Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, prepare picture cards for objects starting with sounds /a/ through /m/, ensuring they are large and clear for 2-year-olds. Have a sand tray or finger paint ready for tracing the letter ‘a’, along with writing books and crayons. The central idea is for pupils to hear and repeat the beginning sounds and recognise the letter ‘a’ visually and by touch. Success will be observed when pupils can point to pictures, repeat sounds, and attempt to trace ‘a’ with guidance.

Class: Pre-School Level 1
Term: Second Term
Week: 7
Age: 2 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Literacy
Previous Lesson: Simple object naming and sound imitation.
Topic: Beginning Sounds /a/-/m/, Letter a Practice and Rhyme
Subject Matter: Speech: Sounds: /a/ – /m/ Sounding and recognition of sounds; Writing: Tracing Letter – a; Rhyme: I have 10 fingers.

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

Identify and pronounce beginning sounds /a/ – /m/ when shown corresponding pictures.
Recognise the letter ‘a’ (uppercase and lowercase) from a group of letters.
Repeat words that start with the sound /a/.

Affective Domain

Show interest in learning new sounds and letters.
Enjoy participating in reciting the “I Have Ten Fingers” rhyme.
Listen attentively to the teacher and other pupils.

Psychomotor Domain

Attempt to trace the letter ‘a’ in the air, sand, or writing book.
Perform simple actions for the “I Have Ten Fingers” rhyme.
Point to pictures that start with specific sounds.

Participate in group sound and rhyme activities.
Take turns when identifying sounds or tracing.

Reference Materials

NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 1
Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Early years literacy picture cards

Instructional Materials

Charts displaying uppercase and lowercase ‘A’
Picture cards for words starting with sounds /a/ through /m/ (e.g., apple, ball, cat, dog, egg, fish, goat, house, ink, jug, kite, lion, monkey)
MP4 Player (for sound/video)
Crayons
Writing books/sheets with dotted letter ‘a’
Sand tray or finger paint for tracing
Rhyme book/chart for “I Have Ten Fingers”

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson introduces young children to the foundational skill of phonological awareness by identifying initial sounds in words, which is crucial for early reading. Practising letter ‘a’ recognition and tracing builds pre-writing skills and letter-sound association. Engaging with a rhyme like “I Have Ten Fingers” also enhances language development, memory, and fine motor skills in a fun and interactive way for 2-year-olds.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can recognise and name some familiar objects, make simple sounds, and follow basic instructions. They may have heard some nursery rhymes before.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Beginning Sounds /a/-/m/, Letter a Practice and Rhyme

Beginning Sounds /a/ – /m/

Learning the first sounds of words helps us to read!

/a/ as in apple, ant
/b/ as in ball, book
/c/ as in cat, cup
/d/ as in dog, duck
/e/ as in egg, elephant
/f/ as in fish, fan
/g/ as in goat, girl
/h/ as in house, hat
/i/ as in ink, igloo
/j/ as in jug, jam
/k/ as in kite, key
/l/ as in lion, leg
/m/ as in monkey, mat

We say the sound and then the word.

Letter ‘a’ Practice

The letter ‘a’ makes the sound /a/ as in ‘apple’.

Uppercase A:

Lowercase a:

We can trace letter ‘a’ by making a round shape and a small stick down.

Sound Rhyme: “I Have Ten Fingers”

Tune: Traditional Nursery Rhyme

Lyrics:

I have ten fingers
And they all belong to me.
I can make them do things,
Would you like to see?
I can shut them up tight,
I can open them wide.
I can put them together,
I can make them hide.
I can make them jump high,
I can make them jump low.
I can fold them quietly,
And hold them just so.

Actions: Count fingers, open/close hands, put hands together, hide hands behind back, raise hands high, lower hands low, fold hands.

Watch and Listen to the Sounds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5eU9-K3t6c

Key Words

Sound – what we hear when we speak.
Letter – a symbol we write.
Trace – to draw over lines or shapes.
Finger – part of our hand.

💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary

How to teach the content: Begin by showing picture cards for each sound /a/ through /m/. Say the sound clearly, then the word, and have pupils repeat after you. Emphasize the initial sound. For letter ‘a’, show the large chart of ‘A’ and ‘a’. Point to each, say its name and sound, and encourage pupils to repeat. Explain tracing simply as “drawing on top of the lines.”

What to show or demonstrate: Use large, clear picture cards for each sound /a/-/m/. Demonstrate the correct pronunciation of each sound. Show how to form the letter ‘a’ in the air with your finger, making a circle and then a stick. Use the sand tray or finger paint to model tracing ‘a’ before pupils try.

How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce “I Have Ten Fingers” by showing your own fingers and counting them. Recite the rhyme slowly, performing the actions clearly. Encourage pupils to imitate your actions and join in with the words as they become familiar. Repeat the rhyme several times throughout the lesson or day for reinforcement.

How to use the video: Play the provided YouTube video “Phonics Song A-M | Learn ABC Alphabet Sounds” by Kids Learning Tube. Encourage pupils to watch, listen, and repeat the sounds and words shown in the video. Pause the video after each letter to allow for repetition and discussion of the associated picture. Ask pupils to point to the letter or picture as it appears.

What to watch for: Observe if pupils are attempting to make the sounds, even if not perfectly. Watch for their engagement with the pictures and their attempts to trace ‘a’. For the rhyme, check if they are following the actions and trying to say some of the words. Provide gentle correction and lots of praise for effort.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Play-based Learning
Demonstration
Guided Practice
Songs and Rhymes
Picture Talk
Repetition
Manipulation of Objects (picture cards, sand)
Imitation

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets pupils warmly and leads a short “Good Morning” song. The teacher then asks pupils to name some familiar objects in the classroom, like a “ball” or a “chair,” to activate their listening skills.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and name familiar objects.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and ready to learn, recalling familiar words.

Step 2: Introducing Beginning Sounds /a/ – /m/

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Oral Language/Sound Recognition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows picture cards one by one (e.g., apple, ball, cat, dog, egg, fish, goat, house, ink, jug, kite, lion, monkey). For each card, the teacher clearly pronounces the beginning sound, then the word, and asks pupils to repeat the sound and the word. The teacher plays the “Phonics Song A-M” video.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, listen to the sounds and words, and repeat after the teacher. They watch and listen to the video, trying to repeat sounds.

Learning Point: Pupils begin to identify and pronounce beginning sounds /a/ – /m/ and associate them with pictures.

Step 3: Focusing on Letter ‘a’ Sound and Recognition

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Letter-Sound Association/Visual Recognition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays charts of uppercase ‘A’ and lowercase ‘a’. The teacher points to each, says “This is letter A, it makes the /a/ sound like in apple.” The teacher shows more pictures of things starting with /a/ (e.g., ant, aeroplane) and asks pupils to say the /a/ sound.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the letter ‘A’ and ‘a’ on the chart, listen to the sound, and repeat /a/. They point to the letter ‘a’ when asked.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise the visual form of letter ‘a’ and connect it to its sound.

Step 4: Practising Tracing Letter ‘a’

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Fine Motor Skills/Pre-writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates tracing letter ‘a’ in the air, then in a sand tray or with finger paint. The teacher guides pupils to trace ‘a’ in the air with their fingers, then provides writing books with dotted letter ‘a’ for them to trace with crayons, offering hand-over-hand support as needed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils trace letter ‘a’ in the air, then in the sand tray/finger paint, and finally attempt to trace in their writing books using crayons.

Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and practice the formation of letter ‘a’.

Step 5: Rhyme Time: “I Have Ten Fingers”

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Language Development/Motor Coordination

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the rhyme “I Have Ten Fingers” by showing their fingers and counting them. The teacher recites the rhyme slowly, performing the actions. The teacher encourages pupils to join in with the actions and words.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher, count their fingers, perform the actions, and try to say the words of the rhyme.

Learning Point: Pupils enhance language skills, memory, and motor coordination through the rhyme.

Step 6: Sound and Letter Game

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Active Learning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher holds up various picture cards (some starting with /a/, some with other sounds from /b/-/m/). The teacher says, “If it starts with /a/, clap your hands!” or “If it starts with /b/, stomp your feet!” The teacher also holds up letter ‘a’ among other letters and asks pupils to point to ‘a’.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the sound, identify the picture, and perform the action. They point to the letter ‘a’ when identified.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their recognition of sounds and letter ‘a’ in an interactive way.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4–5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.

“What sound does ‘apple’ start with?” (Shows apple picture).
“Point to the letter ‘a’ on the chart.”
“Show me how you trace letter ‘a’ in the air.”
“Let’s sing ‘I Have Ten Fingers’ one more time with actions.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Consolidation/Praise

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their participation and effort in learning new sounds, the letter ‘a’, and reciting the rhyme. The teacher reminds them to keep practising their sounds.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher and respond to praise.

Learning Point: Pupils feel encouraged and motivated to continue learning.

Lesson Keywords

Sound – what we hear when we speak, like /a/ for apple.
Letter – a written symbol for a sound, like ‘a’.
Trace – to draw over lines or shapes with a finger or crayon.
Rhyme – a short poem or song with words that sound similar.
Fingers – the parts of our hand that we can count.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils struggling with sounds, use fewer picture cards at a time, provide more one-on-one repetition, and use hand-over-hand guidance for tracing ‘a’. Focus only on /a/ for some pupils if needed.
Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concepts, encourage them to identify other familiar objects in the classroom that start with /a/ or other sounds from /b/-/m/. Ask them to demonstrate tracing ‘a’ independently.