Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you are familiar with the lyrics and actions of the song “Who Is in the Garden?” and have any props like animal masks or pictures ready for role-play. The central idea is for pupils to actively participate in singing and moving, developing their physical coordination and social skills. Create a safe, open space for movement. Successful learning will be observed as pupils confidently sing along and imitate the actions.

Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: First Term
Week: 7
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Physical & Health Education
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Simple movement activities and group songs.
Topic: SONG: “WHO IS IN THE GARDEN?”
Subject Matter: SONG: “WHO IS IN THE GARDEN?”

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

Recall the lyrics of the song “Who Is in the Garden?”.
Identify different animals mentioned in the song.

Affective Domain

Show enthusiasm while singing the song.
Enjoy participating in group singing and role-play.

Psychomotor Domain

Perform simple actions and movements associated with the song.
Imitate animal movements during the song.

Participate cooperatively in a group singing activity.
Take turns during role-play.

Reference Materials

NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3.
Early Childhood Care and Education resources.

Instructional Materials

Rhyme book/chart with song lyrics.
Pictures or puppets of garden animals (e.g., bird, cat, dog, rabbit).
Open space for movement.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson encourages physical activity and social interaction through singing and movement. At age 4, children benefit from engaging songs that promote language development, memory skills, and coordination, helping them express themselves and connect with peers in a fun, active way.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have previously participated in simple group songs and movement activities in the classroom. They are familiar with some common garden animals.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

SONG: “WHO IS IN THE GARDEN?”

This lesson focuses on singing and acting out the popular children’s song “Who Is in the Garden?”. The song encourages pupils to identify different animals and imitate their sounds and movements.

Song Lyrics: Who Is in the Garden?

Tune: Traditional children’s song tune

Lyrics:

Who is in the garden?
A little bird, so small.
Who is in the garden?
A little bird, so small.
Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet.
A little bird, so small.

Who is in the garden?
A little cat, so soft.
Who is in the garden?
A little cat, so soft.
Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow.
A little cat, so soft.

Who is in the garden?
A little dog, so loud.
Who is in the garden?
A little dog, so loud.
Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof.
A little dog, so loud.

Who is in the garden?
A little rabbit, so quick.
Who is in the garden?
A little rabbit, so quick.
Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop.
A little rabbit, so quick.

Actions:

Bird: Flap arms like wings, make “tweet” sound.
Cat: Gently stroke hands, make “meow” sound.
Dog: Bark, wag imaginary tail, make “woof” sound.
Rabbit: Hop around, put hands up like rabbit ears.

Key Words

Garden – An area of ground where flowers, fruits, or vegetables are grown.
Bird – An animal with feathers and wings that can fly.
Cat – A small, furry animal often kept as a pet.
Dog – A common pet animal known for barking.
Rabbit – A small animal with long ears and a short fluffy tail that hops.

Watch and Sing Along

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0f8uQdJ5B0

💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary

How to teach the content: Introduce the idea of a garden and ask pupils what animals they might find there. Display the song lyrics on a chart or board. Read each verse clearly, emphasizing the animal names and sounds. Encourage pupils to repeat after you.

What to show or demonstrate: Demonstrate each animal’s action and sound clearly. Use pictures or puppets of a bird, cat, dog, and rabbit to help pupils identify them. Show how to flap like a bird, stroke like a cat, bark like a dog, and hop like a rabbit.

How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the song slowly at first, encouraging pupils to join in. Repeat the song several times, gradually increasing the speed and energy. Encourage pupils to perform the actions for each animal as they sing. You can point to the animal pictures as you sing about them.

How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to sing and move with the song. Play the video once for pupils to watch and listen. Then, play it again, encouraging them to sing along and do the actions with the characters in the video. Discuss the animals they saw in the video and their movements.

What to watch for: Observe if pupils are attempting to sing along and perform the actions. Look for engagement and enjoyment. Encourage shy pupils to participate by joining them in the actions or giving them a small role (e.g., holding an animal picture).

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Imitation, Practical Activity, 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 if they like to sing. The teacher then asks what animals they might see in a garden.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and name some animals they know.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall prior knowledge about animals.

Step 2: Introduce the Song

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Introduction/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the song “Who Is in the Garden?” and shows pictures of the animals that will be in the song (bird, cat, dog, rabbit). The teacher sings the first verse of the song clearly.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and look at the animal pictures.

Learning Point: Pupils are introduced to the song and the animals involved.

Step 3: Learn the Song Lyrics and Actions

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher sings each verse of the song, demonstrating the actions for each animal. The teacher asks pupils to repeat the animal sounds and actions after her.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat the animal sounds and try to imitate the actions demonstrated by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils begin to learn the lyrics, sounds, and actions of the song.

Step 4: Group Singing and Movement

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Facilitation/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the entire song together, encouraging everyone to join in with the actions and animal sounds. The teacher moves around to ensure all pupils are participating.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song together, performing the actions for each animal.

Learning Point: Pupils practice singing and moving in a group.

Step 5: Video Reinforcement

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Aid/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the “Who Is in the Garden?” video for the pupils. The teacher encourages pupils to watch the actions in the video and sing along.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video, sing along, and try to imitate the movements shown.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their learning through visual and auditory stimulation.

Step 6: Role-Play and Turn-Taking

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Role-play/Social Skill Development

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks a few pupils to take turns pretending to be one of the garden animals, while the rest of the class sings the relevant verse and performs the actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Selected pupils role-play an animal, and others sing and act along. Pupils practice turn-taking.

Learning Point: Pupils develop confidence, creativity, and social skills.

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.

“Can you show me how a bird flies?”
“What sound does a cat make?”
“Let’s sing the verse about the dog together.”
“Who was in the garden in our song?”

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: Closure

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their active participation and singing. The teacher reminds them that singing and moving are fun ways to stay healthy and happy.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s praise and look forward to more songs.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and positive reinforcement.

Lesson Keywords

Garden – An area where plants grow.
Sing – To make musical sounds with your voice.
Move – To change position or place.
Animal – A living creature, like a bird, cat, or dog.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who are struggling with the actions, the teacher can provide hand-over-hand guidance or simplify the movements. Use larger, clearer pictures of animals. Encourage them to just make the animal sounds if singing is difficult.
Extension: For pupils who grasp the song quickly, encourage them to suggest other animals that might be in a garden and try to create a new verse with actions and sounds for those animals. Ask them to lead a small group in singing a verse.