Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, prepare a variety of clear pictures or charts showing both very clean and very dirty environments (e.g., a tidy classroom, a littered park, a clean kitchen, a messy bedroom). Ensure you have a toy broom and dustbin for demonstration. The central idea for pupils is to understand that a clean environment keeps us healthy and happy, while a dirty one can make us sick. Observe if pupils can correctly identify clean and dirty places and explain simple reasons why a clean environment is important.
Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Third Term
Week: 2
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Social Habits
Curriculum Theme: Social Habits
Previous Lesson: Good Manners and Greetings
Topic: OUR ENVIRONMENT: MEANING, IMPORTANCE, CLEAN AND DIRTY PLACES
Subject Matter: Our Environment: Meaning, Importance, Clean and Dirty Places
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Explain in simple terms what “our environment” means.
- State at least one importance of our environment.
- Differentiate between a clean and a dirty environment using pictures.
- State at least one advantage of a clean environment.
Affective Domain
- Show appreciation for a clean environment.
- Express a desire to keep their surroundings clean.
Psychomotor Domain
- Point to pictures that show a clean or dirty environment.
- Demonstrate simple actions to keep the environment clean, like sweeping or putting rubbish in a bin.
Social Domain
- Participate in discussions about keeping their school and home clean.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
- Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Instructional Materials
- Chart showing different environments (home, school, park)
- Posters or flashcards with clear pictures of clean places (e.g., swept classroom, tidy home, clean park)
- Posters or flashcards with clear pictures of dirty places (e.g., littered street, messy room, dirty playground)
- Toy broom and dustbin
- Audio device for playing songs
Rationale for the Lesson
Understanding the environment is crucial for 4-year-olds as it helps them develop awareness of their surroundings and the impact of their actions. This lesson teaches them about health, hygiene, and responsibility, fostering good habits that contribute to a safe and pleasant living and learning space, both at home and at school.
Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils are aware of their immediate surroundings like their home, classroom, and school compound. They have some basic understanding of good and bad things.
Lesson Content/Board Summary
OUR ENVIRONMENT: MEANING, IMPORTANCE, CLEAN AND DIRTY PLACES
What is Our Environment?
Our environment is everything around us. It includes our home, school, playground, the air we breathe, the plants, animals, and people we see.
Why is Our Environment Important?
- It is where we live, play, and learn.
- We get fresh air from our environment.
- It provides us with food and water.
Clean Environment
A clean environment is neat, tidy, and free from dirt and rubbish.
- What it looks like: Swept floors, tidy tables, rubbish in the dustbin, green plants.
- Advantages:
- Keeps us healthy and strong.
- Makes us happy.
- Smells nice.
- Looks beautiful.
Dirty Environment
A dirty environment is messy, untidy, and full of rubbish and germs.
- What it looks like: Rubbish on the floor, dirty water, overgrown bushes, bad smell.
- Disadvantages:
- Can make us sick.
- Attracts insects like flies and mosquitoes.
- Smells bad.
- Looks ugly.
How to Keep Our Environment Clean
- Put all rubbish in the dustbin.
- Sweep the floor.
- Clean up spills immediately.
- Wash our hands often.
Key Words
- Environment – Everything around us.
- Clean – Neat and tidy.
- Dirty – Messy and full of rubbish.
- Healthy – Strong and not sick.
Clean Environment Song
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”
Clean, clean, environment,
Makes us happy, makes us bright.
No more rubbish, no more dirt,
Healthy bodies, no more hurt.
Clean, clean, environment,
Makes us happy, makes us bright.
Actions:
- “Clean, clean, environment”: Make sweeping motions with hands.
- “Makes us happy, makes us bright”: Smile and clap hands.
- “No more rubbish, no more dirt”: Shake head “no”.
- “Healthy bodies, no more hurt”: Point to self, then hug self.
Watch and Learn About Clean and Dirty Places
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Introduce “environment” by asking pupils to look around the classroom. Use the charts and pictures to explain the meaning and importance. For clean and dirty places, show contrasting pictures side-by-side, asking pupils to identify which is clean and which is dirty, and why. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for each. Demonstrate simple cleaning actions using the toy broom and dustbin.
What to show or demonstrate: Point to different parts of the classroom as examples of the environment. Show pictures of clean and dirty environments clearly. Demonstrate putting imaginary rubbish into a dustbin and sweeping motions.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “Clean Environment Song” after discussing how to keep places clean. Sing it together with the pupils, encouraging them to perform the actions. Repeat the song 2-3 times to help them learn the lyrics and actions.
How to use the video: Introduce the video by telling pupils they will watch more examples of clean and dirty places. Play the video, ensuring all pupils can see and hear. After watching, ask simple questions like “What did you see in the clean places?” or “What should we do with rubbish?” to reinforce the concepts.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils can correctly identify clean and dirty places in the pictures and if they can recall simple reasons why a clean environment is good for them. Encourage all pupils to participate in singing and demonstrating actions.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
- Play-based Learning
- Demonstration
- Guided Practice
- Picture Talk
- Question and Answer
- Songs and Rhymes
- Practical Activity
Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Greeting/Engaging
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and leads them in a short “Good Morning” song. The teacher then asks pupils what they see around them in the classroom.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and point to objects they see around the classroom (e.g., chairs, tables, books, windows).
Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and begin to observe their surroundings.
Step 2: Meaning of Our Environment
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Visual Aid
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that everything around us – our home, school, playground, plants, and people – is our environment. The teacher points to different parts of the classroom and outside the window as examples.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and point to different things in their environment as the teacher names them.
Learning Point: Pupils understand that “environment” means everything around them.
Step 3: Importance of Our Environment
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Discussion/Questioning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils why they think it is good to have an environment. The teacher guides them to understand that it is where we live, play, and get fresh air.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils offer simple ideas and listen to the teacher’s explanation of why our environment is important.
Learning Point: Pupils appreciate the importance of their environment.
Step 4: Clean and Dirty Places (Picture Talk)
Time: 6 minutes
Teaching Skill: Comparison/Observation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of clean environments (e.g., tidy classroom, swept yard) and dirty environments (e.g., littered street, messy room). The teacher asks pupils to identify which pictures show clean places and which show dirty places, and to explain why.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils point to and name “clean” or “dirty” for each picture. They give simple reasons like “no rubbish” or “many papers on the floor.”
Learning Point: Pupils can differentiate between clean and dirty environments.
Step 5: Advantages of a Clean Environment and Actions to Keep it Clean
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Practical Demonstration/Song
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the advantages of a clean environment (healthy, happy). The teacher then demonstrates simple actions like putting rubbish in a bin and sweeping with a toy broom. The teacher introduces and leads the “Clean Environment Song” with actions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils state advantages of a clean environment. They imitate the cleaning actions and sing the “Clean Environment Song” with the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the benefits of a clean environment and learn simple ways to keep it clean.
Step 6: Video Reinforcement
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the video “Clean and Dirty Places | Environmental Science for Kids” for the pupils. After the video, the teacher asks pupils what they learned or saw in the video.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and answer simple questions about clean and dirty places.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding through visual examples.
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 is our environment? (e.g., “Everything around us”)
- Why is it good to have a clean environment? (e.g., “It keeps us healthy”)
- Show me a picture of a clean place.
- Show me a picture of a dirty place.
- What should we do with rubbish? (e.g., “Put it in the bin”)
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/Encouragement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always keep their environment clean at home and at school. The teacher ends the lesson with a closing song.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and sing the closing song.
Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to apply what they have learned.
Lesson Keywords
- Environment – Everything around us, like our home, school, and playground.
- Clean – Neat, tidy, and free from dirt.
- Dirty – Messy, untidy, and full of rubbish or germs.
- Healthy – Being strong and not getting sick.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who are struggling, provide more one-on-one picture identification. Use larger, very clear pictures. Repeat explanations slowly and encourage them to just point to “clean” or “dirty.” Provide hand-over-hand guidance for demonstrating cleaning actions.
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concepts quickly, ask them to identify more examples of clean and dirty places they see on their way to school. Encourage them to suggest other simple ways they can help keep their environment clean at home.
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