Using Tissue and Handkerchief When Coughing or Sneezing for Pre-School Level 2

Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: First Term
Week: 7
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Health Habits
Curriculum Theme: Health Habits
Previous Lesson: Covering the Mouth and Nose When Sneezing and Coughing
Topic: Using Tissue and Handkerchief When Coughing or Sneezing
Subject Matter: SIMPLE HEALTH HABITS Covering the Mouth and Nose When Yawning, Sneezing and Coughing). Weekly focus: Using Tissue and Handkerchief When Coughing or Sneezing.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify a tissue and a handkerchief.
• State why it is important to cover their mouth and nose when coughing, sneezing, or yawning.

Affective Domain

• Show willingness to use a tissue or handkerchief when they cough, sneeze, or yawn.
• Appreciate the importance of good hygiene for staying healthy.

Psychomotor Domain

• Demonstrate how to properly cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or handkerchief when pretending to cough.
• Demonstrate how to properly cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or handkerchief when pretending to sneeze.
• Demonstrate how to properly cover their mouth and nose with a tissue or handkerchief when pretending to yawn.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in group activities related to health habits.
• Understand that covering their mouth helps protect their friends from germs.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

• Actual tissues
• Clean handkerchiefs
• Picture cards showing children coughing, sneezing, and yawning into a tissue/handkerchief
• Chart posters illustrating proper hygiene
• Video on covering coughs and sneezes

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is crucial for 3-year-olds as it teaches them a fundamental health habit that prevents the spread of germs. By learning to properly use tissues and handkerchiefs, children develop personal hygiene skills that contribute to their own health and the health of those around them, especially in a school environment.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can identify parts of their body like the mouth and nose. They also have a basic understanding that some actions can make people sick.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Using Tissue and Handkerchief When Coughing or Sneezing

When we cough, sneeze, or yawn, tiny germs can fly out of our mouth and nose. These germs can make our friends and family sick. To be healthy and keep others healthy, we must always cover our mouth and nose.

How to Cover Your Mouth and Nose:

• When you cough: Quickly bring a tissue or handkerchief to cover your mouth and nose tightly.
• When you sneeze: Quickly bring a tissue or handkerchief to cover your mouth and nose tightly.
• When you yawn: Quickly bring a tissue or handkerchief to cover your mouth.

After using a tissue, throw it in the dustbin. If you use a handkerchief, keep it folded neatly and ask an adult to wash it for you later. Always wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or yawning, even if you used a tissue or handkerchief!

Key Words

• Tissue – a soft paper used to wipe your nose or mouth.
• Handkerchief – a small cloth used to wipe your nose or mouth.
• Cough – to push air out of your throat with a short, loud sound.
• Sneeze – to push air out of your nose and mouth suddenly.
• Yawn – to open your mouth wide and breathe in deeply when you are tired.
• Germs – tiny things that can make us sick.

Cover Up Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Cough, cough, sneeze, sneeze, cover up,
With a tissue or a hanky, up!
Don’t let germs fly all around,
Keep them safe, don’t make a sound.
Cough, cough, sneeze, sneeze, cover up,
Be a healthy, happy pup!

Actions: Pretend to cough and sneeze while bringing hands (or a real tissue/handkerchief) to cover mouth and nose. Point around for “germs fly all around.” Give a thumbs-up for “healthy, happy pup.”

Watch and Practise

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads a short song about staying healthy. The teacher then asks pupils if they know what to do when they cough or sneeze.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, sing along, and share their ideas about what to do when they cough or sneeze.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and introduced to the topic of health habits.

Step 2: Explanation and Demonstration (Why and What to Use)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains that coughing, sneezing, and yawning can spread germs. The teacher shows a tissue and a handkerchief, explaining that these are what we use to cover our mouth and nose. “When we cough or sneeze, germs can fly out. We use a tissue or handkerchief to catch the germs so they don’t make our friends sick.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively, observe the tissue and handkerchief, and repeat “germs” and “cover.”

Learning Point: Pupils understand the reason for covering and identify the correct materials.

Step 3: Guided Practice (Coughing)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Imitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates a pretend cough, showing how to quickly bring a tissue or handkerchief to cover the mouth and nose. “Now, let’s all pretend to cough and cover our mouths with our tissues/hankies!” The teacher guides pupils to practise.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils pretend to cough and practise covering their mouth and nose with their own tissues or handkerchiefs (or hands if materials are limited, but guided to use the correct item). They repeat the action several times.

Learning Point: Pupils practise the correct action for covering a cough.

Step 4: Guided Practice (Sneezing)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Imitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates a pretend sneeze (e.g., “Achoo!”), showing how to quickly cover the mouth and nose. “Now, let’s all pretend to sneeze and cover our mouths!” The teacher guides pupils to practise.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils pretend to sneeze and practise covering their mouth and nose with their tissues or handkerchiefs, repeating the action.

Learning Point: Pupils practise the correct action for covering a sneeze.

Step 5: Guided Practice (Yawning)

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Imitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates a pretend yawn, showing how to cover the mouth with a tissue or handkerchief. “When we are tired and yawn, we also cover our mouth. Let’s pretend to yawn and cover.” The teacher guides pupils to practise.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils pretend to yawn and practise covering their mouth with their tissues or handkerchiefs.

Learning Point: Pupils practise the correct action for covering a yawn.

Step 6: Reinforcement (Song and Video)

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Media Integration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Cover Up Song” with actions. The teacher then plays the video on covering coughs and sneezes, encouraging pupils to watch and imitate the actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song with actions and watch the video, trying to imitate the movements and actions shown.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their learning 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.

1. “What do we use to cover our mouth when we cough or sneeze?” (Show tissue/handkerchief).
2. “Why do we cover our mouth when we cough or sneeze?”
3. “Show me how you would cover your mouth if you suddenly coughed.”
4. “Show me how you would cover your mouth if you suddenly sneezed.”
5. “What should you do with a used tissue?”

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: Summarisation/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to always practise covering their mouth and nose to stay healthy. “Remember, covering your coughs, sneezes, and yawns keeps everyone healthy!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and say “Yes, teacher!” showing understanding and commitment to the habit.

Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to apply the learned health habit in their daily lives.

Lesson Keywords

• Tissue – a soft paper you use to wipe your nose or mouth.
• Handkerchief – a small cloth you use to wipe your nose or mouth.
• Cough – when air comes out of your mouth quickly, sometimes with a sound.
• Sneeze – when air comes out of your nose and mouth quickly, usually with an “Achoo!” sound.
• Yawn – when you open your mouth wide because you are tired.
• Germs – tiny things that can make you sick.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who find it difficult, provide larger tissues or handkerchiefs. Offer hand-over-hand guidance to help them position the item correctly. Repeat demonstrations slowly and frequently. Use more one-on-one verbal cues.
• Extension: Encourage pupils who grasp the concept quickly to explain to a friend why it’s important to cover. Ask them to identify other times they might need to cover their mouth (e.g., when dust is flying).