Old Mother Hub Board for Pre-School Level 3

Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Second Term
Week: 3
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Songs and Rhymes
Curriculum Theme: Songs and Rhymes
Previous Lesson: Learning and reciting simple rhymes and songs.
Topic: OLD MOTHER HUBBARD
Subject Matter: OLD MOTHER HUBBARD.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Recite the “Old Mother Hubbard” rhyme.
• Identify the main characters (Old Mother Hubbard, her dog) and object (cupboard) in the rhyme.
• State why Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard.

Affective Domain

• Show interest in learning new rhymes and songs.
• Express feelings about the poor dog in the rhyme.
• Appreciate the importance of caring for others, especially pets.

Psychomotor Domain

• Perform simple actions related to the rhyme, such as opening a cupboard or patting a dog.
• Participate in a simple role-play of the rhyme.

Social Domain

• Take turns when reciting the rhyme or participating in role-play.
• Interact positively with peers during group activities.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3.
• Early Childhood Care and Education curriculum resources.
• Suitable early-years rhyme books.

Instructional Materials

• MP4 Player / MP3 Player
• Rhyme book with “Old Mother Hubbard” lyrics
• Picture cards of Old Mother Hubbard, a dog, a bone, and a cupboard
• A small toy dog (optional)
• A simple cupboard prop or drawing

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson introduces pupils to the classic “Old Mother Hubbard” rhyme, enhancing their language development, memory, and rhythm skills. It also subtly teaches the important social habit of care and empathy, especially towards pets, by highlighting Mother Hubbard’s attempt to feed her dog. Learning this rhyme helps children understand simple narratives and connect actions with consequences in a fun, engaging way.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have previously learned and recited other simple rhymes and songs. They are familiar with common animals like dogs and understand basic actions like eating and looking for things.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

OLD MOTHER HUBBARD

“Old Mother Hubbard” is a traditional nursery rhyme about an old woman and her dog. It teaches us about trying to care for our pets and how we feel when we cannot help them. The Story of Old Mother Hubbard: Old Mother Hubbard had a dog. She loved her dog very much and wanted to give him a bone to eat. So, she went to her cupboard to find a bone. But when she opened the cupboard, it was empty! There was no bone for her poor dog.

Old Mother Hubbard Rhyme

Tune: Traditional Nursery Rhyme Tune

Lyrics:

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the cupboard,
To get her poor dog a bone;
But when she came there,
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.

Actions:

• “Old Mother Hubbard”: Pretend to be an old woman, walking slowly.
• “Went to the cupboard”: Walk a few steps, pointing to an imaginary cupboard.
• “To get her poor dog a bone”: Make a scooping motion with hands, then pat an imaginary dog.
• “But when she came there”: Stop walking.
• “The cupboard was bare”: Open hands wide, showing emptiness. Look sad.
• “And so the poor dog had none”: Shake head sadly, patting the imaginary dog again.

Key Words

• Hubbard – The name of the old woman in the rhyme.
• Cupboard – A piece of furniture with doors and shelves, used for storing food or dishes.
• Poor dog – The dog belonging to Mother Hubbard, who needs food.
• Bone – A hard part of an animal’s body, often given to dogs to chew.
• Bare – Empty; having nothing in it.

Watch and Practise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjYf2e_Wq88

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Storytelling, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Role-play, Imitation, Repetition.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Recalling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them about their favourite animals, especially dogs. The teacher then introduces the topic by saying, “Today, we will learn a fun rhyme about an old woman and her dog who was hungry!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s greeting and name their favourite animals. They listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and ready for the lesson, connecting to familiar concepts.

Step 2: Presentation of the Rhyme (Teacher Recitation)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Modelling/Storytelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows picture cards of Old Mother Hubbard, her dog, and a cupboard. The teacher then recites the “Old Mother Hubbard” rhyme slowly and clearly, performing the actions. The teacher explains the simple story behind the rhyme.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the picture cards and listen carefully as the teacher recites the rhyme and tells the story.

Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the rhyme, its characters, and the story.

Step 3: Guided Repetition of the Rhyme

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Repetition/Pronunciation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher recites the rhyme line by line and asks pupils to repeat each line after her. The teacher provides clear pronunciation and encourages pupils to use the actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat each line of the rhyme after the teacher, trying to mimic the pronunciation and actions.

Learning Point: Pupils begin to memorise the rhyme and practise its words and rhythm.

Step 4: Explanation of Key Words and Concepts

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining/Vocabulary Building

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses the picture cards to explain key words like “cupboard,” “bare,” and “poor dog.” The teacher asks questions like, “What does ‘bare’ mean?” and “Why was the dog poor?” Emphasise the idea of Mother Hubbard trying to care for her dog.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, listen to the explanations, and answer simple questions about the words and the story.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the meaning of important words and the concept of care within the rhyme.

Step 5: Video Reinforcement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Learning/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the video and plays the “Old Mother Hubbard” nursery rhyme video on the MP4 player. The teacher encourages pupils to watch and listen carefully.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video, listen to the song, and try to follow along with the actions shown in the video.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding and enjoyment of the rhyme through visual and auditory stimulation.

Step 6: Role-Play and Application

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Role-play/Creative Expression

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils in a simple role-play. Some pupils can pretend to be Mother Hubbard, walking to the cupboard and looking sad. Others can pretend to be the dog, looking hungry and then sad. The teacher encourages pupils to show caring actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in the role-play, taking turns to act out parts of the rhyme and demonstrating simple caring actions.

Learning Point: Pupils apply their understanding of the rhyme and the concept of care through active participation.

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. Who went to the cupboard in our rhyme? (Show picture of Mother Hubbard)
2. What did she want to get for her dog?
3. What did she find in the cupboard? (Show picture of an empty cupboard)
4. Can you sing the first two lines of “Old Mother Hubbard”?

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: Summarising/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and effort. The teacher reminds them that it is good to care for our pets and others, just like Mother Hubbard tried to care for her dog. The class sings the rhyme one last time together.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the praise and sing the rhyme one more time with enthusiasm.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and reinforce the lesson’s main message.

Lesson Keywords

• Hubbard – The name of the old woman in the rhyme.
• Cupboard – A place to store things, often food.
• Dog – Mother Hubbard’s pet.
• Bone – What the dog wanted to eat.
• Bare – Empty, nothing inside.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who find it difficult to remember the lyrics, provide more visual cues (picture cards for each line) and allow them to only sing the actions or repeat single words. Use hand-over-hand guidance for actions.
• Extension: Encourage advanced pupils to suggest what Mother Hubbard could do next to help her dog (e.g., ask a neighbour, go to the market). They can also try to draw Mother Hubbard and her dog.