Observe pupils’ reactions closely and be prepared to offer comfort and individual support if needed. Understanding will be shown by pupils being able to identify physical violence in pictures, state how it makes children feel, and demonstrate (through words or role-play) that they would tell a trusted adult.