Part 1: Grammar — Introduction to Prepositions

1. Definition of a Preposition

A preposition is a word placed before a noun or a pronoun to show its relationship (such as direction, time, place, or location) to another word in the sentence. Prepositions help us understand exactly where or when an action takes place in relation to objects.

• Without Prepositions: The medical file is the table. (Confusing)

• With Prepositions: The medical file is on the table. (Clear position)

2. Simple Usage of Foundational Prepositions

For this level, we are focusing on five essential prepositions of place and position: in, on, under, at, and between.

                        ┌────────────────── Prepositions ──────────────────┐
                        │                                                   │
         ┌──────────────┼──────────────┬──────────────┼──────────────┐      │
         │              │              │              │              │      │
     ┌───┴───┐      ┌───┴───┐      ┌───┴───┐      ┌───┴───┐      ┌───┴───┐  │
     │  In   │      │  On   │      │ Under │      │  At   │      │Between│  │
     └───┬───┘      └───┬───┘      └───┬───┘      └───┬───┘      └───┬───┘  │
         │              │              │              │              │      │
      Inside a       Surface of     Directly       Specific       In the    │
      space or       an object      beneath an     point or       middle of │
      container                     object         location       two things│

A. In (Inside an enclosed space, container, or area)

Used when an object or person is surrounded by limits or boundaries.

• Usage: Inside a room, a box, a building, or a liquid.

• Sentence: The liquid antiseptic is in the brown bottle.

B. On (Resting upon a surface)

Used when an object is attached to or supported by a physical surface.

• Usage: On a table, on the floor, on the wall, on a bed.

• Sentence: Place the clean bandages on the stainless tray.

C. Under (Directly beneath or below an object)

Used when an object is covered or hidden by something directly above it.

• Usage: Under a table, under the bed, under a tree.

• Sentence: The waste bin is kept under the washbasin.

D. At (A specific point, target, or location)

Used to point out an exact destination, venue, or pinpointed spot.

• Usage: At the gate, at the clinic, at the bus stop, at the corner.

• Sentence: The nurse is waiting for the patient at the entrance gate.

E. Between (In the middle of two distinct things or people)

Used when looking at an object positioned in the intervening space separating two points.

• Usage: Between two chairs, between Emeka and Chidi.

• Sentence: The first-aid box is mounted between the window and the door.

Part 2: Vocabulary Development — Health, Hygiene, and Healthy Living

Maintaining a clean body and a safe living space prevents the spread of diseases. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of professional terms associated with healthcare and sanitation.

1. Personal and Environmental Hygiene

• Sanitation: The system of keeping places clean and healthy, especially by providing a clean water supply and sewage disposal.

• Antiseptic: A chemical substance used on living tissue (like skin) to kill germs and prevent infection.

• Disinfectant: A strong chemical agent used on non-living surfaces (like floors and desks) to destroy bacteria.

• Fumigation: The act of spraying chemical vapor or smoke into an area to completely eliminate pests, insects, or rodents.

2. Medical & Clinical Terms

• Phlebotomy: The medical practice of puncturing a vein, usually in the arm, to draw blood samples for laboratory testing.

• Venipuncture: The structural technique of inserting a needle into a vein to administer intravenous fluids, medicine, or withdraw blood.

• Infection Control: Policies and procedures used in clinics and schools to prevent the spread of diseases from one person to another.

• Contamination: Making something dirty, impure, or hazardous by exposing it to dirt, chemicals, or infectious germs.

3. Healthy Living Habits

• Balanced Diet: A meal containing the correct proportions of all essential food nutrients needed to maintain optimal health.

• Pathogen: A microscopic biological organism—such as a virus, bacterium, or fungus—that causes disease.

• Sterilization: The process of making something completely free from regular bacteria or living microorganisms by boiling, steaming, or chemical washing.

Part 3: Literature-in-English — Reading a Prose Text

1. Active Reading Strategies for Your Class Novel

When reading the selected prose text/novel recommended for this term, you should not just read for fun; you must read analytically. Use these three core steps:

• Character Tracking: Keep a small notebook to list characters as they appear. Note down their names, physical appearance, and character traits (whether they are good, proud, or kind).

• Setting Identification: Pay attention to where and when the story is taking place. Is it in a rural village? An urban secondary school? Is it set in modern times or ancient years?

• Plot Tracking: Follow the sequence of events. What is the main problem (conflict) the main character is facing, and how do they resolve it?

2. Differentiating Prose features from Drama and Poetry

As a reminder from our previous studies, remember that your class novel is a Prose text. This means:

1. It is structured beautifully in continuous sentences and paragraphs.

2. It uses chapters instead of acts/scenes (Drama) or stanzas (Poetry).

3. It relies on a narrator to guide your imagination through the story.

Part 4: Class Evaluation & Exercises

Exercise A: Preposition Identification

Read the sentences below, underline the prepositions, and state what relationship they show (e.g., location, point, surface).

1. The health inspector stood at the door to check our fingernails.

2. Amina left her medicated soap in the plastic container.

3. Do not leave your dirty school uniforms on the floor.

4. The clinical thermometer rolled under the cupboard.

5. The nurse stood between the two hospital beds to monitor the children.

Exercise B: Health and Hygiene Context Fill

Complete the following statements using the correct word from the vocabulary box below:

[ Antiseptic | Phlebotomy | Sanitation | Pathogen ]

1. Regular handwashing with clean running water is a basic rule of personal __________.

2. A virus is a dangerous __________ that can invade the body and make a student sick.

3. The lab scientist applied a cold liquid __________ to my arm before drawing blood.

4. Students training in medical fields must learn __________ to know how to safely handle blood samples.

Exercise C: Literature Review Prompt

Open Chapter 2 of your recommended JSS 1 class prose novel and answer the following questions based on your reading:

1. Who is the main character acting in this chapter?

2. Identify and write down two sentences from the chapter that describe the physical setting of the story.