Nouns and Pronouns: Identification of nouns and pronouns in sentences for Primary 4

Class: Primary 4
Term: First Term
Week: 1
Age: 9 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Grammatical Accuracy
Focal competence: Appropriately using verbs (in various tenses), nouns and adjectives
Skills:

• Identifying and using nouns and pronouns in sentences

Previous Lesson: Modal Auxiliaries: Meaning and identification of modal auxiliary verbs in simple conversations
Topic: Nouns and Pronouns
Subject Matter: Identification of nouns and pronouns in sentences

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify nouns in simple sentences.
• Identify pronouns in simple sentences.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the role of nouns and pronouns in making sentences clear.

Psychomotor Domain

• Point out nouns and pronouns when presented with simple sentences.

Social Domain

• Collaborate with peers to identify nouns and pronouns in group activities.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Studies textbook for Primary 4
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Newspaper articles (for example sentences)
• Flash cards with simple sentences
• Whiteboard and markers
• Course books
• Charts showing examples of nouns and pronouns

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because understanding nouns and pronouns is fundamental to constructing grammatically correct and meaningful sentences. It helps pupils to communicate effectively and forms a strong foundation for more advanced grammar concepts in English language learning.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should have a basic understanding of what words are and how they form simple sentences.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Nouns and Pronouns

What are Nouns?

Nouns are words that name people, animals, places, or things. They are naming words.

1. People: Amina, Chidi, teacher, boy, girl, doctor
2. Animals: dog, cat, lion, bird, goat
3. Places: school, market, Lagos, classroom, Abuja
4. Things: book, table, chair, pen, car

What are Pronouns?

Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns in a sentence. They help us avoid repeating the same noun many times.

Common pronouns include:

1. He (takes the place of a male person, e.g., Chidi)
2. She (takes the place of a female person, e.g., Amina)
3. It (takes the place of an animal or thing, e.g., book, dog)
4. I (refers to the speaker)
5. You (refers to the person being spoken to)
6. We (refers to the speaker and others)
7. They (refers to multiple people, animals, or things)

Identification of Nouns and Pronouns in Simple Sentences

To identify nouns and pronouns, look for words that name something or words that replace those naming words.

Examples:

1. Amina is reading a book.
   • Noun: Amina (person), book (thing)
2. She likes to read.
   • Pronoun: She (replaces Amina)
3. Chidi plays with a ball.
   • Noun: Chidi (person), ball (thing)
4. He is a good player.
   • Pronoun: He (replaces Chidi)
   • Noun: player (person)
5. The dog barked loudly.
   • Noun: dog (animal)
6. It ran after the cat.
   • Pronoun: It (replaces dog)
   • Noun: cat (animal)
7. The children went to the park.
   • Noun: children (people), park (place)
8. They enjoyed the swing.
   • Pronoun: They (replaces children)
   • Noun: swing (thing)

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Guided Practice, Identification, Group Work

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Recalling/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to name different things they see in the classroom. The teacher then explains that all these names are words.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greeting and name various objects in the classroom (e.g., table, chair, book, pen).

Learning Point: Naming words introduction

Step 2: Explanation of Nouns

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what nouns are, giving examples of people, animals, places, and things. The teacher writes these examples on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and contribute more examples of nouns.

Learning Point: Meaning and examples of nouns

Step 3: Explanation of Pronouns

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Comparison

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what pronouns are and how they replace nouns to avoid repetition. The teacher gives examples like “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they,” relating them to the noun examples already given.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and try to use simple pronouns in short sentences.

Learning Point: Meaning and examples of pronouns

Step 4: Guided Identification of Nouns

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes simple sentences on flashcards or the board and guides pupils to identify the nouns in each sentence. E.g., “The boy ate the apple.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the nouns in the sentences presented by the teacher.

Learning Point: Identifying nouns in sentences

Step 5: Guided Identification of Pronouns

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher presents more simple sentences, some containing pronouns, and guides pupils to identify the pronouns. E.g., “She went to the market.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the pronouns in the sentences.

Learning Point: Identifying pronouns in sentences

Step 6: Combined Identification Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher presents sentences from newspaper articles or course books and asks pupils to identify both nouns and pronouns. E.g., “Amina is reading a book. She likes to read.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils work individually or in pairs to identify nouns and pronouns in the given sentences.

Learning Point: Noun and pronoun identification

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is a noun?
2. Give two examples of nouns.
3. What is a pronoun?
4. Identify the noun and pronoun in this sentence: “Chidi plays football. He is very fast.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Noun and pronoun recall

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on nouns and pronouns into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson summary

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds pupils that nouns name things and pronouns replace nouns, encouraging them to practice identifying them in their daily reading. The teacher praises their participation.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the importance of the lesson.

Learning Point: Nouns and pronouns recap

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read the following sentences and identify all the nouns and pronouns. Write them in two separate lists in your notebook.

1. My mother bought a new dress.
2. She will wear it to the party.
3. The cat chased the mouse.
4. It ran very fast.
5. John and Mary are friends.
6. They play together every day.

Lesson Keywords

• Noun – A word that names a person, animal, place, or thing.
• Pronoun – A word that takes the place of a noun.
• Sentence – A group of words that expresses a complete thought.
• Identify – To recognise and point out.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide simpler sentences with clear, singular nouns and pronouns. Use colour-coding (e.g., circle nouns in blue, pronouns in red) to help them visually distinguish. Offer one-on-one guidance during practice.

For faster learners: Challenge them to create their own simple sentences and correctly identify the nouns and pronouns. Ask them to explain why a particular word is a noun or a pronoun.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, pupils can search for “Nouns and Pronouns for Primary 4” on YouTube.

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, prepare flashcards with simple sentences, some containing only nouns and others with both nouns and pronouns. Have a chart displaying common examples of nouns and pronouns ready for visual aid. Begin by engaging pupils with familiar objects to introduce nouns. Clearly distinguish between nouns and pronouns, emphasizing that pronouns are substitutes for nouns. During the guided practice, ensure every pupil gets a chance to identify words. Pay attention to common errors, such as confusing adjectives with nouns or identifying verbs as pronouns. Allow pupils to copy the Board Summary notes after the main teaching and practice, ensuring they have a correct record for future reference. Encourage pupils to apply their learning by identifying nouns and pronouns in their storybooks or everyday conversations.