You will learn
- Name the main outside body parts.
- Say what some parts help us do.
- Point to and label parts on a drawing.
- Say that bodies are alike and different.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- We have a head, a body, two arms and two legs.
- Hands have fingers and feet have toes.
- Each part helps us do something.
- Everyone’s body is a little different.
Words to know
the top part of the body with the face
the part of the body from the shoulder to the hand
the part of the body we stand and walk on
one of the five parts at the end of the hand
1. Discover: Simon says
In class, the teacher plays “Simon says”. “Touch your head. Wave your arm. Clap your hands. Stamp your feet.” The children laugh and move. “Every part of the body has a name,” says the teacher.
Think: Which body parts did the children use?
2. Understand: Parts of the body
Idea 1: Head and face
The head has the face, hair, eyes, ears, nose and mouth. The neck joins the head to the body.
Idea 2: Arms, hands, legs and feet
We have two arms with hands at the end. Each hand has five fingers. We have two legs with feet. Each foot has five toes.
Idea 3: What parts do
Hands hold and write. Legs and feet help us walk, run and jump. Arms help us carry and reach. Every part helps us live and learn.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Name the part
You use it to write.
- Which part holds the pencil? The hand.
- Which parts hold it? The fingers.
- So we write with our hands.
Answer: We write with our hands and fingers.
Example 2 (We do it together): What helps us run?
A child runs a race.
- Which parts move? Legs and feet.
- Which parts swing? Arms.
- So we run with our legs and feet.
Answer: Legs and feet help us run.
Example 3 (You try): Count
Fingers on two hands.
Show the steps and answer
- One hand has five fingers.
- Two hands have ten fingers.
- Five and five make ten.
Answer: Two hands have ten fingers.
Did you know?
Each person’s fingerprints are different. Even twins have different fingerprints.
Why this matters
Knowing our body parts helps us look after ourselves and tell a doctor when something hurts.
4. Explore: Label the body
Draw a person and label the parts.
- Draw a person on paper.
- Write head, arm, hand, leg, foot.
- Count fingers and toes.
- Play a body-parts game.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Each part has a name and a job.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I think with my ___.
- I write with my ___.
- I walk with my ___.
- I have ten ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. How many arms do we have?
Two.
Question 2. How many legs do we have?
Two.
Question 3. How many fingers on one hand?
Five.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- How many arms do we have?
- How many legs do we have?
- How many fingers on one hand?
- What do we write with?
- What joins the head to the body?
Level 2: Grow
- What do our legs help us do?
- Name three parts of the head.
- How many fingers on two hands?
Level 3: Stretch
- Draw a person and label five parts.
- Explain what hands help us do.
- Why is it important to know body parts?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
What body parts do you use to play?
Show a sample answer
Legs, arms and hands.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Bodies are alike and a little different.
Fix: Some people write with their feet or mouth.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name the main outside body parts.
- I can say what some parts help us do.
- I can point to and label parts on a drawing.
- I can say that bodies are alike and different.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- We have a head, a body, two arms and two legs.
- Hands have fingers and feet have toes.
- Each part helps us do something.
- Everyone’s body is a little different.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: The five senses. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name four outside body parts. [4 marks]
- How many fingers on two hands? [1 mark]
- What do legs help us do? [2 marks]
- What do hands help us do? [2 marks]
- Draw a person and label two parts. [2 marks]
Total: 11 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Any four [1 each]
- Ten [1]
- Walk [1]; run or jump [1]
- Hold [1]; write [1]
- Drawing [1]; two labels [1]
Score guide: 10 to 11 = secure. 7 to 9 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 7 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- How many arms do we have?
- How many legs do we have?
- How many fingers on one hand?
- What do we write with?
- What joins the head to the body?
- What do our legs help us do?
- Name three parts of the head.
- How many fingers on two hands?
- Draw a person and label five parts.
- Explain what hands help us do.
Homework
Draw yourself. Label five body parts. Ask a family member to count fingers with you.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. How many arms do we have? | Two. | 1 |
| 2. How many legs do we have? | Two. | 1 |
| 3. How many fingers on one hand? | Five. | 1 |
| 4. What do we write with? | Our hands. | 1 |
| 5. What joins the head to the body? | The neck. | 1 |
| 6. What do our legs help us do? | Walk, run and jump. | 1 |
| 7. Name three parts of the head. | Eyes, nose, mouth, ears or hair. | 1 |
| 8. How many fingers on two hands? | Ten. | 1 |
| 9. Draw a person and label five parts. | A labelled body. | 1 |
| 10. Explain what hands help us do. | Hold, write, eat and carry. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Two.; 2 Two.; 3 Five.; 4 Our hands.; 5 The neck.. Level 2: 1 Walk, run and jump.; 2 Eyes, nose, mouth, ears or hair.; 3 Ten.. Level 3: 1 A labelled body.; 2 Hold, write, eat and carry.; 3 To tell a doctor what hurts..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name the main outside body parts | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Say what some parts help us do | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Point to and label parts on a drawing | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Say that bodies are alike and different | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Everyone has exactly the same body.” Bodies are alike and a little different.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Point to five parts and say what each does.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to name the outside parts of the body and what they do. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Sing a body parts song.
- Ask, “What do you use to eat?”
- Count fingers and toes together.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name the main outside body parts; say what some parts help us do; point to and label parts on a drawing; say that bodies are alike and different.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. Large paper, crayons, pencils and a picture of the body. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Draw a large body outline on the board. Prepare label cards.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Play Simon says with body parts.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the names and jobs of the parts.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners draw and label.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners play a naming game.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is this part called? What does it do?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Everyone has exactly the same body.” Bodies are alike and a little different.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 11-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Point to five parts and say what each does. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 5, topic 1; Next Generation Science Standards, from molecules to organisms (human body and senses); Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, humans and animals; IB Primary Years Programme, who we are. These sources informed the lesson.