Nouns are Everywhere! Discovering People, Places, and Things!

English Language Arts Grades Pre-K 2:59 Video
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Lesson Description

A fun and interactive lesson using the Jack Hartmann 'What is a Noun?' song to introduce and reinforce the concept of nouns (people, places, and things) for Pre-K students.

Video Resource

What is a Noun? | Parts of Speech Song | Jack Hartmann

Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel

Duration: 2:59
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Nouns are words that name people, places, or things.
  • People, places, and things are all around us.
  • We can identify and categorize nouns.

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to define a noun as a person, place, or thing.
  • Students will be able to identify examples of people, places, and things in their environment.
  • Students will be able to categorize nouns into the groups of people, places, or things.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by reviewing classroom rules for listening and participation. Ask students if they know what words are. Explain that all things have names. Tell them they are going to watch a fun video about words called nouns, which name people, places, and things. Briefly explain what 'person', 'place', and 'thing' mean using simple examples (e.g., 'Person' - like you or your teacher; 'Place' - like our classroom or the playground; 'Thing' - like a toy or a book).
  • Video Viewing (3 mins)
    Play the Jack Hartmann 'What is a Noun?' video. Encourage students to sing along and clap to the beat.
  • Discussion (5 mins)
    After the video, review what a noun is. Ask: 'What is a noun?' (Answer: A person, place, or thing). Ask for examples from the video: 'What was a person in the song?' (Teacher, scientist, etc.) 'What was a place in the song?' (Library, schoolyard, etc.) 'What was a thing in the song?' (Bicycle, pencil, etc.)
  • Noun Scavenger Hunt (10 mins)
    Conduct a quick 'Noun Scavenger Hunt' in the classroom. Call out: 'Find a person!' (Students point to themselves, a classmate, or the teacher). 'Find a place!' (Students point to the classroom, the window showing outside, etc.). 'Find a thing!' (Students point to a desk, chair, book, etc.).
  • Noun Sorting Activity (7 mins)
    Prepare picture cards or real objects representing people, places, and things. Divide the whiteboard or floor into three sections labeled 'Person', 'Place', and 'Thing'. Have students take turns selecting a card/object and placing it in the correct category. Discuss each choice as a class.

Interactive Exercises

  • Classroom Noun Hunt
    Teacher calls out 'I spy a noun!' Students raise their hands and name a noun that they see in the classroom and state if it is a person, place, or thing.
  • Sing-Along
    Play the video again and encourage children to sing along, reinforcing the definition and examples of nouns.

Discussion Questions

  • What is a noun?
  • Can you name a person in our class?
  • Can you name a place we like to visit?
  • Can you name a thing you play with?

Skills Developed

  • Listening Comprehension
  • Vocabulary Development
  • Categorization
  • Identification of Nouns

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

A noun is a...

Correct Answer: Person, place, or thing

Question 2:

Which one is a PERSON?

Correct Answer: Teacher

Question 3:

Which one is a PLACE?

Correct Answer: Park

Question 4:

Which one is a THING?

Correct Answer: Chair

Question 5:

Is 'playground' a person, place, or thing?

Correct Answer: Place

Question 6:

Is 'brother' a person, place, or thing?

Correct Answer: Person

Question 7:

Is 'computer' a person, place, or thing?

Correct Answer: Thing

Question 8:

Which of these is something you can see in a library?

Correct Answer: Book

Question 9:

Which of these is a person who helps people?

Correct Answer: Firefighter

Question 10:

Which of these is something you can ride?

Correct Answer: Bicycle

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

A ________ is a person, place, or thing.

Correct Answer: noun

Question 2:

A __________ is a place where we can learn.

Correct Answer: school

Question 3:

Mommy is a ____________.

Correct Answer: person

Question 4:

A _______ is a thing you can write with.

Correct Answer: pencil

Question 5:

The _________ is a place where we can eat food.

Correct Answer: restaurant

Question 6:

A _________ is a thing you can kick.

Correct Answer: football

Question 7:

A _________ can sing.

Correct Answer: singer

Question 8:

A _________ is a place where you buy things.

Correct Answer: mall

Question 9:

A _________ is a relative in the family

Correct Answer: brother

Question 10:

An _________ is a place where you can work

Correct Answer: office

Educational Standards

PK.5.R.2:Students will hear different parts of speech through conversations, read-alouds, and interactive reading: concrete objects as persons, places, or things (i.e., nouns), words as actions (i.e., verbs), color adjectives, spatial and time relationships such as up, down, before, and after. PK.4.R.1:Students will name and sort familiar objects into categories based on similarities and differences with prompting. PK.2.F.2:Students will chorally recite familiar texts (e.g., rhymes, songs, poetry, etc.). PK.1.L.1:Students will actively listen using agreed-upon rules with prompting.

Teaching Materials

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