Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before the lesson, prepare a variety of clear, colourful pictures showing familiar objects and simple actions. Ensure each pupil has a writing book, pencil, and crayon. The central idea for pupils is to observe details in pictures and understand the concept of vertical (up and down) and horizontal (across) lines, which are foundational pre-writing skills. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can point to objects in pictures, attempt simple sentences, and confidently draw vertical and horizontal lines.
Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: First Term
Week: 3
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Letter Work
Previous Lesson: Identifying and naming familiar objects.
Topic: Picture Reading with Vertical and Horizontal Line Writing
Subject Matter: Reading and writing: Picture reading and making free patterns; developing vertical and horizontal lines.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify familiar objects in various pictures.
- Attempt to form simple sentences orally about pictures.
- Recognise vertical lines as lines that go up and down.
- Recognise horizontal lines as lines that go across.
Affective Domain
- Show interest in looking at pictures.
- Participate actively in tracing and drawing lines.
- Listen attentively to teacher’s instructions.
Psychomotor Domain
- Trace vertical lines in the air and on paper.
- Trace horizontal lines in the air and on paper.
- Draw simple vertical lines in their writing books.
- Draw simple horizontal lines in their writing books.
Social Domain
- Take turns to describe objects in pictures.
- Share materials like crayons and pencils appropriately.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3.
- Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) resources.
- Suitable early-years literacy workbook.
Instructional Materials
- Writing books/exercise books
- Pencils and erasers
- Crayons
- A variety of large, clear pictures showing familiar objects and simple actions (e.g., a boy playing, a girl eating, a car, a house, animals).
- Posters with examples of vertical and horizontal lines.
- Whiteboard or chalkboard.
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is crucial for Pre-School Level 3 pupils as it builds foundational pre-reading and pre-writing skills. Picture reading enhances observation, vocabulary, and oral language development, while learning to draw vertical and horizontal lines develops fine motor control, hand-eye coordination, and prepares children for letter formation and formal writing. These skills are essential for future academic success.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can identify some familiar objects around them and hold a pencil with some control. They have also engaged in looking at picture books.Lesson Content/Board Summary
Picture Reading with Vertical and Horizontal Line Writing
What is Picture Reading?
Picture reading is looking carefully at pictures to understand what is happening or what the picture is about. We can see objects, people, and actions in pictures. Examples:- A picture of a boy playing with a ball.
- A picture of a girl eating an apple.
- A picture of a dog running.
What are Vertical Lines?
Vertical lines are lines that go straight up and straight down. They are like standing tall!
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What are Horizontal Lines?
Horizontal lines are lines that go straight across, from left to right. They are like lying flat!
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Key Words
- Picture – an image or drawing.
- Vertical – going straight up and down.
- Horizontal – going straight across.
Line Drawing Rhyme
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
Lyrics:
Look at pictures, what do you see?
Objects, people, happy and free.
Up and down, a vertical line,
Across, across, a horizontal line.
Draw them neatly, oh so fine,
Vertical, horizontal, all the time!
Actions: Point to eyes for “look at pictures,” move finger up and down for “vertical line,” move finger left to right for “horizontal line,” pretend to draw in the air.
Watch and Practise Lines
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Start by showing various pictures one by one. Ask pupils “What do you see?” and encourage them to name objects. Guide them to form simple sentences like “I see a car” or “The girl is happy.” For lines, use your arm to demonstrate vertical (up and down) and horizontal (across) movements clearly on the board. Emphasize the direction with clear verbal cues.
What to show or demonstrate: Draw large examples of vertical and horizontal lines on the whiteboard. Use a ruler to show straightness. You can also use real-world examples: a standing pole is vertical, a sleeping person is horizontal. Show how to hold a pencil correctly and guide pupils’ hands for tracing if needed.
How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the “Line Drawing Rhyme” together several times. Encourage pupils to do the actions as they sing to reinforce the concepts of looking at pictures and the directions of the lines. Use it as a transition or a short brain break.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to learn about lines. Play the video “Vertical and Horizontal Lines for Kids | Pre-Writing Skills” by The Singing Walrus. After watching, ask pupils to trace the lines in the air with their fingers, mimicking the movements from the video. Discuss what they saw in the video.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils can identify objects in pictures and attempt simple sentences. For line writing, look for correct pencil grip and the ability to draw lines in the correct direction (up-down for vertical, left-right for horizontal), even if they are not perfectly straight initially.
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/Motivation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils, sings a familiar welcome song, and tells them they will be looking at interesting pictures and drawing lines today.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and show excitement for the lesson.
Learning Point: Pupils are settled and motivated for the lesson.
Step 2: Picture Identification
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Observation/Vocabulary Building
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows various pictures one by one (e.g., a cat, a tree, a ball). The teacher asks, “What do you see in this picture?” and encourages pupils to name the objects.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and name the objects they see in each picture (e.g., “A cat!”, “A tree!”).
Learning Point: Pupils practise identifying familiar objects in pictures.
Step 3: Picture Storytelling (Oral)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Language Development/Sentence Formation
Teacher’s Activity: Using the same pictures, the teacher forms simple sentences (e.g., “The cat is sleeping,” “The tree is tall”). The teacher then encourages pupils to attempt their own simple sentences about the pictures.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher’s sentences and try to form their own simple sentences about the pictures (e.g., “The cat is black,” “The tree has leaves”).
Learning Point: Pupils develop oral language skills and attempt simple sentence formation.
Step 4: Introducing Vertical Lines
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Pre-writing
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces vertical lines, demonstrating on the board how they go “up and down.” The teacher asks pupils to trace vertical lines in the air with their fingers, saying “up and down, up and down.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the teacher’s demonstration and trace vertical lines in the air with their fingers, repeating “up and down.”
Learning Point: Pupils understand the concept and direction of vertical lines.
Step 5: Practising Vertical Lines
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Fine Motor Skills
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to open their writing books. The teacher draws a few vertical lines on the board and asks pupils to try drawing vertical lines in their books using their pencils. The teacher walks around to provide support.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils draw vertical lines in their writing books, trying to go straight up and down.
Learning Point: Pupils practise drawing vertical lines with a pencil.
Step 6: Introducing and Practising Horizontal Lines
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces horizontal lines, demonstrating on the board how they go “across, left to right.” The teacher asks pupils to trace horizontal lines in the air and then draw them in their books, similar to vertical lines.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch, trace horizontal lines in the air, and then draw them in their writing books, going across from left to right.
Learning Point: Pupils understand and practise drawing horizontal lines.
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.
- Show me a picture of a (e.g., “flower”).
- What is happening in this picture (show a simple action picture)?
- Draw a vertical line on your book.
- Draw a horizontal line on your book.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.
Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.
Step 8: Conclusion
Time: 1 minute
Teaching Skill: Summarisation/Closure
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their good work in looking at pictures and drawing lines. The teacher reminds them to keep practising. The teacher may assign a simple drawing activity for homework, like drawing more vertical and horizontal lines.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher, pack their materials, and respond to the praise.
Learning Point: The lesson is concluded with positive reinforcement and a reminder for practice.
Lesson Keywords
- Picture – an image or drawing that shows something.
- Vertical – a line that goes straight up and down.
- Horizontal – a line that goes straight across, from side to side.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils struggling with line drawing, provide books with pre-drawn dotted lines for tracing. Offer hand-over-hand guidance for pencil grip and movement. Use larger pictures with fewer objects for picture reading.
- Extension: For advanced pupils, encourage them to draw simple objects using only vertical and horizontal lines (e.g., a simple house or a ladder). Ask them to describe pictures with slightly more detail or longer sentences.
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