This page is for Foundation Phase / Grade 2 Life Skills teachers and parents helping at home. Grade 2 learners need to recognise South Africa’s national symbols, say something true about what they stand for, and treat them with respect, not copy a long adult lecture.
Use your Life Skills CAPS file and ATP for the exact week and assessment. This CAPS123 page is a practical classroom aid. It is not an official Department of Basic Education (DBE) or government identity manual.
If you need this now
- Foundation Phase Life Skills CAPS: DBE CAPS documents
- Official symbol pages: National flag · National anthem · Presidency national symbols
- Planning terms: What is CAPS? · Lesson planning 101
What “national symbols” means in Grade 2
A symbol is a picture, song or object that stands for something bigger. National symbols stand for South Africaour country that we share. In Life Skills this sits with identity, belonging and respectful behaviour, not with memorising heraldry for a quiz show.
Keep language concrete: This is our flag. We treat it carefully. The anthem is our country’s song.
Accurate symbols to teach (keep the list honest)
Primary state symbols learners meet often:
| Symbol | What to say at Grade 2 level | Official note (adult check) |
|---|---|---|
| National flag | Our country’s flag; colours work together like people moving forward together | First used 27 April 1994; treat with dignity (do not let it touch the ground or use it as a cloth) |
| National anthem | Our country’s song; we stand and sing with respect | Combined Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika and The Call of South Africa / Die Stem; languages include isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English |
| Coat of arms | The country’s special badge / emblem | Current design launched 27 April 2000; motto in /Xam: !ke e: /xarra //keoften explained as diverse people unite |
Other official national symbols useful for pictures and crafts:
- National flowerKing (giant) protea (Protea cynaroides)
- National animalspringbok
- National birdblue crane
- National treereal yellowwood
- National fishgaljoen
Confirm pictures and names against gov.za / The Presidency before you print worksheets. Do not add extra “national” items (random sports logos, party colours) as if they were state symbols.
Classroom sequence that fits a Foundation Phase period
Start (about 10%): Show the flag. Ask: Where have you seen this? Collect ideas on the board. Name the lesson: South African national symbols.
Teach (bulk of the lesson):
- Flag, colours and respectful handling; short story of unity without adult politics overload.
- Anthem, play a clear recording; practise standing quietly; teach that many languages share one song.
- Coat of arms, one clear poster; pick two easy parts (e.g. protea, secretary bird) rather than every heraldic detail.
- Living symbols, protea, springbok, blue crane pictures; match name to picture in pairs.
Make / show: Learners draw or collage one symbol and tell a partner one fact (This is the springbok. It is our national animal.).
Close: Each child shares one new word or symbol. Praise respect and listening.
Assessment without killing the joy
Observe: Can the learner point to the flag and anthem title? Name at least three symbols? Say one respectful behaviour (we stand for the anthem)? Collect the craft as evidence of identifying a symbol. Keep rubrics simple and oral-friendly, Grade 2 writing load should stay light.
Differentiation and multilingual rooms
- Pair a learner who needs support with a peer; use large labelled pictures.
- Allow answers in Home Language first, then practise the English or LoLT labels you need for the topic.
- Stretch: invite a short “museum walk” where groups teach one symbol to another group.
- Parents at home: walk past a flag at the clinic or school gate and ask the same three questions.
Respect and safety notes
National symbols are protected and should be treated with dignity. In class: no using the flag as a mat or costume; no mocking the anthem. Follow school assembly practice. Teachers should model calm respect even when learners are excited.
Planning link (CAPS + ATP + lesson plan)
Open Life Skills CAPS for your phase content, check the ATP week, then write a short lesson plan for your class (resources, minutes, support). Those three tools are different, see What is CAPS? and Lesson planning 101.
Related CAPS123 pages
Check live government pages for symbol artwork and protocols. This page does not replace Life Skills CAPS, the ATP or official identity guidelines.