Primary 1 – without words

Resource Themes Context of Learning

What Do I Feel? – These lessons provide pupils with the opportunity to:

reflect on their emotions and how they express their feelings
begin to understand their own feelings and reactions
explore how these can change when others’ behaviours impact on them
encourage pupils to consider ways in which they can contribute and become more inclusive
reflect on their transition from nursery school and identify different feelings and personal development growth

What Do I Need? – These lessons provide pupils with the opportunity to:

consider how they have become more independent as they grow
recognise that they still need help with many things and realise that this is true for everyone
consider how they learn to do new things and acquire new skills
reflect on their experiences from nursery school and be able to identify how their needs have changed

What Do I Want? – These lessons provide pupils with the opportunity to:

think about the things they want or need to help them to learn
explore where resources are located in the classroom
think about the kind of things they hope to learn or improve
reflect on their nursery experiences and compare these with their Primary 1 learning experiences

What Do I Value? – These lessons provide pupils with the opportunity to:

identify positive qualities, talents or abilities about themselves, their friends and their families
identify what they value about themselves and others
reflect on their experiences at nursery school and review their values

What Do I Think? – These lessons provide pupils with the opportunity to:

develop their understanding of same and different
recognise things that they have in common with their classmates
understand that although we have things in common, everyone is unique

What Do I Choose to Do and Say? – These lessons provide pupils with the opportunity to:

acknowledge their own strengths and the strengths of their classmates
consider ways of helping in various situations
become more aware of the benefits of helping, both to themselves and to others
reflect on their experiences at nursery school and begin to recognise their own development

Health and Wellbeing Experiences and Outcomes

Theme – What Do I Feel?

HWB 0-01a I am aware of and able to express my feelings and am developing the ability to talk about them.

HWB 0-02a I know that we all experience a variety of thoughts and emotions that affect how we feel and behave and I am learning ways of managing them.

HWB 0-04a I understand that my feelings and reactions can change depending upon what is happening within and around me. This helps me to understand my own behaviour and the way others behave.

HWB 0-05a I know that friendship, caring, sharing, fairness, equality and love are important in building positive relationships. As I develop and value relationships, I care and show respect for myself and others.

HWB 0-44b I understand positive things about friendships and relationships but when something worries or upsets me I know who I should talk to.

Theme – What Do I Need?

HWB 0-03a I understand that there are people I can talk to and that there are a number of ways in which I can gain access to practical and emotional support to help me and others in a range of circumstances.

HWB 0-07a I am learning skills and strategies which will support me in challenging times, particularly in relation to change and loss.

HWB 0-13a Through contributing my views, time and talents, I play a part in bringing about positive change in my school and wider community.

HWB 0-16a I am learning to assess and manage risk, to protect myself and others, and to reduce the potential for harm when possible.

HWB 0-19a In everyday activity and play, I explore and make choices to develop my learning and interests. I am encouraged to use and share my experiences.

Theme – What Do I Want?

HWB 0-13a Through contributing my views, time and talents, I play a part in bringing about positive change in my school and wider community.

HWB 0-19a In everyday activity and play, I explore and make choices to develop my learning and interests. I am encouraged to use and share my experiences.

Theme – What Do I Value?

HWB 0-08a I understand that people can feel alone and can be misunderstood and left out by others. I am learning how to give appropriate support.

Theme – What Do I Think?

HWB 0-02a I know that we all experience a variety of thoughts and emotions that affect how we feel and behave and I am learning ways of managing them.

HWB 0-10a I recognise that each individual has a unique blend of abilities and needs. I contribute to making my school community one which values individuals equally and is a welcoming place for all.

HWB 0-13a Through contributing my views, time and talents, I play a part in bringing about positive change in my school and wider community.

Theme – What Do I Choose to Do and Say?

HWB 0-11a I make full use of and value the opportunities I am given to improve and manage my learning and, in turn, I can help to encourage learning and confidence in others.

HWB 0-13a Through contributing my views, time and talents, I play a part in bringing about positive change in my school and wider community.

HWB 0-14a I value the opportunities I am given to make friends and be part of a group in a range of situations.

HWB 0-19a In everyday activity and play, I explore and make choices to develop my learning and interests. I am encouraged to use and share my experiences.

Classroom Planner

Please use the planner provided in both PDF and Word format to record, assess and plan your programme of lessons. The template can be adapted to suit your school planning procedures.

View: Classroom Planner Primary 1

What Do I Feel? Lesson 1: Emotions

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

express emotions and know how these impact on our behaviour
reflect on our transition from nursery school

Ask pupils to form a circle. Remind pupils of the Happy and Sad Faces provided and ask pupils to identify each and how they know. Ask pupils to explain what they have in common (a smile). After establishing which card shows a happy face, ask all pupils to make a happy face. Ask pupils to think about things that make them feel happy then ask pupils to share some suggestions.

Explain that you have some new feelings illustrations, which are more detailed. Show the pupils the Different Feelings cards provided below and ask them to say what the person on the card might be feeling? Ask them to make the same face in relation to the feeling card.

Explain that you have some new feelings illustrations, which are more detailed. Show the pupils the Feelings cards, and ask them to say what the person on the card might be feeling? Ask them to make the same face in relation to the feeling card.

Encourage pupils to express their feelings and support them to develop their ability to talk about them.

Ensure that you have a good range of alternative words for them to use, for both happy and sad and display the cards on the learning wall.

View: Lesson 1: Happy Sad Faces

View: Lesson 1: Different Emotions Cards

Explain that people can feel different emotions at different times. No one feels happy all the time and this is okay. However, we should try to make sure that our actions don’t make other people feel sad or unhappy.

We are all affected by other people in terms of how we feel ourselves and this can also impact on how we behave in certain situations.

Discuss other emotions they may have using the following statements to explore a range of emotions:

I feel happy when I am……….
I feel sad when I…………
I feel excited when I………
I feel worried when I……….
I feel angry when I………
I am a good friend because I am…………
When I do something wrong I get………
Things I like doing make me…………
I am glad I am me because I am……………

Ask pupils to discuss how to make the classroom a happy place for everyone. Place particular emphasis on making sure that everyone is safe, included and no one feels left out.

Who should they talk to if they feel sad/unhappy/not included?

There is an opportunity here to introduce the concept of ‘duty of care’ in terms of wellbeing and, as far as possible, we have to ensure that children feel healthy, safe and included etc.

Reflect on their experiences at nursery school and discuss if they felt healthy, happy, safe and included and how they feel now. You may be able to visit the nursery school to remind them of the things they did and how they felt.

Refer to the Nursery Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Feel? Lesson 2: How do I feel when I play with my friends

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

recognise what makes ourselves and others happy or sad

Ask pupils to think about suggestions that were made in the previous lesson. Ask pupils to suggest feelings words using the Feelings cards provided below to support pupils’ thinking.

Ask pupils to draw a picture of themselves playing with their friends and allow pupils to ‘show and tell’ about their picture saying who the friend is and how they feel when playing with that friend.

Discuss their friendships and feelings and encourage them to express their feelings to the class.

Read Lissa, The Loud Llama from the Mojo and Friends Storybook then discuss the related questions.

View: Lesson 2: Feelings Cards

View: Lissa the Loud Llama Story

Extend the discussion further by asking pupils:

Do you ever feel left out in the playground?
Do you ever leave other people out in the playground?
What could you do to make sure the playground is a happy place for everyone?

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Need? Lesson 1: What can I do by myself?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

understand our growth and development needs

Explain to the children that they will be thinking about things that they can do by themselves and things with which they need help. Use the What can I do myself? activity provided below asking pupils to share if they are able to do the activities that you read aloud, and then if they were able to do the same activities for themselves when they were babies.

View: Lesson 2: What can I do by myself? Activity

Summarise the ways in which children are able to do more things by themselves as they grow older.

Ask children to share their understanding of why they are able to do more as they grow older and to draw 3 things they can do now by themselves and one thing they need help with.

Ask the class to think about things that they need help with in relation to their learning and to offer suggestions. Who or what helps them to learn and what is different about learning at school compared to nursery?

Explain that as we grow older, we are able to learn more things by ourselves, however, everyone needs help to do some things. Discuss who can help them to do things in the primary school classroom.

Ask pupils to draw 1 thing they have learned to do now by themselves and one thing they need help with.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Need? Lesson 2: What I have learned?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

• recognise how we are enabled to learn and who helps us to learn
• reflect on our learning experiences at nursery

Remind pupils of the previous lesson where they thought about all the things they could now do by themselves which they may have needed help with in the past. Ask each pupil to think of one thing which they are now able to do and what enabled them to learn how to do this.

You could support pupils’ thinking by using the example below:

“I can ride a bike on my own. I learned how to ride a bike when my parents helped me and showed me what to do.

Stabilisers on the bike helped me to learn too, because I wasn’t frightened of falling off.

Also, I can read. I learned to read in school, with help from my teacher and the learning assistant and I practised at home with my parents.”

Ask pupils to form a circle and to share one thing which they have learned to do since starting school. Explain what helped them to learn this thing.

Encourage all pupils to participate by offering to share or by listening carefully. Ask them to draw about what they have learned to do since coming to school.

Summarise with examples, that there are many different things that can help us to learn and that people learn in different ways – by saying or repeating, writing, doing, or making. You could draw attention to any buddying system that exists in your school for primary one pupils, illustrating how being shown can help you to find your way around, join in games, stay safe and manage risk.

Reflect on their experiences at nursery school and discuss what they could/could not do by themselves and if anything has changed.

You may be able to visit the nursery school to remind them of the things they did and what they could do to help themselves when learning. Ensure that they understand how much more they have learned and developed since nursery and ask them to think about what other things they can develop as they learn in the class.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Want? Lesson 1: What helps me to learn?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

find the resources we want or need to help us learn in the classroom

Remind pupils of the previous lesson where they thought about all the things they could now do by themselves which they may have needed help with in the past.

Discuss all the resources that are available in the classroom to help them to learn, it is important that when they want something they need to know where it is located. Explain where resources are stored, how they should be used and how they should be returned, thereby developing a sense of responsibility.

Ask pupils to think about their learning environment and to consider the following:

How will they ask for things they want to use?
Are there any rules about returning and storing resources?
Who should they speak to when they need help?

Ask each pupil to think of one thing which they are now able to do and what enabled them to learn how to do this. You could support pupils’ thinking by giving some examples and use the What helps me to learn? activity below that includes:

Why do they want to come to school?
What do they want to achieve in school?
How do they want to feel at school and in the classroom?
How do they want to be treated?
Do they want people to listen to them?
Why is it important to listen to each other?
How can they help each other?

View: Lesson 1: What helps me to learn? Activity

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Want? Lesson 2: What activities help me to learn?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

find out about activities we can do in primary school
recognise our development in learning by comparing our nursery experiences with those in Primary 1

Discuss with pupils the activities they can now do in the primary school to help them to learn. They will need help here to identify these as you should include classroom activities as well as playground activities and after school clubs.

Reflect with pupils on the particular activities that they took part in at nursery and the learning that took place. Share the similarities and differences between the nursery activities and their primary classroom activities in order for them to know what is different.

Ask pupils to participate in a turn-taking, sharing and social learning activity. Follow up with the What activities help me to learn? statements provided below by allowing the pupils to identify how it helped them to learn.

View: Lesson 2: What activities helps me to learn? Statements

Ask pupils to consider the things they can do now in the classroom, playground and after school clubs and ask whether these things involve taking turns, sharing, and listening.

Explain that these experiences also help then to learn.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Value? Lesson 1: What do I like and value about myself?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

recognise what we value and like about ourselves

Read Matthew the Monkey from the Mojo and Friends Storybook then discuss the related questions.

View: Matthew the Monkey Story

Additionally, focus on the following questions:

What makes Matthew special?
What does Matthew like about himself?
Is everybody special?
What makes people special?

Encourage pupils to share personal qualities in answer to this last question. Model an example yourself.

Using the shared responses ask children to think and share their responses to:

I am special because……
Something I like about myself is……….

If pupils find it difficult to say something they like and value about themselves, encourage other pupils to offer suggestions about positive qualities of their classmates, or make some suggestions yourself.

Take note of pupils’ responses about why they are special or things that they like and value about themselves, and use these to create a display – for example, a tree with Matthew the Monkey swinging by, and ‘Something I like and value about me is . . .’ statements on each leaf, or a wall with bricks where each brick contains a positive quality and a pupil’s name, or an image of your own choice.

Ask pupils if there is something they need to develop about themselves and how they are going to do this. Who will be able to support them?

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Value? Lesson 2: What do I like and value about my friends?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

recognise what we value and like about our friends

Remind pupils of the previous lesson where they identified what they liked and valued about themselves. Explain that they will be thinking about what they like (value) about their friends.

Discuss the following What do I value about my friends? questions provided below then ask pupils to share something about a new friend they have made since coming to school.

View: Lesson 2: What do I like and value about my friends? Questions

Support pupils to share what they like about their friends. Explain that the things we like about friends help us to make friendships with each other. When we have things in common with others this also help us to make friendships.

Ask them to think about things in the class that they like doing with others and how doing these things helps them to make and keep friendships.

Remind pupils that we are thinking about qualities, talents and abilities that people have, referring to the visual display from the last lesson for support.

Ask them to illustrate something they like about their friends and something they like doing with their friends. Ask them to share their illustrations with the class and to complete the following statements verbally.

I like my friend because ……………………………………………………………………………..

We like to play ……………………………………………………………………………. together.

Ask pupils to reflect back on their nursery, thinking about who their friends were then ask if they have the same friends now.

Ask them to think of the things they liked doing together in nursery and if these are the same things they do now. Discuss how they made new friends at school and the kind of positive shared experiences they have had.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Value? Lesson 3: What do I like and value about someone at home?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

recognise what we value and like about our family

Remind pupils of the previous lesson, where they thought about qualities they liked and valued about their friends e.g. loving, friendly, generous, kind, caring, helpful, forgiving, reliable, happy, funny, trustworthy, truthful and patient.

Explain that they will now be thinking about what they like and value about someone from their family using the What do I like and value about someone at home? activity provided below offering talents and abilities the person may have. This could be a grandparent, brother, sister or cousin etc.

View: Lesson 3: What do I like and value about someone at home? Activity

Ask them to draw a talent or ability that their chosen family member has and share it with the class. Support them by providing the following structure:

I have chosen my …………………………. as they are really good at ……………………..

I like my ……………………………..because ………………………………………………………..

Ask pupils to think about the things they liked about their chosen family member and compare what they like alongside what other pupils value in their families. This should raise awareness of shared family values at a basic level.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do You Think? Lesson 1: Same or different

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

recognise and understand the distinction between similarities and differences

This lesson is best done in a small group setting. Provide each group with coloured cubes or other materials in the classroom which are suitable for sorting and matching. Explain to pupils that they should work together in their groups to find pairs of objects which are the same and objects which are different.

Ask each group to show their selected ‘same and different’ objects to the rest of the class, and to share what is the same or different about each pair.

Display the prepared set of pictures and ask pupils to decide which of the six activities they prefer. Separate these from the set for reference.

Organise a pair and share activity to allow pupils to find something they do which is the same and something which is different.

Ask each pair to share their similarities and differences with the rest of the class. A child from each selected pair could share either:

I am the same as …………………………………………. because ……………………………………

I am different from ……………………………………….. because ………………………………….

Ensure that they understand that our similarities and differences are normal and positive. This will lead into learning about unique in a following lesson.

Summarise that we have lots of things in common with others that we might not expect and that some of these things are things that we cannot see, like interests and qualities. Ask the pupils if they have learned anything new about their classmates in this lesson in relation to appearance, choices, interests and preferences.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do You Think? Lesson 2: Just the same

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

• recognise when things are the same

This lesson is best done in a small group setting, and could be run alongside other classroom activities until all children have played the Just The Same Cards game. This is a more complex version of the game which the pupils may have played in nursery.

Explain to the group that this is a card game where instead of matching identical cards (as in Snap), you have to find one thing which matches between any two cards.

The game is played by placing all cards face down on a table. Each player takes a turn to turn over two cards and the other players ask ‘What’s the same?’ If the player can find one thing which is the same between the two cards, (such as the shape, colour, or object) they can keep the cards. When the cards run out, the player with the most cards wins the game.

View: Just The Same Cards

Ask pupils to find two things which they think are the same in:

the classroom
the corridor
the dining room
the playground

Once identified, develop the discussion and observations made to allow pupils to understand same and similar e.g.

Plants may be observed as being the same but they have different colours

Develop the discussion asking them what is the same and similar about them and their peers.

They could record their findings by making a sketch of themselves and two peers. Using two colours they could make connecting lines to indicate similarities and differences. This could be used to report back to the rest of the class.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do You Think? Lesson 3: What do we mean by unique?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

understand the meaning of unique

Show the children an object. This could be a shell or a plant in the classroom. Explain the following:

“This ________________ is unique. This means that even though there may be other ________s, there is no other ______________ which is exactly the same as this one.”

Photographs of identical twins could be used to extend the learning.

Are they identical?
Are they unique?
How can we tell the difference?

Stress the fact that all human beings are unique and that there is no one else exactly like us. This means that while we all have things in common with each other, (the similarities), we are also different from each other. Use the examples in What do we mean by unique? examples provided below that includes:

We are all human beings.
We are all at ______________________ school.
We are all in the same class.

But there are things about us which are different.

We have different families.
We live in different houses.
We have different qualities.
We have different interests.
We have different talents.

View: Lesson 3: What do mean by unique? Examples

Ask pupils to draw a picture of themselves, illustrating some of the things that make them unique. Create a class display using the drawings, with the title ‘We are all unique’.

Pupils could bring items from home which they consider to be unique. These could be used for sharing information at ‘Together Time’ or a ‘Show and Tell’ session.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Choose to Do and Say? Lesson 1: What are we good at?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

recognise our own unique blend of abilities and those of others

Begin the lesson by explaining that everyone is good at doing something. Remind them that they have identified things they are good at in previous lessons.

Ask children to form a circle. Pass an object around the circle, encouraging the child with the object to talk about something that they are good at doing, a talent they have or a quality.

When a child receives the object they can contribute if they wish, or pass the object onto the next child.

Some children may not have the language or understanding to contribute to every discussion, but can participate in the activity listening to others and being included in the discussions. Encourage the children to listen carefully when others are speaking.

After you have done this, explain that we have been thinking about what we are good at doing and how we express what we are good at to others. Ask pupils to think about another child in the class, and tell us what that person is good at.

Through this lesson, try to ensure that any child who did not contribute during the first part of the lesson is named and praised by another child in this round.

If a child has not been mentioned, talk about them when the object comes back to you at the end.

Use a two stars and a wish style activity to allow pupil’s to share two things they are good at and something they would like to be good at in the future. Explore who would help them achieve their wish and discuss the importance of knowing who to ask for help.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Choose to Do and Say? Lesson 2: How can I help other children?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

assist others and encourage both their learning and confidence

Remind pupils of the previous lesson, where they thought about what they were good at. Explain that they will now think about what they need help with or situations in the class or school where they can help other children – this might be about something that they know they are good at, that they talked about in the previous lesson, or something different.

Ask the children to think about and share how they help each other in the classroom and playground using the How can I help other children? examples provided below.

View: Lesson 2: How can I help other children? Examples

Ask for volunteers to role play scenarios in which help can be offered in situations to which Primary 1 pupils can relate.

Ask pupils to share suggestions of ways that they could help in these situations. Ask for volunteers to role play scenarios in which help can be offered.

Ask pupils to share what they have learned today in relation to assisting and helping others.

Focus the discussions on how they help each other and the choices they make when expressing themselves and offering help. List verbally or pictorially the many things which children can do to help each other.

Refer to the Primary 1 Lesson Plan that includes ideas and prompts to develop the learning experience.

What Do I Choose to Do and Say? Lesson 3: What happens when we help?

Learning Intention: We are learning to:

make positive choices that are of benefit to ourselves and others

Remind children about the previous lesson when they were thinking of different ways that they could help other children. Explain that in this lesson, they will be thinking about the impact of helping – in other words, what happens when we choose to help.

Highlight that when we help, we can make other people happy or better and we can also benefit ourselves through positive feelings, praise, rewards, learning new things, or making friends.

Explain that doing something to help others makes us feel good about ourselves and this is part of our wellbeing using the What happens when we help? examples provided below.

View: Lesson 3: What happens when we help? Examples

Ask each of the groups to act out a short piece of drama to show someone giving help to another child and what the impact was (what happened when they helped?). Ask each group to perform their short drama for the rest of the class. Discuss how it felt after the drama task.

Set pupils a group challenge which involves team work where they have to help each other e.g. constructing a junk model, tidying an area, creating a painting or collage etc. The groups must try to complete the challenge in the time given, but they must also ensure that every group member is involved in the challenge and that people in the group help each other.

After the challenges have been met, allow each group to explain to the rest of the class what each member of the group contributed to complete the challenge and discuss whether or not they managed to work as a team with everybody in their team helping each other. As a whole class consider: