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
Reptiles and Snake Safety
2 Nov – 6 Nov 2026
Week 38
Snakes, lizards and crocodiles are lowveld neighbours - respectful safety knowledge replaces panic.
Well-being
Snake-drill until automatic: freeze - step back slowly - tell an adult; plus shake-your-shoes and mind-the-long-grass habits.
Identity & Belonging
Reptiles I have seen: the gecko on the wall, the blue-headed lizard on the rocks - share sightings. Scared is okay, smart is better.
Communication
Daily wow-fact circle: the tortoise carries its house, the snake smells with its tongue - children retell today's fact to a partner in their own words.
Exploring Mathematics
Pattern snakes from bottle tops in repeating colours; order paper snakes by length and measure them in hand-spans.
Creativity
Egg-box crocodiles with zigzag paper teeth; stuffed stocking snakes decorated with repeating pattern scales.
Physical & the World
Slither commando-crawl races; cross the 'crocodile river' on stepping stones without touching the water; tortoise slow-race - the slowest controlled walker wins.
⏰ Morning ring
- The scaly family: snake, lizard, crocodile, tortoise
- Most snakes run away from people - they do not want trouble
- THE SNAKE RULE: stop, stand still, step back slowly, tell an adult
- Crocodiles live in rivers - another reason we never play at the water's edge alone
📖 Story
'The Monkey and the Crocodile' (folk tale) - Crocodile wants Monkey's heart; quick-thinking Monkey says he left it in the tree. Children shout advice to Monkey across the river rope.
🎵 Song
Original hissing chant - first line: 'S-s-s, says the snake in the grass' - with a finger-wiggle snake action.
🏃 Outdoor
'Crocodile, crocodile, may we cross the river?' (traditional SA playground game) plus snake-rope jumping over the teacher's wiggling rope.
💬 Words this week
snake lizard crocodile tortoise scales slither still safe
inyoka (isiZulu - snake)
nyoka (Xitsonga - snake)
ufudu (isiZulu - tortoise)
ingwenya (isiZulu - crocodile)
ngwenya (siSwati - crocodile)
👁 Watch and record
Safety-rule recall under excitement (the real test); slow-movement body control in the tortoise race - an inhibition/self-regulation marker; independent pattern making.
🎓 Grade R stretch
Sort reptile/not-reptile with reasons; measure the class snakes in cubes and order longest to shortest; practise writing the letter s as a snake.
📱 Message home to parents
Theme: Reptiles and Snake Safety. Practise the snake rule: STOP - STAND STILL - STEP BACK - TELL AN ADULT. Never let children play alone at the river, and shake out shoes before wearing.
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.
