Understanding Environmental Quality: Healthy vs. Degraded Basic Science Primary 5 First Term Lesson Notes Week 2

Lesson Plan Presentation: Basic Science Primary 5 First Term

Subject: Basic Science
Class: Primary 5
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 9 years
Topic: Environmental Quality
Sub-topic: Understanding Environmental Quality, Healthy vs. Degraded Environment
Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioural Objectives:

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

1. Explain the meaning of environmental quality.
2. Assess the characteristics of a healthy environment.
3. Differentiate between a healthy environment and a degraded environment.
4. List the disadvantages of a degraded environment.
5. Identify and describe the factors that degrade the environment.

Keywords:

• Environmental Quality
• Healthy Environment
• Degraded Environment
• Pollution
• Sustainability

Set Induction:

The teacher will begin by showing pictures of different environments (healthy vs. degraded) and asking pupils to describe what they see.

Entry Behaviour:

Pupils are familiar with their immediate environment and can identify clean and polluted areas.

Learning Resources and Materials:

• Pictures of healthy and degraded environments
• Flashcards with key environmental terms
• Whiteboard and markers
• Group discussion worksheets

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge:

The teacher will connect the lesson to the pupils’ everyday experiences, such as the difference between clean and dirty playgrounds.

Embedded Core Skills:

• Critical thinking
• Collaboration
• Environmental awareness

Learning Materials:

• Textbooks (Lagos State Scheme of Work)
• Notebooks
• Writing materials

Reference Books:

• Lagos State Scheme of Work
• Basic Science Textbook for Primary 5

Instructional Materials:

• Printed images of different environments
• Flashcards
• Worksheets for group discussions

Content:

The lesson will focus on understanding what environmental quality is, the difference between a healthy and a degraded environment, and the factors that affect environmental quality.

1. Meaning of Environmental Quality:
   • Environmental quality refers to the state of the environment and how well it supports healthy living for humans, plants, and animals.
2. Advantages of a Healthy Environment:
   • A healthy environment provides clean air, water, and soil.
   • It supports a diverse range of plant and animal life.
   • It reduces the risk of diseases and promotes well-being.
3. Healthy vs. Degraded Environment:
   • Healthy Environment: Clean air, water, and soil; plenty of plants and animals; minimal pollution.
   • Degraded Environment: Polluted air, water, and soil; loss of plants and animals; high levels of pollution.
4. Disadvantages of a Degraded Environment:
   • Increased health problems such as respiratory issues.
   • Loss of biodiversity (plants and animals).
   • Reduced quality of life for people living in the area.
5. Factors That Degrade the Environment:
   • Pollution (air, water, and land).
   • Deforestation (cutting down trees).
   • Overpopulation (too many people in one area).
   • Poor waste management (littering, dumping waste improperly).

Evaluation:

Fill in the blanks with the correct options (a, b, c, or d).

1. Environmental quality refers to the ______ of the environment.
   a) Color
   b) Shape
   c) Condition
   d) Smell
2. A healthy environment provides clean ______.
   a) Air
   b) Food
   c) Noise
   d) Trash
3. Pollution is a major cause of ______ environments.
   a) Healthy
   b) Degraded
   c) Beautiful
   d) Green
4. Cutting down trees leads to ______.
   a) Deforestation
   b) Reforestation
   c) Farming
   d) Gardening
5. One disadvantage of a degraded environment is ______.
   a) Clean air
   b) Freshwater
   c) Health problems
   d) Sunshine
6. A healthy environment helps to reduce the risk of ______.
   a) Happiness
   b) Diseases
   c) Sports
   d) Parties
7. Overpopulation means there are too many ______ in one area.
   a) Plants
   b) Animals
   c) Trees
   d) People
8. Poor waste management leads to ______.
   a) Cleanliness
   b) Littering
   c) Recycling
   d) Planting
9. A healthy environment supports a diverse range of ______.
   a) Cars
   b) Plants and animals
   c) Buildings
   d) Roads
10. We can keep our environment healthy by reducing ______.
    a) Pollution
    b) Trees
    c) Water
    d) Soil
11. Deforestation leads to the loss of ______.
    a) Animals
    b) Soil
    c) Trees
    d) Water
12. An example of pollution is ______.
    a) Planting trees
    b) Burning trash
    c) Cleaning the park
    d) Recycling
13. The quality of our environment affects our ______.
    a) Money
    b) Health
    c) Toys
    d) Games
14. Littering in the streets is an example of ______.
    a) Good behavior
    b) Pollution
    c) Helping nature
    d) Planting flowers
15. A degraded environment can lead to the extinction of ______.
    a) Animals
    b) Cars
    c) Phones
    d) Clothes

Class Activity Discussion:

1. What is environmental quality?
2. How can we tell if an environment is healthy or degraded?
3. Why is it important to live in a healthy environment?
4. What are some advantages of a healthy environment?
5. What happens if we do not take care of our environment?
6. Can you name some factors that degrade the environment?
7. How does pollution affect our health?
8. Why is deforestation harmful to the environment?
9. What are some ways we can improve our environment?
10. How does overpopulation affect the quality of our environment?
11. What role does waste management play in environmental quality?
12. How can planting trees improve our environment?
13. What are the effects of poor air quality?
14. Why should we avoid littering?
15. How does a degraded environment affect plants and animals?

Presentation:

Step 1:
The teacher revises the previous topic, which was “Readiness Welcome Test.”

• Ask pupils to recall the importance of being prepared for the new term and discuss any challenges they faced in the previous lesson.

Step 2:
The teacher introduces the new topic as follows:

• Explain that today’s lesson is about understanding the environment and what makes it either healthy or degraded.

Step 3:
The teacher allows the pupils to give their own contributions and the teacher corrects the pupils when and where necessary.

• Organize pupils into small groups to observe and classify their immediate environment as either healthy or degraded.
• Guide discussions on the advantages of a healthy environment and the disadvantages of a degraded one.

Teacher’s Activities:

• Show images of healthy and degraded environments to stimulate discussion.
• Explain the key concepts of environmental quality.
• Facilitate group activities and discussions on environmental health.
• Provide feedback and guidance during group work.

Learners’ Activities:

• Observe and describe their immediate environment.
• Classify their environment as healthy or degraded in small groups.
• Discuss the advantages of a healthy environment.
• Identify and discuss the factors that degrade the environment.

Evaluation Questions:

1. What is the meaning of environmental quality?
2. How can we improve the quality of our environment?
3. What is pollution, and how does it affect the environment?
4. Why is a healthy environment important for living things?
5. What happens to animals in a degraded environment?
6. Name two ways that human activities degrade the environment.
7. What is deforestation, and why is it harmful?
8. How does poor waste management affect our surroundings?
9. Why should we protect our environment from pollution?
10. What are the benefits of having a diverse range of plants and animals in our environment?

Conclusion:

The teacher goes around to mark group discussions and provide feedback. The teacher also encourages pupils to practice good environmental habits at home and school.

More Useful Links 

• Understanding Erosion, Types, Causes, and Effects Basic Science Primary 5 First Term Lesson Notes Week 3