Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before the lesson, prepare pictures or charts showing children crying for a real reason (e.g., scraped knee) and crying unnecessarily (e.g., for attention). Also, prepare pictures of children laughing appropriately (e.g., at a funny game) and laughing inappropriately (e.g., when someone falls). The central idea for pupils is to understand that crying and laughing are natural, but doing them for no good reason is a bad habit. Observe pupils’ ability to identify appropriate situations for these emotions and participate in role-play.
Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Second Term
Week: 4
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Personal Development
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Understanding different emotions
Topic: LAUGHING / CRYING UNNECESSARILY
Subject Matter: Why laughing or crying unnecessarily is a bad habit.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify situations where crying is necessary and unnecessary.
- Identify situations where laughing is necessary and unnecessary.
- State one reason why unnecessary crying is a bad habit.
- State one reason why unnecessary laughing is a bad habit.
Affective Domain
- Understand that unnecessary crying or laughing can disturb others.
- Appreciate the importance of showing emotions appropriately.
Psychomotor Domain
- Demonstrate appropriate reactions to simple situations (e.g., comforting a friend, showing respect).
- Participate in a short role-play about emotions.
Social Domain
- Listen respectfully to others during discussions.
- Share their thoughts on appropriate emotional responses.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Instructional Materials
- Pictures showing children crying for real reasons (e.g., hurt) and unnecessarily.
- Pictures showing children laughing appropriately (e.g., at a joke) and unnecessarily (e.g., when someone is sad).
- Charts with simple illustrations of good and bad habits.
- Puppets or dolls for role-play.
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson helps 4-year-olds understand that while expressing emotions is normal, doing so without a real reason can be disruptive and unhelpful. Learning to manage their expressions of crying and laughing appropriately helps children develop self-control, empathy, and better social interactions within the classroom and at home.
Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can identify different basic emotions like happy, sad, and angry. They also have a simple understanding of what makes them feel happy or sad.
Lesson Content/Board Summary
LAUGHING / CRYING UNNECESSARILY
A bad habit is something we do often that is not good for us or for others.
Why crying unnecessarily is a bad habit:
- It means crying when there is no real problem or when you are not hurt or sad.
- It can disturb your friends and teacher.
- People might not believe you when you cry for a real reason later.
- It can make you miss out on fun activities.
Example: Crying because you want a toy your friend is playing with, or crying to get attention when you are not hurt.
Why laughing unnecessarily is a bad habit:
- It means laughing loudly or for a long time when something is not funny, or when someone is sad or hurt.
- It can make others feel disrespected or sad.
- It can disturb your friends and teacher during lessons or quiet time.
- It can make you seem unkind.
Example: Laughing when a friend falls down, or laughing loudly during story time when nothing funny is happening.
It is good to cry when you are really hurt or sad. It is good to laugh when something is truly funny and joyful.
Key Words
- Bad habit – something we do often that is not good.
- Unnecessarily – without a good reason.
- Cry – to shed tears, usually when sad or hurt.
- Laugh – to make sounds of joy or amusement.
Our Feelings Song
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
When I’m sad, I might shed a tear,
When I’m happy, I will cheer.
But crying for no real reason, no,
And laughing when it’s not time to glow.
Let’s show our feelings, right and true,
Good habits are for me and you!
Actions:
- “When I’m sad, I might shed a tear” – gently wipe eyes.
- “When I’m happy, I will cheer” – raise hands in excitement.
- “But crying for no real reason, no” – shake head “no”.
- “And laughing when it’s not time to glow” – put finger to lips for quiet.
- “Let’s show our feelings, right and true” – point to heart.
- “Good habits are for me and you!” – point to self and then to friends.
Watch and Learn About Emotions
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Introduce the concept of “bad habit” with simple examples relevant to children (e.g., not sharing, not saying please). Use the prepared pictures to show examples of necessary vs. unnecessary crying and laughing. Ask pupils to describe what they see in each picture. Explain the reasons why each unnecessary action is a bad habit using simple, clear language. Emphasise that it’s okay to feel emotions but important to express them at the right time and for the right reasons.
What to show or demonstrate: Show the pictures of appropriate and inappropriate crying/laughing. Use puppets or role-play simple scenarios (e.g., one puppet crying for a toy, another laughing when a third puppet drops something) and ask pupils to identify if the action is necessary or unnecessary.
How to use the rhyme/song: Teach the “Our Feelings Song” line by line, demonstrating the actions. Sing it together several times, encouraging pupils to join in with the words and actions. Use it to reinforce the idea of showing feelings in the right way.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a way to learn more about feelings and how to show them. Play the video “When to Cry and When to Laugh | Emotions for Kids” (Kids Learning Tube). After watching, ask pupils what they learned about when it’s okay to cry or laugh, and what they should avoid.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils can distinguish between necessary and unnecessary emotional expressions. Watch for pupils who might struggle to understand the concept of “unnecessary” and provide extra examples or simpler scenarios.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
- Play-based Learning
- Demonstration
- Guided Practice
- Songs and Rhymes
- Picture Talk
- Question and Answer
- Role-play
- Repetition
Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engaging/Warm-up
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and starts with a quick “feelings check” asking pupils to show a happy face, a sad face, etc. The teacher then asks, “Do we always cry when we are sad? Do we always laugh when something is funny?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, make different facial expressions, and share their initial thoughts.
Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and begin to think about different emotions.
Step 2: Understanding Unnecessary Crying
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Picture Talk
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the term “bad habit” and explains it simply. The teacher shows pictures of children crying for real reasons (e.g., hurt knee) and crying for no real reason (e.g., for attention). The teacher asks, “Why is this child crying?” and “Is it a good reason to cry?” The teacher explains why crying unnecessarily is a bad habit.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures, answer questions, and listen to the explanation.
Learning Point: Pupils learn what unnecessary crying is and why it is a bad habit.
Step 3: Understanding Unnecessary Laughing
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of children laughing appropriately (e.g., at a funny game) and laughing unnecessarily (e.g., when someone is sad or falls). The teacher asks, “Why is this child laughing?” and “Is it a good time to laugh?” The teacher explains why laughing unnecessarily is a bad habit.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the pictures, answer questions, and participate in a short discussion.
Learning Point: Pupils learn what unnecessary laughing is and why it is a bad habit.
Step 4: Role-Play and Examples
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Modelling/Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses puppets or asks pupils to role-play simple scenarios. For example: “Your friend accidentally drops their crayon. Do you laugh or help them?” or “You want to play with a toy your friend has. Do you cry or ask nicely?” The teacher guides pupils to choose appropriate responses.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the role-play, suggest appropriate actions, and some may participate in simple role-play.
Learning Point: Pupils practise identifying and demonstrating appropriate emotional responses.
Step 5: Song Reinforcement
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Singing/Movement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing “Our Feelings Song” with actions. The teacher sings it a few times, encouraging all pupils to join in.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along with the teacher and perform the actions.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce the lesson’s message through song and movement.
Step 6: Video and Discussion
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Media Integration/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the video and plays “When to Cry and When to Laugh | Emotions for Kids”. After the video, the teacher asks pupils what they learned about when it is good to cry or laugh and when it is not.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and answer simple questions about its content.
Learning Point: Pupils gain further understanding of appropriate emotional expression through visual learning.
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.
- Is it good to cry unnecessarily? (As per seed)
- Show me a face when you are truly sad.
- Show me a face when something is very funny.
- What should you do if your friend falls down? (Laugh or help?)
- What is one reason why crying for no reason is a bad habit?
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: Summarising/Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the lesson by reminding pupils that it’s good to have feelings, but it’s important to show them at the right time and for the right reasons. The teacher praises pupils for their participation.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and respond to the teacher’s praise.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their understanding of showing emotions appropriately.
Lesson Keywords
- Bad habit – something we do often that is not good.
- Unnecessarily – without a good reason.
- Cry – to shed tears, usually when sad or hurt.
- Laugh – to make sounds of joy or amusement.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who struggle, provide more one-on-one picture talk, use only two contrasting pictures (one good, one bad example for each emotion), and give direct prompts for responses. Use hand-over-hand guidance for actions during the song.
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, ask them to give their own examples of when it’s okay or not okay to cry/laugh. Encourage them to explain why in simple terms. Ask them what they would say to a friend who is crying unnecessarily.
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