Matching and Reading Letters Uu-Zz with Pictures and Words for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: First Term
Week: 6
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Letter Work
Previous Lesson: Previous lessons on letter recognition and sounds.
Topic: Matching and Reading Letters Uu-Zz with Pictures and Words
Subject Matter: Matching and Reading Letters Uu-Zz with Pictures and Words.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify and name letters Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, Zz.
• Match uppercase and lowercase letters (Uu-Zz) with corresponding pictures and words.
• Read simple words associated with letters Uu-Zz.
• Pronounce the sounds of letters Uu-Zz correctly.

Affective Domain

• Participate actively in letter recognition and matching games.
• Show enthusiasm for learning new letters and sounds.
• Listen attentively to the teacher and peers during activities.

Psychomotor Domain

• Trace letters Uu-Zz using their fingers in the air or on surfaces.
• Write letters Uu-Zz correctly in their tracing books or on paper.
• Point to specific letters, pictures, or words when asked.

Social Domain

• Take turns when speaking or using learning materials.
• Share learning materials with classmates.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

• Alphabet charts showing letters Uu-Zz with pictures and words.
• Flashcards for each letter (Uu-Zz) in both uppercase and lowercase.
• Picture cards for words like umbrella, van, watch, xylophone, yam, zebra.
• Tracing books or plain paper.
• Pencils, pencil grips, and crayons.
• Whiteboard or chalkboard and markers/chalk.
• Real objects like a small umbrella, toy van, toy watch (if available).

Rationale for the Lesson

Learning to match and read letters Uu-Zz with pictures and words is crucial for building foundational literacy skills. This lesson helps pupils connect abstract letter symbols to concrete objects and sounds, which is essential for developing phonological awareness, early reading, and writing abilities. It prepares them for more complex word recognition and sentence formation in the future.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can recognise and identify most letters of the alphabet from Aa-Tt. They can also associate some letters with their sounds and simple pictures.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Matching and Reading Letters Uu-Zz with Pictures and Words

Today, we will learn about the last letters of our alphabet: Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, and Zz! We will learn how they look, what sounds they make, and some words that start with them.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Display large alphabet charts or flashcards for each letter Uu-Zz.
• Write each letter clearly on the board in both uppercase and lowercase.
• Draw simple pictures or show picture cards for each word.

Letter Uu

• Uppercase: U
• Lowercase: u
• Sound: /uh/ (as in ‘up’ or ‘umbrella’)
• Picture/Word: Umbrella, Up
• Activity: Let’s say “Uu for Umbrella!” (Teacher shows picture of umbrella, pupils repeat).

Letter Vv

• Uppercase: V
• Lowercase: v
• Sound: /vvv/ (as in ‘van’ or ‘violin’)
• Picture/Word: Van, Violin
• Activity: Let’s say “Vv for Van!” (Teacher shows picture of van, pupils repeat).

Letter Ww

• Uppercase: W
• Lowercase: w
• Sound: /www/ (as in ‘watch’ or ‘water’)
• Picture/Word: Watch, Water
• Activity: Let’s say “Ww for Watch!” (Teacher shows picture of watch, pupils repeat).

Letter Xx

• Uppercase: X
• Lowercase: x
• Sound: /ks/ (as in ‘box’ or ‘fox’ at the end of words), or /zzz/ (as in ‘xylophone’ at the beginning)
• Picture/Word: Xylophone, X-ray
• Activity: Let’s say “Xx for Xylophone!” (Teacher shows picture of xylophone, pupils repeat).

Letter Yy

• Uppercase: Y
• Lowercase: y
• Sound: /yyy/ (as in ‘yam’ or ‘yo-yo’)
• Picture/Word: Yam, Yo-yo
• Activity: Let’s say “Yy for Yam!” (Teacher shows picture of yam, pupils repeat).

Letter Zz

• Uppercase: Z
• Lowercase: z
• Sound: /zzz/ (as in ‘zebra’ or ‘zip’)
• Picture/Word: Zebra, Zip
• Activity: Let’s say “Zz for Zebra!” (Teacher shows picture of zebra, pupils repeat).

Letters Uu-Zz Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, Zz,
Letters at the very end.
Uu for umbrella, up we go,
Vv for van, watch it go.
Ww for watch, tick-tock, tick-tock,
Xx for xylophone, play a sweet song.
Yy for yam, yummy and sweet,
Zz for zebra, on its feet.
Uu, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy, Zz,
Now we know our alphabet!

Actions:

• Point to each letter as it is sung.
• For “umbrella, up we go” – make an upward motion with hands.
• For “van, watch it go” – make a driving motion.
• For “watch, tick-tock” – point to wrist.
• For “xylophone, play a sweet song” – pretend to play a xylophone.
• For “yam, yummy and sweet” – rub tummy.
• For “zebra, on its feet” – march in place.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the song together several times, encouraging pupils to do the actions and point to the letters on the chart. This helps reinforce letter recognition and associated words in a fun, active way.

Watch and Learn More about Uu-Zz

Let’s watch a short video to see and hear the letters Uu-Zz and their words again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0S9pM-fU6Q

(Teacher plays the video for pupils to watch and repeat the letters and words.)

Key Words

• Uu – The twenty-first letter of the alphabet.
• Vv – The twenty-second letter of the alphabet.
• Ww – The twenty-third letter of the alphabet.
• Xx – The twenty-fourth letter of the alphabet.
• Yy – The twenty-fifth letter of the alphabet.
• Zz – The twenty-sixth letter of the alphabet.
• Umbrella – A device used for protection from rain or sun.
• Van – A medium-sized motor vehicle, typically without side windows in the rear, used for transporting goods or people.
• Watch – A small timepiece worn on the wrist.
• Xylophone – A musical instrument with wooden bars that are struck by mallets.
• Yam – A starchy root vegetable, common in Nigeria.
• Zebra – An African wild horse with black-and-white stripes.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and asks them to recall some letters they have learned previously (e.g., “Who can tell me a letter we learned last week?”). The teacher then introduces the new letters Uu-Zz, explaining that these are the last letters of the alphabet.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to questions, listen attentively, and show excitement for learning new letters.

Learning Point: Pupils recall previous knowledge and are prepared for the new lesson.

Step 2: Presentation of Letters Uu, Vv, Ww

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays charts/flashcards for Uu, Vv, Ww. For each letter, the teacher:

1. Shows both uppercase and lowercase forms.
2. Says the letter name and its sound clearly.
3. Shows a picture and says a word starting with that letter (e.g., “Uu for Umbrella”).
4. Demonstrates how to form the letter in the air.

The teacher encourages pupils to repeat after them.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the letters, listen to the sounds and words, repeat after the teacher, and trace the letters in the air with their fingers.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise letters Uu, Vv, Ww, their sounds, and associated words.

Step 3: Guided Practice for Uu, Vv, Ww

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to:

1. Point to the correct letter (Uu, Vv, Ww) on the chart when called out.
2. Match letter flashcards to picture cards.
3. Say the letter name, sound, and word several times.

The teacher provides individual support as needed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils actively point, match, and repeat the letters, sounds, and words for Uu, Vv, Ww.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their recognition and association of Uu, Vv, Ww.

Step 4: Presentation of Letters Xx, Yy, Zz

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: Similar to Step 2, the teacher displays charts/flashcards for Xx, Yy, Zz. For each letter, the teacher:

1. Shows both uppercase and lowercase forms.
2. Says the letter name and its sound clearly (e.g., Xx for xylophone, Yy for yam, Zz for zebra).
3. Shows a picture and says a word starting with that letter.
4. Demonstrates how to form the letter in the air.

The teacher encourages pupils to repeat after them.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the letters, listen to the sounds and words, repeat after the teacher, and trace the letters in the air with their fingers.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise letters Xx, Yy, Zz, their sounds, and associated words.

Step 5: Guided Practice for Xx, Yy, Zz

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to:

1. Point to the correct letter (Xx, Yy, Zz) on the chart when called out.
2. Match letter flashcards to picture cards.
3. Say the letter name, sound, and word several times.

The teacher provides individual support as needed.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils actively point, match, and repeat the letters, sounds, and words for Xx, Yy, Zz.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their recognition and association of Xx, Yy, Zz.

Step 6: Activity – Letter Writing and Song

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Practical Application/Creative Expression

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes tracing books/paper and pencils.

1. The teacher models how to write each letter (Uu-Zz) on the board, emphasising correct starting points and strokes.
2. Pupils are guided to trace and write the letters in their books.
3. While pupils are writing, the teacher leads them in singing the “Letters Uu-Zz Song” from the Lesson Content, encouraging actions.

The teacher moves around to assist and supervise.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils trace and attempt to write letters Uu-Zz in their books while singing along to the song.

Learning Point: Pupils practice writing skills and consolidate letter knowledge through song.

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. “Who can point to the letter Uu on the chart?”
2. “What sound does the letter Zz make?”
3. “Show me the picture that starts with Vv.”
4. “Say a word that starts with Yy.”
5. “Can you show me how to write the letter Ww in the air?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate (pointing, saying sounds/words, air tracing).

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson by identifying, matching, and pronouncing letters Uu-Zz and their associated words.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarisation/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their hard work and reminds them that they have now learned all the letters of the alphabet. The teacher encourages them to keep practicing at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher and respond to praise.

Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and are encouraged to continue learning.

Lesson Keywords

• Uu – The twenty-first letter of the alphabet.
• Vv – The twenty-second letter of the alphabet.
• Ww – The twenty-third letter of the alphabet.
• Xx – The twenty-fourth letter of the alphabet.
• Yy – The twenty-fifth letter of the alphabet.
• Zz – The twenty-sixth letter of the alphabet.
• Umbrella – A device that protects from rain.
• Zebra – A striped animal.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who are struggling, provide more one-on-one repetition of letter sounds and words. Use larger flashcards or real objects for clearer visual cues. Guide their hands for tracing the letters. Focus on recognizing the uppercase and lowercase forms before moving to writing.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concept, challenge them to identify other words that start with Uu-Zz. Encourage them to draw pictures for the words they learned or to write the letters independently without tracing. They can also try to identify the letters in simple picture books.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure all instructional materials like charts, flashcards, and tracing books are prepared and easily accessible. When introducing each letter, exaggerate the sound and clearly articulate the associated word. Pay close attention to the pronunciation of Xx, as its initial sound can be tricky; focus on the /zzz/ sound for xylophone for simplicity, or the /ks/ sound if pupils are ready for it. Encourage pupils to use pencil grips if needed to promote correct pencil holding. Repeat the song and letter-sound associations frequently throughout the lesson and week. Observe pupils’ pencil grip and letter formation during writing activities, providing gentle correction and positive reinforcement. Assess understanding by observing if pupils can correctly point to, name, and say the sound of each letter, and match it to a picture or word. Remember to celebrate their progress as they master the final letters of the alphabet.