Active learning ideas
Understanding the body is a core component of the 'Taking care of my body' strand in the NCCA curriculum. At the Junior Infant level, the focus is on naming external body parts and recognizing the amazing ways the body can move and grow. This builds the foundation for future lessons on hygiene, safety, and physical health.
Activity 01
Students use items like baby clothes, toddler shoes, and their current school jumpers to simulate the stages of growth. They work in groups to sequence the items from smallest to largest.
What are the names of my body parts?
Activity 02
Set up stations where children test what different body parts can do: a balance station for legs, a fine motor station for fingers, and a stretching station for the whole body.
How can my body move in different ways?
Activity 03
In pairs, one child lies on a large sheet of paper while the other traces their outline (with teacher help). They then work together to label or draw in parts like knees, elbows, and shoulders.
How have I grown since I was a baby?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Children often think that growth happens all at once, like a birthday present.
Explain that growth is a slow, continuous process. Using a height chart over several months allows students to see the gradual change, making the concept more tangible through observation.
Students might only name 'main' parts like arms and legs, ignoring joints.
Use movement games like 'Simon Says' focusing specifically on joints like wrists, ankles, and necks. Physical modeling helps them realize how these parts allow for complex movement.
Methods used in this brief
Who Am I?
Children explore their own physical features, names, and what makes them unique. They learn to appreciate their own individuality and build self-confidence.
8 methodologies
My Feelings
Children learn to name and express basic feelings such as happy, sad, angry, and scared. They explore how feelings affect their bodies and how to communicate them safely.
8 methodologies