Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before this lesson, ensure you have a few small, easy-to-inflate balloons (one per pupil if possible, or enough for small groups), a hand fan, and charts or pictures showing things filled with air (like tyres, balls). The central idea is for pupils to understand that air is invisible but has important uses we can see and feel, especially for breathing, cooling, and filling things. Observe if pupils can imitate breathing and fanning, and show interest in the balloon inflation.

Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: Second Term
Week: 6
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Pre-Science
Curriculum Theme: Pre-Science
Previous Lesson: Not separately stated in the scheme. (Pupils have some general awareness of their surroundings.)
Topic: Uses of Air: Breathing, Cooling and Inflation
Subject Matter: Uses of Air: Breathing, Cooling, Filling Balloons, Tyres, Etc.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

Identify that we breathe air to live.
State that air helps us feel cool.
Name one thing that can be filled with air (e.g., a balloon).

Affective Domain

Show curiosity about the uses of air.
Participate actively in breathing and fanning activities.

Psychomotor Domain

Breathe in and out consciously.
Fan themselves with a hand fan.
Attempt to blow air into a small balloon.

Share instructional materials like hand fans and balloons with peers.
Take turns during practical activities.

Reference Materials

NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
Early Childhood Care and Education resources

Instructional Materials

Small, easy-to-inflate balloons
Hand fan
Charts or pictures showing:
- A person breathing
- Someone fanning themselves
- Inflated balloons, tyres, or balls
Small pieces of paper for pupils to fan themselves

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps 3-year-olds understand the invisible yet essential role of air in their daily lives. By engaging in simple, hands-on activities like breathing, fanning, and inflating balloons, pupils develop an early awareness of basic scientific concepts and how air affects them personally and the world around them.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have some general awareness of their environment and can feel wind or breeze. They know that they breathe, even if they don’t consciously understand “air.”

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Uses of Air: Breathing, Cooling and Inflation

Air is all around us, but we cannot see it. We can feel it!

1. Air for Breathing

We breathe in air to live.
We breathe in (take air in) and breathe out (let air out).

2. Air for Cooling

Air helps us feel cool when we are hot.
We can use a fan to make air move and cool ourselves.

3. Air for Inflation (Filling Things Up)

Air can fill up things and make them big.
We use air to fill balloons.
Air is also used to fill tyres of cars and bicycles, and footballs.

Key Words

Air – something all around us that we cannot see, but we can feel.
Breathe – to take air in and let air out of our bodies.
Cool – to make something less hot.
Balloon – a rubber bag that can be filled with air.

Air Everywhere Rhyme

Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Air, air, everywhere,
Though we cannot see it there.
We breathe it in, we breathe it out,
All day long, we move about.
Air, air, helps us cool,
When we fan ourselves at school.
Air, air, fills balloons,
Up they go, to reach the moon!

Actions:

“Air, air, everywhere” – wave hands around.
“We breathe it in, we breathe it out” – take deep breaths in and out.
“All day long, we move about” – gently sway side to side.
“Air, air, helps us cool” – fan face with hand.
“When we fan ourselves at school” – continue fanning.
“Air, air, fills balloons” – make a circle with hands to show a balloon.
“Up they go, to reach the moon!” – raise hands up high.

Watch and Learn About Air

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-w0u14W_2o

💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary

How to teach the content: Introduce air as something invisible but important. Use simple language. Point to the charts/pictures as you explain each use of air. Emphasize that we cannot see air, but we can feel it and see what it does.

What to show or demonstrate:

Breathing: Demonstrate breathing in and out, asking pupils to place a hand on their chest to feel it move.
Cooling: Use a hand fan to fan yourself and then pupils, letting them feel the cool air. Distribute small paper pieces for pupils to fan themselves.
Inflation: Show an uninflated balloon. Demonstrate blowing air into it to make it big. Show pictures of inflated tyres and balls.

How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the “Air Everywhere Rhyme” together, performing the actions. Repeat it 2-3 times to help pupils remember the uses of air.

How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to see more about air. Play the video “Uses of Air | Environmental Science | Kids Learning Videos” (approx. 2 minutes). After watching, ask pupils what new things they saw that use air (e.g., flying kites, drying clothes).

What to watch for: Observe if pupils are actively participating in breathing and fanning. Note if they show excitement or understanding when the balloon inflates. Correct any misconceptions gently, reiterating that air is invisible.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Questioning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to close their eyes and think about what is around them that they cannot see. “Can you feel anything on your skin when I wave my hand?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, close their eyes, and try to feel the air when the teacher waves a hand near them.

Learning Point: Pupils become aware of the invisible presence of air.

Step 2: Air for Breathing

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that we need air to live. “We breathe air in and out all the time.” The teacher demonstrates breathing in (taking a deep breath) and breathing out, asking pupils to place a hand on their chest to feel it move.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils imitate the teacher, breathing in and out, and feeling their chests move. They repeat “breathe in, breathe out.”

Learning Point: Pupils understand that breathing uses air and is essential for life.

Step 3: Air for Cooling

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Practical Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks, “What do we do when we are hot?” The teacher shows a hand fan and demonstrates fanning. “The air from the fan makes us cool.” The teacher gives each pupil a small piece of paper or a hand fan (if available) to try fanning themselves.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer the question, observe the teacher, and then fan themselves with the provided materials, feeling the cool air.

Learning Point: Pupils experience how air helps in cooling.

Step 4: Air for Inflation (Filling Balloons)

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Demonstration/Observation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows an uninflated balloon and asks, “What is inside this balloon?” The teacher then blows air into the balloon, inflating it. “Air makes the balloon big!” The teacher shows pictures of other things filled with air like tyres and balls.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher inflating the balloon, expressing wonder. They identify the inflated balloon and point to pictures of other air-filled objects.

Learning Point: Pupils learn that air can fill things up and make them bigger.

Step 5: Pupil Application – Inflating Balloons

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Support

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher gives each pupil a small, easy-to-inflate balloon and encourages them to try blowing air into it. The teacher provides assistance and praises effort, regardless of success.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils attempt to blow air into their balloons. Some may succeed partially, others will just explore blowing.

Learning Point: Pupils actively engage with the concept of inflation using air.

Step 6: Rhyme and Video Reinforcement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Media Integration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing the “Air Everywhere Rhyme” with actions. Then, the teacher plays the short video “Uses of Air | Environmental Science | Kids Learning Videos” to reinforce the concepts.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions and watch the video attentively, pointing out things they recognise.

Learning Point: Concepts are reinforced through song and visual media.

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.

“What do we do with air to live?” (Demonstrate breathing)
“Show me how you use air to cool yourself.” (Fan themselves)
“What did we fill with air today?” (Point to or name the balloon)

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarizing/Positive Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and summarizes that air is very important for breathing, cooling, and filling things. The teacher leads a final round of the “Air Everywhere Rhyme.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the summary and sing the rhyme one last time.

Learning Point: Pupils leave with a positive reinforcement of the lesson’s main points.

Lesson Keywords

Air – The invisible thing all around us that we breathe.
Breathe – To take air into our body and let it out.
Cooling – Making something less hot, like when we use a fan.
Inflation – Filling something with air, like a balloon.
Fan – Something we use to move air and cool ourselves.
Balloon – A rubber bag that gets big when we put air inside it.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who struggle, provide more one-on-one demonstration for breathing and fanning. Use larger, easier-to-handle balloons for inflation attempts. Offer hand-over-hand guidance for fanning. Repeat key words and actions more frequently.
Extension: Encourage advanced pupils to identify other things in the classroom or outside that might use air (e.g., curtains moving in the breeze, leaves rustling). Ask them to draw a picture of something that uses air.