Look and Copy Two-Letter Words in, at, is, it for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 4
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Handwriting
Curriculum Theme: Handwriting
Previous Lesson: Tracing and Writing Sounds a and b
Topic: LOOK AND COPY TWO-LETTER WORDS: IN, AT, IS, IT
Subject Matter: LOOK AND COPY: “IN, AT, IS, IT”. Weekly focus: Look and Copy Two-Letter Words: in, at, is, it.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Recognise the two-letter words: in, at, is, it.
• Say and blend the sounds of the two-letter words.
• Read the two-letter words: in, at, is, it.

Affective Domain

• Listen attentively to the teacher’s instructions.
• Participate actively in blending and copying activities.

Psychomotor Domain

• Form the two-letter words: in, at, is, it, by tracing.
• Look and copy the two-letter words: in, at, is, it, correctly.
• Write the two-letter words: in, at, is, it, in their books.

Social Domain

• Share materials like pencils and erasers when necessary.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

• Flashcards with “in”, “at”, “is”, “it” written clearly
• Whiteboard or chart and markers
• Handwriting books or exercise books
• Pencils and erasers
• Sand tray or individual slates (optional)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is essential for 5-year-olds as it introduces them to basic sight words, which are fundamental building blocks for early reading and writing. Learning to look and copy these simple two-letter words helps develop fine motor skills, letter recognition, sound blending, and builds confidence in early literacy, preparing them for more complex words and sentences.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can recognise individual letters of the alphabet and have practised basic pre-writing patterns and tracing. They can also hold a pencil correctly.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

LOOK AND COPY TWO-LETTER WORDS: IN, AT, IS, IT

Today, we are going to learn some small but important words. These words have only two letters, and we will learn to say them, blend their sounds, and then copy them neatly.

What are Two-Letter Words?

Two-letter words are very short words made up of only two letters. They are often called ‘sight words’ because we learn to recognise them quickly just by looking at them, without needing to sound them out every time.

Our Focus Words: in, at, is, it

Let’s look at each word, say its sound, blend it, and learn to write it.

1. Word: in

• Sound: /i/ /n/
• Blend: i-n, sounds like “in”
• Meaning: It means inside something. (e.g., “The ball is in the box.”)
• Formation: Start with ‘i’ (down, dot), then ‘n’ (down, up, over).

2. Word: at

• Sound: /a/ /t/
• Blend: a-t, sounds like “at”
• Meaning: It means a place or time. (e.g., “We are at school.”)
• Formation: Start with ‘a’ (round and down), then ‘t’ (down, cross).

3. Word: is

• Sound: /i/ /s/
• Blend: i-s, sounds like “is”
• Meaning: It talks about something existing. (e.g., “The sun is hot.”)
• Formation: Start with ‘i’ (down, dot), then ‘s’ (curve around).

4. Word: it

• Sound: /i/ /t/
• Blend: i-t, sounds like “it”
• Meaning: It refers to an object or animal. (e.g., “The cat is playing, it is happy.”)
• Formation: Start with ‘i’ (down, dot), then ‘t’ (down, cross).

Key Words

• in – inside.
• at – a place or time.
• is – to be.
• it – refers to an object.
• blend – to put sounds together to make a word.
• copy – to write something exactly as you see it.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Flashcards for each word: “in”, “at”, “is”, “it”.
• Write each word clearly on the whiteboard/chart, demonstrating correct letter formation.
• Draw simple pictures to illustrate the meaning (e.g., a ball in a box for “in”).

Two-Letter Word Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

“In, in, in,” we learn to say,
“At, at, at,” all through the day.
“Is, is, is,” we see and know,
“It, it, it,” watch our words grow.
Look and copy, nice and neat,
Two-letter words, oh so sweet!

Actions:

• “In, in, in”: Point inside your hand.
• “At, at, at”: Point to a spot on the floor.
• “Is, is, is”: Nod your head.
• “It, it, it”: Point to an object in the classroom.
• “Look and copy”: Mimic looking at a book and writing.
• “Nice and neat”: Show thumbs up.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the song while pointing to the flashcards of the words. Encourage pupils to do the actions and repeat the words after each line. This helps with memorisation and word recognition.

Watch and Practise

Let’s watch a short video to see these two-letter words and hear their sounds again. Pay attention to how the words are formed and used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYn9N25t48c

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/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and leads them in a short alphabet song. The teacher then asks pupils to name some letters they know and reminds them of how to hold their pencils correctly.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, sing the alphabet song, name letters, and demonstrate correct pencil grip.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall prior knowledge of letters and pencil grip.

Step 2: Introduction of Two-Letter Words

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Presentation/Recognition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the concept of two-letter words. The teacher then shows flashcards for “in”, “at”, “is”, “it” one by one, saying each word clearly and slowly. The teacher also shows simple pictures to illustrate the meaning (e.g., a toy “in” a basket).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, look at the flashcards, and repeat each word after the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise and orally practise the target two-letter words.

Step 3: Blending and Sounding

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Phonics/Blending

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher breaks down each word into its individual letter sounds and then blends them together. For example, for “in”, the teacher says “/i/ /n/ – in”. The teacher encourages pupils to blend the sounds with her. The teacher also sings the “Two-Letter Word Song” with actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the sounds, try to blend them, repeat the blended words, and sing the song with actions.

Learning Point: Pupils practise blending letter sounds to form the two-letter words.

Step 4: Air Tracing and Formation

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Pre-writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates how to form each letter of the words “in”, “at”, “is”, “it” on the whiteboard, explaining the starting points and strokes (e.g., “for ‘i’, down, then a dot”). The teacher then guides pupils to air trace each word several times.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher’s demonstration carefully and then air trace each two-letter word following the teacher’s instructions.

Learning Point: Pupils understand the correct formation of the letters within the words.

Step 5: Guided Copying

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes each word clearly on the whiteboard or chart, showing how to copy it. The teacher then guides pupils to open their handwriting books or use their slates and copy each word once or twice, providing individual support and correction on pencil grip and letter formation.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils open their books/slates, hold their pencils correctly, and carefully copy the words “in”, “at”, “is”, “it” under the teacher’s guidance.

Learning Point: Pupils practise copying the two-letter words with teacher support.

Step 6: Independent Practice and Reinforcement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher encourages pupils to continue copying the words “in”, “at”, “is”, “it” independently in their books. The teacher also plays the verified YouTube video to reinforce word recognition and usage.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils continue to copy the words independently and watch the video, repeating words as prompted.

Learning Point: Pupils gain confidence in independently copying the words and reinforce their recognition.

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 word ‘in’ on the flashcard.”
2. “Say the word that means ‘inside’.”
3. “Write the word ‘at’ on your slate.”
4. “What two letters make the word ‘is’?”
5. “Read the word I point to in your book.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally, point to flashcards, and demonstrate writing the required words on their slates or in their books.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson by recognising, saying, and copying the words.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their hard work and reminds them to keep practising the words. The teacher assigns a simple homework task to copy the words a few more times at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher’s summary and instructions for homework.

Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and are encouraged to continue practising.

Lesson Keywords

• in – a word meaning inside.
• at – a word meaning a specific place or time.
• is – a word used to describe something or someone.
• it – a word used to refer to an object or animal.
• copy – to write something exactly as it is shown.
• blend – to put sounds together to make a word.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who are struggling, the teacher can provide larger flashcards, use a sand tray for finger tracing, or offer hand-over-hand guidance for pencil control. Focus on recognising just two words first before moving to all four.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concept, the teacher can ask them to identify the words in a simple picture book, or challenge them to say a short sentence using one of the words (e.g., “The cat is in the bag.”).

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure all flashcards are prepared and clearly visible. Have enough handwriting books, pencils, and erasers for every child. Pay close attention to pupils’ pencil grip and posture during the copying activity; correct any bad habits gently. Emphasise oral repetition and blending before moving to writing. Encourage pupils to say the word as they copy it. Observe which pupils are struggling with letter formation versus word recognition. For slower learners, allow them to trace over pre-written words before attempting to copy independently. Celebrate small successes to build confidence. The observable action for understanding is a child correctly identifying the word when shown, saying it, and being able to copy it legibly.