Teaching Resources
The Year Programme
43 themed weeks across the four school terms. Today falls in Week 25 — Small Creatures - Insects and Bugs. Every week gives you the ring time, the words, one activity per learning area, a story, a song, an outdoor game, what to watch for, and a message to send parents.
SELECTED WEEK
Community Helpers - Health
20 Apr – 24 Apr 2026
Week 14
Meeting the clinic world in play reduces fear of doctors and injections and honours the people who care for us.
Well-being
Brave-at-the-clinic rehearsal: practise being weighed, opening wide and getting a pretend jab on a doll, with big deep breaths.
Identity & Belonging
'When I was a baby': order baby-child-adult picture cards and talk about how the clinic has watched you grow.
Communication
Clinic corner dramatic play - patients describe where it hurts in full sentences; the nurse asks questions and 'writes' notes.
Exploring Mathematics
Bandage measuring: cut paper bandages longer or shorter to fit a doll's arm, leg and finger; drum 10 heartbeats and count them.
Creativity
Make a class first-aid box - decorate it, roll cloth bandages, draw and cut a red cross for the lid.
Physical & the World
Stretcher teamwork: two children carry a 'patient' teddy on a cloth stretcher through a cone course without dropping it.
⏰ Morning ring
- Who helps us when we are sick?
- What happens at the clinic: weighing, measuring, sometimes an injection - brave talk
- Medicine safety: only from a grown-up, never sweets that look like pills
- Your clinic card tells how you have grown
📖 Story
Original: 'Nurse Tintswalo's Busy Day' - the clinic nurse helps a baby, a gogo and a boy with a cut knee, and everyone says thank you. Tell it wearing a paper nurse hat.
🎵 Song
'Miss Polly Had a Dolly' (traditional) - first line: 'Miss Polly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick'.
🏃 Outdoor
Ambulance runs - pairs 'drive' with a hoop steering wheel to rescue points, load a teddy gently, and return safely without crashing.
💬 Words this week
doctor nurse clinic sick medicine help better brave
udokotela (isiZulu - doctor)
unesi (isiZulu - nurse)
ngiyabonga (isiZulu/siSwati - thank you)
ndza khensa (Xitsonga - thank you)
👁 Watch and record
Fear responses in clinic play (plan comfort strategies); listen for mentions of missed clinic visits and remind parents about the Road to Health card.
🎓 Grade R stretch
Sequence 'sick day' picture cards (felt sick, told an adult, clinic, medicine, better) and retell in order; count heartbeat drumbeats in twos to 10.
📱 Message home to parents
Theme: Health Helpers. Show your child their clinic card and tell them about one visit. If any immunisations are due, this is a good week to catch up.
The whole year
14 January - 27 March 2026 (11 weeks, 53 school days; unified national calendar - no separate inland/coastal clusters in 2026)
Myself and My World: settling in, separation security, my body, senses, family and home. Colours red/blue/yellow/green, shapes circle/square/triangle, numbers 1-5.
8 April - 26 June 2026 (12 weeks, 54 school days; public holidays: Freedom Day Mon 27 Apr, Workers' Day Fri 1 May, special holiday Mon 15 Jun, Youth Day Tue 16 Jun)
My Community and the Working World: the people, places, helpers and transport around us, farm life, and winter. Numbers to 10, shape consolidation, positional language.
21 July - 23 September 2026 (10 weeks, 46 school days; National Women's Day observed Mon 10 Aug; Heritage Day 24 Sep falls in the holiday)
The Natural World and Our Heritage: wild animals, small creatures, water, plants, spring, birds, and Heritage Month. Numbers to 10 and beyond, patterns, measurement.
6 October - 9 December 2026 (10 weeks, 47 school days; learners close 9 Dec, educators 11 Dec)
The Wider World, Big Dreams and Celebration: life cycles, storms, sky, sea, money, aspirations, summer safety and the year-end concert. School readiness consolidation for Grade R.
