1. Start the Lesson by Creating a Scenario
Creating a scenario to help children visualize and lead them into the lesson is an excellent strategy that teachers should consider. For instance, when teaching about apples, a teacher could create a scenario where two rabbits are eating apples (one green and one red) and debating whether one apple tastes sweet and the other sour, or whether the green apple is different from the red one... Or, the teacher might create a situation where a farmer gives a gift of apples and engages in a conversation about the fruits.
Illustrative image (Source: internet)2. Begin the Lesson with Pictures or Images
For example, when teaching the lesson "Identifying Fruits," the teacher can show children a picture of a fruit that is partially covered, leaving just enough visible for the children to guess what it is. This can be done for different types of fruits, while engaging children in a conversation about colors, taste, and whether the fruit has seeds or not... The same method can be applied to topics like identifying animals, objects, or vegetables.
Illustrative image (Source: internet)3. Begin the Lesson with a Song or Poem
Introducing the lesson to children through singing or reading poems is a method that teachers often use. Depending on the topic of the lesson, the teacher can choose a song or poem that fits. For example, for a lesson on "Identifying Fruits", the teacher can sing a song about fruits, talk about different types of fruits, and introduce fruits related to the lesson.
Illustrative image (Source: Internet)4. Starting the Lesson with Role-Playing
For each lesson topic, the teacher can take on a character and interact with the children to lead them into the lesson. For instance, in a physical education lesson, the teacher could role-play as a mother bee, and the children as baby bees. The teacher might say, 'Children, the Queen Bee's birthday is coming up. To prepare a gift for her, I need you to collect the sweetest nectar. We will fly to the forest to find the best nectar. The path is difficult and bumpy, so we will follow me, the mother bee... (demonstrating various movements). Now, the flowers haven’t bloomed yet, so let’s all do the rooster’s call to wake up the sun and make the flowers bloom! (everyone mimics a rooster). To gather nectar, you need to be strong and agile, so let’s do some exercises to get fit! (demonstrating physical movements). Once we’ve collected enough nectar, we’ll return to our hive.' In another lesson on fruits, the teacher could dress as a clown and surprise the children by pulling fruits out of a box, asking them to identify them. 'Hello, kids! Today I have a special gift for you. Let’s see what’s inside!' After performing a little magic trick, the teacher might pull out a red apple, asking the children what fruit it is and what color it is. Then, the teacher could pull out a green apple and continue the identification game.
Illustrative image (Source: Internet)5. Starting the Lesson with a Game
For preschoolers, games and physical activities are especially engaging due to their fun and lively nature. Teachers can take advantage of this by incorporating a game related to the lesson’s theme to captivate the children’s attention. For example, when teaching about oranges, the teacher could organize a game called 'Juicing the Orange,' then guide the children into the lesson. Alternatively, the 'Magic Bag' game, where the teacher places 2-3 types of fruit inside a bag and asks the children to guess the fruit names, is also an exciting way to start the lesson.
Illustrative image (Source: Internet)