PRIMARY 1: HOME ECONOMICS – SECOND TERM | WEEK SIX

TOPIC: MAINTAINING PERSONAL HEALTH

A: TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS

1. Pictures showing healthy daily habits.
2. Soap and clean water.
3. Toothbrush and toothpaste.
4. Clean towel.
5. Pictures of healthy foods.
6. Drinking water in a clean cup or bottle.
7. Pictures showing children exercising, resting and sleeping.
8. Chart showing correct sitting and standing posture.
9. Pictures of clean and dirty surroundings.
10. Pupils’ writing books and pencils.

B: REFERENCE MATERIALS

1. Scheme of work.
2. Recommended Home Economics textbook for Primary 1.
3. Online educational resources.

C: PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE

The pupils have learnt how to care for the hair, ears, nose and eyes. They also know that keeping different parts of the body clean helps them to stay neat and healthy.

D: PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Explain personal health in simple words.
2. Mention habits that help to keep the body healthy.
3. State the importance of personal cleanliness.
4. Identify simple healthy foods and drinks.
5. Explain why rest and sleep are important.
6. Mention simple forms of exercise.
7. Demonstrate good sitting and standing posture.
8. Explain why the home and school surroundings should be kept clean.

E: CONTENT

Meaning of Personal Health

Personal health means taking good care of our body so that we can stay clean, strong and well.

A healthy child is able to:

• Learn.
• Play.
• Eat well.
• Sleep well.
• Carry out simple daily activities.

We can help ourselves stay healthy by practising good habits every day.

Healthy Habits

Some important healthy habits are:

1. Bathing regularly.
2. Brushing the teeth.
3. Washing the hands.
4. Wearing clean clothes.
5. Eating healthy food.
6. Drinking clean water.
7. Exercising and playing.
8. Resting and sleeping.
9. Sitting and standing properly.
10. Keeping our surroundings clean.

Simple Healthy-Living Chart

Healthy Habit	Why It Is Important
Bathing	Keeps dirt and sweat away
Brushing the teeth	Keeps the mouth and teeth clean
Washing the hands	Helps remove dirt and germs
Eating healthy food	Helps the body grow and stay strong
Drinking clean water	Helps the body work properly
Exercise and active play	Helps keep the body strong and active
Rest and sleep	Help the body recover and prepare for a new day
Clean surroundings	Help us live and learn in a healthy place

Personal Cleanliness

Personal cleanliness means keeping our body and the things we use clean.

We should keep the following clean:

• Body.
• Hair.
• Hands.
• Feet.
• Nails.
• Teeth.
• Clothes.

Good personal cleanliness helps us look neat and reduces the spread of germs.

Bathing Regularly

We should bathe regularly with:

• Clean water.
• Soap.
• Sponge.

Bathing helps to remove:

1. Dirt.
2. Sweat.
3. Unpleasant body smell.

After bathing, we should dry the body with a clean towel and put on clean clothes.

Brushing the Teeth

The teeth should be brushed regularly.

We use:

• Toothbrush.
• Toothpaste.
• Clean water.

Brushing helps to remove food particles and keep the mouth clean.

Pupils should remember the mouth-care habits learnt during the first term.

Washing the Hands

Our hands touch many things every day.

They can pick up dirt and germs.

We should wash our hands:

• Before eating.
• After using the toilet.
• After playing.
• After touching dirty objects.
• After blowing or wiping the nose.

Simple Handwashing Steps

WET THE HANDS

↓

ADD SOAP

↓

RUB THE HANDS

↓

WASH BETWEEN FINGERS

↓

RINSE WITH CLEAN WATER

↓

DRY

Handwashing with soap and water is an important healthy habit. Pupils should learn to make it part of their daily routine.

Wearing Clean Clothes

After bathing, we should wear clean clothes.

We should not continue wearing very dirty or sweaty clothes when clean ones are available.

Clean clothes help us:

• Look neat.
• Feel comfortable.
• Maintain good personal hygiene.

Eating Healthy Food

Our body needs food to grow, play and learn.

Healthy foods include different types of food.

Examples are:

Energy-Giving Foods

These help give us energy for work and play.

Examples:

• Rice.
• Yam.
• Garri.
• Bread.
• Maize.

Body-Building Foods

These help the body to grow.

Examples:

• Beans.
• Eggs.
• Fish.
• Meat.
• Milk.

Fruits and Vegetables

These are important parts of healthy meals.

Examples:

• Orange.
• Banana.
• Pawpaw.
• Mango.
• Carrot.
• Tomato.
• Green vegetables.

We should eat different kinds of healthy food rather than eating only sweets and snacks.

Drinking Clean Water

Water is important for the body.

We should drink clean and safe water.

Clean water helps us to:

1. Stay refreshed.
2. Replace water lost from the body.
3. Carry out normal body activities.

Water should be kept in a clean container.

We should not drink water that looks dirty or has been kept in an unsafe place.

Healthy Food and Less Healthy Choices

Choose More Often	Take Less Often
Fruits	Sweets
Vegetables	Candy
Beans	Too many sugary snacks
Fish and eggs	Too many sugary drinks
Clean water	Fizzy drinks
Proper meals	Too many snacks instead of meals

The aim is not to tell pupils that one food can never be eaten. They should learn that the body needs different healthy foods regularly.

Rest and Sleep

The body needs rest and sleep.

After playing, learning and doing other activities, the body becomes tired.

Rest helps the body relax.

Sleep helps the body prepare for another day.

A child should:

• Go to bed at a suitable time.
• Sleep in a comfortable place.
• Avoid staying awake very late without a good reason.
• Wake up ready for school and daily activities.

Enough sleep supports children’s health, concentration and learning.

Exercise and Active Play

Exercise means moving the body to keep it active and strong.

For young children, exercise can also happen through active play.

Examples include:

• Walking.
• Running.
• Jumping.
• Skipping.
• Dancing.
• Playing simple games.

Regular physical activity helps children stay active and supports healthy growth.

Exercise Safety

When playing or exercising:

1. Play in a safe place.
2. Avoid pushing other children.
3. Keep sharp objects away.
4. Drink clean water when necessary.
5. Rest when tired.

Good Posture

Posture means the way we hold our body when we sit, stand or walk.

We should learn to sit and stand properly.

Correct Sitting Posture

When sitting:

• Sit upright.
• Keep the back comfortable.
• Face forward.
• Keep the feet in a comfortable position.
• Avoid bending over the desk for a long time.

Correct Standing Posture

When standing:

• Stand upright.
• Keep the head up.
• Face forward.
• Balance the body well.

Simple Posture Guide

Good Posture	Poor Posture
Sitting upright	Bending too far over the desk
Standing straight	Slouching
Looking forward	Bending the neck unnecessarily
Carrying the school bag properly	Carrying a very heavy bag carelessly

Keeping the Environment Clean

Personal health also includes keeping the places around us clean.

We should help keep:

• The classroom clean.
• The home clean.
• The compound clean.
• The toilet clean.

Ways of Keeping the Environment Clean

We should:

1. Put rubbish inside a waste bin.
2. Sweep the floor when necessary.
3. Keep the classroom tidy.
4. Avoid throwing waste on the ground.
5. Keep toilets clean.
6. Keep food and drinking water properly covered.

Good hygiene and clean surroundings help children stay healthy.

Clean and Dirty Surroundings

Clean Surroundings	Dirty Surroundings
Rubbish is inside a bin	Rubbish is scattered around
Floor is clean	Floor is dirty
Toilet is kept clean	Toilet is left dirty
Water is properly stored	Dirty water is left around
Classroom is tidy	Classroom is untidy

A Healthy Day

A pupil can practise healthy living throughout the day.

MORNING

Bathe → Brush teeth → Wear clean clothes → Eat breakfast

SCHOOL TIME

Wash hands → Learn → Eat healthy food → Drink clean water → Play safely

EVENING

Wash up → Eat a healthy meal → Prepare for bed → Sleep

Healthy Habits to Remember

A healthy pupil should try to:

1. Keep the body clean.
2. Wash the hands regularly.
3. Brush the teeth.
4. Wear clean clothes.
5. Eat different healthy foods.
6. Drink clean water.
7. Exercise and play safely.
8. Rest and sleep.
9. Sit and stand properly.
10. Keep the surroundings clean.

F: LESSON PRESENTATION

F1: Teachers’ Activities

1. Revises the pupils’ previous lessons on caring for different parts of the body.
2. Explains personal health in simple language.
3. Displays pictures showing different healthy habits.
4. Demonstrates correct handwashing steps.
5. Shows pictures of healthy foods and asks pupils to identify them.
6. Explains why clean water is important.
7. Uses pictures to discuss rest and sleep.
8. Leads pupils in simple safe physical activities such as stretching, walking or gentle jumping.
9. Demonstrates correct sitting and standing posture.
10. Shows pictures of clean and dirty surroundings.
11. Guides pupils to identify healthy and unhealthy habits.
12. Asks simple oral questions and corrects pupils where necessary.

F2: Pupils’ Activities

1. Mention ways of keeping the body clean.
2. Identify healthy habits from pictures.
3. Demonstrate simple handwashing movements.
4. Identify familiar healthy foods.
5. State why clean water is important.
6. Mention activities they do for exercise.
7. Demonstrate correct sitting and standing posture.
8. Explain why rest and sleep are important.
9. Identify clean and dirty surroundings from pictures.
10. Mention ways of keeping their classroom and home surroundings clean.
11. Answer the teacher’s questions.

G: CONCLUSION

The teacher revises the meaning of personal health and the daily habits that help pupils stay clean, active and healthy.

The teacher reminds pupils to keep their bodies clean, eat healthy food, drink clean water, exercise, rest, sleep well and keep their surroundings tidy.

The teacher corrects pupils where necessary and encourages them to practise these healthy habits every day at home and at school.

H: EVALUATION GUIDE

Pupils should be able to answer the following questions:

1. What is personal health?
2. Mention five habits that help us stay healthy.
3. Mention three ways of keeping the body clean.
4. When should we wash our hands?
5. Mention three examples of healthy foods.
6. Why should we drink clean water?
7. Mention three forms of exercise or active play.
8. Why do we need rest and sleep?
9. Show how you should sit properly on a chair.
10. Mention two examples of good posture.
11. Mention three ways of keeping the environment clean.
12. Where should rubbish be put?
13. Mention three things a healthy pupil should do every day.

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