Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v3 - Primary 3

Lesson Video

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

Performance objectives

• By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
• Explain several reasons why animals are considered living things.
• Identify specific characteristics of animals (e.g., movement, feeding, growth) that demonstrate they are alive.
• Describe basic similarities and differences between animals and plants as living things.

Lesson summary

This lesson focuses on understanding animals as living organisms within the Nigerian environment. Students will explore the fundamental characteristics that define animals as living things, differentiating them from non-living things, and drawing basic comparisons with plants. This knowledge is crucial for developing an appreciation for biodiversity, understanding the needs of pets and livestock common in Nigerian households and farms, and recognising the interconnectedness of living organisms in ecosystems like local forests or farmlands.

Teacher activity

• Begin by displaying pictures of various animals common in Nigeria (e.g., a cow, a chicken, a dog, a fish, a human child) and some non-living things (e.g., a stone, a chair, a car).

Evaluation guide

• Observation: Monitor student participation in class discussions and activities. Observe their ability to identify animals and articulate their characteristics.
• Question and Answer: Ask spontaneous questions during the lesson to check understanding (e.g., "Can a chair grow?", "What does a goat eat?").
• Thumbs Up/Down: Ask quick true/false questions and have students show thumbs up for true, thumbs down for false.
• Based on the provided Evaluation Guide:
• State five reasons why animals are living things.

Reference guide

• Specimen of animals in the localities