Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before this lesson, prepare clear, colourful pictures or charts of various Nigerian foods, especially pounded yam and amala. If possible, bring small, safe, real examples of some food items (e.g., a small yam tuber, corn kernels, a banana) for sensory exploration. The central idea for pupils is that food makes us strong and helps us grow, and there are many delicious foods we eat in Nigeria. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can point to and name at least one or two local Nigerian foods and understand that food is good for them.

Class: Pre-School Level 1
Term: Third Term
Week: 2
Age: 2 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Social Habits
Curriculum Theme: Social Habits
Previous Lesson: Awareness of different things in their environment.
Topic: Foods in Nigeria
Subject Matter: Meaning of food; Examples of local foods e.g. Pounded yam – “Iyan”, “Amala”.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

Identify pictures of different foods.
Say the meaning of food in simple terms.
Name at least two local Nigerian foods.

Affective Domain

Show interest in learning about different foods.
Appreciate the importance of eating food.

Psychomotor Domain

Point to specific local foods when asked.
Clap hands to a song about food.

Participate in group activities related to food identification.

Reference Materials

NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 1
Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Relevant picture books on food

Instructional Materials

Charts showing various Nigerian foods (e.g., pounded yam, amala, rice, beans, yam, fruits)
Picture cards of local foods
Real examples of safe, non-perishable food items (e.g., a small yam tuber, corn kernels, a banana)
Video clips on Nigerian foods for children

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 2-year-olds as it introduces them to the basic concept of food and its importance for growth and health. By identifying familiar local Nigerian foods, pupils connect learning to their everyday experiences and cultural context, fostering early recognition and healthy habits.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have seen and eaten various foods at home and are generally aware that they eat when they are hungry.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Foods in Nigeria: Meaning and Local Foods

What is Food?

Food is what we eat.
Food makes us strong.
Food helps us grow big and healthy.

Examples of Local Foods in Nigeria:

Nigeria has many yummy foods! Let’s look at some:

Pounded Yam (We call it “Iyan”) – It is white and soft.
Amala – It is brown and soft.
Rice – We eat rice with stew.
Beans – Beans make us strong.
Yam – We can boil or fry yam.
Fruits – Like banana, orange, apple. They are good for us!

Key Words

Food – What we eat to grow.
Iyan – Pounded yam.
Amala – A soft, brown food.

Our Food Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Food, food, yummy food,
Makes us strong and makes us good.
Iyan, Amala, rice and beans,
Eat them all, my happy deans!
Food, food, yummy food,
Makes us strong and makes us good.

Actions:

“Food, food, yummy food” – Rub tummy.
“Makes us strong” – Flex arm muscles.
“Makes us good” – Give a thumbs up.
“Iyan, Amala, rice and beans” – Point to pictures of each food.
“Eat them all, my happy deans!” – Pretend to eat.

Watch and Learn About Foods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj-eG44N57w

💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary

How to teach the content: Start by asking pupils what they ate for breakfast. Use simple language to explain that food gives us energy. Show pictures of food and ask “What is this?” Introduce “Iyan” and “Amala” using clear charts or real examples, emphasizing their names and appearance. Repeat the names several times slowly and clearly.

What to show or demonstrate: Display charts of various foods. Point to each food and say its name. If real food items are available, let pupils safely touch and observe them (e.g., a yam tuber). Demonstrate actions for the song.

How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the “Our Food Song” slowly and clearly, demonstrating the actions. Encourage pupils to join in with the actions and repeat the simple words. Sing it multiple times to aid memorisation.

How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to see more Nigerian foods. Play the video “Nigerian Food for Kids | Learn about Nigerian Food | Kids Learning Video | Preschool Lesson”. After watching, point to some of the foods seen in the video and ask pupils to name them or point to them on charts.

What to watch for: Observe if pupils are able to point to the correct food pictures when named and if they attempt to repeat the names. Encourage all attempts, even if pronunciation is not perfect.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them what they ate before coming to school. “Good morning, children! What did you eat this morning?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by mentioning what they ate or pointing to their mouths.

Learning Point: Pupils recall familiar foods and engage with the topic.

Step 2: Meaning of Food

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Visual Aid

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of children eating and looking strong. “Look at these children! They are eating food. Food makes us strong and helps us grow big! When you eat, you get strong like this!” (flexes arm).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, listen, and may try to flex their arms.

Learning Point: Pupils understand that food makes them strong and helps them grow.

Step 3: Introducing Local Foods (Pounded Yam & Amala)

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Identification/Naming

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays charts of Pounded Yam (Iyan) and Amala. “Look at this! This is Pounded Yam, we call it ‘Iyan’. Can you say ‘Iyan’?” (points). “And this is Amala. It is brown. Can you say ‘Amala’?” (points).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the charts, point to the foods, and try to repeat “Iyan” and “Amala”.

Learning Point: Pupils identify and begin to name Pounded Yam (Iyan) and Amala.

Step 4: Other Local Foods and Sensory Exploration

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Observation/Sensory Learning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of other local foods like rice, beans, and yam. If available, the teacher lets pupils safely touch a small yam tuber or corn kernels. “This is rice, this is beans. This is yam, you can touch it!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures, point to them, and safely touch the real food items if offered.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise more local foods and engage their senses.

Step 5: Food Song and Movement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Movement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Our Food Song” with actions. “Let’s sing our food song! Food, food, yummy food…” (demonstrates actions).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along, clap, and perform the actions with the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce food names and the concept of food through song and movement.

Step 6: Video and Discussion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the short video on Nigerian foods. After the video, the teacher points to some foods on the charts that were seen in the video and asks, “What food did you see?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and try to point to or name foods they recognise.

Learning Point: Pupils see more examples of Nigerian foods and connect them to previously learned ones.

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 makes us strong?” (Expect “food” or pointing to food pictures).
“Point to the picture of Iyan (Pounded Yam).”
“Point to the picture of Amala.”
“Can you name one food you like to eat?”

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: Summarisation/Positive Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always eat good food to stay healthy. “Good job, everyone! Remember to always eat your food so you can be strong and healthy!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and clap for themselves.

Learning Point: Pupils receive positive reinforcement and a final reminder of the lesson’s importance.

Lesson Keywords

Food – Things we eat to get strong and grow.
Iyan – Another name for Pounded Yam.
Amala – A type of food made from yam or cassava flour.
Strong – Having power and energy.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who struggle, provide larger, clearer pictures of only two or three foods. Use hand-over-hand guidance to help them point. Repeat names slowly and frequently. Focus on just identifying “food” generally before specific names.
Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concepts, encourage them to name additional foods they know from home. Ask them to identify foods by colour (e.g., “Which food is brown?”).