Meaning and Examples of Water-Borne Diseases for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Third Term
Week: 4
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Basic Science and Technology
Curriculum Theme: Basic Science and Technology
Previous Lesson: General cleanliness and hygiene
Topic: WATER-BORNE DISEASES: MEANING AND EXAMPLES
Subject Matter: Water-Borne Diseases: Meaning and Examples

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Define water-borne diseases in simple terms.
• Identify examples of water-borne diseases like cholera and diarrhoea.
• State why it is important to avoid dirty or contaminated water.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of drinking clean water.
• Show concern for personal hygiene related to water use.

Psychomotor Domain

• Point to pictures showing people affected by water-borne diseases.
• Distinguish between clean and dirty water.

Social Domain

• Participate in discussions about water safety.
• Share ideas on how to keep water clean.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education curriculum guides
• Relevant Basic Science and Technology early years workbooks

Instructional Materials

• Pictures and charts showing clean water, dirty water, and children affected by diseases like cholera or diarrhoea.
• A bowl of clean water and a bowl of dirty water.
• Flashcards with simple images representing diseases (e.g., a child with a stomach ache for diarrhoea).
• Soap and a small towel for demonstration.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds as it introduces them to the concept that dirty water can make them sick. Understanding water-borne diseases helps children develop an awareness of hygiene practices, encouraging them to make safer choices about the water they drink and use, thereby promoting their health and well-being.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are familiar with water and its uses, and they have some basic understanding of cleanliness and personal hygiene, such as washing hands.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

WATER-BORNE DISEASES: MEANING AND EXAMPLES

Water-borne diseases are sicknesses that people get from drinking or using dirty (contaminated) water. These diseases are caused by tiny germs that live in the dirty water.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Display pictures of clean water (e.g., tap water, bottled water) and dirty water (e.g., muddy puddle, water with rubbish).
• Show pictures of children looking sick with stomach aches or running to the toilet, representing symptoms of water-borne diseases.
• Demonstrate the difference between the bowl of clean water and the bowl of dirty water.

Examples of Water-Borne Diseases:

• Cholera: A very serious sickness that causes a lot of diarrhoea.
• Diarrhoea: When you have to go to the toilet many times and your stool is watery.
• Dysentery: Another type of sickness that causes stomach pain and watery stool, sometimes with blood.

These diseases make children feel very weak and can be dangerous if not treated.

How to Prevent Water-Borne Diseases:

• Always drink clean, safe water.
• Do not drink water from puddles or dirty streams.
• Wash your hands with soap and clean water, especially before eating and after using the toilet.
• Do not cook with dirty water.

Clean Water Song

Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Clean, clean water, safe to drink,
Makes us healthy, makes us think.
Dirty water, makes us sick,
Germs will make our tummies kick.
Clean, clean water, safe to drink,
Makes us healthy, makes us think.

Actions:
Clean, clean water, safe to drink: Pretend to drink from a cup.
Makes us healthy, makes us think: Pat tummy, then tap head.
Dirty water, makes us sick: Shake head ‘no’, make a sad face.
Germs will make our tummies kick: Hold tummy and pretend to feel pain.
Repeat actions for the last two lines.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the song together, encouraging pupils to do the actions. Discuss what the song means about clean and dirty water.

Watch and Learn About Germs in Water

The teacher will show a short, age-appropriate video about germs in water and how they make us sick, emphasizing the importance of clean water.

Key Words

• Water-borne: Carried or spread by water.
• Disease: Sickness or illness.
• Dirty water: Water that is not clean and can have germs.
• Clean water: Water that is safe to drink and use.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads a short song about water (e.g., “Water, water everywhere”). The teacher then asks pupils what they use water for and reminds them about general cleanliness.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along, mention uses of water (drinking, washing, bathing), and recall the importance of being clean.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall prior knowledge about water and cleanliness.

Step 2: Presentation of Meaning

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays the bowl of clean water and the bowl of dirty water. The teacher asks, “Which water looks safe to drink? Which water looks dangerous?” The teacher then introduces the term “water-borne diseases” and explains in simple terms that these are sicknesses caused by drinking or using dirty water.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the water samples, point to the clean water, and listen to the teacher’s explanation. They repeat “water-borne diseases” after the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils understand that dirty water can be dangerous and learn the term “water-borne diseases.”

Step 3: Examples of Water-Borne Diseases

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Identification/Association

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays pictures of children looking sick (e.g., with stomach aches, running to the toilet). The teacher names examples like cholera, diarrhoea, and dysentery, explaining that these come from dirty water and make children very sick. The teacher asks, “What do you think made these children sick?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures, listen to the names of the diseases, and associate them with getting sick from dirty water. They may point to the sick children in the pictures.

Learning Point: Pupils can identify common water-borne diseases and understand their link to dirty water.

Step 4: Rhyme Reinforcement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Song/Repetition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Clean Water Song” from the Board Summary, encouraging them to perform the actions. The teacher repeats the song a few times to help pupils remember the message.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song with the teacher, performing the actions and repeating the lyrics about clean and dirty water.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce the message about clean water being good and dirty water being bad for health through song.

Step 5: Video Learning

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the video, “We are going to watch a short video about the tiny germs in water that can make us sick.” After the video, the teacher asks simple questions like, “What did you see in the water?” or “What did the video say about dirty water?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video attentively and respond to the teacher’s questions, sharing what they observed.

Learning Point: Pupils gain a visual understanding of germs in water and their effect on health.

Step 6: Prevention and Application

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Practical Application/Guidance

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses ways to prevent water-borne diseases: “What should we do to not get sick from water?” The teacher emphasizes drinking only clean water, washing hands with soap and water (demonstrating briefly), and not playing in dirty water. The teacher asks pupils to show how they would wash their hands.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils suggest ways to stay safe from dirty water. They practice a hand-washing motion and promise to drink clean water.

Learning Point: Pupils understand practical steps to prevent water-borne diseases.

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 do we call sicknesses that come from dirty water? (Water-borne diseases)
2. Show me the clean water. Show me the dirty water. (Teacher points to the bowls)
3. Name one sickness you can get from dirty water. (Cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery)
4. What should you always drink to stay healthy? (Clean water)

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarization/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always drink clean water and wash their hands. The teacher encourages them to tell their parents what they learned about clean water.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, repeat the importance of clean water, and promise to share the information at home.

Learning Point: Pupils retain the key message and are encouraged to apply it in their daily lives.

Lesson Keywords

• Water-borne – Sicknesses that come from water.
• Disease – A sickness.
• Dirty water – Water that is not clean and can make you sick.
• Clean water – Water that is safe to drink and use.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle, the teacher will use more one-on-one picture identification, repeat key terms clearly, and guide their hands to point to clean/dirty water. They can focus on identifying just one disease.
• Extension: For quicker learners, the teacher can ask them to suggest other ways to keep water clean at home (e.g., boiling water, covering water containers) or to name another example of a water-borne disease if they know any.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have clear pictures of clean/dirty water and simple representations of sick children. The bowls of clean and dirty water are crucial for a concrete demonstration. Emphasize that “dirty water” means water that looks unclean or water that has not been treated. For 5-year-olds, the main takeaway should be that dirty water makes them sick and clean water keeps them healthy. Encourage active participation in the song and discussions. Observe if pupils can correctly identify clean water as safe and dirty water as unsafe. Reinforce the message of handwashing as a key preventive measure alongside drinking clean water. Be sensitive when showing pictures of sick children, focusing on the preventive aspect rather than causing fear.