Meaning of Nouns and Identifying Naming Words for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Third Term
Week: 2
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Language Domain
Previous Lesson: Identifying and naming common objects and people.
Topic: NOUNS: MEANING AND IDENTIFYING NAMING WORDS
Subject Matter: NOUN SIGHT WORDS: Old Should Young. Weekly focus: Nouns: Meaning and Identifying Naming Words.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Define a noun as a naming word for people, animals, places, or things.
• Identify common nouns from pictures and real objects.
• Recognise nouns in simple sentences.

Affective Domain

• Show interest in learning about naming words.
• Participate actively in identifying nouns.

Psychomotor Domain

• Point to nouns in the classroom environment.
• Circle or cross out nouns in simple written exercises.

Social Domain

• Take turns when identifying nouns during group activities.
• Work cooperatively with peers during guided practice.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education Literacy resources
• Relevant early-years workbook/textbook

Instructional Materials

• Flash cards with pictures of people, animals, places, and things
• Charts displaying various nouns
• Posters with simple sentences containing nouns
• Real objects found in and outside the classroom (e.g., table, chair, book, bag, flower, stone)
• MP4 player or tablet for video playback
• Reading books with simple sentences
• Worksheets with pictures and words for circling/crossing out nouns
• Crayons or pencils

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding nouns is fundamental for young learners as it helps them categorise and name everything around them. This lesson builds their vocabulary, improves their ability to describe the world, and lays a crucial foundation for reading and writing simple sentences, connecting language to their everyday experiences.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify and name many common objects, people, and animals in their environment. They can also recognise some letters and simple words.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

NOUNS: MEANING AND IDENTIFYING NAMING WORDS

A Noun is a naming word.

Nouns name:

• People: Mummy, Daddy, teacher, boy, girl, doctor
• Animals: dog, cat, goat, bird, lion
• Places: school, home, market, park, church
• Things: table, chair, book, ball, car, flower

Key Words

• Noun – a naming word.
• Person – a human being (like you, Mummy, Daddy).
• Animal – a living creature (like a dog, cat, bird).
• Place – a location (like school, home, market).
• Thing – an object (like a table, book, ball).

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Flashcards with clear pictures of a boy, a girl, a dog, a cat, a school, a house, a table, a book.
• A chart with the word “NOUN” written clearly, with examples under “People,” “Animals,” “Places,” “Things.”
• Simple sentences on a chart, e.g., “The boy plays with a ball.”

Naming Words Rhyme

Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Every person has a name,
Like Mummy, Daddy, it’s the same.
Every animal, big or small,
Like dog and cat, we name them all.
Places too, like school and home,
Things like ball and book, we know!
All these words, we call them Nouns,
Naming words all over town!

Actions:

• “Every person has a name”: Point to self, then to a child.
• “Like Mummy, Daddy”: Mimic hugging.
• “Every animal, big or small”: Make animal sounds/gestures.
• “Like dog and cat”: Pat knees like petting.
• “Places too, like school and home”: Point around the classroom, then make a roof shape with hands.
• “Things like ball and book”: Mimic throwing a ball, then opening a book.
• “All these words, we call them Nouns”: Nod head.
• “Naming words all over town!”: Sweep hands around.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the rhyme slowly with actions to introduce and reinforce the concept of nouns as naming words for people, animals, places, and things. Repeat several times throughout the lesson.

Watch and Learn About Nouns

The teacher will play a short, engaging video about nouns for young children to further illustrate the concept.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYv_JtPz_qU

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and starts with a familiar “Good Morning” song. The teacher then asks pupils to name some things they see around the classroom (e.g., “What is this?” pointing to a table, a book). The teacher introduces the idea that everything has a name.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and name objects pointed out by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall naming familiar objects.

Step 2: Presentation of Nouns (Naming Words)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that words that name people, animals, places, and things are called “naming words” or “nouns.” The teacher uses flashcards and real objects to show examples:

• People: Shows pictures of a boy, girl, teacher. “This is a boy, boy is a naming word.”
• Animals: Shows pictures of a dog, cat, goat. “This is a dog, dog is a naming word.”
• Places: Shows pictures of a school, home. “This is a school, school is a naming word.”
• Things: Shows a real table, book, ball. “This is a table, table is a naming word.”

The teacher then leads the “Naming Words Rhyme.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, observe the pictures and objects, repeat the naming words, and sing along with the rhyme.

Learning Point: Pupils understand that nouns are naming words for people, animals, places, and things.

Step 3: Guided Practice – Identifying Nouns

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher holds up various flashcards (e.g., “run,” “happy,” “car,” “jump,” “tree”). For each card, the teacher asks, “Is this a naming word? Does it name a person, animal, place, or thing?” Pupils respond by saying “Yes” or “No” and identifying what it names if it’s a noun. The teacher also plays the short video on nouns to reinforce the concept.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify whether the word on the flashcard is a naming word (noun) and explain why.

Learning Point: Pupils begin to differentiate nouns from other types of words.

Step 4: Rhyme Reinforcement and Movement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Movement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Naming Words Rhyme” again, encouraging them to perform the actions. The teacher might also call out a noun (e.g., “chair!”) and have pupils point to it, or call out “boy!” and have boys stand up, then “girl!” and have girls stand up.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions and respond to the teacher’s prompts by pointing or moving as directed.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of nouns through song and physical activity.

Step 5: Classroom Noun Hunt

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Practical Application/Observation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to look around the classroom and identify nouns. “Can you point to a naming word (noun) in our classroom?” The teacher encourages pupils to name objects like “door,” “window,” “board,” “bag,” “pencil,” “teacher,” “friend.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils point to and name various objects and people in the classroom, identifying them as nouns.

Learning Point: Pupils apply their knowledge to identify nouns in their immediate environment.

Step 6: Worksheet Activity / Reading Book Practice

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Fine Motor Skills

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes simple worksheets with pictures of nouns and some non-nouns, or simple sentences from a reading book. The teacher guides pupils to circle or cross out the nouns. For example, “Circle the naming words: apple, run, happy, cat.” Or, “In the sentence ‘The boy eats an apple,’ circle the naming words.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils use crayons or pencils to circle or cross out the nouns as guided by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils practise identifying and marking nouns in a written format.

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 is a naming word called?”
2. “Name one person you know.”
3. “Name one animal.”
4. “Name one thing you see on the table.”
5. The teacher holds up flashcards (e.g., “flower,” “sing,” “house”). “Which of these is a naming word? Point to it.”

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: Summary/Praise

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises that they have learned about naming words (nouns) for people, animals, places, and things. The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and effort.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and respond to the teacher’s praise.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and reinforce the main lesson point.

Lesson Keywords

• Noun – a word that names a person, animal, place, or thing.
• Naming word – another name for a noun.
• Person – a human being.
• Animal – a living creature that is not a human.
• Place – a location or area.
• Thing – an inanimate object.

Differentiation

• Support for struggling learners: Provide larger flashcards with very clear pictures. Offer fewer choices when identifying nouns. Use hand-over-hand guidance for circling/crossing out. Allow them to only point to nouns rather than naming them verbally if they are shy. Repeat the rhyme and examples more frequently.
• Extension for advanced learners: Ask them to name two nouns for each category (people, animals, places, things). Challenge them to identify nouns in more complex (but still simple) sentences. Encourage them to draw a picture of a noun and label it.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure all instructional materials like flashcards, charts, real objects, and worksheets are prepared and easily accessible. The key concept for pupils to grasp is that a noun is simply a “naming word.” Emphasise this repeatedly. Use familiar Nigerian examples for people, places, and things to make the lesson relatable. Observe pupils during the “Classroom Noun Hunt” and “Worksheet Activity” to gauge their understanding. For shy or slower pupils, encourage participation through non-verbal cues like pointing. Assessment of understanding should primarily be through their ability to correctly identify and point to nouns, and to verbally name them where appropriate. The rhyme should be sung with enthusiasm and actions to make it memorable and engaging.