Grade 1 English Work – Occupations Notes
English — Work: Occupations
Simple grammar notes for children (age 6, Kenya). Use pictures and short practice sentences.
Specific Learning Outcomes
- Identify and name common occupations (teacher, farmer, doctor, nurse, driver, shopkeeper, cook, builder, tailor, police officer).
- Use the verb to be in short sentences: "I am...", "He is...", "She is...", "They are...".
- Use a / an correctly before an occupation: "a teacher", "an actor".
- Make simple plurals by adding -s: "a teacher" → "two teachers".
- Answer the question "What is he/she?" using short, correct sentences.
Occupations — Words to learn
(Use flashcards or draw pictures)
👩🏫 Teacher
She teaches children.
She teaches children.
👨🌾 Farmer
He works on a farm.
He works on a farm.
👩⚕️ Nurse
She cares for patients.
She cares for patients.
👨⚕️ Doctor
He helps sick people.
He helps sick people.
👨🔧 Builder
He builds houses.
He builds houses.
🧑🍳 Cook
She makes food.
She makes food.
🧑💼 Shopkeeper
He sells things.
He sells things.
🚗 Driver
He drives a bus or car.
He drives a bus or car.
🧵 Tailor
She sews clothes.
She sews clothes.
👮♀️ Police officer
They help keep people safe.
They help keep people safe.
Grammar Points (simple)
1. The verb "to be" to say jobs
Use short sentences:
- I am a teacher. (Use "I am")
- He is a driver. (Use "He is")
- She is a nurse. (Use "She is")
- They are doctors. (Use "They are")
2. Use "a" and "an"
Use "a" before words that start with a consonant sound. Use "an" before vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u).
- a teacher, a driver, a cook
- an actor, an engineer
Note: "a" + vowel rule helps children choose the correct word easily.
3. Plurals: more than one
Add -s to make more than one:
- a teacher → two teachers
- a nurse → three nurses
- a doctor → many doctors
4. Ask and answer
Use simple questions:
- What is he? — He is a farmer.
- What is she? — She is a teacher.
Suggested Learning Experiences (classroom)
- Flashcards: Show picture — children say "He is a driver." or "She is a nurse." (Use local images: classroom teacher, farmer in a field, shopkeeper at a stall.)
- Matching game: Match picture to word. Teacher checks "a/an" and correct sentence aloud.
- Role play: Children wear simple props (hat, apron) and ask "What is she?" Class answers: "She is a cook."
- Plural practice: Show one picture, then many. Ask "How many teachers?" Children say "Two teachers."
- Ask and answer pairs: In pairs, one child asks "What is he?" and the other answers. Swap roles.
- Drawing and labelling: Children draw a person and write "He is a ...", teacher helps with "a/an".
Tip for teachers: Use local examples (market seller, matatu driver, schoolteacher) so children recognise the jobs.
Practice — Say or write
- Look at a picture of a teacher. Say: "She is a teacher."
- Fill the blank: He is _____. (driver / doctor / farmer)
- Choose "a" or "an": ____ engineer. (an)
- Make plural: a shopkeeper → two _______. (shopkeepers)
- Ask and answer in pairs: "What is he?" — "He is a cook."
Use short sentences and lots of pictures. Repeat often. Praise children when they speak!
✅ 👩🏫 👨🌾 👨⚕️ 👩🍳 👮♀️