Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 8
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Handwriting
Curriculum Theme: Handwriting
Previous Lesson: Pupils have learned to recognise letters of the alphabet and their sounds, and have practised tracing simple patterns and letters.
Topic: Read and Copy Short Words: fat, dog, pig, box
Subject Matter: Reading and Copying the short words: “fat, dog, pig, box”.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

Identify the letters in the words “fat, dog, pig, box”.
Sound out and blend the letters to read the words “fat, dog, pig, box”.
Associate the words with their meanings or pictures.

Affective Domain

Listen attentively to the teacher’s instructions.
Participate actively in blending and reading activities.

Psychomotor Domain

Build the words “fat, dog, pig, box” using letter cards.
Trace the words “fat, dog, pig, box” correctly.
Copy the words “fat, dog, pig, box” neatly in their handwriting books.

Take turns when participating in group activities.
Share materials like letter cards and crayons appropriately.

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

Handwriting book
Pencil
Eraser
Flashcards with the words: fat, dog, pig, box
Picture cards of a fat person/animal, a dog, a pig, a box
Individual letter cards (f, a, t, d, o, g, p, i, b, x)
Whiteboard and markers

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important for 5-year-olds as it builds foundational literacy skills by connecting letter sounds to form meaningful words. Learning to read and copy short words like “fat, dog, pig, box” helps pupils develop phonological awareness, early reading fluency, and fine motor skills essential for handwriting, preparing them for more complex reading and writing tasks.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can recognise and sound out most individual letters of the alphabet. They have practised tracing and writing simple pre-writing patterns and some individual letters. They are familiar with common objects like dogs, pigs, and boxes.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

READ AND COPY SHORT WORDS: FAT, DOG, PIG, BOX

Today, we will learn to read and copy some short, three-letter words. These words are made of a consonant, a vowel, and another consonant (CVC words).

Word: FAT

Sounding out: F-a-t (f-ah-t)
Blending: F-a-t makes FAT
Meaning: Big or thick. (Show picture of a fat cat or person)

Word: DOG

Sounding out: D-o-g (d-oh-g)
Blending: D-o-g makes DOG
Meaning: A pet animal that barks. (Show picture of a dog)

Word: PIG

Sounding out: P-i-g (p-ih-g)
Blending: P-i-g makes PIG
Meaning: An animal often found on a farm. (Show picture of a pig)

Word: BOX

Sounding out: B-o-x (b-oh-ks)
Blending: B-o-x makes BOX
Meaning: A container. (Show picture of a box)

After reading, we will practise copying these words neatly in our books.

Key Words

Fat – big or thick.
Dog – a pet animal that barks.
Pig – a farm animal.
Box – a container.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

Flashcards with the words: fat, dog, pig, box.
Picture cards of a fat cat, a dog, a pig, a box.
Letter cards for building each word.
Demonstrate how to write each word on the whiteboard, showing correct letter formation (start at the top, down, etc.).

Read and Copy Rhyme

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:
F-A-T, fat, fat, fat,
See the word, just like that!
D-O-G, dog, dog, dog,
Wagging tail upon a log.
P-I-G, pig, pig, pig,
Dancing a little jig.
B-O-X, box, box, box,
Full of toys and little socks.
Read and copy, every one,
Learning words is so much fun!

Actions: Point to each letter as it is called, then clap for the whole word. Pretend to wag a tail for ‘dog’, wiggle for ‘pig’, make a square shape for ‘box’. Pretend to write in the air for ‘read and copy’.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the rhyme after introducing all the words, encouraging pupils to point to the words on flashcards or in their books as they sing. Repeat the rhyme during the copying activity to reinforce the words and actions.

Watch and Practise Blending

Let’s watch a short video to help us blend sounds and read CVC words. Pay attention to how the sounds come together to make a word.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0yT24_0m0Y

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and leads a short alphabet sound warm-up (e.g., “A says /a/, B says /b/”). The teacher asks pupils if they remember how to make sounds for letters and how letters can join to make words.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, participate in the alphabet sound warm-up, and respond to questions about letter sounds.

Learning Point: Pupils recall letter sounds and the idea of blending them.

Step 2: Presentation – Word “fat”

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the word “fat”. The teacher shows the flashcard for “fat”, sounds out each letter (/f/, /a/, /t/), and blends them to form “fat”. The teacher shows a picture of something fat and asks pupils to repeat the word. The teacher guides pupils to build “fat” with letter cards.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, repeat the sounds and word, identify the picture, and build the word “fat” with their letter cards.

Learning Point: Pupils learn to sound out and blend the letters to read “fat” and build it.

Step 3: Presentation – Words “dog” and “pig”

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Repetition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher repeats the process from Step 2 for the words “dog” and “pig”. The teacher shows flashcards, sounds out, blends, shows pictures, and guides pupils to repeat and build with letter cards.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, repeat the sounds and words, identify pictures, and build “dog” and “pig” with letter cards.

Learning Point: Pupils practise blending and reading “dog” and “pig”, and reinforce word building.

Step 4: Presentation – Word “box” and Blending Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Oral Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces “box” using the same method. After all words are introduced, the teacher leads a quick blending drill for all four words, pointing to flashcards and having pupils sound out and blend. The teacher plays the “Watch and Practise Blending” video to reinforce blending skills.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, repeat, build “box” with letter cards, and participate in the blending drill. They watch the video and try to blend along.

Learning Point: Pupils solidify their ability to blend and read all four target words.

Step 5: Copying Practice

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates how to copy the words “fat, dog, pig, box” on the whiteboard, emphasising correct letter formation, starting points, and pencil grip. The teacher guides pupils to open their handwriting books and copy the words, providing individual support.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s demonstration, hold their pencils correctly, and carefully copy the words “fat, dog, pig, box” into their handwriting books.

Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and learn to form the letters correctly to copy words.

Step 6: Reinforcement Activity (Rhyme and Game)

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activity-based Learning/Fun

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing the “Read and Copy Rhyme” with actions. The teacher then plays a quick “Word Match” game where pupils match the word flashcards to the corresponding picture cards.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions and participate in the word match game, identifying and matching words to pictures.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce word recognition and associate words with their meanings in a fun way.

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 the word “dog”.
Read the word “pig” for me.
Can you copy the word “box” on your slate/paper?
What sound does the word “fat” start with?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate, pointing to words, reading aloud, and attempting to copy.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson by reading and copying the target words.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarisation/Closure

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their effort and good work. The teacher reminds them to keep practising reading and copying short words. The teacher assigns a simple homework task, e.g., “copy the words ‘fat, dog, pig, box’ two times at home.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher, pack up their materials, and acknowledge the homework task.

Learning Point: Pupils consolidate the lesson and are encouraged to continue practising.

Lesson Keywords

Fat – big or thick.
Dog – a common pet animal.
Pig – a farm animal.
Box – a container, often square or rectangular.
Blend – to put sounds together to make a word.
Copy – to write something exactly as it is seen.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who struggle, provide larger letter cards and more one-on-one guidance during blending. Use hand-over-hand assistance for tracing and copying. Focus on one word at a time until mastery is achieved.
Extension: For pupils who quickly grasp the concept, encourage them to identify other CVC words that start with the same letters (e.g., ‘fan’ for ‘fat’, ‘dig’ for ‘dog’). They can also try to draw a picture for each word they copy.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have all flashcards, picture cards, and individual letter cards ready. Arrange the classroom to allow for easy group work with letter cards and individual copying. Emphasise correct pencil grip and sitting posture during the copying activity. Encourage pupils to sound out the letters as they write them to reinforce the connection between sounds and written words. Observe individual pupils closely during copying to correct letter formation errors immediately. Praise effort and progress, especially for those finding it challenging. The goal is not just to copy, but to understand what they are copying and how the words are formed from sounds.