Reading, Writing and Picture Colouring with Beginning Sound i for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: Second Term
Week: 9
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Letter Work
Previous Lesson: Beginning Sound h Words, Pictures, Poems and Stories
Topic: BEGINNING SOUND I: READING, WRITING AND PICTURE COLOURING
Subject Matter: SPEECH WRITING. Weekly focus: Beginning Sound i: Reading, Writing and Picture Colouring.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify the beginning sound /i/ in words.
• Recognise words that start with the /i/ sound.
• Match pictures to words beginning with the /i/ sound.
• Read simple words with the beginning /i/ sound.

Affective Domain

• Participate actively in sounding and writing activities.
• Show interest in learning new sounds and words.
• Listen attentively to the teacher and peers.

Psychomotor Domain

• Pronounce words correctly with the /i/ sound.
• Trace and write the letter ‘i’ (lowercase) correctly.
• Copy simple words beginning with ‘i’.
• Colour pictures of objects that start with the /i/ sound.

Social Domain

• Take turns during oral activities.
• Share learning materials with peers.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education literacy resources
• Suitable early-years phonics workbook

Instructional Materials

• Flashcards with letter ‘i’ and pictures (ink, igloo, insect)
• Charts showing letter ‘i’ and example words
• Crayons and colouring sheets with ‘i’ beginning sound pictures
• Pencils and notebooks
• Whiteboard and markers
• MP3/MP4 player (for sound or video)

Rationale for the Lesson

Learning beginning sounds like /i/ is fundamental for developing early literacy skills. This lesson helps pupils connect sounds to letters and words, which is crucial for reading and writing. It also enhances their fine motor skills through writing and colouring, preparing them for more complex academic tasks.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can recognise some basic letters of the alphabet, identify simple objects, hold a pencil, and follow short instructions.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Beginning Sound ‘i’: Reading, Writing, and Picture Colouring

The Letter ‘i’ and its Sound

The letter is ‘i’.

The sound of ‘i’ is /i/ as in ‘ink’.

When you say /i/, your mouth is slightly open, and your tongue is flat.

How to Write Lowercase ‘i’

Start from the top, draw a short straight line down.

Then, put a tiny dot above the line.

It looks like: i

Words with Beginning Sound /i/

• ink: (Show picture of ink bottle) We use ink to write.
• igloo: (Show picture of igloo) An igloo is a house made of ice.
• insect: (Show picture of an insect like an ant or fly) An insect is a small creature with six legs.
• in: (Show picture of something *in* a box) The ball is in the box.
• it: (Point to an object) It is a book.

Sound Rhyme: “Little ‘i’ Says /i/”

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

Little ‘i’ says /i/, /i/, /i/,
Like the ink in my pen, see.
/i/, /i/, /i/ for igloo so cold,
/i/, /i/, /i/ for insects bold.
Little ‘i’ says /i/, /i/, /i/,
It’s a very simple sound, you see!

Actions: Point to the letter ‘i’, pretend to write with a pen, shiver for ‘cold’, wiggle fingers like insects.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the rhyme together, emphasizing the /i/ sound and performing the actions. Repeat several times to reinforce the sound and associated words.

Watch and Listen to the /i/ Sound

Let’s watch a short video to hear the /i/ sound and see more words.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0f-90I37K4

Key Words

• Ink – A coloured liquid used for writing or drawing.
• Igloo – A type of house made of blocks of ice or hard snow.
• Insect – A small creature with six legs and usually one or two pairs of wings, like an ant or a fly.
• In – A word used to show position inside something.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Write the letter ‘i’ (lowercase) clearly on the board.
• Draw simple pictures of an ink bottle, an igloo, and an insect (e.g., an ant).
• Show flashcards of the letter ‘i’ and pictures of ‘ink’, ‘igloo’, ‘insect’, ‘in’.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils, sings a familiar alphabet song, and reminds them about learning new sounds. “Good morning, children! Today we are going to learn a new special sound.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, sing along, and listen to the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and ready to learn.

Step 2: Sound Introduction and Recognition

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Oral Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the letter ‘i’ (lowercase) and its sound /i/. The teacher models the sound clearly, asking pupils to watch her mouth. “This is letter ‘i’, and it says /i/ like in ‘ink’. Listen: /i/, /i/, /i/.” The teacher shows the ‘i’ flashcard.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the letter ‘i’ and listen to the sound. They repeat the /i/ sound after the teacher several times.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise the letter ‘i’ and can pronounce its sound /i/.

Step 3: Word and Picture Association

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Picture Talk/Association

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows flashcards with pictures of objects starting with ‘i’ (ink, igloo, insect, in). For each picture, the teacher says the word, emphasizing the beginning /i/ sound. “This is ink. Can you say ‘ink’?” The teacher guides pupils to connect the sound to the picture and word.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, listen to the words, and repeat the words after the teacher, focusing on the beginning /i/ sound.

Learning Point: Pupils associate the /i/ sound with example words and their corresponding pictures.

Step 4: Rhyme and Video Reinforcement

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Song/Visual Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads the pupils in singing the “Little ‘i’ Says /i/” rhyme with actions. Afterwards, the teacher plays the short educational video about the letter ‘i’ sound, encouraging pupils to listen and repeat the words they hear.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions and watch the video, repeating sounds and words as prompted.

Learning Point: The /i/ sound and associated words are reinforced through song and visual media.

Step 5: Writing Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates how to write the lowercase letter ‘i’ on the whiteboard, explaining the strokes. “Start at the top, straight line down, then a dot.” The teacher then guides pupils to trace ‘i’ in the air, on their palms, and finally in their notebooks. The teacher also shows how to write simple words like ‘in’ and ‘it’.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils follow the teacher’s demonstration, trace ‘i’ in the air and on their palms, and then practice writing ‘i’ and simple words like ‘in’, ‘it’ in their notebooks.

Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and learn to form the letter ‘i’ and simple words.

Step 6: Colouring Activity

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Practical Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes colouring sheets with pictures of objects that begin with the /i/ sound (e.g., ink bottle, igloo, insect). The teacher instructs pupils to identify the pictures and colour them neatly.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the pictures that start with the /i/ sound and colour them using crayons.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their recognition of /i/ beginning sound words through a creative activity.

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.

1. “What sound did we learn today?”
2. “Can you say a word that starts with the /i/ sound?”
3. “Point to the letter ‘i’ on the chart.”
4. “Show me the picture of ‘ink’.”
5. “Show me your best ‘i’ in your notebook.”

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: Summary/Encouragement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and effort. “Well done, children! You all did a great job learning the /i/ sound today. Keep practicing!”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s praise and pack up their materials.

Learning Point: Pupils feel encouraged and motivated.

Lesson Keywords

• i – The ninth letter of the alphabet.
• Sound – What we hear when we speak a letter or word.
• Ink – A coloured liquid used for writing or drawing.
• Igloo – A house made of ice.
• Insect – A small creature with six legs.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who are struggling, the teacher can provide larger tracing templates for ‘i’, use hand-over-hand guidance for writing, focus on only one or two ‘i’ words, and provide more individual oral repetition.
• Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, the teacher can challenge them to identify other objects in the classroom that start with the /i/ sound, or try to write more simple ‘i’ words independently (e.g., ‘is’, ‘if’).

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure all instructional materials like flashcards, charts, colouring sheets, crayons, and pencils are ready. Prepare the MP3/MP4 player and test the video link. When introducing the /i/ sound, make sure to clearly articulate it and have pupils observe your mouth. Emphasize that the /i/ sound is a short vowel sound. During writing practice, pay attention to correct pencil grip and letter formation. Encourage pupils to try their best, focusing on effort rather than perfection. For the colouring activity, ensure pupils understand they are colouring pictures that *start* with the /i/ sound. Observe pupils’ participation in activities and their ability to pronounce the sound and identify words as the primary indicators of understanding.