Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade R

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Name four feelings: happy, sad, angry, and scared.
• Know how our actions make others feel.
• Show kindness to others.
• Understand that people can feel differently about the same thing.

Lesson summary

This week in Life Skills, we will be exploring "Myself and Others." Understanding ourselves and how we relate to others is crucial for building a happy and healthy life. In South Africa, where we have a diverse culture and many different kinds of families and communities, it's especially important for us to learn how to treat everyone with kindness, respect, and understanding. Learning about our feelings, how to express them, and how to get along with our friends and family will help us become responsible and caring members of our community. We will be focusing specifically on identifying and naming feelings, recognising how our actions affect others, and practicing kindness.

Lesson notes

Understanding Feelings: Feelings, also known as emotions, are our body's way of telling us how we're experiencing the world. Recognizing and naming these feelings is the first step in managing them.

Let's explore some basic emotions: Happy: When we feel happy, we might smile, laugh, or feel energetic. Things that might make us happy include playing with friends, eating a yummy snack, or receiving a hug from someone we love.

Sad: When we feel sad, we might cry, feel quiet, or not want to play. Things that might make us sad include losing a toy, being told "no," or missing someone.

Angry: When we feel angry, we might clench our fists, stomp our feet, or want to shout. Things that might make us angry include someone taking our toy, not getting our way, or being teased.

Scared: When we feel scared, we might hide, tremble, or want to run away. Things that might make us scared include loud noises, being in the dark, or seeing a big dog.

Other Feelings: We can also feel excited, bored, surprised, and many other emotions.

Example 1: Thando's friend took her crayon without asking. Thando felt angry. She can express her anger by saying, "I feel angry when you take my crayon without asking. Please ask next time." Example 2: Sipho's grandmother came to visit. Sipho felt happy because he loves spending time with her. He showed his happiness by giving her a big hug.

Our Actions and Others' Feelings: What we do and say can have a big impact on how other people feel. When we're kind and helpful, we make others feel happy. When we're mean or unkind, we can make others feel sad or angry.

Example 3: Aisha shared her sweets with her friends at school. Her friends felt happy because Aisha was being kind and generous.

Example 4: Bongani pushed his friend on the playground. His friend felt sad and hurt because Bongani was being unkind.

Being Kind: Kindness is showing that you care about others. There are many ways to be kind, such as: Saying "please" and "thank you." Sharing your toys. Helping someone who is hurt or upset. Listening when someone is talking. Saying nice things to others.

Example 5: Zandi saw her friend crying. She asked her friend what was wrong and offered her a hug. This was a kind thing to do.

Different Feelings About the Same Thing: It's important to remember that people can have different feelings about the same thing. What makes one person happy might make another person sad. This is because everyone is different and has different experiences.

Example 6: Some children love playing with dogs, while others are scared of them. Both feelings are okay.

Collaborative Activities and Instructions: When working together, it's important to listen carefully to instructions and to work as a team. This means taking turns, sharing ideas, and helping each other.

Example 7: The teacher asks the class to build a tower using blocks. Each child takes a turn adding a block to the tower. They listen to each other and work together to build a tall and stable tower. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Nandi is playing with her doll, and she feels very happy. Draw a picture of Nandi's face and write the word "happy" underneath.

Solution: The drawing should show a smiling face. The word "happy" should be written clearly underneath.

Commentary: This exercise reinforces the link between a feeling and its facial expression.

Question 2: Lerato's ice cream fell on the ground. How do you think Lerato feels?

Choose one: happy, sad, angry.

Solution: Sad.

Commentary: Losing something you like usually evokes sadness, providing a common and relatable scenario.

Question 3: Sipho saw a big spider in his room. What emotion do you think he might be feeling?

Choose one: happy, scared, angry. What could someone say to help Sipho?

Solution: Scared. Someone could say something like, "It's okay, Sipho. Spiders are often more scared of us than we are of them. We can try to catch it and put it outside."

Commentary: This incorporates both identifying the emotion and thinking about a supportive response.

Question 4: You see your friend sitting alone and looking sad. What can you do to be kind to your friend? List one action.

Solution: I can go over and ask my friend if they are okay, and if they want to talk about what is making them sad. I could also offer them a hug or ask them if they want to play a game.

Commentary: This encourages empathy and proactive kindness. Independent Practice (Questions Only) Draw a picture of yourself when you are feeling angry. Your friend is crying because they scraped their knee. What would you say to them? Name two things that make you feel happy. Think of a time when you were scared. What made you feel that way? How can you be kind to your parents or guardians at home? Give one example. Your classmate took your pencil without asking. How do you feel? What should you do? Why is it important to be kind to others? Draw a picture of your face when you are feeling sad.