Lesson Plan: Exploring Positional Words and Everyday Concepts
Grade Level: Early Elementary (Grade 1 or 2)
Subject: English, Environmental Studies, and Motor Skills
Duration: 4-5 class periods (40 minutes each)
Objectives:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Use positional words (e.g., inside, outside, above, below, on, under) to describe the location of objects.
- Recite and enact simple poems about animals and trains.
- Identify and sort objects based on observable characteristics (e.g., color, type).
- Recognize the colors and structure of the Indian National Flag (Tiranga) and express feelings about national celebrations.
- Develop fine motor skills through drawing, coloring, and group activities.
- Collaborate in group games and discussions about everyday experiences (e.g., animals, trains).
Materials Needed:
- Printed copies of the poems (Pages 1, 2, 7) or whiteboard to write them
- Pictures from the document (e.g., cat, car, bed, train, flag) or hand-drawn equivalents
- Objects for games: white chalk, red ball, basket, buttons, leaves, beads, etc.
- Crayons/markers for coloring activities
- A small Indian National Flag (Tiranga) or a picture of it
- Waste materials (e.g., boxes, cans) for the train-making activity (optional)
- Worksheet with exercises from Pages 3, 5, 6 (e.g., encircle correct word, tick options)
- Ghungroo (bells) and textured surfaces for inclusive activity (Page 4, if applicable)
Lesson Outline
Day 1: Looking for My Furry Cat
Duration: 40 minutes
Objective: Introduce positional words through a poem and observation.
Activities:
- Warm-Up (5 min): Ask: "Do you have a pet? Where does it like to hide?" Encourage short responses.
- Poem Recitation (10 min):
- Read aloud the poem "Looking, looking, looking" (Page 1) with enthusiasm.
- Repeat slowly, asking students to join in. Add actions (e.g., mime looking around, patting a cat).
- Discussion (10 min):
- Show pictures (cat in backpack, on car, etc.) and ask: "Where is the cat? Inside or outside? Above or below?"
- Discuss animals they see around them (cats, dogs, cows, etc., Page 2).
- Activity (10 min): Encircle the Correct Word (Page 3)
- Provide a worksheet with pictures (e.g., red ball, cat, man, cow). Students circle the correct positional word (above/under/on, etc.).
- Wrap-Up (5 min): Ask: "Where might your furry cat hide at home?" Homework: Draw a picture of a cat and label where it is (e.g., "on the mat").
Day 2: Come to Me, My Furry Cat and Sorting
Duration: 40 minutes
Objective: Reinforce positional words and introduce sorting concepts.
Activities:
- Recap (5 min): Review the first poem and ask a few students to share their drawings.
- Poem Recitation (10 min):
- Read "Come, come, come" (Page 2) aloud, then recite with students. Encourage acting (e.g., beckoning, hopping).
- Point out positional words (bottom, top, above).
- Group Activity (15 min): Find the Things (Page 3)
- Divide into two teams. Team 1 hides objects (e.g., chalk, ball) and gives clues using positional words (e.g., "It’s under the table, near the chair"). Team 2 finds them.
- Switch roles if time permits.
- Sorting Introduction (5 min): Show buttons or leaves (Page 9) and ask: "How can we group these?" (e.g., by color, size).
- Wrap-Up (5 min): Ask: "What did you find? Where was it?" Homework: Answer "Think and Answer" (Page 3): Where do you put shoes/garbage?
Day 3: Throw the Ball and National Flag
Duration: 40 minutes
Objective: Practice in/out concepts and learn about the National Flag.
Activities:
- Recap (5 min): Quick Q&A on positional words from Day 2 activity.
- Game (15 min): Throw the Ball! (Page 4)
- Set up a basket. Each student throws a ball, and peers shout "IN" or "OUT."
- For inclusivity: Attach ghungroo to the ball and use textured surfaces (e.g., mat vs. floor) to differentiate by sound/touch.
- Direct Instruction (10 min): National Flag (Page 6)
- Show the Tiranga and ask: "How many colors do you see?" Discuss saffron (top), white (middle), green (bottom), and Ashoka Chakra (middle).
- Students complete worksheet: Tick correct colors and position of Chakra (Page 6, E).
- Activity (5 min): Students color a printed Tiranga and sing the National Anthem standing.
- Wrap-Up (5 min): Ask: "When do we hoist the flag?" (e.g., Independence Day, Republic Day). Homework: Draw a smile below a nose and eyebrows above eyes (Page 5, D).
Day 4: Chhuk Chhuk Goes Our Train
Duration: 40 minutes
Objective: Explore before/after concepts and share train experiences.
Activities:
- Recap (5 min): Review the flag colors and positions using student drawings.
- Poem Recitation (10 min):
- Read "Chhuk Chhuk Goes Our Train" (Page 7) aloud, then recite with students. Add train sounds and motions.
- Show a train picture and point out bogies before/after.
- Activity (15 min): Train Coloring (Page 7)
- Students count bogies after the engine and before/after the red bogie on a worksheet.
- Color bogies orange (after red) and blue (before red).
- Discussion (5 min): Ask: "Have you been on a train? What did you see?" Encourage questions from those who haven’t traveled.
- Wrap-Up (5 min): Ask: "What comes before/after your bogie in our train?" Homework: Draw a simple train with 3 bogies and label one red.
Day 5: Train Game and Project Work
Duration: 40 minutes
Objective: Reinforce positional concepts through play and organization.
Activities:
- Recap (5 min): Review train poem and check homework drawings.
- Group Game (15 min): Form a Train (Page 8)
- Students line up, holding shoulders, and sing: "Here goes our train…" Each child says who is before/after them.
- Example: "No one is before me, and Rohit is after me."
- Sorting Activity (10 min): Suwali’s Buttons (Page 9)
- Provide buttons/beads. Students sort into groups (e.g., by color, size) and explain why, like Suwali (Page 9).
- Project Work Intro (5 min): Arrange the Cupboard (Page 9)
- Assign pairs to organize classroom items using positional words (e.g., "Put books on the top rack").
- Wrap-Up (5 min): Discuss: "Why do we sort things?" Homework: Finish sorting buttons in another way (draw groups, Page 9).
Assessment:
- Formative: Participation in poem recitation, games, and discussions; accuracy in worksheets (Pages 3, 5, 6).
- Summative: Homework drawings (cat, train, flag) and sorting activity (Page 9).
- Observation: Engagement in group activities and use of positional words during games.
Extensions:
- Craft: Make a train from waste materials (boxes, cans) as a group (Page 7).
- Field Trip: Visit a nearby railway station or watch a train video to connect to the poem.
- Story Time: Read a short story about a cat or train and identify positional words.
Notes for Teachers:
- Keep activities short and lively to maintain young learners’ attention.
- Use visuals (pictures from the document or real objects) to support understanding.
- Ensure inclusivity: Adapt games (e.g., sound/touch for visually impaired students, Page 4).
- Encourage peer interaction during group tasks to build social skills.
This lesson plan blends language development (poetry, vocabulary), spatial awareness (positional words), and hands-on learning (games, crafts) to create an engaging experience for young students. Let me know if you’d like adjustments or additional details!
Videos
External
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx2gI8iwMCA&t=30s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zlq5tNl94M&list=PLSQl0a2vh4HBdHD0itijT1f_DUQfnYQ-G
Internal