Meaning and examples of non-living things in the environment for Primary 1

Class: Primary One
Term: Second Term
Week: 6
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Basic Science
Curriculum Theme: Living and Non-living Matter
Focal competence: Recognising and naming nonliving things in the environment
Key competencies/values: Environmental Literacy; Communication
Skills:

• Collecting and preserving things found in the environment

Previous Lesson: Grouping living things found in the environment
Topic: Non-Living Things
Subject Matter: Meaning and examples of non-living things in the environment

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Explain the meaning of non-living things.
• Identify non-living things in the environment.

Psychomotor Domain

• Collect and preserve safe non-living items from the environment.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Basic Science for Primary 1 Textbook
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Classroom objects (e.g., table, chair, pencil, book)
• Pictures/charts of non-living things (e.g., car, house, stone, water)
• Empty plastic bottles or small containers for collecting items

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps pupils understand the world around them by distinguishing between things that are alive and those that are not. Recognising non-living things builds a foundation for understanding broader scientific concepts about matter and energy. It also encourages observation skills and environmental awareness from a young age.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should have a basic understanding of common objects found at home and in school.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Non-Living Things

Meaning of Non-Living Things

Non-living things are things that do not have life. They do not grow, move on their own, eat, breathe, or reproduce.

Examples of Non-Living Things

Non-living things can be found everywhere around us, including at home, in school, and in the community.

1. At Home:
   1. Table
   2. Chair
   3. Television
   4. Bed
   5. Spoon
   6. Plate
   7. Water
2. At School:
   1. Desk
   2. Book
   3. Pencil
   4. Eraser
   5. Board
   6. School building
   7. Playground slide
3. In the Community:
   1. Stone
   2. Car
   3. Road
   4. House
   5. Air
   6. River
   7. Traffic light

Observable Reasons They Are Non-Living

We know something is non-living because it shows these characteristics:

1. It does not eat food.
2. It does not grow bigger by itself.
3. It does not breathe air.
4. It does not move from one place to another on its own.
5. It does not produce young ones.

Comparing a Living Thing with a Non-Living Thing

There are clear differences between living and non-living things.

1. A child (living thing) eats, grows, breathes, moves, and can have babies.
2. A stone (non-living thing) does not eat, grow, breathe, move on its own, or have babies.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Observation

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging learners/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to look around the classroom, pointing out different items. The teacher then asks, “What do you see around you?” and “Are these things alive or not alive?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and point out various objects in the classroom.

Learning Point: Activating prior knowledge

Step 2: Explanation of Non-Living Things

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of non-living things using simple language and familiar objects like a table, a book, and a pencil. The teacher demonstrates that these items do not move on their own, eat, or grow.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and observe the objects demonstrated by the teacher.

Learning Point: Meaning of non-living things

Step 3: Identifying Non-Living Things with Pictures/Charts

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual learning/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays pictures or charts of various non-living things (e.g., car, house, stone, water) and asks pupils to identify them and state why they think they are non-living.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the non-living things in the pictures/charts and give simple reasons.

Learning Point: Visual identification of non-living things

Step 4: Identifying Non-Living Things in the Classroom

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided observation/Practical activity

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to identify and name safe non-living objects within the classroom. The teacher encourages them to touch and describe the objects.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and name various non-living things like desks, chairs, bags, and chalk in the classroom.

Learning Point: Classroom non-living items

Step 5: Identifying Non-Living Things in the School Environment

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Outdoor observation/Collection

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher takes pupils outside the classroom (e.g., to the school compound or playground) to identify and collect safe, small non-living items like stones, dry leaves, or small pieces of wood. The teacher reminds them about safety.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the school environment, identify, and carefully collect safe non-living items into their containers.

Learning Point: School environment non-living things

Step 6: Discussing Characteristics of Non-Living Things

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a discussion on the characteristics of non-living things, asking questions like, “Does a stone eat?” or “Does a table grow?” to reinforce the concept.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer the questions and contribute to the discussion about why things are non-living.

Learning Point: Characteristics of non-living things

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What are non-living things?
2. Name two non-living things you see at home.
3. Name two non-living things you see in school.
4. Give one reason why a stone is a non-living thing.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding non-living things

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on the meaning and examples of non-living things into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds pupils that non-living things are all around us but do not have life, unlike living things. The teacher praises them for their participation.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and give a final response to the teacher.

Learning Point: Non-living things concept consolidated

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework / Practice Exercise

Instruction: Look around your home and draw three non-living things. Write their names under each drawing.

1. Draw a table.
2. Draw a chair.
3. Draw a spoon.
4. Ask an adult to help you find one more non-living thing and write its name.
5. Bring one small, safe non-living item (like a stone or a button) to class next time.

Lesson Keywords

• Non-living – Things that do not have life.
• Environment – All the things around us.
• Identify – To recognise and name something.
• Collect – To gather things together.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide more direct examples and physical objects for them to touch and identify. Focus on just one or two characteristics of non-living things.
For faster learners: Encourage them to name more non-living things from different places (e.g., a market, a farm) and explain more reasons why they are non-living.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further visual learning, search on YouTube for: non living things for primary 1 nigeria

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, gather a variety of common classroom objects and prepare pictures or charts of other non-living things like cars, houses, and stones. Ensure you have small, safe containers for pupils to collect items during the outdoor activity. Begin by engaging pupils with questions about things they see daily to activate their prior knowledge. Clearly explain the meaning of non-living things using simple, relatable examples and demonstrations. Guide pupils through identifying objects both in the classroom and in the school environment, emphasizing safety during collection. After discussing the characteristics, use the evaluation questions to check their understanding. Pupils should copy the Board Summary notes into their exercise books after the main teaching and before the conclusion. For pupils who struggle, provide more hands-on examples and allow them to point rather than speak. Encourage faster learners to think of more diverse examples and explain their reasoning.