Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, prepare flashcards for uppercase ‘F’ and lowercase ‘f’, pictures of a fish, fan, and food, and worksheets with large outlines of ‘Ff’ for tracing and colouring. The central idea is for pupils to recognise the letter ‘Ff’, associate it with its /f/ sound, and connect it to familiar objects. Observe pupils’ ability to make the /f/ sound and attempt to trace ‘Ff’ as key indicators of successful learning.
Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: First Term
Week: 6
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Pupils have learned about other letters and their sounds, and have practised simple picture recognition.
Topic: LETTER F: SOUND RECOGNITION, PICTURE READING AND WRITING
Subject Matter: Listening and Speaking: Talking about news and happenings at home and in the community. Reading: Picture reading, recognising familiar objects and relating the sound of Ff to Fish, Fan, Food. Writing: Tracing, colouring and writing Ff. Songs, Rhymes and Poems: Singing traditional rhymes, songs and poems and acting out characters.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify the uppercase ‘F’ and lowercase ‘f’.
- Recognise the /f/ sound.
- Name familiar objects that start with the /f/ sound, such as fish, fan, and food.
Affective Domain
- Participate in sharing news about happenings at home and in the community.
- Show interest in learning new letters and sounds.
- Enjoy singing and acting out characters in rhymes.
Psychomotor Domain
- Trace the letter ‘Ff’ accurately.
- Colour pictures of objects starting with ‘F’.
- Perform simple actions related to songs and rhymes.
Social Domain
- Take turns when speaking and sharing information.
- Cooperate with peers during group activities.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
- Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources
Instructional Materials
- Flashcards of uppercase ‘F’ and lowercase ‘f’
- Picture cards of a fish, fan, and various food items
- Worksheets with large outlines of ‘F’ and ‘f’ for tracing
- Crayons and pencils
- Chart posters showing objects starting with ‘F’
- Storybook or picture book with ‘F’ words
Rationale for the Lesson
Learning the letter ‘Ff’ and its sound is fundamental for early literacy development, enabling pupils to begin associating sounds with written symbols. This lesson also fosters communication skills through sharing personal news and encourages fine motor development through tracing and colouring, which are crucial pre-writing skills for this age group.
Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can recognise some other letters of the alphabet, make simple sounds, identify common objects, and follow basic instructions. They have also participated in simple oral sharing activities.
Lesson Content/Board Summary
LETTER F: SOUND RECOGNITION, PICTURE READING AND WRITING
Talking About News
We share interesting things that happened at home or in our community. This helps us talk and listen to each other.
The Letter Ff
- Uppercase F
- Lowercase f
The letter ‘Ff’ makes the /f/ sound, like when air comes out of your mouth gently.
Words That Start with Ff (/f/ sound)
- Fish – F-f-fish! (Show picture of a fish)
- Fan – F-f-fan! (Show picture of a fan)
- Food – F-f-food! (Show picture of food)
Tracing and Colouring Ff
We learn to draw the letter ‘Ff’ by tracing over dotted lines. We also colour pictures of things that start with ‘Ff’.
Sound Rhyme: F is for Fish
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
F is for fish, F is for fish,
Swimming in the water, swish, swish, swish.
F is for fan, F is for fan,
Blowing air for everyone.
F is for food, F is for food,
Yummy, yummy, so good!
Actions:
- “F is for fish, F is for fish” – Make a fish swimming motion with hands.
- “Swimming in the water, swish, swish, swish” – Wiggle hips like a fish.
- “F is for fan, F is for fan” – Wave hands in front of face like a fan.
- “Blowing air for everyone” – Blow air gently.
- “F is for food, F is for food” – Rub tummy.
- “Yummy, yummy, so good!” – Nod head and smile.
Watch and Practise
Key Words
- F – The sixth letter of the alphabet.
- f – The small form of the letter F.
- Fish – An animal that lives in water.
- Fan – A device that creates a current of air.
- Food – Anything eaten to provide energy and nutrition.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Begin by inviting pupils to share their news, ensuring everyone gets a chance to speak briefly. Introduce the letter ‘Ff’ using flashcards, clearly distinguishing between uppercase and lowercase. Emphasize the /f/ sound by demonstrating how to make it (lips gently touching, blowing air out). Show the picture cards one by one (fish, fan, food), saying the word and stressing the initial /f/ sound. Have pupils repeat each word and sound several times.
What to show or demonstrate: Display the ‘Ff’ flashcards prominently. Show the pictures of fish, fan, and food. Demonstrate the correct formation of ‘F’ and ‘f’ in the air, then on a large chart or whiteboard, using simple strokes (e.g., “down, across, across” for F; “curve down, across” for f). Guide pupils to air-trace before moving to worksheets.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “F is for Fish” rhyme after introducing the ‘F’ words. Sing it slowly first, performing the actions. Encourage pupils to join in, gradually increasing speed and enthusiasm. Repeat the rhyme 2-3 times to reinforce the sound and words.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to learn more about the letter ‘Ff’. Play the video, encouraging pupils to watch and listen carefully. After watching, ask pupils to repeat the /f/ sound and some of the ‘F’ words they heard in the video. You can replay short sections for specific sound practice.
What to watch for: Observe pupils’ ability to articulate the /f/ sound correctly and distinguish it from other sounds. Check for correct pencil grip and tracing direction during writing activities. Encourage shy pupils to participate in sharing news and singing.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
- Play-based Learning
- Demonstration
- Guided Practice
- Songs and Rhymes
- Picture Talk
- Question and Answer
- Repetition
- Practical Activity
Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engagement/Warm-up
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and leads a familiar greeting song. The teacher then tells pupils they will share exciting news today.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and sing along. They listen attentively for the news sharing activity.
Learning Point: Pupils are settled and ready for the lesson, and understand the first activity.
Step 2: Oral Communication (News Sharing)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Facilitation/Listening
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher invites pupils to talk about one interesting thing that happened at home or in their community, encouraging them to speak clearly.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils take turns to share their news, listening to their friends when they speak.
Learning Point: Pupils practise speaking and listening skills, sharing personal experiences.
Step 3: Letter Introduction and Sound Recognition
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Pronunciation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the letter ‘Ff’ using flashcards, showing both uppercase ‘F’ and lowercase ‘f’. The teacher demonstrates how to make the /f/ sound, emphasizing blowing air gently.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the flashcards and listen to the teacher. They practise making the /f/ sound repeatedly.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise ‘Ff’ and learn its associated sound.
Step 4: Picture Reading and Object Association
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Association/Repetition
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows picture cards of a fish, fan, and food. For each picture, the teacher says the word, stressing the initial /f/ sound (e.g., “F-f-fish!”). The teacher asks pupils to repeat the word and sound.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, listen to the words, and repeat the words and the /f/ sound after the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils associate the /f/ sound with familiar objects and their pictures.
Step 5: Rhyme/Song Reinforcement
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Singing/Action Guidance
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the “F is for Fish” rhyme, singing it with actions. The teacher encourages pupils to join in and perform the actions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the rhyme, sing along, and perform the actions with the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce the /f/ sound and ‘F’ words through a fun, interactive rhyme.
Step 6: Writing Practice (Tracing and Colouring)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Fine Motor Development
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes worksheets with large outlines of ‘Ff’ and pictures of ‘F’ words. The teacher demonstrates air tracing for ‘Ff’ and then guides pupils to trace the letters and colour the pictures using crayons.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils first air trace, then trace ‘Ff’ on their worksheets and colour the pictures, following the teacher’s instructions.
Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and practise forming the letter ‘Ff’.
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.
- “What letter did we learn today?” (Show Ff flashcard)
- “What sound does this letter make?”
- “Can you name one thing that starts with the /f/ sound?”
- “Show me your best tracing of ‘Ff’ on your worksheet.”
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: Reinforcement/Closure
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their participation and good work. The teacher reminds them to keep practising the /f/ sound and looking for ‘Ff’ words around them.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher and tidy up their materials.
Learning Point: Pupils feel encouraged and remember the key learning points of the lesson.
Lesson Keywords
- F – The sixth letter of the English alphabet.
- f – The lowercase form of the letter F.
- Sound – The noise that a letter makes, like /f/ for F.
- Fish – A common animal that lives in water.
- Fan – A machine used to move air.
- Food – Things we eat to get energy.
- Trace – To draw over lines or letters.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils struggling with letter recognition or sound production, use larger ‘Ff’ flashcards and provide hand-over-hand guidance for tracing. Offer more one-on-one repetition of the /f/ sound and focus on only one or two ‘F’ words.
- Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concepts, encourage them to identify other objects in the classroom or from their environment that start with the /f/ sound. They can also attempt to draw a simple ‘F’ word picture independently.
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