This message and lesson plan is from our Children’s Participation in Eye Health and the Promotion of Good Vision resource book for teachers and educators. Read more about the book and download it now!

Message One

Keep eyes healthy by: 1. Keeping hands, face and eyes clean and free from flies; 2.Eating food rich in Vitamin A like eggs and milk, yellow and orange vegetables and fruits and leafy greens; 3. Being immunised; 4. Getting help for itchy, red or infected eyes; 5. Walking carefully when holding sharp objects.

Learning Objectives

• Children will know and feel able to share the message on How to Keep Eyes Healthy.
• Children can describe Facial Hygiene and why this is important.
• Children have reflected on the session.
• Children have planned a question to ask at home to discuss changes or developments in good health habits in the community where they live.

Preparation Most of the time in this session will go to learning and memorising the Five Actions message. Write the message onto the blackboard as a list of five phases (see below). Steps

1. Introductory activities, e.g. an icebreaker, game or The Memory Line.
2. Explain the Five Actions for Good Eye Health.
3. Divide the group into five and give each group one of the five phrases to learn and practice.
4. Go around the group as they practice their phrases – suggesting actions to go with each phrase. The actions should be simple and easy to understand. They only need to illustrate one part of the phrase. For example, the second and longest phrase could be the simple action of putting the fingers together and making a gesture to and from the mouth.
5. Ask the children to stand in a circle, but standing next to the others in their five groups (this activity can be done outside).
6. Ask each group to say their phrase out loud with the action starting with phrase 1.
7. This time ask the group to repeat the phrase after each group.
8. Repeat this but this time add the numbers and ask the children to use their fingers to gesture the phrases 1-5 as they say the numbers.
9. Ask the children in pairs or threes to practice all five phrases and repeat 2-3 times.
10. In the whole group repeat the whole message.

Reflection Circle In a circle, the children say in turn what they learned and enjoyed about this session. Closing Activity

Repeat the message together and ask those that know it to share with classmates, friends and family.

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