Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, ensure you have large flashcards for letters Aa-Ii with corresponding pictures, crayons, and tracing worksheets ready. The central idea is for pupils to recognise letters Aa-Ii, associate them with familiar objects, and practise pre-writing skills. Observe if pupils can identify the letters and pictures and attempt to trace with guidance.
Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: First Term
Week: 10
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Introduction to basic pre-writing patterns and oral sharing.
Topic: ALPHABET REVIEW AA-II: PICTURE READING, WRITING AND RHYMES
Subject Matter: Listening and Speaking: Talking about news and happenings at home and in the community. Reading: Picture reading and recognition of familiar objects while relating alphabet sounds from Aa-Ii to objects. Writing: Tracing, colouring and writing letters Aa-Ii. Songs, Rhymes and Poems: Singing traditional rhymes, songs and poems and acting out characters.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Talk about simple news and happenings at home and in the community.
- Identify and name letters Aa-Ii (uppercase and lowercase).
- Recognise familiar objects that start with the sounds of letters Aa-Ii.
Affective Domain
- Participate actively in discussions about their home and community.
- Show enjoyment while singing rhymes and acting out characters.
Psychomotor Domain
- Trace and colour letters Aa-Ii correctly.
- Attempt to write simple strokes for letters Aa-Ii.
- Perform actions related to songs and rhymes.
Social Domain
- Take turns when sharing news with the class.
- Listen respectfully when others are speaking.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2.
- Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources.
Instructional Materials
- Flashcards of uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Ii.
- Picture cards of objects starting with Aa-Ii (e.g., Apple, Ball, Cat, Drum, Elephant, Fish, Goat, Hat, Igloo).
- Chart posters with letters Aa-Ii and corresponding pictures.
- Crayons and pencils.
- Tracing worksheets for letters Aa-Ii.
- Storybook or picture book with familiar objects.
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson helps 3-year-old pupils develop early literacy skills by connecting letter recognition with familiar objects and sounds. Sharing news encourages oral language development and social interaction, while tracing and colouring build essential fine motor skills for future writing.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can already recognise some common objects, make simple sounds, and have been introduced to basic pre-writing strokes like vertical and horizontal lines. They also engage in simple conversations at home.Lesson Content/Board Summary
ALPHABET REVIEW AA-II: PICTURE READING, WRITING AND RHYMES
Listening and Speaking: Sharing News
We talk about what happened at home or in our community. We share happy news and listen to our friends.
Reading: Letters Aa-Ii and Picture Recognition
- A a – for Apple, Ant
- B b – for Ball, Book
- C c – for Cat, Cup
- D d – for Drum, Dog
- E e – for Elephant, Egg
- F f – for Fish, Flower
- G g – for Goat, Girl
- H h – for Hat, House
- I i – for Igloo, Ink
We look at pictures and say the letter sound and the name of the object.
Writing: Tracing and Colouring Letters Aa-Ii
We learn to hold our pencil correctly. We trace the big letters (uppercase) and small letters (lowercase) from A to I. We also colour the letters and pictures nicely.
Alphabet Sound Rhyme (Aa-Ii)
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
A, a, apple, a, a, a,
B, b, ball, b, b, b,
C, c, cat, c, c, c,
D, d, drum, d, d, d.
E, e, egg, e, e, e,
F, f, fish, f, f, f,
G, g, goat, g, g, g,
H, h, hat, h, h, h,
I, i, igloo, i, i, i,
Letters, letters, for you and me!
Actions: Point to letter cards as they are called, mime eating an apple, bouncing a ball, stroking a cat, beating a drum, flapping like a fish, etc.
Watch and Practise
Key Words
- Apple – a round fruit.
- Ball – a round toy for playing.
- Cat – a small pet animal.
- Drum – a musical instrument.
- Elephant – a very big animal.
- Fish – an animal that lives in water.
- Goat – a farm animal.
- Hat – something worn on the head.
- Igloo – a house made of ice.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Begin by asking simple questions about pupils’ morning or yesterday’s activities to encourage sharing. Introduce letters Aa-Ii one by one using large flashcards. Emphasise the sound of each letter and show the corresponding picture. Repeat each letter and its associated object several times. For writing, demonstrate correct pencil grip and tracing direction on the board or a large chart before pupils attempt on their worksheets.
What to show or demonstrate: Display flashcards of uppercase and lowercase Aa-Ii. Show picture cards of objects (e.g., Apple, Ball, Cat) and clearly articulate their initial sounds. Demonstrate how to trace each letter on the board using chalk, showing the starting point and direction. Guide pupils through tracing on their worksheets, providing hand-over-hand support if needed.
How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the “Alphabet Sound Rhyme” slowly and clearly, pointing to the letter flashcards as you sing. Encourage pupils to join in, repeating the letter sounds and words. Guide them to perform the simple actions for each word to make it more engaging and memorable. Repeat the rhyme a few times.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to review the letters and their sounds. Ask pupils to watch and listen carefully. After watching, encourage them to repeat the sounds and words they heard in the video. You can pause the video to ask “What letter is this?” or “What word starts with this sound?”
What to watch for: Observe pupils’ ability to identify letters and pictures, their participation in sharing news, and their attempt at tracing. Look out for correct pencil grip and the direction of tracing. Provide individual support for those struggling with letter recognition or tracing.
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: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engagement/Oral Communication
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and initiates a short “news sharing” session by asking simple questions like, “What did you do at home yesterday?” or “What did you see on your way to school today?”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by sharing simple news or observations from their home or community, taking turns to speak.
Learning Point: Pupils develop oral communication skills and feel comfortable sharing in class.
Step 2: Introduction of Letters Aa-Ii and Sounds
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Letter Recognition/Phonics
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces letters Aa-Ii one by one using large flashcards, showing both uppercase and lowercase forms. The teacher clearly says the sound of each letter and asks pupils to repeat.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the flashcards, listen to the teacher, and repeat the letter names and sounds (e.g., “A, a, /a/”).
Learning Point: Pupils begin to recognise letters Aa-Ii and associate them with their sounds.
Step 3: Picture Reading and Object Recognition
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Association/Vocabulary
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows picture cards of objects starting with each letter from Aa-Ii (e.g., Apple for A, Ball for B). The teacher names the object and emphasises the initial sound, asking pupils to identify the object and its starting letter.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the objects in the pictures, say their names, and try to say the initial letter sound with the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils relate letter sounds to familiar objects and expand their vocabulary.
Step 4: Rhyme and Actions
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Auditory Learning/Motor Skills
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing the “Alphabet Sound Rhyme (Aa-Ii)” from the Board Summary. The teacher demonstrates the simple actions for each word.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along with the teacher, repeating the words and performing the actions for each letter and object.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce letter-sound association through song and movement.
Step 5: Video Review
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Multimedia Learning/Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the educational video on letters Aa-Ii and their sounds. The teacher encourages pupils to watch and listen carefully.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video and try to repeat the letter sounds and words as presented.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding of letters Aa-Ii and their sounds through visual and auditory input.
Step 6: Tracing, Colouring and Writing Practice
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Fine Motor Skills/Pre-writing
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes tracing worksheets for letters Aa-Ii. The teacher demonstrates correct pencil grip and how to trace each letter. The teacher guides pupils to trace and colour the letters and associated pictures.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils hold their pencils, trace the uppercase and lowercase letters Aa-Ii on their worksheets, and colour the letters and pictures.
Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and practice pre-writing strokes for letters Aa-Ii.
Step 7: Evaluation/Review
Time: 4–5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher checks pupils’ understanding through short questions and practical tasks.
- “Point to letter ‘A’ on the chart.”
- “What picture starts with the ‘b’ sound?” (showing a ball picture)
- “Say the sound for letter ‘D’.”
- “Show me how you trace letter ‘E’.”
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: Closure
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their participation and effort, reminding them to keep practising their letters and sounds at home. The teacher leads a final, quick sing-along of the alphabet song.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s praise and sing along, gathering their materials.
Learning Point: Pupils end the lesson feeling accomplished and motivated to continue learning.
Lesson Keywords
- Alphabet – the letters used for writing.
- Letter – a symbol used in writing (e.g., A, B, C).
- Sound – what we hear when we say a letter.
- Trace – to draw over a line or shape.
- Picture – a drawing or photograph.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils struggling with letter recognition, use larger flashcards and provide more one-on-one repetition of letter names and sounds. Offer hand-over-hand guidance for tracing. Focus on only 2-3 letters at a time if needed.
- Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concepts, encourage them to identify other familiar objects in the classroom or at home that start with letters Aa-Ii. They can also try to draw simple pictures for some of the letters.
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