Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade R

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• This week, we will be exploring our feelings and friendships. Understanding our feelings and how to make and keep friends is very important for all of us, especially young learners. It helps us to be happy and healthy, learn well in class, and get along with others in our community. In South Africa, where we have many different cultures and people, knowing how to respect each other’s feelings and be good friends is crucial for building a strong and united nation. Learning about feelings and friendships helps us to be kind, understanding, and supportive towards our classmates, families, and neighbours. This will contribute to a positive and welcoming environment for everyone.
• Learning Objectives:
• By the end of this week, learners will be able to:
• Identify and name at least four basic feelings (e.g., happy, sad, angry, scared) using visual aids and role-playing.
• Describe one way to show kindness to a friend and demonstrate this behaviour through a class activity.

Lesson summary

This week, we will be exploring our feelings and friendships. Understanding our feelings and how to make and keep friends is very important for all of us, especially young learners. It helps us to be happy and healthy, learn well in class, and get along with others in our community. In South Africa, where we have many different cultures and people, knowing how to respect each other’s feelings and be good friends is crucial for building a strong and united nation. Learning about feelings and friendships helps us to be kind, understanding, and supportive towards our classmates, families, and neighbours. This will contribute to a positive and welcoming environment for everyone.

Lesson notes

What are Feelings? Feelings are the different ways our bodies and minds react to things that happen around us or inside us. They are like a signal that tells us how we are experiencing something. It's okay to have all sorts of feelings – both happy and sad!

Happy: When we feel happy, we might smile, laugh, and feel good inside. We feel happy when we are playing with friends, eating our favourite food, or getting a hug from our family.

Sad: When we feel sad, we might cry, feel quiet, or not want to play. We feel sad when we miss someone, when we don't get what we want, or when someone is mean to us.

Angry: When we feel angry, we might clench our fists, shout, or feel hot. We feel angry when someone takes our toys, when we don't get our way, or when we think something is unfair.

Scared: When we feel scared, we might shake, hide, or feel our heart beat faster. We feel scared when there's a loud noise, when we are in the dark, or when we think something bad might happen. Important

Note: It is crucial to teach learners that all feelings are valid. We should not tell them to "stop feeling" a certain way, but rather teach them how to manage those feelings in a healthy way. What are Friendships? Friendships are special relationships we have with people we like and who like us back. Friends play together, help each other, and make each other feel good.

Making Friends: To make friends, we can smile, say hello, ask someone to play, or offer to share our toys. It's important to be kind and friendly to others.

Being a Good Friend: A good friend shares, takes turns, listens to others, helps when someone is sad, and doesn’t tease or bully.

Solving Friendship Problems: Sometimes friends argue or disagree. When this happens, it's important to talk to each other, listen to each other's side, and try to find a solution that makes everyone happy. We can also ask a teacher or grown-up for help. Why are Friendships Important?: Friendships help us feel happy and supported. They teach us how to share, cooperate, and solve problems. They also help us learn about different people and cultures.

Examples for South African Learners: Example 1 (Feelings): Sipho feels sad because his family doesn't have money for a new soccer ball. He can tell his teacher or his mom how he feels, and they can give him a hug or find a way for him to still enjoy playing soccer.

Example 2 (Friendships): Aisha and Thando both want to play with the same skipping rope. Instead of arguing, they can decide to take turns, each playing for 5 minutes at a time. This way, both of them get to have fun!

Example 3 (Dealing with Anger): Bongani is angry because Lerato called him a mean name. Instead of hitting Lerato, Bongani can tell her that it hurts his feelings when she says mean things. He can also walk away and take deep breaths until he feels calmer. He can also tell his teacher. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Zandi is playing with her doll, and Lindiwe wants to play too. What can Zandi do to be a good friend?

Solution: Zandi can be a good friend by sharing her doll with Lindiwe or by asking Lindiwe to play dolls with her. They can take turns being the mommy and the baby, or they can create a story together using the doll. This shows kindness and encourages cooperation.

Question 2: Sipho is feeling angry because another boy pushed him on the playground. What can Sipho do instead of pushing back?

Solution: Instead of pushing back, Sipho can: Tell the boy that he doesn't like being pushed. Walk away from the boy and take deep breaths to calm down. Tell a teacher or an adult what happened. This helps him manage his anger in a safe and responsible way.

Question 3: Amina's friend, David, is crying because he fell and scraped his knee. What can Amina do to help?

Solution: Amina can: Ask David if he is okay and offer him a comforting hug. Help David find a teacher or adult to clean his scrape. Stay with David until he feels better. This shows empathy and caring.

Question 4: Thato and Musa are building a tower with blocks. Thato keeps taking the blocks that Musa wants to use. How can they solve this problem?

Solution: Thato and Musa can: Talk to each other about which blocks they want to use. Take turns choosing blocks so that both of them get to build their part of the tower. Work together to decide how to use the blocks in a way that makes both of them happy. This fosters communication and cooperation. Independent Practice (Questions Only) Draw a picture of a time you felt happy. Write one sentence about why you felt happy. Nomusa's best friend is moving to a new school. How do you think Nomusa is feeling? What can she do to feel better? You see two children fighting over a toy car. What could you say to help them solve the problem peacefully? What are three things you can do to be a good friend to someone who is feeling sad? You are playing a game, and you lose. You feel angry. What can you do to calm down and play fairly?