Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade R

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• By the end of this week's activities, learners should be able to:
• Identify and name at least four main body parts (e.g., head, arms, legs, tummy) when prompted.
• Express and name at least two different feelings (e.g., happy, sad) using words, facial expressions, or drawings.
• Follow a simple two-step instruction related to classroom rules and routines (e.g., "Pack away your crayons and then sit on the mat").
• Identify and name the three primary colours (red, yellow, blue) and two basic shapes (circle, square) from a collection of objects.

Lesson summary

Overview This lesson serves as a vital consolidation of the foundational concepts introduced in the first two weeks of the term. For Grade R learners, repetition and revision through play are crucial for embedding knowledge. This week, we will revisit key themes including personal identity ('My Body' and 'My Feelings'), social cooperation (classroom rules), cognitive development (colours and shapes), and physical development (gross and fine motor skills). In the South African context, these themes are deeply relevant. Understanding and naming body parts and feelings empowers children to communicate their needs and experiences, a cornerstone of personal safety.

Lesson notes

My Body and My Senses Our body is our amazing home! It helps us to play, learn, and explore the world. It's important to know the names of our body parts.

Head: This is at the very top. It holds our brain, which helps us think. On our head, we have eyes, ears, a nose, and a mouth.

Arms and Hands: We have two arms. At the end of our arms are our hands and fingers. We use our hands to hold a crayon, build with blocks, and wave to our friends.

Legs and Feet: We have two legs. At the bottom of our legs are our feet and toes. We use our legs and feet to run, jump, and kick a ball.

Tummy/Belly: This is in the middle of our body. It's where our food goes to give us energy to play!

Our Five Senses: Our body uses senses to learn about the world.

Seeing: We use our eyes to see colours, shapes, and our friends' faces.

Hearing: We use our ears to hear music, our teacher's voice, and the birds singing outside.

Smelling: We use our nose to smell yummy food like vetkoek or beautiful flowers like proteas.

Tasting: We use our tongue in our mouth to taste sweet, salty, and sour things.

Touching: We use the skin on our hands and all over our body to feel if something is soft like a blanket or hard like a stone. My Feelings Feelings are what we feel on the inside. All feelings are okay to have, and it's good to talk about them.

Happy: This is a wonderful feeling! We feel happy when someone gives us a hug, or when we play our favourite game. When we are happy, we often smile.

Sad: We can feel sad if we miss our mommy or daddy, or if a friend won't share a toy. It's okay to cry when we feel sad.

Angry: We might feel angry if someone takes our toy without asking. When we feel angry, our body might feel tight. It's important to use our words, not our hands, when we feel angry. We can say, "I feel angry because..." Classroom Rules and Safety Rules help keep everyone in our classroom safe, happy, and ready to learn. They help us be good friends to each other.

We use listening ears: This means we listen when the teacher or a friend is talking. Why? So we can learn new things and understand each other.

We use kind hands and words: This means we don't hit, push, or say mean things. Why? To make sure everyone feels safe and respected.

We help to pack away: This means we tidy up the toys and books we were using. Why? It keeps our classroom neat and shows that we care for our things and our friends who will use them next. Colours and Shapes Colours and shapes are all around us! Learning them helps us describe what we see.

Primary Colours: These are special colours you can't make by mixing other colours.

Red: Like a tomato, a stop sign, or the 'red' in the South African flag.

Yellow: Like the sun, a banana, or a sunflower.

Blue: Like the sky, the ocean, or the 'blue' in the South African flag.

Basic Shapes: Circle: A round shape with no corners, like a ball or a plate.

Square: A shape with four straight sides that are all the same length, like a block or a window pane.

Triangle: A shape with three straight sides, like a slice of pizza or a roof on a drawing of a house. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Activity 1: The Feelings Mirror Question/Task: The teacher sits with a small group of learners in front of a mirror (or they can use a hand-held one). The teacher says, "Show me your happiest face! What makes you feel happy?" Then, "Now, show me a sad face. What might make you feel sad?" Worked Solution and

Commentary: The teacher first models a big, happy smile and says, "I feel happy when we sing songs together. Look at my happy face!" The teacher then encourages each child to make a happy face in the mirror and share something that makes them happy. This validates their feelings and links the word 'happy' to the expression. The teacher models a sad face (pouty lip, sad eyes) and says, "I feel sad when my plant doesn't get enough water. This is my sad face." Learners are prompted to show their sad faces. The commentary should focus on positive reinforcement: "Thank you for showing me your sad face, Jabu. It's okay to feel sad sometimes." Activity 2: Body Part Simon Says Question/Task: The teacher leads a game of "Simon Says" focusing on body parts. Worked Solution and

Commentary: The teacher explains the rule: "Only do it if I say 'Simon Says' first!" The teacher starts with simple, clear instructions: "Simon says touch your head." The teacher performs the action along with the learners to provide a visual cue.

The teacher continues: "Simon says wiggle your fingers," "Simon says stomp your feet," "Touch your nose." (This last one is a trick to check listening skills). The commentary is ongoing praise and gentle correction: "Well done, you are all touching your heads! Oh, Thabo, remember to wait for 'Simon Says'! Let's try again." Activity 3: The Shape and Colour Hunt Question/Task: The teacher gives each small group a hoop of a specific colour (e.g., a red hoop).