Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, prepare pictures or charts showing children exhibiting good and bad table manners, and gather toy plates, cups, and food items for a simple role-play. The central idea is for pupils to understand what good table manners mean and to practically demonstrate saying ‘Thank you’ and ‘Yes please’ during pretend mealtime situations. Observe pupils actively using these polite words and waiting for their turn during activities.
Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Second Term
Week: 5
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Personal Development
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Simple greetings and polite words.
Topic: GOOD TABLE MANNERS
Subject Matter: Meaning and examples of good table manners.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- State the meaning of good table manners.
- Identify examples of good table manners from pictures.
Affective Domain
- Appreciate the importance of using polite words like ‘Thank you’ and ‘Yes please’.
- Show willingness to practice good table manners.
Psychomotor Domain
- Demonstrate saying ‘Thank you’ when receiving something.
- Demonstrate saying ‘Yes please’ when asking for something politely.
Social Domain
- Participate politely in a pretend mealtime role-play.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
- Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources
- Pictures and charts showing good and bad table manners
Instructional Materials
- Pictures showing children eating politely and impolitely
- Charts displaying polite words like “Thank you” and “Yes please”
- Toy plates, cups, spoons, and pretend food items
- A small table and chairs for role-play
- Flashcards with “Thank you” and “Yes please” written on them
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is important for 4-year-olds as it introduces them to basic social etiquette necessary for interacting respectfully during mealtimes. Learning good table manners like saying ‘Thank you’ and ‘Yes please’ helps children develop politeness, consideration for others, and positive social habits that extend beyond the dining table into their daily lives.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can already greet adults and friends, and they have learned to say simple polite words like ‘Hello’ and ‘Goodbye’.Lesson Content/Board Summary
Meaning and Examples of Good Table Manners
Good table manners are polite ways we behave when we are eating. They show respect for others and make mealtime enjoyable for everyone.Examples of Good Table Manners:
- Saying ‘Thank you’ when someone gives you food or a drink.
- Saying ‘Yes please’ when you want something politely.
- Waiting for your turn to be served.
- Eating quietly without making loud noises.
- Not talking with your mouth full of food.
- Using your spoon or fork properly.
Key Words
- Table – A flat surface with legs, used for eating.
- Manners – Polite ways of behaving.
- Please – A polite word to use when asking for something.
- Thank you – A polite word to use when someone gives you something or helps you.
Table Manners Song
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
Lyrics:
When we eat, we say “Please”
When we eat, we say “Thank you, yes”
Good manners make us happy, friends
Good manners, good manners, yes!
Actions:
- “When we eat”: Pretend to scoop food with a spoon.
- “We say ‘Please'”: Put hands together as if asking.
- “We say ‘Thank you, yes'”: Nod head and smile.
- “Good manners make us happy, friends”: Point to self and then to friends.
- “Good manners, good manners, yes!”: Clap hands gently.
Watch and Practise Good Manners
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Start by asking pupils what they do when they eat. Explain that “table manners” are rules for eating politely. Use pictures to show examples of good and bad manners, encouraging pupils to identify and discuss them. Emphasize “Thank you” and “Yes please” as the core polite phrases.
What to show or demonstrate: Use toy food and plates to demonstrate a simple mealtime scenario. Show how to ask for food using “Yes please” and how to respond with “Thank you” when receiving it. Model eating quietly and waiting for turns.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “Table Manners Song” by singing it clearly and slowly, demonstrating the actions. Repeat the song several times, encouraging pupils to join in with the words and actions. Use it as a fun way to reinforce the polite words.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to see more good manners. Play the video “Good Manners Song for Kids” (The Kiboomers). After watching, discuss what they saw and heard, focusing on the polite phrases and actions demonstrated. Encourage pupils to repeat the phrases they learned from the video.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils are able to correctly identify polite actions in pictures and if they are willing to participate in the role-play using “Thank you” and “Yes please”. Correct any mispronunciations gently and encourage all pupils to speak clearly.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Role-play, Imitation, Manipulation of Objects, Repetition, Practical Activity.Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engagement/Warm-up
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them what they usually do before and during mealtime at home. The teacher then introduces the topic: Good Table Manners.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and listen attentively to the introduction.
Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and introduced to the lesson topic.
Step 2: Explaining Meaning of Good Table Manners
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Picture Talk
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what good table manners are using simple language and shows pictures of children eating politely and impolitely. The teacher asks pupils to identify which pictures show good manners.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the explanation, observe the pictures, and point to the pictures showing good table manners.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the basic meaning of good table manners.
Step 3: Demonstrating Polite Words (‘Thank you’, ‘Yes please’)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses toy food and plates to demonstrate how to ask for food using “Yes please” and how to say “Thank you” when receiving it. The teacher models the phrases clearly and slowly.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher’s demonstration and repeat “Yes please” and “Thank you” after the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils learn the correct pronunciation and usage of polite words.
Step 4: Practising with Rhyme/Song
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Singing/Movement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Table Manners Song” with actions. The teacher repeats the song several times to help pupils remember the words and actions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along with the teacher, performing the actions for the song.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce polite words through song and movement.
Step 5: Mealtime Role-Play
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Role-play/Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher sets up a pretend mealtime scene with toy food, plates, and cups. The teacher guides pupils in a simple role-play, encouraging them to ask for food using “Yes please” and to thank the “server” with “Thank you”.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils take turns participating in the role-play, practicing saying “Yes please” and “Thank you” while pretending to eat.
Learning Point: Pupils apply good table manners in a practical, interactive setting.
Step 6: Video Reinforcement
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the “Good Manners Song for Kids” video. After the video, the teacher asks pupils what good manners they observed and encourages them to repeat any new polite phrases they heard.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and then discuss what they learned, repeating polite phrases shown in the video.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of good table manners through visual and auditory input.
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.
- What do you say when someone gives you food? (Expected: “Thank you”)
- What do you say when you want more food politely? (Expected: “Yes please”)
- Show me how you would ask for a toy from a friend politely.
- Point to the picture that shows good table manners.
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: Summarisation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always use good table manners at home and at school. The teacher ends the lesson with a cheerful goodbye.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils acknowledge the teacher’s remarks and say goodbye.
Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to practice good manners in their daily lives.
Lesson Keywords
- Table – A piece of furniture with a flat top and legs, used for eating meals.
- Manners – The polite way to behave.
- Please – A polite word used when asking for something.
- Thank you – A polite expression used to show gratitude for something received or a kindness.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who struggle, provide larger picture cards of “Thank you” and “Yes please” to help them remember. Offer hand-over-hand guidance during role-play to help them articulate the words. Repeat the song slowly and encourage them to just do the actions if speaking is difficult.
- Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concept, encourage them to identify other good table manners (e.g., not talking with mouth full, waiting for turns) from the pictures or video. Ask them to demonstrate a short polite conversation at the table with a peer, using both “Please” and “Thank you”.
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