Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade R

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.

Performance objectives

• This week serves as a crucial checkpoint to review and solidify the foundational Life Skills concepts covered in the first six weeks of Grade R. The focus is on consolidation, ensuring that every learner has a firm grasp of essential personal, social, emotional, physical, and health-related knowledge before moving on to new topics. In the South African context, these skills are vital for navigating daily life safely and confidently. For a Grade R learner, understanding who they are, how to interact with others, how to stay healthy, and how to keep safe forms the bedrock of their holistic development and future learning. This revision week uses play-based activities, songs, and discussions to make remembering fun and meaningful.
• By the end of this week, learners will be able to:
• Identify and name at least five key body parts (e.g., head, shoulders, knees, eyes, ears).
• State their full name and the name of their teacher.
• Demonstrate the correct procedure for washing their hands with soap and water.

Lesson summary

This week serves as a crucial checkpoint to review and solidify the foundational Life Skills concepts covered in the first six weeks of Grade R. The focus is on consolidation, ensuring that every learner has a firm grasp of essential personal, social, emotional, physical, and health-related knowledge before moving on to new topics. In the South African context, these skills are vital for navigating daily life safely and confidently. For a Grade R learner, understanding who they are, how to interact with others, how to stay healthy, and how to keep safe forms the bedrock of their holistic development and future learning.

Lesson notes

This section revisits the core concepts from the beginning of the term. The teacher should use simple language, repetition, and lots of visual aids.

A. All About Me: My Body and My Identity What it is: This is about knowing who you are. Every child is special and unique. We start by learning our name because that is what people call us. We also learn about our amazing bodies.

Why it matters: Knowing your name is important so you can respond when called and tell someone who you are if you are lost. Knowing your body parts helps you talk about how you feel (e.g., "My tummy is sore") and helps you move and play.

Explanation: My Name: "My name is [Teacher's Name]. What is your name?" Practice saying names clearly. Emphasise that we must respect everyone's name.

My Body: Our bodies are wonderful! They help us to walk, run, see, hear, and think.

Let's remember some parts: Head: This is on top of your body. It holds your amazing brain!

Eyes: We use these to see the beautiful world. We have two eyes.

Ears: We use these to hear music, our friends, and our teacher. We have two ears.

Nose: We use this to smell yummy food like mama's cooking or beautiful flowers like proteas.

Mouth: We use this to talk, sing, and eat our food. Shoulders, Knees, and Toes: These help us bend and move.

Example (Song): Use the song "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" to physically point to and name the body parts. Sing it slowly at first, then speed it up for fun.

B. Healthy Habits: Staying Clean and Strong What it is: These are the things we do every day to keep our bodies healthy and stop us from getting sick.

Why it matters: When we are healthy, we have energy to play and learn. In South Africa, many people live close together, so washing hands is one of the best ways to stop germs from spreading and keep our whole community healthy.

Explanation: Handwashing: Germs are tiny, invisible things that can make us sick. They are on our hands after we play outside, use the toilet, or sneeze. We wash them away with soap and water.

How:

1. Wet your hands.

2. Use soap.

3. Rub your hands together and make lots of bubbles. Rub the front, the back, and in between your fingers. Sing 'Happy Birthday' twice to make sure you wash for long enough.

4. Rinse all the soap off.

5. Dry your hands well.

Healthy Eating: Food gives us energy. Some foods help our bodies grow strong and smart. Other foods are just for a special treat. 'Grow Foods' (Healthy): These are good for us every day.

Examples from South Africa include: pap, fruit (apples, bananas, oranges), vegetables (morogo, carrots, pumpkin), milk, and bread. 'Sometimes Foods' (Unhealthy): These have lots of sugar and are not good for our bodies if we eat them too much.

Examples include: sweets, chips, fizzy drinks, and cake. We can have them sometimes, like at a birthday party.

C. Staying Safe: At School and in the Community What it is: Safety means protecting ourselves from getting hurt.

Why it matters: Knowing safety rules helps us to be brave and smart. It helps us avoid accidents, especially around busy roads or with people we don't know.

Explanation: Stranger Danger: A stranger is someone you do not know. Most strangers are nice, but some are not. We never take anything from a stranger or go anywhere with a stranger. If a stranger tries to talk to you, you must shout "NO!" and run to a grown-up you trust, like your mom, dad, or teacher.

Road Safety: Cars, taxis, and buses move very fast on the road. Never run into the road, even if your ball or toy goes there. Always hold a grown-up's hand when you cross the street. Look left, look right, and then look left again before you cross.

School Safety: We do not run in the classroom. We use scissors carefully, pointing them down when we walk. We are kind to our friends and do not push or shove. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: The 'Simon Says' Body Game Activity: The teacher leads a game of 'Simon Says' focused on body parts and actions. For example, "Simon says touch your nose." "Simon says stamp your feet." "Touch your ears." (This last one is a trick, as 'Simon' didn't say it). Solution &

Commentary: The teacher observes if learners can correctly identify the body parts. If a learner touches their ears when Simon didn't say, the teacher gently explains, "Oh, you touched your ears! Remember, we only do it if Simon says. Let's try again. You're doing so well listening!" This provides immediate, positive correction and reinforces listening skills alongside body part recognition.

Question 2: Healthy Lunchbox Sorting Activity: The teacher has a real (or empty) lunchbox and a collection of food items/pictures (e.g., an apple, a sandwich, a yogurt, a small chocolate, a packet of chips, a juice box). The teacher asks, "If we want to pack a super-strong, healthy lunch, which of these foods should we put in our lunchbox?" Solution &

Commentary: The teacher guides the learners to choose the apple, sandwich, and yogurt.

The solution is explained: "Yes!