Concept of Print, Upper and Lower Case Letters, Book Care for Primary 1

Class: Primary 1
Term: Second Term
Week: 5
Age: 6 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Pre-Reading Skills
Focal competence: Identifying the features of books and caring for books
Key competencies/values: Collaboration; Respect; Communication; Responsibility; Leadership; ICT and Digital Competencies
Skills:

• Identifying the various features of a book

Previous Lesson: Blending Syllables and Breaking Compound Words in Phonological Awareness
Topic: Concept Of Print
Subject Matter: Upper/lower case letters, care of books

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify upper-case and lower-case letters in familiar printed material.
• State common uses of capital letters in a simple text.
• Identify basic features of a book, such as the cover and pages.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of handling books with care.
• Show respect for printed materials.

Psychomotor Domain

• Match capital letters with their corresponding lower-case forms.
• Demonstrate the correct direction for reading a book (left to right, top to bottom).
• Properly handle and care for books.

Social Domain

• Collaborate with peers to identify print features in shared books.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• Macmillan Primary English for Primary 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Syllables sorting cards
• Approved publisher-neutral storybooks (with clear upper and lower case letters)
• Letter, word and picture cards
• Exercise books and pencils
• Charts showing upper and lower case letters
• Charts illustrating proper book care

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is essential for Primary 1 pupils as it lays the foundation for literacy by introducing them to the fundamental concepts of print. Understanding upper and lower case letters helps pupils decode words and read fluently. Learning proper book care instils responsibility and ensures that learning resources are preserved for future use.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can recognise some letters of the alphabet and understand that print carries meaning.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Concept of Print

Upper-case and Lower-case Letters

Letters of the alphabet can be written in two main forms:

1. Upper-case letters: These are also called capital letters (e.g., A, B, C).
2. Lower-case letters: These are the small letters (e.g., a, b, c).

Matching Capital Letters with their Lower-case Forms

Every capital letter has a small letter that goes with it. We match them like this:

1. A with a
2. B with b
3. C with c
4. D with d
5. E with e
6. F with f
7. G with g
8. H with h
9. I with i
10. J with j
11. K with k
12. L with l
13. M with m
14. N with n
15. O with o
16. P with p
17. Q with q
18. R with r
19. S with s
20. T with t
21. U with u
22. V with v
23. W with w
24. X with x
25. Y with y
26. Z with z

Uses of Capital Letters

Capital letters are used in a simple text for:

1. The beginning of a sentence.
2. Names of people (e.g., Ada, John).
3. Names of places (e.g., Lagos, Abuja).
4. The pronoun ‘I’.

Correct Reading Direction

When we read a book or any printed material, we read:

1. From left to right.
2. From top to bottom.
3. From the front cover to the back cover.

Care and Proper Handling of Books

Books are important learning tools and should be handled with care:

1. Keep books clean and dry.
2. Do not tear the pages.
3. Do not write or draw in books that are not yours.
4. Turn pages gently.
5. Keep books away from water and food.
6. Store books neatly on a shelf or in a bag.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Question and Answer, Explanation, Observation, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to show their English textbooks. The teacher asks what they know about books and letters.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, show their books, and share what they know about books and letters.

Learning Point: Books and letters introduction

Step 2: Upper and Lower Case Letters

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays charts of upper and lower case letters. The teacher explains that letters have two forms: big letters (capital/upper case) and small letters (lower case). The teacher models how to identify them using letter cards.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the charts, listen to the explanation, and repeat letter names after the teacher, identifying upper and lower case forms.

Learning Point: Identifying letter cases

Step 3: Matching Letters

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes letter cards (some upper case, some lower case) to pupils. The teacher guides pupils to match capital letters with their small letter forms, e.g., “A” with “a”.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils work individually or in pairs to match the upper-case and lower-case letter cards.

Learning Point: Matching letter forms

Step 4: Uses of Capital Letters

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses a simple storybook or a sentence written on the board to show where capital letters are used (beginning of sentences, names of people/places, pronoun ‘I’).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the examples and identify capital letters in the given text, stating their uses.

Learning Point: Capital letter usage

Step 5: Reading Direction

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates the correct reading direction using a book: from left to right, top to bottom, and turning pages from front to back. The teacher asks pupils to mimic the action.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s demonstration and practice the correct reading direction with their own books.

Learning Point: Correct reading direction

Step 6: Book Care

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the importance of caring for books and demonstrates proper handling (not tearing pages, keeping clean, storing neatly). The teacher uses a chart on book care.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, contribute ideas on book care, and observe the demonstration, practising gentle handling.

Learning Point: Proper book handling

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. Show me an upper-case letter ‘A’ and a lower-case letter ‘a’.
2. Where do we commonly use capital letters?
3. How do we read a book? (Show with your finger).
4. Mention two ways to care for your book.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Print concepts understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to copy the essential Board Summary notes on upper/lower case letters, their uses, reading direction, and book care into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils of the importance of knowing their letters and taking good care of their books. The teacher praises them for their participation.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the teacher’s concluding remarks.

Learning Point: Lesson summary reinforcement

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: In your exercise book, complete the following:

1. Write five capital letters and their small letter forms (e.g., A a).
2. Draw a picture of a book and write two things you must do to care for it.
3. Find three words in a newspaper or magazine that start with a capital letter and copy them.

Lesson Keywords

• Upper-case – Big letters, also called capital letters.
• Lower-case – Small letters.
• Print – Words and letters written on paper.
• Book care – How to look after books properly.
• Reading direction – The way we move our eyes when reading words.

Differentiation

For weaker learners: Provide larger letter cards and more one-on-one guidance during matching activities. Allow them to focus on identifying only a few common letters and basic book care rules. Use visual aids extensively.

For faster learners: Encourage them to identify capital letters in more complex sentences or short paragraphs. Ask them to explain why certain words are capitalised. They can also demonstrate different ways to organise books neatly.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, pupils can watch videos on “Upper and Lower Case Letters” or “How to Care for Books for Kids” on YouTube. Search terms: primary 1 upper lower case letters book care nigeria

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have a variety of storybooks, letter cards (both upper and lower case), and charts ready. Begin by engaging pupils with familiar books to introduce the concept of print. Clearly model the identification of upper and lower case letters, and guide pupils through matching activities. Emphasise the practical application of capital letters and demonstrate the correct reading direction. When teaching book care, encourage pupils to share their own experiences and reinforce positive habits. During note-taking, supervise pupils to ensure they copy the Board Summary accurately. Pay attention to individual pupil needs, providing extra support for those struggling with letter recognition and offering extension activities for those who grasp concepts quickly. Regularly check for understanding throughout the lesson by asking questions and observing their participation.