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

• By the end of this week, learners should be able to:
• Identify and name at least five main body parts (e.g., head, arms, legs, eyes, mouth) and state one function for two of them.
• Sort a collection of pictures or items into 'healthy food' and 'unhealthy food' categories.
• Demonstrate the correct procedure for washing hands.
• Identify and describe the weather of the day (e.g., 'It is sunny and hot') and choose appropriate clothing for it.

Lesson summary

This week is dedicated to revising and consolidating the foundational Life Skills concepts covered throughout the term. For Grade R learners, repetition and revisiting topics are crucial for long-term retention and building confidence. This revision week acts as a bridge, ensuring that core knowledge is secure before introducing new concepts. In the South African context, these skills are vital for daily life. Understanding personal safety, healthy habits, family structures, and the natural environment helps learners navigate their world safely and confidently, whether they are in a bustling city like Johannesburg or a rural village in the Eastern Cape.

Lesson notes

This section breaks down the core concepts we are revising this week. The explanations are designed to be delivered in a simple, engaging way suitable for Grade R learners.

A. Personal and Social Well-being My Body: Our body is amazing! It helps us to play, learn, and grow. We have many different parts.

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

Eyes: We use our two eyes to see the world – our friends, our colourful toys, and the bright South African sun.

Nose: We use our nose to smell things, like delicious vetkoek cooking or the smell of rain on the ground.

Mouth: We use our mouth to eat our food, talk to our teacher and friends, and sing our favourite songs.

Arms and Hands: We use our arms to reach and our hands to hold things, wave hello, and draw beautiful pictures.

Legs and Feet: We use our legs and feet to walk, run around the playground, and kick a soccer ball.

Healthy Living: To keep our amazing bodies working well, we need to live in a healthy way.

Healthy Food: This is food that makes our bodies strong and gives us energy. Examples include mieliepap for breakfast, apples, bananas, morogo (spinach), carrots, chicken, and milk. These foods help us grow tall and think clearly at school.

Unhealthy Food (Treats): These are foods that taste nice but are not good to eat all the time. Examples include sweets, chips, and fizzy drinks. They have a lot of sugar and can make us feel tired if we eat too many. They are for special times only.

Keeping Clean (Hygiene): Washing our hands is one of the most important ways to stay healthy. We must wash them with soap and water before we eat, after we use the toilet, and after playing outside. This washes away tiny germs that can make us sick.

B. Beginning Knowledge My Family: Families come in all shapes and sizes, and everyone's family is special. A family is the group of people who love and care for us.

Members: This can include Mama (mother), Tata (father), Gogo (grandmother), Mkhulu (grandfather), Sisi (sister), and Bhuti (brother). Some children live with an aunt, uncle, or just one parent. All families are built on love.

Weather and Seasons: The weather is what it feels like outside each day. The weather changes with the seasons.

Weather Types: Sunny: The sun is shining brightly. It can be hot. We might wear a sun hat and play outside.

Cloudy: There are clouds in the sky covering the sun. It might not be as warm.

Rainy: Water is falling from the clouds. We need an umbrella or a raincoat to stay dry.

Windy: The air is moving fast. We can feel the wind blowing our hair and the trees.

South African Seasons: Summer: Hot and often rainy (in some parts of SA). We wear cool clothes like shorts and T-shirts.

Autumn: It starts to get a little cooler. Leaves on some trees change colour and fall.

Winter: It is cold. In places like Gauteng, it's dry and cold. In Cape Town, it's wet and cold. We wear warm jackets, beanies, and scarves.

Spring: It starts to get warmer. Flowers bloom, and everything becomes green and beautiful again. It’s a time for new life.

C. Creative Arts Visual Art: We use our hands and eyes to make art. This includes holding a crayon or pencil with a good grip (tripod grip) to draw shapes, lines, and pictures that tell a story, like a picture of our family or our home.

Performing Arts: We use our bodies and voices to perform. This includes singing songs we know, like 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes', moving our bodies to the rhythm of the music, and playing simple instruments like shakers or drums to keep a beat. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Activity 1: The 'Simon Says' Body Game Question/Instruction: The teacher leads a game of 'Simon Says' focused on body parts and their functions.

For example: "Simon says, touch your nose. What do we use our nose for?" or "Simon says, show me how you run with your legs." Worked Solution: Teacher says, "Simon says, point to your eyes." Learners point to their eyes. Teacher asks, "What do we do with our eyes?" Teacher guides learners to the answer: "We see with our eyes." The game continues with other body parts (ears, mouth, hands, feet), reinforcing both the name and function in a fun, active way.

Activity 2: Healthy Lunchbox Sorting Question/Instruction: The teacher presents a large drawing of a lunchbox and a collection of picture cards showing different foods (e.g., apple, sandwich, biltong, sweets, chips, water bottle, fizzy drink). The teacher asks, "Which of these foods should we pack in our healthy lunchbox to give us energy for school?" Worked Solution: The teacher picks up the picture of an apple. "Is an apple a healthy choice?" Learners respond "Yes!" The teacher places the apple card in the lunchbox drawing. The teacher picks up the picture of the sweets. "Are sweets a healthy choice for our lunchbox?" Learners respond "No!" The teacher explains, "That's right.