Eye Health & Good Vision Messages Seven & Eight

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!

Messages Seven & Eight

Our eyes are shaped like a small ball. The front part of the eye has a coloured circle: the iris and a smaller black circle: the pupil.

The pupil lets in light, like a window, so that we can see. Structures inside the eye focus light so that we can see clearly. The eyelid helps to protect the eye and keep out light when we sleep. Tears carried by the eyelid across the eye, wash away dirt and help keep our eyes clean. That is why we blink. Eyelashes help to keep out dust, dirt and flies.

Learning Objectives

• Children will know and feel able to share the two messages on Understanding Eyes.
• Children can name the main parts of the eye and describe how it functions in simple language.
• Children have reflected on the session.
• Children have planned a question to ask at home to learn how well their family can see.

Preparation

• Write out the two messages on the blackboard or give the children the messages on printed slips of paper.
• Draw the eye onto the blackboard and give children a printed copy of the eye or ask them to look at a digital version.

Steps

1. Introductory activities, e.g. an icebreaker, game or The Memory Line.
2. Ask the children to repeat the two messages several times using actions to show the different parts of the eye as they do so. As with the T zone activity, ensure the children do not touch their own or others eyes as this can spread germs!
3. In pairs or threes, look at the picture of the eye on the board, on the printed paper or the digital version.
4. Take it in turns to describe the picture to each other and to ‘name the parts’.
5. Repeat this without looking at a drawing.
6. Using a blank piece of paper, ask the children to create a new drawing of the eye together and label the parts.
7. Ask the children to exchange their drawing with another pair/three.
8. Go through the answers. For each correctly labelled part, ask the children to score the eye pictures one mark!
9. Using a hands up method find out how many children got:
   • full marks
   • full marks minus one; or
   • full marks minus two. If there are a lot of children who got less than ‘full marks minus two’, then repeat the activity at the next session.
10. Ask the children to take it in turns to look at each other’s eyes and describe the parts and then describe the uses of the parts (without touching).
11. Conclude the session with by saying the ‘Action Messages’ together.

Closing Activity

Encourage children to ask this Good Question in their families. It is worth noting that any family members over the age of 40 might be able to see clearly in the distance, but not up close (i.e. to read a book or thread a needle).

Can you see clearly? What do/would people in your family do if they cannot see clearly?

 

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