Week Six
Subject: Social Studies
Class: Primary Two
Week of the Third Term: 6th Week
Topic: Harmful Substances and How to Avoid Them
Subtopic: Ways of Preventing Intake of Harmful Substances
Instructional Objectives
At the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
- Identify at least three ways of preventing the intake of harmful substances.
- Explain why it is important to avoid harmful substances in their daily lives.
- Demonstrate how to practice safety in avoiding harmful substances.
Entry Behaviour
Pupils should already know what harmful substances are and have learned about examples of harmful substances in the previous lesson. They should be aware that certain substances can be dangerous to their health.
Instructional Materials
- Flashcards or real objects showing harmful substances and safety precautions (e.g., a locked cupboard, food with expiration dates, safe cleaning supplies).
- Posters showing ways to avoid harmful substances (e.g., don’t eat spoiled food, keep chemicals locked away).
- Textbook: Learn Social Studies Primary Book 2
- Video clip or images showing children practicing safety (e.g., washing hands, not touching chemicals).
Reference Materials
- Dangiwa, I., Bello, H., Caroline, E., & Adeola, A. (2017). Learn Social Studies Primary Book 2. West African Book Publishers Ltd. Lagos.
- Babalola, G. M. (2017). Social Studies for Primary Schools Book 2. Metropolitan Publishers. Lagos.
Content
Ways of Preventing Intake of Harmful Substances
It is important to take steps to avoid harmful substances. Prevention can help keep us healthy and safe. Some ways to prevent the intake of harmful substances include:
- Properly storing chemicals and medicines: Always keep chemicals, cleaning products, and medicines in a safe, locked place, out of the reach of children.
- Checking food expiration dates: Make sure that food is fresh and safe to eat. Never eat food that looks spoiled or has passed its expiry date.
- Avoiding cigarettes and alcohol: Children should never be around cigarettes or alcohol. These substances can cause serious health problems.
- Washing hands regularly: Always wash your hands before eating to avoid germs and bacteria.
- Using only safe products: Always ask an adult to check if the products you use are safe, like food, medicine, or cleaning supplies.
Lesson Presentation (Step-by-Step Procedure)
Step 1: Introduction
Ask pupils to recall some of the harmful substances they learned about in the previous lessons. Then, introduce the topic of preventing harm by asking them how they think they can avoid these substances.
Step 2: Explanation
Explain that there are simple ways to stay safe and avoid harmful substances. Discuss the ways of preventing the intake of harmful substances by emphasizing the importance of keeping things locked away, checking food freshness, and using safe products.
Step 3: Demonstration
Show the class how to check the expiration date on food packages. Demonstrate how to store cleaning chemicals in a locked cupboard and how to wash hands before eating.
Step 4: Guided Practice
Ask pupils to think of other ways they can stay safe. Guide them to identify safe practices, such as keeping food covered, not eating food found on the ground, and asking an adult to help with medicine.
Step 5: Independent Practice
Give pupils a worksheet that lists common situations (e.g., eating food without checking the expiration date, finding a medicine bottle on the table). Have pupils circle the unsafe actions and write down what they should do instead to stay safe.
Step 6: Feedback
Review the worksheet with the pupils, giving feedback on their answers. Encourage them to think of real-life examples of how they can avoid harmful substances.
Evaluation
- Formative Assessment: Observe pupils during class discussions and while completing the worksheet. Ask them questions like “What should you do if you find expired food in your house?” to assess their understanding.
- Summative Assessment: Ask pupils to explain at least three ways they can prevent the intake of harmful substances and why these actions are important.
Summary/Conclusion
Reinforce the lesson by summarizing the key points: We can stay safe by storing harmful substances properly, checking food expiration dates, avoiding dangerous products, and practicing good hygiene. Remind pupils that taking these steps will help keep them healthy.
Assignment
Ask pupils to make a list of five things they can do at home to prevent harmful substances from affecting their health. Encourage them to practice these actions and share their experiences in the next class.