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
Pets and Caring for Animals
8 Jun – 12 Jun 2026
Week 21
Empathy and daily responsibility - plus the dog-safety drill every rural child needs.
Well-being
'Stand like a tree' drill for scary dogs: arms folded, eyes down, dead still - practise calmly until every child can do it.
Identity & Belonging
My pet (or my dream pet) show-and-tell drawing, with its name and what it likes.
Communication
Vet-clinic dramatic play: bandage the teddies, give pretend injections, and tell the vet exactly what is wrong with your pet.
Exploring Mathematics
Match each animal card to its food card; count out water bowls for five dogs - one each, how many bowls?
Creativity
Sock or paper-bag puppy puppets; pinch small clay dog bowls and 'fill' them with stone kibble.
Physical & the World
Puppy agility course: crawl through the box tunnel, walk the plank, fetch the ball, drop it in the basket.
⏰ Morning ring
- Pets at home: dogs, cats - what are their names?
- What does a pet need every single day? Food, water, shade, kindness
- Dog safety: never touch a strange dog; stand still like a tree if one runs at you
- The vet is the animal doctor
📖 Story
'How Dog Came to Live with People' (African folk motif) - dog chooses the warm fire and friendship of people over the cold bush; now we must keep our side of the promise and care for dogs well.
🎵 Song
'Bingo' (traditional) - first line: 'There was a farmer had a dog, and Bingo was his name-o'.
🏃 Outdoor
'Doggy, doggy, where's your bone?' (traditional circle guessing game) - the dog guesses who hid the bone behind their back.
💬 Words this week
pet dog cat feed water gentle tail bark
inja (isiZulu - dog)
mbyana (Xitsonga - dog)
ikati (isiZulu - cat)
ximanga (Xitsonga - cat)
likati (siSwati - cat)
👁 Watch and record
Empathy behaviours in animal play; children fearful of dogs get extra calm drill practice; check garden-watering duty continues.
🎓 Grade R stretch
Keep a pet-care checklist with ticks for each day of the week; sort animal cards into pets, farm animals and wild animals.
📱 Message home to parents
Theme: Pets. If you have a dog or cat, give your child one small daily job like filling the water bowl. Teach them: never touch a dog you do not know.
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.
