Places to Exercise and Importance of Exercise for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Basic hygiene practices and keeping clean.
Topic: Places to Exercise and Importance of Exercise
Subject Matter: EXERCISE – Where one can exercise – Importance of exercise. Weekly focus: Places to Exercise and Importance of Exercise.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify at least two places where people can exercise.
• List at least three reasons why exercise is important for the body.

Affective Domain

• Show enthusiasm for participating in simple exercise activities.
• Appreciate the benefits of staying active and healthy.

Psychomotor Domain

• Demonstrate simple exercise movements like jumping or stretching.
• Point to pictures of different exercise locations.

Social Domain

• Participate cooperatively in group exercise activities.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education curriculum resources
• Relevant early-years health and physical development workbooks

Instructional Materials

• Charts showing different places to exercise (e.g., playground, park, gym, home)
• Pictures of children and adults exercising
• Flashcards with simple exercise actions (e.g., running, jumping, stretching)
• MP4 Player (for video)
• Open space for movement

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds as it introduces them to the concept of exercise and its vital role in keeping their bodies strong and healthy. Understanding where and why to exercise encourages children to develop active habits early, promoting physical well-being and a positive attitude towards health.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are familiar with playing games and moving their bodies during playtime at home and school.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Places to Exercise and Importance of Exercise

Exercise means moving our bodies to make them strong and healthy. It’s like playing, but it makes us feel good inside and out!

What is Exercise?

Exercise is any activity that makes your body move and your heart beat a little faster. It helps your muscles grow strong and keeps you healthy.

Places Where We Can Exercise

We can exercise in many places:

• At Home: We can jump, dance, or play active games in our living room or compound.
• At School Playground: We can run, swing, slide, and climb with our friends.
• At the Park: We can run on the grass, play football, or ride bicycles.
• At a Gym: Some grown-ups go to a special place called a gym with machines to help them exercise. We can also do simple exercises there.

Importance of Exercise

Exercise is very good for us! It helps us in many ways:

• Makes our bodies strong: Exercise helps our muscles and bones grow big and strong.
• Keeps our hearts healthy: When we run and jump, our heart works hard and gets stronger.
• Makes us happy: Exercise helps us feel good and happy.
• Helps us sleep well: After exercising, our bodies are tired and we can sleep better.
• Helps us think clearly: Being active helps our brains work better, making us smart!
• Helps us stay healthy: It helps us avoid getting sick often.

Key Words

• Exercise – Moving your body to stay strong and healthy.
• Playground – A place with swings, slides, and space to play.
• Strong – Having power in your muscles.
• Healthy – Being well and not sick.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Display charts with pictures of children exercising in different places (home, school playground, park).
• Show flashcards of simple exercise actions (e.g., jumping, stretching, running).
• Demonstrate simple exercises like marching on the spot, arm circles, and gentle stretches.

Exercise Fun Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Exercise, exercise, makes us strong,
Helps our bodies all day long.
Run and jump and stretch and play,
Healthy bodies, every day!
Exercise, exercise, makes us strong,
Helps our bodies all day long!

Actions:

• “Exercise, exercise, makes us strong” – flex arm muscles.
• “Helps our bodies all day long” – hug self.
• “Run and jump and stretch and play” – pretend to run, jump, stretch arms up, clap hands.
• “Healthy bodies, every day!” – point to self with a big smile.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the song together, encouraging pupils to do the actions. Repeat several times to reinforce the message about exercise making them strong and healthy.

Watch and Move Along

The teacher will play a short, engaging video about exercises for children, encouraging pupils to watch and imitate the movements.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Imitation, Practical Activity.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Motivation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and asks them about their favourite games or activities they do to play. “Good morning, wonderful children! What games do you like to play? Do you like to run, jump, or dance?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by naming their favourite games or activities.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and thinking about active play.

Step 2: Introducing Exercise

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what exercise is in simple terms, “When we run, jump, and play, we are exercising! Exercise means moving our bodies to make them strong and healthy.” The teacher demonstrates a simple stretch or march on the spot.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, watch the teacher’s demonstration, and try to imitate the simple movement.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the basic concept of exercise.

Step 3: Identifying Places to Exercise

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Aid/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays charts and pictures of different places where people exercise (home, school playground, park, gym). “Look at these pictures! Where do you see people exercising? This is our school playground, where we run and play. This is a park, and this is someone’s home.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures, point to the places they recognise, and name them with the teacher’s help.

Learning Point: Pupils can identify various places suitable for exercise.

Step 4: Discussing the Importance of Exercise

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses why exercise is important, using simple language and relating it to the pupils’ experiences. “Why do you think it’s good to exercise? It makes us strong, keeps our hearts healthy, makes us happy, and helps us sleep well!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and offer simple ideas if prompted, like “to be strong” or “to play.”

Learning Point: Pupils understand key benefits of exercise.

Step 5: Rhyme and Movement Activity

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Rhyme/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Exercise Fun Song” with actions. “Now, let’s sing a song about exercise and show how strong we are!” The teacher encourages energetic participation.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song and perform the actions, moving their bodies actively.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce learning through song and physical activity.

Step 6: Video and Reinforcement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Media Integration/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the short educational video on exercise for kids and encourages pupils to watch and imitate the simple movements shown. “Let’s watch this video and move along with the children!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and try to copy the exercise movements.

Learning Point: Pupils gain visual examples and practice more movements.

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. “Can you name one place where we can exercise?”
2. “Show me one way you can exercise (e.g., jump, stretch).”
3. “Tell me one reason why exercise is good for you.”
4. “Point to the picture of children playing in the playground.”

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/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the lesson by reminding pupils that exercising is fun and important for a healthy body. “Remember, exercising makes us strong and happy! Let’s always find time to play and move our bodies.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and give a final cheer for being strong and healthy.

Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to continue exercising.

Lesson Keywords

• Exercise – Moving your body to stay strong and healthy.
• Playground – A place with swings, slides, and space to play.
• Strong – Having power in your muscles.
• Healthy – Being well and not sick.
• Park – An open area of land for public recreation.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle to identify places or benefits, the teacher will use more direct pointing to pictures, repeat the names and benefits slowly, and provide hand-over-hand guidance for simple movements. Focus on identifying just one place and one benefit.
• Extension: For pupils who grasp the concepts quickly, the teacher can ask them to name more places or more benefits of exercise, or demonstrate a different exercise movement they know. They can also be encouraged to explain *why* exercise makes them happy or strong.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have a clear, open space for pupils to move safely. Prepare your charts and pictures of exercise places and actions, and test the MP4 player and video link. The main idea children must understand is that moving their bodies (exercise) is fun and makes them strong and healthy. Encourage active participation throughout the lesson, especially during the song and video segments. Observe how pupils move and respond to gauge their understanding. Praise all efforts to encourage a positive attitude towards physical activity. Emphasise that exercise can be simple, like running, jumping, or dancing, and can be done anywhere, even at home.