Matching Letters Aa-Jj with Pictures, Words and Storytelling for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: First Term
Week: 3
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Letter Work
Previous Lesson: Introduction to letters and their sounds.
Topic: Matching Letters Aa-Jj with Pictures, Words and Storytelling
Subject Matter: Matching Letters Aa-Jj with Pictures, Words and Storytelling.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Jj.
• Associate letters Aa-Jj with corresponding pictures and words.
• Pronounce the sounds of letters Aa-Jj correctly.
• Recall simple details from a story.

Affective Domain

• Show enthusiasm for learning new letters and sounds.
• Listen attentively during storytelling.
• Participate actively in class discussions.

Psychomotor Domain

• Trace and write uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Jj.
• Point to specific letters, pictures, or words when asked.

Social Domain

• Take turns speaking during discussion.
• Interact positively with the teacher and peers during activities.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4.
• Early Childhood Care and Education Literacy resources.
• Suitable early-years alphabet and phonics workbooks.

Instructional Materials

• Moveable alphabets (Aa-Jj).
• Flashcards with uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Jj.
• Picture cards for words starting with Aa-Jj (e.g., apple, ball, cat, dog, egg, fish, goat, hat, igloo, jug).
• Word cards for words starting with Aa-Jj.
• Tracing and writing books/worksheets for letters Aa-Jj.
• Crayons and pencils.
• Storybooks with engaging pictures.
• Whiteboard/Chalkboard and markers/chalk.

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds as it builds foundational literacy skills by connecting letters to their sounds, pictures, and words. This multi-sensory approach helps children recognise letters, develop phonemic awareness, and understand that letters carry meaning, which is crucial for early reading and writing development. Storytelling further enhances language comprehension and imagination.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils should have some prior exposure to the alphabet, be able to recognise a few letters, and enjoy listening to short stories.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Matching Letters Aa-Jj with Pictures, Words and Storytelling

Learning to match letters with pictures and words helps us read and write. We will learn letters from A to J today.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Display large flashcards for each letter (Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Ff, Gg, Hh, Ii, Jj).
• Show corresponding picture cards and word cards.
• Demonstrate how to form each letter clearly on the board.

Letters, Sounds, Pictures, and Words (Aa-Jj)

• A a
  • Sound: /a/ as in “apple”
  • Picture: Apple
  • Word: apple
• B b
  • Sound: /b/ as in “ball”
  • Picture: Ball
  • Word: ball
• C c
  • Sound: /k/ as in “cat”
  • Picture: Cat
  • Word: cat
• D d
  • Sound: /d/ as in “dog”
  • Picture: Dog
  • Word: dog
• E e
  • Sound: /e/ as in “egg”
  • Picture: Egg
  • Word: egg
• F f
  • Sound: /f/ as in “fish”
  • Picture: Fish
  • Word: fish
• G g
  • Sound: /g/ as in “goat”
  • Picture: Goat
  • Word: goat
• H h
  • Sound: /h/ as in “hat”
  • Picture: Hat
  • Word: hat
• I i
  • Sound: /i/ as in “igloo”
  • Picture: Igloo
  • Word: igloo
• J j
  • Sound: /j/ as in “jug”
  • Picture: Jug
  • Word: jug

Letter Matching Song

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
Letters all for you and me.
H, I, J, we see them bright,
Matching pictures, what a sight!
A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
Letters all for you and me.

Actions:

• Point to each letter as it is sung.
• Clap hands for “you and me.”
• Point to eyes for “see them bright.”
• Make a matching gesture with hands for “matching pictures.”

How to use the rhyme: Sing the song together to reinforce letter recognition and the idea of matching. Repeat several times, encouraging pupils to point to the letters on flashcards or a chart.

Storytelling Time

Stories help us learn new words and imagine wonderful things. We listen carefully to the story and think about the characters and what happens.

• Listening: Pay attention to the story.
• Pictures: Look at the pictures in the book.
• Characters: Who is in the story?
• What happened: What did the characters do?
• Asking questions: We can ask and answer questions about the story.

Watch and Learn Our Letters

Let’s watch a video to see and hear our letters and their sounds clearly. We will focus on the letters from A to J.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm3zL_L2F4A

Key Words

• Letter – A symbol we write or read, like A, B, C.
• Sound – The noise a letter makes, like /a/ for apple.
• Match – To put things together that belong, like a letter and its picture.
• Picture – A drawing or photo.
• Word – Letters put together to mean something, like “apple”.
• Story – A tale or account of events.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Recalling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils, leads a short “Good Morning” song, and asks pupils to recall some letters they know. The teacher introduces the topic: learning to match letters Aa-Jj with pictures, words, and listening to a story.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, sing along, and name any familiar letters. They listen attentively to the topic introduction.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and aware of the lesson’s focus.

Step 2: Introduction to Letters Aa-Jj and Sounds

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Pronunciation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays flashcards for uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Jj one by one. For each letter, the teacher clearly says its name and sound, and demonstrates how to form it in the air. Pupils repeat after the teacher.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the letters, listen to the teacher, repeat the letter names and sounds, and practice air-tracing the letters.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise letters Aa-Jj and their sounds.

Step 3: Matching Letters to Pictures and Words

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Association/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows a letter flashcard (e.g., ‘A a’) and then asks, “What picture starts with /a/?” The teacher shows picture cards (e.g., apple, ball) and word cards, guiding pupils to choose the correct match. This is repeated for letters Aa-Jj.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the letter, listen to the sounds, and point to the correct picture and word card that matches the letter shown by the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils associate letters with corresponding pictures and words.

Step 4: Tracing and Writing Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Modelling/Motor Skill Development

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes tracing and writing worksheets for letters Aa-Jj. The teacher demonstrates the correct pencil grip and how to trace and write each letter. The teacher walks around to provide individual guidance and support.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils hold their pencils correctly, trace the uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Jj, and attempt to write them independently on their worksheets.

Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and practice letter formation.

Step 5: Rhyme and Reinforcement

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Song/Repetition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Letter Matching Song” (as in the Board Summary) while pointing to the letter and picture flashcards. The teacher encourages actions.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the song, perform the actions, and point to the letters and pictures as they are sung.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce letter recognition and matching through a fun, repetitive activity.

Step 6: Storytelling and Discussion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Storytelling/Comprehension

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reads a short, engaging story from a storybook, showing the pictures clearly. After the story, the teacher asks simple questions about the characters, events, and any words starting with letters Aa-Jj that were heard in the story.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively to the story, look at the pictures, and answer simple questions asked by the teacher, participating in the discussion.

Learning Point: Pupils develop listening comprehension, vocabulary, and participate in oral communication.

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. “Point to letter ‘C c’.”
2. “What picture starts with the /d/ sound?” (Show a dog and a fish picture).
3. “Say the sound for letter ‘E e’.”
4. “Show me how you write ‘B b’ in the air.”
5. “What was your favourite part of the story?”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate by pointing, saying sounds, or air-tracing letters.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarising/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and effort. The teacher briefly recaps the letters, sounds, and the fun story they shared. The teacher encourages pupils to look for these letters and pictures at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the recap and say “Thank you, teacher.”

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

Lesson Keywords

• Letter – A symbol we write or read, like A, B, C.
• Sound – The noise a letter makes, like /a/ for apple.
• Match – To put things together that belong, like a letter and its picture.
• Picture – A drawing or photo.
• Word – Letters put together to mean something, like “apple”.
• Story – A tale or account of events.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils struggling with letter recognition, provide larger flashcards, use hand-over-hand guidance for tracing, allow more repetition of sounds, and focus on fewer letters at a time. Use only real objects for matching initially.
• Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concept, encourage them to identify other words that start with the target letters, try to write the words themselves, or retell parts of the story in their own words. They can also help peers with matching activities.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure all instructional materials like letter flashcards, picture cards, word cards, and tracing worksheets are prepared and easily accessible. Arrange the classroom for both group activities and individual writing. When introducing letters and sounds, focus on clear pronunciation and repetition. Encourage pupils to use their fingers to trace letters in the air before writing on paper. During storytelling, make eye contact and use expressive voices to keep children engaged. Observe pupils closely during tracing and writing to correct pencil grip and letter formation early. Remember that understanding is best judged by what a child can do, such as pointing to the correct letter, saying its sound, or matching a picture. Praise effort and participation to build confidence.