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Science lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 45 minutes

Healthy habits: washing, sleep, exercise and water

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.K-LS1-1England: EYFS Understanding the World: The natural worldEngland: KS1 Y2 Animals, including humans

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Healthy habits: washing, sleep, exercise and water.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Body parts and the five senses

Leads to: Exercise and your body: heartbeat and breathing

Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Body parts and the five senses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which body part do you use for hearing a drum? (tongue / eyes / ears / skin) → earsPrompt: Is it about seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or touching?
  2. Which of these do you do with your nose? (listening to a song / smelling a flower / feeling a prickly cactus / hearing a drum) → smelling a flowerPrompt: Act out each one. Which body part are you using?
  3. Our senses: which statement is true? (We have five main senses. / Each part of the tongue can only taste one flavour. / We hear with our eyes. / Only fingers can feel touch.) → We have five main senses.Prompt: Think about what each body part does.

Hook · 5 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Healthy habits: washing, sleep, exercise and water. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Is this a healthy or an unhealthy habit: eating sweets all day?
  • Step 1: These habits can make you ill or tired.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: unhealthy habit
  • Answer: unhealthy habit
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Is this a healthy or an unhealthy habit: brushing teeth twice a day? (healthy habit / unhealthy habit) → healthy habitPrompt: Would this help your body grow, stay clean and feel rested?
  2. Why do we need sleep? (Our bodies and brains rest and grow while we sleep. / So the Moon can come out. / Sleep makes us hungry. / So we can eat more.) → Our bodies and brains rest and grow while we sleep.Prompt: How do you feel after a very short night?

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Why is it healthy to play actively every day? (It makes you shorter. / It makes your bones soft. / It stops you needing food. / It makes your heart, lungs and muscles stronger.) → It makes your heart, lungs and muscles stronger.Prompt: What happens to your heart when you run?
  2. Is this a healthy or an unhealthy habit: sitting still all day? (healthy habit / unhealthy habit) → unhealthy habitPrompt: Would this help your body grow, stay clean and feel rested?

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Body parts and the five senses.
  • Use concrete materials: stopwatches.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Exercise and your body: heartbeat and breathing.
  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/kindergarten.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Healthy habits: washing, sleep, exercise and water

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Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Why is it healthy to play actively every day?

    • A. It makes you shorter.
    • B. It stops you needing food.
    • C. It makes your heart, lungs and muscles stronger.
    • D. It makes your bones soft.

  2. Question 2

    Is this a healthy or an unhealthy habit: covering a sneeze with your elbow?

    • A. healthy habit
    • B. unhealthy habit

  3. Question 3

    Why do we need sleep?

    • A. So the Moon can come out.
    • B. So we can eat more.
    • C. Our bodies and brains rest and grow while we sleep.
    • D. Sleep makes us hungry.

  4. Question 4

    Is this a healthy or an unhealthy habit: playing outside?

    • A. healthy habit
    • B. unhealthy habit

  5. Question 5

    After running around you feel thirsty and hot. What is the best drink?

    • A. water
    • B. a fizzy sugary drink
    • C. a cup of syrup
    • D. nothing at all

  6. Question 6

    Is this a healthy or an unhealthy habit: sneezing into your hands and then touching food?

    • A. healthy habit
    • B. unhealthy habit

  7. Question 7

    Is this a healthy or an unhealthy habit: staying up very late every night?

    • A. healthy habit
    • B. unhealthy habit

  8. Question 8

    Is this a healthy or an unhealthy habit: getting a good night's sleep?

    • A. healthy habit
    • B. unhealthy habit

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Answer key: Healthy habits: washing, sleep, exercise and water

  1. 1. C. It makes your heart, lungs and muscles stronger.

  2. 2. A. healthy habit

  3. 3. C. Our bodies and brains rest and grow while we sleep.

  4. 4. A. healthy habit

  5. 5. A. water

  6. 6. B. unhealthy habit

  7. 7. B. unhealthy habit

  8. 8. A. healthy habit