Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, prepare flashcards for letters Aa-Rr (uppercase and lowercase) with corresponding pictures of familiar objects. Ensure you have crayons, pencils, and worksheets or books with large letters Aa-Rr for tracing and colouring. The central idea is for pupils to recognise letters Aa-Rr, associate them with their sounds and example objects, and practise pre-writing skills. Observe pupils’ participation in sharing news, their ability to identify letters and sounds, and their fine motor control during tracing activities.
Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: Second Term
Week: 10
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Literacy
Previous Lesson: Review of previously learned letters and sounds.
Topic: Alphabet Review Aa-Rr: 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-Rr to objects. Writing: Tracing, colouring and writing letters Aa-Rr. 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
- Identify uppercase and lowercase letters from A to R.
- Recognise familiar objects that start with the sounds of letters Aa-Rr.
- Say the sounds for letters Aa-Rr.
Affective Domain
- Listen attentively when others are speaking about their news.
- Show interest in learning and identifying letters and sounds.
- Participate enthusiastically in singing rhymes and acting out actions.
Psychomotor Domain
- Trace and colour letters Aa-Rr accurately.
- Demonstrate actions for a simple alphabet rhyme.
Social Domain
- Share simple news or happenings from home or the community.
- Take turns when speaking or participating in activities.
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-Rr
- Picture cards of familiar objects starting with each letter (e.g., apple, ball, cat, dog, egg, fish, goat, hat, ink, jam, kite, lion, mango, nest, orange, pen, queen, rat)
- Chart posters of the alphabet Aa-Rr
- Story books and picture books
- Crayons, pencils
- Worksheets or books with large letters Aa-Rr for tracing and colouring
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is important for 3-year-olds as it reinforces foundational literacy skills by reviewing letters, sounds, and their association with familiar objects. This multi-sensory approach helps children build strong pre-reading and pre-writing abilities, preparing them for more complex literacy tasks in the future and enhancing their communication skills.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can already recognise some letters of the alphabet and have engaged in simple conversations about their daily experiences. They are also familiar with singing simple songs and rhymes.Lesson Content/Board Summary
Alphabet Review Aa-Rr: Picture Reading, Writing and Rhymes
Sharing News and Happenings
We will talk about interesting things that happened at home or in our community. This helps us listen and share our ideas.
Alphabet Letters, Sounds and Pictures (Aa-Rr)
We will look at each letter, say its sound, and see a picture of something that starts with that sound.
- A a – /a/ as in apple, ant
- B b – /b/ as in ball, bird
- C c – /k/ as in cat, cup
- D d – /d/ as in dog, duck
- E e – /e/ as in egg, elephant
- F f – /f/ as in fish, flower
- G g – /g/ as in goat, girl
- H h – /h/ as in hat, house
- I i – /i/ as in ink, igloo
- J j – /j/ as in jam, jeep
- K k – /k/ as in kite, key
- L l – /l/ as in lion, lamp
- M m – /m/ as in mango, moon
- N n – /n/ as in nest, nose
- O o – /o/ as in orange, owl
- P p – /p/ as in pen, pig
- Q q – /kw/ as in queen, quilt
- R r – /r/ as in rat, rose
Alphabet Fun Rhyme
Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
Letters for you and for me.
H, I, J, K, L, M, N,
Let’s say them again and again.
O, P, Q, R, all so clear,
Alphabet fun, let’s cheer!
Actions: Point to each letter as it is called out, clap for “cheer”, and make a circle with arms for “all so clear”.
Watch and Learn Our Letters
Writing Practice: Tracing and Colouring Aa-Rr
We will practise tracing the big and small letters from A to R. We will also colour them to make them beautiful.
Key Words
- Alphabet – All the letters we use for reading and writing.
- Letter – A single sign used in writing, like A or B.
- Sound – The noise a letter makes, like /a/ for A.
- Trace – To draw over lines or letters that are already there.
- Colour – To fill in an outline with colours.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Begin by facilitating a short “news sharing” session, encouraging pupils to speak about simple happenings. Then, introduce the letters Aa-Rr in small groups (e.g., A-D, E-H, I-L, M-P, Q-R). For each letter, show the uppercase and lowercase flashcards, clearly pronounce its sound, and show corresponding picture cards. Emphasize repetition of the letter name, sound, and example words. Use the chart posters to point to the letters as you say them.
What to show or demonstrate: Clearly display flashcards for each letter and its corresponding picture. Demonstrate the correct way to hold a pencil and trace the letters Aa-Rr on the board or a large worksheet, using simple directional language (e.g., “start at the top, go down”).
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the “Alphabet Fun Rhyme” after reviewing a few groups of letters. Sing it slowly first, then with enthusiasm, encouraging pupils to join in and perform the simple actions. Repeat the rhyme several times throughout the lesson to reinforce letter recognition.
How to use the video: Play the provided YouTube video “Learn ABC Alphabet for Kids – A to Z” by Kids Rhymes. Focus on the segment covering letters Aa-Rr. Encourage pupils to watch, listen, and repeat the letter names and sounds as presented in the video. After watching, ask them to recall some letters or objects they saw.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils are able to distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters, if they can make the correct sounds, and if they can identify objects starting with those sounds. Pay attention to their pencil grip and tracing attempts, offering gentle guidance and encouragement.
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/Listening
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils with a cheerful song and then invites them to share any interesting news or happenings from their home or community. The teacher listens actively and asks simple follow-up questions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greeting song and eagerly share their news, taking turns to speak.
Learning Point: Pupils develop listening and speaking skills and feel valued.
Step 2: Letter Recognition (Aa-Dd)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Letter Recognition/Sound Association
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces letters A, B, C, D (uppercase and lowercase) using flashcards. For each letter, the teacher says its name and sound, and shows a picture of a familiar object starting with that letter (e.g., Apple for A, Ball for B, Cat for C, Dog for D). Pupils repeat after the teacher.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the letters, repeat their names and sounds, and name the objects shown.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise letters Aa-Dd and associate them with sounds and pictures.
Step 3: Letter Recognition (Ee-Hh)
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Letter Recognition/Sound Association
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher continues with letters E, F, G, H, following the same procedure as in Step 2. (e.g., Egg for E, Fish for F, Goat for G, Hat for H).
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the letters, repeat their names and sounds, and name the objects shown.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise letters Ee-Hh and associate them with sounds and pictures.
Step 4: Rhyme/Song Reinforcement
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Rhyme/Engagement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Alphabet Fun Rhyme” from the Board Summary. The teacher demonstrates the actions and encourages pupils to join in with enthusiasm.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme along with the teacher and perform the actions.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce letter recognition through song and movement.
Step 5: Letter Recognition (Ii-Rr)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Letter Recognition/Sound Association
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces letters I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, following the same procedure as in Step 2. (e.g., Ink for I, Jam for J, Kite for K, Lion for L, Mango for M, Nest for N, Orange for O, Pen for P, Queen for Q, Rat for R).
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the letters, repeat their names and sounds, and name the objects shown.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise letters Ii-Rr and associate them with sounds and pictures.
Step 6: Writing Practice (Tracing/Colouring)
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Fine Motor Skills/Pre-writing
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes worksheets or opens books to pages with large letters Aa-Rr for tracing and colouring. The teacher demonstrates how to trace each letter carefully and encourages pupils to colour them neatly.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils practise tracing and colouring the letters Aa-Rr in their books or on worksheets using crayons or pencils.
Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and pre-writing abilities for letters Aa-Rr.
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.
- “Point to letter ‘M’ on the chart.”
- “What sound does letter ‘R’ make?”
- “Show me an object that starts with the /b/ sound.”
- “Show me your best traced letter ‘K’.”
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: Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and good work. The teacher reminds them to keep practising their letters and sounds at home. The teacher may assign a simple homework like colouring a specific letter.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the praise and acknowledge the homework.
Learning Point: Pupils feel encouraged and motivated to continue learning.
Lesson Keywords
- Alphabet – All the letters we use for reading and writing.
- Letter – A single sign used in writing, like A or B.
- Sound – The noise a letter makes, like /a/ for A.
- Trace – To draw over lines or letters that are already there.
- Colour – To fill in an outline with colours.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who are struggling, provide larger letter cut-outs for finger tracing. Offer hand-over-hand guidance during tracing activities. Use fewer letters at a time and provide more one-on-one repetition of sounds and picture associations.
- Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concepts, encourage them to identify additional objects around the classroom that start with the reviewed letters. Challenge them to try writing some letters independently after tracing, or to draw a simple picture for a given letter.
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