Special Days and Unique Celebrations Social Habits Nursery 1 Second Term

Lesson Plan for Special Days and Unique Celebrations

Subject: Social Habits
Class: Nursery 1
Term: Second Term
Week: 9
Age: 4-5 years
Topic: Special Days and Unique Celebrations
Sub-topic: Understanding Special Days and Celebrating Unique Events
Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioral Objectives

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

• Understand what special days are and why they are celebrated.
• Identify key special days celebrated in Nigeria.
• Appreciate the importance of respecting and celebrating these days.

Keywords

• Special Days
• Celebration
• Holiday
• Respect
• Importance
• Event

Set Induction

Ask the pupils:

• “Can you think of any special days you celebrate with your family?”
• “Why do you think we celebrate special days?”
  This helps to introduce the concept of special days and events.

Entry Behavior

Pupils may already have experience with celebrating personal special days (birthdays) and national holidays, such as Christmas.

Learning Resources and Materials

• Picture cards of special celebrations in Nigeria (e.g., New Year, Christmas).
• Posters of special days listed.
• Small props or costumes for role-playing different celebrations.
• Song lyrics for special days.

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge

Children may have attended or participated in some of these celebrations and have basic knowledge about them.

Embedded Core Skills

• Social Skills: Learning the importance of sharing and celebrating with others.
• Cultural Awareness: Understanding Nigerian holidays and respecting cultural practices.
• Creativity: Participating in songs and role-playing activities related to special days.

Learning Materials

• Posters showing images of each special day (e.g., New Year, Christmas, Independence Day).
• “Special Days” song lyrics.
• Holiday-themed props (hats, costumes, etc.).

Reference Books

• Lagos State Scheme of Work
• “Celebrations Around the World” by Tasha Williams
• “Holidays in Nigeria” by Linda Okafor

Instructional Materials

• Flashcards with pictures of different celebrations.
• A list of special days in Nigeria.
• Audio or video of traditional songs for celebrations.

Content

What are Special Days?

• Special days are unique celebrations that we observe to mark important events or people. These days are celebrated with joy, respect, and sometimes, special activities like songs, dances, and family gatherings.

Examples of Special Days in Nigeria

1. New Year’s Day (January 1st)
2. Valentine’s Day (February 14th)
3. Good Friday
4. Easter
5. Workers’ Day (May 1st)
6. Children’s Day (May 27th)
7. Id El Fitr (End of Ramadan)
8. Id El Kabir (Feast of Sacrifice)
9. Independence Day (October 1st)
10. Id El Maulud (Birth of the Prophet Muhammad)
11. Democracy Day (June 12th)
12. Christmas Day (December 25th)
13. Boxing Day (December 26th)

These special days are celebrated in different ways across the country, and each has its own meaning.

Importance of Celebrating Special Days

• Special days help us to remember important events in history or people who have made a difference in our lives.
• They bring us together to celebrate and appreciate life, work, culture, and religion.
• It’s important to respect these days and participate in the celebrations to honor their meaning.

Class Activities for Special Days

1. Class Discussion: Ask the pupils to name any special day they can remember. Discuss how they celebrate these days with their family.
2. Respecting Special Days: Teach the children why it is important to respect these special days and participate in their celebrations.
3. Song Creation: The teacher can compose simple songs related to different special days for the pupils to sing. For example, a song about Christmas or New Year’s Day.
4. Role-playing: Pupils can role-play different celebrations, such as Independence Day, Christmas, or Children’s Day, using props or costumes.

Fill-in-the-Blank Questions with Options

1. New Year’s Day is celebrated on ___ (January 1st, February 14th, May 1st).
   a) January 1st
   b) February 14th
   c) May 1st
2. ___ Day celebrates workers and their contribution to the country.
   a) Children’s
   b) Workers’
   c) Christmas
3. ___ is a holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.
   a) Christmas
   b) Id El Kabir
   c) Id El Fitr
4. The day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ is called ___.
   a) Christmas
   b) Good Friday
   c) Easter
5. Independence Day is celebrated on ___.
   a) October 1st
   b) December 25th
   c) May 27th
6. Valentine’s Day is celebrated on ___.
   a) February 14th
   b) June 12th
   c) December 26th
7. Children’s Day is celebrated on ___.
   a) May 1st
   b) May 27th
   c) June 12th
8. ___ Day marks the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.
   a) Id El Maulud
   b) Id El Fitr
   c) Good Friday
9. Democracy Day is celebrated on ___.
   a) June 12th
   b) January 1st
   c) December 25th
10. Easter is a celebration of the ___.
    a) End of Ramadan
    b) Birth of Jesus
    c) Resurrection of Jesus
11. Boxing Day is celebrated on ___.
    a) December 26th
    b) December 25th
    c) January 1st
12. Good Friday is part of the __ celebrations.
    a) Christmas
    b) Easter
    c) Id El Kabir
13. A special day to honor Nigeria’s independence is ___.
    a) Christmas
    b) Independence Day
    c) Workers’ Day
14. ___ is a holiday celebrated by Muslims at the end of Ramadan.
    a) Id El Kabir
    b) Id El Fitr
    c) Valentine’s Day
15. The holiday celebrated by Nigerians on the 1st of October is called ___.
    a) Democracy Day
    b) Independence Day
    c) Boxing Day

Class Activity Discussion

1. What is a special day?
   A special day is a unique celebration to remember an important event or person.
2. Why do we celebrate special days?
   We celebrate them to honor important events or people and share happiness with friends and family.
3. What day is New Year’s Day?
   New Year’s Day is on January 1st.
4. When is Valentine’s Day?
   Valentine’s Day is on February 14th.
5. What is celebrated on Children’s Day?
   Children’s Day celebrates the joy and rights of children, and it is celebrated on May 27th.
6. Why do we celebrate Christmas?
   Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, and it is celebrated on December 25th.
7. What is the meaning of Democracy Day?
   Democracy Day is celebrated on June 12th to honor the return of democracy to Nigeria.
8. How is Easter celebrated?
   Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
9. What is Id El Fitr?
   Id El Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting for Muslims.
10. When is Id El Kabir celebrated?
    Id El Kabir is a celebration of the Feast of Sacrifice, celebrated by Muslims at the end of Hajj.
11. Why do we celebrate Independence Day?
    Independence Day celebrates Nigeria’s independence from colonial rule, on October 1st.
12. What happens on Boxing Day?
    Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated on December 26th, following Christmas Day.
13. Why is Good Friday important?
    Good Friday marks the day Jesus was crucified, and it is part of the Easter celebrations.
14. What do we do on special days?
    We celebrate with friends and family, sing songs, dance, and sometimes give gifts.
15. What is the significance of special days in Nigeria?
    Special days help us remember important events in Nigerian history and celebrate cultural and religious traditions.

Presentation

Step 1: Revision of the Previous Topic

• Ask the pupils to recall and share any special days they have celebrated.

Step 2: Introduction of New Topic

• Introduce the new topic by explaining the concept of special days and their importance.

Step 3: Student Contributions and Corrections

• Allow students to mention any other special days they know and discuss them.

Teacher’s Activities

• Lead discussions, sing songs, and encourage students to share their experiences about special days.

Learner’s Activities

• Pupils actively participate in role-playing, song-singing, and class discussions.

Assessment

• Ask pupils to identify and name different special days.

Evaluation Questions

1. What is a special day?
2. Can you name some special days in Nigeria?
3. Why do we celebrate New Year’s Day?
4. What happens on Christmas Day?
5. Which day is Children’s Day?
6. When do we celebrate Valentine’s Day?
7. What is the significance of Independence Day?
8. How do we celebrate special days?
9. Can you name any holiday celebrated by Muslims?
10. Why is it important to respect special days?

Conclusion

• Recap the importance of special days and encourage pupils to celebrate and respect these occasions with joy and understanding.

Evaluation

Mention four public holidays in Nigeria

1. _______________________________
2. _______________________________
3. _______________________________
4. _______________________________