Look and Copy Short Sounds for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Third Term
Week: 3
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Handwriting
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Look and Copy Sounds with Legs
Topic: Look and Copy Short Sounds
Subject Matter: Look and Copy Short Sounds.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify the basic sounds of the letters a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x.

Affective Domain

• Show interest in learning to write the letters a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x.

Psychomotor Domain

• Trace and copy the letters a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x correctly in their handwriting books.
• Form the letters a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x in the air or on a surface.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in group activities related to letter sound identification and formation.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education resources
• Suitable early-years handwriting workbook

Instructional Materials

• Handwriting book
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Whiteboard or chart
• Markers
• Letter flashcards for a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds as it helps them connect the sounds of letters to their written forms, a foundational skill for reading and writing. Practising letter formation strengthens fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, preparing them for more advanced literacy tasks and enabling clear communication through writing.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should be able to recognise some letters of the alphabet, hold a pencil correctly, and have some experience with basic pre-writing patterns like lines and curves.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Look and Copy Short Sounds

In handwriting, we learn to make the shapes of letters. Each letter has a special sound it makes. Today, we will learn to recognise the basic sounds of some letters and practise writing them neatly.

What are Short Sounds (for these letters)?

For this lesson, “short sounds” means the most common, basic sound each letter makes when we say it, for example:

• a as in ‘apple’ (/a/)
• c as in ‘cat’ (/k/)
• e as in ‘egg’ (/e/)
• i as in ‘igloo’ (/i/)
• m as in ‘mat’ (/m/)
• n as in ‘net’ (/n/)
• o as in ‘orange’ (/o/)
• r as in ‘rat’ (/r/)
• s as in ‘sun’ (/s/)
• u as in ‘umbrella’ (/u/)
• v as in ‘van’ (/v/)
• w as in ‘watch’ (/w/)
• z as in ‘zebra’ (/z/)
• x as in ‘box’ (/ks/ or /z/)

How to Form the Letters

We will learn to write these letters correctly. Remember to start at the right place and follow the direction.

Lowercase ‘a’

1. Start in the middle, go round like a ‘c’.
2. Go up to the middle line, then straight down.

Lowercase ‘c’

1. Start just below the middle line.
2. Curve up and round, like a half circle.

Lowercase ‘e’

1. Start in the middle, go across.
2. Curve up and round, then down.

Lowercase ‘i’

1. Start at the middle line, go straight down.
2. Put a dot above it.

Lowercase ‘m’

1. Start at the middle line, go straight down, then up and over a hump.
2. Go up and over another hump.

Lowercase ‘n’

1. Start at the middle line, go straight down, then up and over one hump.

Lowercase ‘o’

1. Start at the top of the middle line.
2. Go round and close the circle.

Lowercase ‘r’

1. Start at the middle line, go straight down.
2. Go up a little, then curve across to the right.

Lowercase ‘s’

1. Start just below the middle line.
2. Curve left, then curve right.

Lowercase ‘u’

1. Start at the middle line, go down, curve up.
2. Go straight down again.

Lowercase ‘v’

1. Start at the middle line, slant down to the right.
2. Slant up to the right.

Lowercase ‘w’

1. Start at the middle line, slant down, slant up.
2. Slant down, slant up again.

Lowercase ‘z’

1. Start at the middle line, go across.
2. Slant down to the left.
3. Go across to the right.

Lowercase ‘x’

1. Start at the middle line, slant down to the right.
2. Lift your pencil, start again at the middle line, slant down to the left, crossing the first line.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

The teacher should display large flashcards of each letter (a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x) and demonstrate the correct formation on the whiteboard, using directional arrows.

Our Letter Sounds Rhyme

Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Lyrics:
‘A’ says /a/, /a/, /a/
‘C’ says /k/, /k/, /k/
Every letter has a sound
As we write them all around.
‘M’ says /m/, /m/, /m/
‘S’ says /s/, /s/, /s/
Writing letters, one by one
Learning sounds is so much fun!

Actions: Pupils point to the letter flashcard as its sound is mentioned, then pretend to write the letter in the air.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the rhyme together, pausing to emphasise the sound and actions for each letter mentioned. The teacher can adapt the rhyme to include more of the target letters.

Watch and Practise Letter Formation

Let’s watch a video that shows us how to write our letters. Pay close attention to how the pencil moves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_y-0v09304

Teacher’s note: Pause the video to focus on the specific letters (a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x) and guide pupils to trace along in the air.

Key Words

• Sound – The noise a letter makes.
• Form – To make the shape of a letter.
• Copy – To write something exactly as you see it.
• Trace – To draw over a line or shape that is already there.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and reviews some letters and their sounds from the previous lesson. The teacher then introduces today’s topic: “Look and Copy Short Sounds,” explaining that they will learn to make the shapes of new letters and say their sounds.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, recall previous letters and sounds, and listen attentively to the new topic.

Learning Point: Pupils are prepared for the new lesson and connect it to prior knowledge.

Step 2: Identification of Short Sounds

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Sound Recognition/Oral Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows flashcards of the letters a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x one by one. For each letter, the teacher says its basic sound clearly and asks pupils to repeat it. The teacher may give a simple word example for each sound (e.g., ‘a’ for apple).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the flashcards, listen to the sounds, and repeat each sound after the teacher. They may also try to give a word example for each sound.

Learning Point: Pupils identify and orally practise the basic sounds of the target letters.

Step 3: Demonstration of Letter Formation

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates how to correctly form each letter (a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x) on the whiteboard or a large chart. The teacher explains the starting point and direction for each stroke, using clear, simple language (e.g., “start here, go down, then curve”). The teacher can group letters with similar strokes for efficiency.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher’s demonstration carefully, paying attention to the starting points and stroke directions for each letter.

Learning Point: Pupils observe the correct formation of the target letters.

Step 4: Guided Practice (Air/Finger Tracing)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Kinesthetic Learning

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to trace the letters in the air or on their desks using their fingers. The teacher calls out each letter and its sound as pupils trace, reinforcing both the visual and auditory aspects. The teacher walks around to observe and correct any incorrect movements.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils actively participate by tracing each letter in the air or on their desks, repeating the letter sound as they do so.

Learning Point: Pupils practise the motor movements for forming the letters in a large-scale, tactile way.

Step 5: Guided Practice (Handwriting Book)

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Individual Support

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher instructs pupils to open their handwriting books to the relevant page (if pre-prepared with dotted letters or lines). The teacher guides them to trace and then copy the letters (a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x). The teacher provides individual support, correcting pencil grip and formation as needed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils carefully trace and then attempt to copy the target letters in their handwriting books using their pencils and erasers.

Learning Point: Pupils apply their knowledge to form the letters on paper, developing fine motor control.

Step 6: Reinforcement (Rhyme/Game)

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Our Letter Sounds Rhyme” again, encouraging them to make the letter shapes in the air as they sing the sounds. Alternatively, the teacher can play a quick game like “Find the Letter” where pupils point to a letter on a flashcard or chart when its sound is called out.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions or participate in the game, reinforcing letter sounds and recognition.

Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning through a fun, interactive 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 that makes the /a/ sound (like in apple).
2. Form the letter ‘c’ in the air.
3. Which letter makes the /m/ sound?
4. Show me your best written ‘s’ in your book.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate, by pointing, forming letters in the air, or showing their written work.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summary/Closure

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their effort in identifying sounds and forming letters. The teacher reminds them to keep practising their letter writing. The teacher may assign a simple homework task, such as tracing a few letters at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher’s summary and instructions, and pack up their materials.

Learning Point: Pupils conclude the lesson with a sense of accomplishment and a reminder for continued practice.

Lesson Keywords

• Sound – The noise a letter makes.
• Form – To make the shape of a letter.
• Copy – To write something exactly as you see it.
• Trace – To draw over a line or shape that is already there.
• Letter – A symbol used in writing to represent a sound.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils struggling with letter formation, the teacher can provide larger dotted letters to trace, use hand-over-hand guidance, or focus on just 2-3 letters at a time with more repetition. Use tactile materials like sand trays or playdough for forming letters.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly master the letters, the teacher can challenge them to identify words that start with these sounds, or to write simple two-letter words using the letters they have learned (e.g., ‘am’, ‘in’, ‘on’).

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have large, clear flashcards for each target letter (a, c, e, i, m, n, o, r, s, u, v, w, z, x). Prepare your whiteboard or chart for clear demonstrations of letter formation, perhaps with guidelines. The key idea for children to grasp is the connection between the letter’s shape, its sound, and the correct way to write it. When demonstrating, break down each letter into simple, memorable strokes. Emphasise correct pencil grip and sitting posture. During guided practice, circulate the classroom to provide individual feedback and encouragement. Repeat the rhyme multiple times throughout the lesson to reinforce learning. Observe what children can *do* – their ability to identify the sound when you say it, their ability to form the letter in the air, and their attempt to write it in their books – to gauge understanding. For hygiene, ensure pupils wash hands before and after handling materials, especially if using tactile aids.