Two Fat Gentlemen for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: First Term
Week: 4
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Songs and Rhymes
Curriculum Theme: Songs and Rhymes
Previous Lesson: Learning and reciting simple rhymes and songs.
Topic: TWO FAT GENTLEMEN
Subject Matter: Reciting the rhyme “Two Fat Gentlemen” and understanding the importance of courtesy and politeness.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Recite the rhyme “Two Fat Gentlemen” with actions.
• State the importance of greeting people.
• Identify and describe a fat man from a picture.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the need to always greet with courtesy.
• Value politeness in their interactions with others.

Psychomotor Domain

• Role-play the actions of the “Two Fat Gentlemen” rhyme.
• Colour a picture of a fat man.

Social Domain

• Demonstrate greeting with courtesy to their peers and teachers.
• Participate in group activities that promote polite behaviour.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources

Instructional Materials

• Storybooks (showing people greeting)
• Chart with the “Two Fat Gentlemen” rhyme lyrics
• Picture cards of people greeting each other
• Picture of a fat man for colouring
• Crayons and paper

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson introduces pupils to a fun rhyme that also teaches important social skills. Learning to greet with courtesy and be polite are foundational habits that help children interact positively with others, fostering good manners and respect from an early age.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can already recite some simple rhymes and are familiar with basic greetings like “Good morning” and “Hello.”

Lesson Content/Board Summary

TWO FAT GENTLEMEN

The rhyme “Two Fat Gentlemen” is a fun fingerplay that teaches us about greeting people politely. It shows two friends meeting and bowing to each other with good manners.

The Rhyme: Two Fat Gentlemen

Two fat gentlemen met in a lane,
Bow, bow, bow, and bow again.
How do you do? How do you do?
How do you do again?

This rhyme teaches us to:

• Always greet people when we meet them.
• Use polite words like “How do you do?”
• Show respect by bowing or nodding.
• Be friendly and courteous to everyone.

Key Words

• Gentlemen – polite word for men.
• Lane – a narrow road or path.
• Bow – to bend your head or body forward as a sign of greeting or respect.
• Courtesy – polite behaviour; good manners.
• Polite – showing good manners and respect for other people.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• A chart displaying the rhyme “Two Fat Gentlemen.”
• Draw two simple figures of ‘fat gentlemen’ on the board.
• Demonstrate the bowing action clearly.
• Show pictures of people greeting each other in different ways (e.g., shaking hands, waving, bowing).

Greeting and Politeness Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

When you meet a friend today,
“Hello!” is what you say.
“How do you do?” with a smile so bright,
Being polite makes everything right.
Thank you, please, and excuse me too,
Good manners for me and for you!

Actions: Wave hands when singing “Hello!”, put hands on cheeks for “smile so bright”, bow for “being polite”.

How to use the rhyme: Sing this song after reciting “Two Fat Gentlemen” to reinforce the general idea of greeting and politeness. Encourage pupils to perform the actions.

Watch and Practise

The teacher will show a video of the “Two Fat Gentlemen” rhyme to help pupils visualise the actions and words.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0f0m-8z14Q

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly. Asks pupils how they greet their parents, friends, and teachers in the morning. Initiates an open class discussion about the importance of greeting.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s greetings and questions, sharing how they greet people.

Learning Point: Pupils recall and discuss different ways of greeting.

Step 2: Introduction of Topic and Rhyme

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Introduction/Storytelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the topic “Two Fat Gentlemen” and tells a short, simple story about two friendly men who meet and greet each other politely. Shows a picture of two men greeting.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively to the story and look at the picture, anticipating the rhyme.

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

Step 3: Teacher Recitation and Explanation

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher recites the “Two Fat Gentlemen” rhyme slowly and clearly, demonstrating the actions (fingerplay for two gentlemen, bowing). Explains words like “gentlemen,” “lane,” and “bow.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the rhyme, observe the actions, and repeat new words after the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils hear the rhyme and understand key vocabulary.

Step 4: Guided Recitation and Actions

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Repetition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to recite the rhyme together, line by line, encouraging them to perform the fingerplay and bowing actions. Repeats several times for rhythm and memorisation.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils recite the rhyme with the teacher, performing the actions.

Learning Point: Pupils begin to memorise the rhyme and associate actions with words.

Step 5: Role-Play and Discussion on Courtesy

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Role-play/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher pairs pupils up for a simple role-play of the rhyme. Guides pupils to discuss the moral lesson: why it’s important to greet with courtesy and be polite. Asks, “What did the gentlemen do that was polite?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils work in pairs to role-play the rhyme, practising bowing and greeting. They share their thoughts on why courtesy is important.

Learning Point: Pupils apply the lesson of courtesy through role-play and verbalise its importance.

Step 6: Reinforcement through Song/Video

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Visual Aid

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing the “Greeting and Politeness Song” or shows the verified YouTube video of the “Two Fat Gentlemen” rhyme, encouraging pupils to sing and perform actions along.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song or watch the video, actively participating in the actions and repeating the words.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of greetings and politeness through different media.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

1. “Can you recite the ‘Two Fat Gentlemen’ rhyme for me?”
2. “Show me how the gentlemen bowed.”
3. “Why is it important to say ‘hello’ and ‘how do you do’?”
4. “Identify the fat man in this picture and colour him.” (Teacher provides a simple drawing of a fat man)

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate, including reciting, performing actions, and colouring.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson’s rhyme and social message.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the lesson by reminding pupils to always greet people politely and with a smile. Collects colouring work.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and pack up their materials.

Learning Point: Pupils are reminded of the key takeaway from the lesson.

Lesson Keywords

• Gentlemen – polite men.
• Bow – bend down head/body to greet.
• Courtesy – good manners.
• Polite – showing respect.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle, the teacher will provide more one-on-one repetition of the rhyme and actions, use larger picture cards, and guide their hands during the fingerplay. They can be paired with a stronger peer for role-play.
• Extension: For quicker learners, the teacher can ask them to identify other polite words or phrases they use daily, or create a short, simple dialogue using polite greetings beyond the rhyme. They can also demonstrate the role-play to the whole class.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have a clear chart of the rhyme and a simple drawing of a “fat man” ready for colouring. Practise the fingerplay and bowing actions beforehand so you can demonstrate them confidently. The main idea children must grasp is that the rhyme teaches them to be polite and greet people respectfully. Observe pupils during role-play to see if they genuinely understand the concept of courtesy, not just memorising the rhyme. Encourage shy pupils by inviting them to join in group recitations first, then gradually encourage individual participation. Understanding should be judged by their ability to recite the rhyme with actions and explain in simple terms why greeting is important.