Copying and Writing Letters Aa-Ff for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: First Term
Week: 1
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Letter Work
Previous Lesson: Recognition of letters A-Z and basic pre-writing strokes.
Topic: COPYING AND WRITING LETTERS AA-FF
Subject Matter: WRITING. Weekly focus: Copying and Writing Letters Aa-Ff.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify and name uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Ff.
• Recall the correct starting points for writing letters Aa-Ff.

Affective Domain

• Show enthusiasm for writing activities.
• Demonstrate neatness while copying letters.

Psychomotor Domain

• Trace uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Ff correctly.
• Copy uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Ff independently.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in classroom writing exercises.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

• Tracing Writing exercise books
• Pencils
• Charts displaying uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Ff with directional arrows
• Flashcards of letters Aa-Ff
• Sandpaper letters Aa-Ff (optional)
• Whiteboards or slates and markers/chalk
• Pictures of objects starting with letters Aa-Ff (e.g., Apple, Ball, Cat, Dog, Elephant, Fish)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is crucial for 5-year-olds as it lays the foundation for early literacy skills. Learning to copy and write letters Aa-Ff helps pupils develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and letter recognition, which are essential for reading and effective communication in school and daily life.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can recognise some letters of the alphabet, hold a pencil with a basic grip, and make simple pre-writing strokes like lines and curves.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

COPYING AND WRITING LETTERS AA-FF

Learning to write letters correctly helps us read and write words. We will learn to write letters from A to F, both big (uppercase) and small (lowercase).

Correct Writing Posture and Pencil Grip

• Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor.
• Hold your pencil with three fingers (thumb, index, and middle finger).
• Place your writing book or slate slightly slanted in front of you.

Writing Letter Aa

Uppercase A: Start from the top, slant down to the left. Go back to the top, slant down to the right. Then, draw a line across the middle.

Lowercase a: Start in the middle, make a curve going round to the left and up. Then, draw a straight line down from the top of the curve.

Sound: /a/ as in Apple, Ant.

Writing Letter Bb

Uppercase B: Start from the top, draw a straight line down. Go back to the top, make a curve to the middle. Then, make another curve from the middle to the bottom.

Lowercase b: Start from the top, draw a straight line down. Go to the middle, make a curve to the right.

Sound: /b/ as in Ball, Bird.

Writing Letter Cc

Uppercase C: Start from the top, make a big curve going round to the left and stopping before closing.

Lowercase c: Start in the middle, make a small curve going round to the left and stopping before closing.

Sound: /k/ as in Cat, Car.

Writing Letter Dd

Uppercase D: Start from the top, draw a straight line down. Go back to the top, make a big curve to the right, touching the bottom.

Lowercase d: Start in the middle, make a curve going round to the left and up (like ‘a’). Then, draw a straight line down from the top of the curve.

Sound: /d/ as in Dog, Duck.

Writing Letter Ee

Uppercase E: Start from the top, draw a straight line down. Go back to the top, draw a line across. Draw a line across the middle. Draw a line across the bottom.

Lowercase e: Start in the middle, draw a line across. Then, make a curve going up and round to the bottom.

Sound: /e/ as in Elephant, Egg.

Writing Letter Ff

Uppercase F: Start from the top, draw a straight line down. Go back to the top, draw a line across. Draw a line across the middle.

Lowercase f: Start slightly above the middle, make a small curve to the left, then a straight line down. Draw a line across the middle.

Sound: /f/ as in Fish, Flower.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

The teacher will show large charts of letters Aa-Ff, demonstrating the correct stroke order for each uppercase and lowercase letter. The teacher will also draw each letter clearly on the whiteboard or slate, using arrows to indicate direction.

Our Letter Writing Rhyme

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:
A, a, a, we write it down,
B, b, b, round and round.
C, c, c, a lovely curve,
D, d, d, letters we observe.
E, e, e, three lines so neat,
F, f, f, writing is sweet!

Actions: Pupils will use their fingers to air-trace the letters as they sing each line, mimicking the writing strokes.

How to use the rhyme: Sing this rhyme together as a class to reinforce the letter shapes and the fun of writing. Encourage pupils to use their fingers to “write” the letters in the air as they sing.

Watch and Practise

Watch this video to see how to form letters Aa-Ff correctly. Pay attention to the starting points and the direction of the strokes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02B0Fj0d6y8

Key Words

• Copy – To make something exactly like an original.
• Write – To form letters or words on a surface.
• Letter – A symbol used in writing to represent a sound.
• Uppercase – The large form of a letter (e.g., A, B, C).
• Lowercase – The small form of a letter (e.g., a, b, c).

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Demonstration, Guided Practice, Repetition, Songs and Rhymes, Play-based Learning, Practical Activity, Picture Talk, Question and Answer.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads them in a quick “Alphabet Song” to warm up. The teacher then shows flashcards of letters A-F and asks pupils to identify them. The teacher introduces the lesson, stating that they will learn to copy and write these letters correctly.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, sing the Alphabet Song, and identify the letters shown on flashcards. They listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Pupils recall familiar letters and are introduced to the lesson topic.

Step 2: Presentation of Letter Aa

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays a chart of letter Aa. The teacher demonstrates the correct formation of uppercase ‘A’ and lowercase ‘a’ on the whiteboard, explaining each stroke clearly (e.g., “start from the top, slant down”). The teacher asks pupils to air-trace the letters with their fingers.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s demonstration, repeat the letter names and sounds, and air-trace ‘A’ and ‘a’ with their fingers.

Learning Point: Pupils learn the correct formation and sound of letter Aa.

Step 3: Presentation of Letters Bb-Cc

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher follows the same procedure as Step 2 for letters Bb and Cc. The teacher demonstrates writing ‘B’, ‘b’, ‘C’, ‘c’ on the whiteboard, guiding pupils to air-trace and then finger-trace on their desks or sandpaper letters.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe, repeat the letter names and sounds, air-trace, and finger-trace letters Bb and Cc.

Learning Point: Pupils learn the correct formation and sounds of letters Bb and Cc.

Step 4: Presentation of Letters Dd-Ff

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher continues with letters Dd, Ee, and Ff, demonstrating the formation of both uppercase and lowercase forms. The teacher encourages pupils to describe the strokes as they air-trace.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe, repeat the letter names and sounds, air-trace, and finger-trace letters Dd, Ee, and Ff.

Learning Point: Pupils learn the correct formation and sounds of letters Dd, Ee, and Ff.

Step 5: Guided Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Supervision/Support

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes tracing/writing exercise books and pencils. The teacher guides pupils to trace and then copy letters Aa-Ff in their books or on their slates. The teacher moves around to provide individual support and correct pencil grip and posture.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils carefully trace and then attempt to copy letters Aa-Ff in their exercise books or on their slates, applying the correct posture and pencil grip.

Learning Point: Pupils practise and apply correct writing skills for letters Aa-Ff.

Step 6: Reinforcement Activity

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Activity

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the class in singing the “Our Letter Writing Rhyme” while performing the actions of air-tracing. The teacher then shows flashcards of objects (e.g., apple, ball, cat) and asks pupils to identify the first letter and its form (uppercase/lowercase).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme and air-trace letters. They identify the initial letters of objects shown by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce letter recognition and writing through a fun activity.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

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

1. “Show me the letter ‘A’ in your book.”
2. “Which letter comes after ‘B’?”
3. “Trace the letter ‘d’ on your slate.”
4. “What sound does ‘F’ make?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate by pointing, tracing, or saying the letter/sound.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson by identifying and forming letters Aa-Ff.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summary/Praise

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their effort and participation. The teacher reminds them to continue practising writing letters Aa-Ff at home. The teacher collects their exercise books.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils tidy up their materials and listen to the teacher’s concluding remarks.

Learning Point: Pupils are encouraged to continue practising and feel proud of their learning.

Lesson Keywords

• Copy – To make something exactly like an original.
• Write – To form letters or words on a surface.
• Letter – A symbol used in writing to represent a sound.
• Uppercase – The large form of a letter (e.g., A, B, C).
• Lowercase – The small form of a letter (e.g., a, b, c).
• Stroke – A single continuous movement of a pen or pencil when writing.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who are struggling, the teacher can provide hand-over-hand guidance, use larger tracing sheets, or focus on only two letters at a time. Repetitive verbal cues for stroke direction will also be helpful.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concept, the teacher can challenge them to write simple words starting with the learned letters (e.g., “ant,” “ball”) or to identify objects in the classroom that begin with letters Aa-Ff. They can also be encouraged to write the letters independently without tracing guides.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Ensure all instructional materials, especially charts and tracing books, are prepared before the lesson. Emphasize correct pencil grip and sitting posture from the beginning, as these habits are crucial for future writing comfort and legibility. Demonstrate each letter’s formation slowly and clearly, using simple directional language like “start at the top,” “go down,” “curve around.” Encourage pupils to air-trace and finger-trace before putting pencil to paper, as this builds muscle memory. Observe each child’s progress during guided practice and provide immediate, gentle correction. Praise effort and neatness to build confidence. Remember that understanding is best judged by what the child can *do* – can they correctly trace, copy, or identify the letter when asked? Repeat the rhyme and letter sounds often throughout the week for reinforcement.