Meaning and Importance of Bones and Foods for Strong Bones for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 8
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Basic Science and Technology
Curriculum Theme: Basic Science and Technology
Previous Lesson: Parts of the body and their functions.
Topic: BONES
Subject Matter: Meaning and importance of bones and foods for strong bones.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Define a bone in simple terms.
• State at least two importance of bones to the body.
• Identify at least three foods that help make bones strong.

Affective Domain

• Show interest in learning about their bones.
• Appreciate the need to eat healthy foods for strong bones.

Psychomotor Domain

• Touch different parts of their bodies where bones are found.
• Point to pictures of foods that are good for bones on a chart.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in class discussions and activities.
• Share their ideas about healthy eating with classmates.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4.
• Early Childhood Care and Education resources.
• Relevant Basic Science and Technology textbooks for early years.

Instructional Materials

• Charts showing the human skeleton (simple outline).
• Pictures of various foods, including milk, cheese, yogurt, fish, green leafy vegetables (e.g., spinach, ugu).
• Real examples of some bone-healthy foods (e.g., a carton of milk, a piece of cheese, if available and safe).
• A simple skeleton model (optional).

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding bones and their importance helps children appreciate their bodies and how they move. Learning about foods that strengthen bones encourages healthy eating habits from an early age, which is crucial for their growth and overall well-being.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify different parts of their body and know that food helps them grow.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Meaning and Importance of Bones and Foods for Strong Bones

What are Bones?

• Bones are the hard parts inside our body.
• They give our body its shape and help us stand tall.

Importance of Bones:

• Bones help us move (run, jump, walk).
• Bones give our body shape.
• Bones protect soft parts inside our body, like our brain and heart.

Foods for Strong Bones:

• Milk
• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Fish (like sardines)
• Green leafy vegetables (like spinach, ugu)

Key Words

• Bones – The hard parts inside our body.
• Strong – Not easily broken.
• Healthy – Good for our body.
• Milk – A drink that helps make bones strong.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• A simple chart showing a human skeleton.
• Pictures of milk, cheese, fish, and green vegetables.
• A drawing of a child running or jumping to show how bones help movement.

Bones and Food Rhyme

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:
Bones, bones, in my body strong,
Help me run and play all day long.
Give me shape and help me stand,
Best bones in all the land!
Milk and cheese and fish so good,
Make my bones strong, just like they should!

Actions: Pupils touch their head, arms, legs. They pretend to run and stand tall. They make a drinking motion for milk and point to their mouth for food.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the rhyme together, encouraging pupils to do the actions. Repeat it several times to help them remember the importance of bones and the foods.

Watch and Learn About Bones

The teacher will play a short, child-friendly video about bones to reinforce the lesson.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Manipulation of Objects, Repetition.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Recalling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to touch different parts of their bodies (e.g., “Touch your head!”, “Touch your arm!”). The teacher then asks, “What do you feel inside your arm? Is it soft or hard?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, touch their body parts, and respond that they feel something hard inside.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall knowledge about their body parts.

Step 2: Presentation – Meaning of Bones

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Demonstrating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the topic “Bones”. “The hard parts you feel inside your body are called bones!” The teacher shows a simple skeleton chart or model and explains, “Bones give our body its shape, just like the frame of a house.” The teacher guides pupils to touch their forehead, arms, and legs, saying “These are your bones!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, look at the chart/model, and touch the specified parts of their bodies, repeating “Bones!”

Learning Point: Pupils understand that bones are the hard parts inside their body and give it shape.

Step 3: Presentation – Importance of Bones

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks, “Why do we need bones?” and uses the chart to explain. “Bones help us move, run, jump, and play! (Teacher demonstrates simple movements). They also protect important parts inside our body.” The teacher then plays the “Bones Song for Kids” video.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the teacher’s movements, and watch the video, trying to follow the actions.

Learning Point: Pupils understand that bones help them move and protect their body.

Step 4: Reinforcement – Movement and Rhyme

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcing/Singing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in a short movement activity, asking them to “stand tall like your bones help you,” “bend your arm,” “kick your leg.” The teacher then leads the “Bones and Food Rhyme.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils perform the movements and sing the rhyme with actions.

Learning Point: Pupils physically connect the function of bones to movement and reinforce the concept through song.

Step 5: Presentation – Foods for Strong Bones

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Identifying/Associating

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks, “What can we eat to make our bones strong and healthy?” The teacher displays pictures of milk, cheese, yogurt, fish, and green leafy vegetables. For each picture, the teacher says, “This is milk, it helps make your bones strong!” and encourages pupils to repeat.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, name the foods, and repeat after the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils identify foods that are good for bone health.

Step 6: Application – Identifying Healthy Foods

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guiding/Practising

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher mixes the bone-healthy food pictures with some other food pictures (e.g., sweets, biscuits). The teacher asks pupils to come forward and pick out only the foods that make their bones strong. The teacher praises correct choices.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils take turns picking out and naming the bone-healthy foods from the mixed pictures.

Learning Point: Pupils apply their knowledge to identify foods for strong bones.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. “What are the hard parts inside your body called?”
2. “Touch a part of your body where you feel a bone.”
3. “Tell me one thing bones help us do.”
4. “Name one food that makes our bones strong.”

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: Summarizing/Encouraging

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always eat foods like milk and vegetables to keep their bones strong and healthy. The teacher leads the class in singing the “Bones and Food Rhyme” one last time.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme and promise to eat healthy foods.

Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to maintain healthy habits for strong bones.

Lesson Keywords

• Bones – The hard parts inside our body that give us shape.
• Strong – Not easily broken; powerful.
• Healthy – Good for our body and helps us stay well.
• Milk – A white liquid drink that is very good for making bones strong.
• Protect – To keep safe from harm.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who are struggling, the teacher can provide hand-over-hand guidance to touch bones, use fewer choices when identifying foods, and repeat the names of foods slowly and clearly. Pictures with very clear labels can also be used.
• Extension: For quicker learners, the teacher can ask them to name an additional food for strong bones, or describe what might happen if our bones were not strong (e.g., “Would we be able to run?”). They can also draw a picture of their favourite bone-healthy food.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Prepare the charts and pictures of bones and foods in advance. If possible, bring real examples of milk, cheese, or leafy greens to make the lesson more concrete. Encourage pupils to actively touch their own bodies to feel their bones, which makes the concept tangible. Emphasize the connection between eating healthy foods and having strong bones that help them play and grow. Repeat the rhyme and key vocabulary often. Observe pupils’ ability to point to body parts and identify foods as a primary assessment of understanding. Ensure the video is pre-screened and suitable for the age group.