Copy the Sentence Duck Can Swim for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4

Term: Third Term

Week: 10

Age: 5 years

Duration: 30 minutes

Subject: Handwriting

Curriculum Theme: Handwriting

Previous Lesson: Simple sentence writing and reading

Topic: COPY THE SENTENCE: Duck Can Swim

Subject Matter: Copy the Sentence: Duck can swim.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Read the sentence “Duck can swim.”
• Identify the sound a duck makes.

Affective Domain

• Show enthusiasm for learning and copying new sentences.
• Participate actively in making duck sounds.

Psychomotor Domain

• Copy the sentence “Duck can swim” neatly in their handwriting books.
• Demonstrate proper pencil grip and sitting posture while writing.

Social Domain

• Take turns and share materials during group activities.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education resources

Instructional Materials

• Handwriting book
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Chart showing the sentence: “Duck can swim.”
• Picture of a duck
• Word cards for “Duck,” “can,” “swim.”
• Whiteboard or chalkboard

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is crucial for Pre-School Level 4 pupils as it helps them develop early literacy skills by connecting reading with writing. Copying simple sentences like “Duck can swim” reinforces letter formation, word recognition, sentence structure, and fine motor control, preparing them for more complex writing tasks in primary school.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can recognise some letters of the alphabet, form simple words, and have basic pre-writing skills such as tracing lines and patterns.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

COPY THE SENTENCE: Duck Can Swim

A sentence is a group of words that makes complete sense. Today, we will learn to read and copy a very simple sentence: “Duck can swim.”

Let’s look at the sentence:

Duck can swim.

• Duck: This is an animal that lives near water.
• can: This word tells us what the duck is able to do.
• swim: This is the action of moving through water.

Ducks love to swim in the water. What sound does a duck make? “Quack, quack!”

When we copy a sentence, we need to:

1. Look carefully at each word.
2. Form each letter correctly.
3. Leave a small space between words.
4. Write neatly from left to right.

Key Words

• Duck – a bird that lives on water and land.
• Swim – to move through water using your body.
• Can – able to do something.
• Sentence – a group of words that tells a complete idea.
• Copy – to write something exactly as you see it.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• A chart displaying the sentence: “Duck can swim.”
• A clear picture of a duck swimming.
• Demonstrate writing “Duck can swim” on the whiteboard, showing proper letter formation, spacing, and neatness.

The Swimming Duck Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

Duck, duck, can you swim?
Yes, yes, watch me skim!
Quack, quack, in the water blue,
Swimming, swimming, me and you.
Duck, duck, can you swim?
Yes, yes, watch me skim!

Actions:

• “Duck, duck, can you swim?” – Pretend to waddle like a duck.
• “Yes, yes, watch me skim!” – Make swimming motions with hands.
• “Quack, quack, in the water blue,” – Make duck sounds and point to imaginary water.
• “Swimming, swimming, me and you.” – Continue swimming motions.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the song together to reinforce the words “duck” and “swim” and the duck’s sound, making the lesson engaging and memorable.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

• Play-based Learning
• Demonstration
• Guided Practice
• Songs and Rhymes
• Picture Talk
• Repetition
• Practical Activity

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Motivation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads a short warm-up song. The teacher then asks pupils if they know what a duck is and what sound it makes, showing a picture of a duck.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, sing along, and respond to questions about ducks, making “quack” sounds.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and introduced to the topic of ducks.

Step 2: Sentence Introduction and Reading

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Presentation/Reading

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays the chart with “Duck can swim.” The teacher reads the sentence clearly, pointing to each word, and explains what each word means. The teacher then guides pupils to read the sentence together several times.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the chart, listen to the teacher, and repeat the sentence “Duck can swim” aloud.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise and read the target sentence.

Step 3: Duck Sound and Discussion

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Oral Practice/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils again what sound a duck makes and leads them in making the “quack, quack” sound. The teacher briefly discusses where ducks live and how they move in water.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils enthusiastically make the “quack, quack” sound and share simple ideas about ducks.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their knowledge of ducks and their sounds.

Step 4: Sentence Construction (Word Cards)

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Word Recognition/Sequencing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher uses word cards (“Duck”, “can”, “swim”) and arranges them on the board to form the sentence “Duck can swim.” The teacher asks pupils to help arrange the words in the correct order.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the words and help the teacher arrange them to form the sentence.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the order of words in the sentence.

Step 5: Guided Copying Demonstration

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates how to copy the sentence “Duck can swim” on the whiteboard or a large paper. The teacher focuses on proper pencil grip, sitting posture, starting point of letters, direction of strokes, and leaving appropriate spaces between words. Pupils are guided to air-trace the sentence.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s demonstration, practise proper pencil grip, and air-trace the sentence “Duck can swim.”

Learning Point: Pupils learn the correct way to form letters and copy a sentence.

Step 6: Pupil Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Supervision

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes handwriting books, pencils, and erasers. The teacher instructs pupils to copy the sentence “Duck can swim” in their books, moving around to provide individual guidance and correction.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils open their books and carefully begin to copy the sentence “Duck can swim,” applying the guidance from the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils practise copying the sentence with teacher support.

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.

1. Ask pupils to read the sentence “Duck can swim” from the chart.
2. Ask pupils to make the sound a duck makes.
3. Ask pupils to show their copied sentence in their handwriting books.
4. Ask pupils to point to the word “swim” in the sentence.

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

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their effort and neatness. The teacher reminds them to keep practising their writing and to remember what ducks do. The teacher leads the class in singing “The Swimming Duck Song” one more time.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, respond to praise, and sing the song.

Learning Point: Pupils feel encouraged and the lesson is consolidated.

Lesson Keywords

• Duck – A common water bird known for its “quack” sound.
• Swim – To move through water by using your body.
• Can – Used to say that someone or something is able to do something.
• Sentence – A group of words that expresses a complete thought.
• Copy – To write something exactly as it is shown.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who find copying challenging, the teacher can provide larger lines, offer hand-over-hand guidance, or have them trace the sentence first before attempting to copy. They can also focus on copying one word at a time.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly master copying the sentence, the teacher can encourage them to draw a picture of a duck swimming next to their copied sentence, or try to write another simple sentence they know.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have a clear chart of the sentence “Duck can swim” and a vibrant picture of a duck. Emphasise proper pencil grip and sitting posture from the beginning to prevent bad habits. Be patient and provide individual attention during the copying activity, focusing on neatness and correct letter formation over speed. Encourage pupils to say the sentence as they copy it. The “quack, quack” sound and the song will help keep the lesson fun and memorable. Observe how pupils form their letters and the spacing between words, as these are key indicators of their fine motor development and understanding of sentence structure. Praise effort and improvement to build confidence.