Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, prepare flashcards of uppercase ‘H’ and lowercase ‘h’, and pictures of objects starting with ‘H’ (e.g., house, hut, horn, hen, hat). Have tracing worksheets for letter Hh ready, along with crayons or pencils. The central idea is for pupils to recognise the letter Hh, associate it with its /h/ sound, and identify ‘H’ words. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can point to Hh, say its sound, and attempt to trace the letter.
Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: First Term
Week: 8
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Recognising and writing previous letters of the alphabet.
Topic: Recognising and Writing Letter H for Pre-School Level 2
Subject Matter: Listening and Speaking: Talking about news and happenings at home and in the community. Reading: Picture reading, recognising familiar objects and relating the sound of Hh to House, Hut, Horn. Writing: Tracing, colouring and writing Hh. 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 the uppercase ‘H’ and lowercase ‘h’ when shown.
- Recognise the /h/ sound associated with the letter Hh.
- Name familiar objects that start with the /h/ sound, such as ‘House’, ‘Hut’, and ‘Horn’.
- Recall simple news or happenings from their home or community.
Affective Domain
- Participate actively in discussions about their daily experiences.
- Show enthusiasm while singing the letter Hh rhyme.
- Demonstrate carefulness while tracing and colouring the letter Hh.
Psychomotor Domain
- Trace the uppercase ‘H’ and lowercase ‘h’ accurately.
- Colour pictures of objects starting with ‘H’.
- Perform actions related to the letter Hh rhyme.
Social Domain
- Take turns to share news about their home or community.
- Listen respectfully when others are speaking.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources
- Suitable early-years literacy workbook
- Flashcards of Letter Hh and ‘H’ words
- Picture charts of ‘H’ objects
Instructional Materials
- Flashcards of uppercase ‘H’ and lowercase ‘h’
- Picture cards of ‘House’, ‘Hut’, ‘Horn’, ‘Hen’, ‘Hat’
- Chart posters showing letter Hh and ‘H’ words
- Storybook or picture book with ‘H’ words
- Tracing worksheets for letter Hh
- Crayons, pencils, chalk
- Whiteboard or chalkboard
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is crucial for 3-year-olds as it introduces them to a fundamental letter of the alphabet, ‘Hh’, and its corresponding sound. Mastering letter recognition and sound association builds early literacy skills, helping children connect spoken words to written symbols. This foundation supports their journey towards reading and writing simple words, making language more concrete and accessible in their daily lives.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can already recognise some letters of the alphabet and their sounds. They are able to hold a crayon or pencil and make simple marks. They also enjoy singing songs and looking at pictures.Lesson Content/Board Summary
Recognising and Writing Letter Hh
Listening and Speaking: Sharing News
We talk about things that happen at home and in our community. * “What did you eat for breakfast today?” * “Who did you play with yesterday?” * “What did you see on your way to school?”Reading: Letter Hh and its Sound
The letter Hh makes the /h/ sound, like when you are breathing out gently. * **Uppercase H:** H * **Lowercase h:** h We see the /h/ sound in words like: * **H**ouse – (Picture of a house) * **H**ut – (Picture of a hut) * **H**orn – (Picture of a horn) * **H**en – (Picture of a hen) * **H**at – (Picture of a hat)Watch and Practise
Writing: Tracing and Forming Letter Hh
We trace the letter Hh. * **Uppercase H:** 1. Draw a straight line down. 2. Draw another straight line down, next to the first one. 3. Draw a line across the middle, joining the two lines. * **Lowercase h:** 1. Draw a straight line down. 2. Go back up to the middle of the line and draw a curve down to the right.Sound Rhyme: The Happy H
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Lyrics:
H, H, H, the letter H,Makes the sound /h/, /h/, /h/.
Like a **h**ouse, a **h**appy **h**en,
**H**at and **h**orn, again and again.
H, H, H, the letter H,
Makes the sound /h/, /h/, /h/.
Actions:
- Point to the letter Hh flashcard.
- Make a gentle breathing sound for /h/.
- Point to pictures of a house, hen, hat, horn.
- Clap hands for “again and again”.
Key Words
- House – A building where people live.
- Hut – A small, simple house, often made of natural materials.
- Horn – A hard, pointed part on an animal’s head, or a device that makes a loud sound.
- Happy – Feeling or showing pleasure or contentment.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Begin by engaging pupils in a brief “news sharing” session, encouraging simple sentences. Then, introduce the letter Hh using large flashcards, clearly showing both uppercase and lowercase forms. Emphasise the /h/ sound by demonstrating it (a gentle breath sound). Show picture cards of ‘H’ words one by one, saying the word and stressing the initial /h/ sound. Have pupils repeat after you. For writing, demonstrate air tracing first, then tracing on a large chart, guiding pupils on the correct starting points and strokes.
What to show or demonstrate: Display large flashcards of ‘H’ and ‘h’. Show clear pictures of a house, hut, horn, hen, and hat. Demonstrate the /h/ sound with your mouth. Model the tracing of ‘H’ and ‘h’ on the board or a large chart, using clear, slow movements.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce “The Happy H” rhyme after the letter and sound recognition. Sing it slowly at first, demonstrating the actions. Repeat the rhyme 2-3 times, encouraging pupils to join in with the words and actions. Use the rhyme to reinforce the /h/ sound and the ‘H’ words.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to learn more about the letter Hh. Play the video once for pupils to watch. After watching, guide pupils to repeat the letter sound and the ‘H’ words they heard in the video. Ask simple questions like, “What sound did the letter H make?” or “What ‘H’ word did you see?”
What to watch for: Observe if pupils are correctly identifying the letter Hh and making the /h/ sound. Watch their tracing attempts for correct directionality and grip. Encourage shy pupils to participate in the news sharing and rhyme by giving them simple prompts or leading them gently.
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/Recall
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets pupils and starts a brief “news sharing” session. “Good morning, children! How are you today? Who wants to tell us something interesting they did at home or saw on their way to school?” The teacher encourages pupils to share simple news.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings and take turns sharing simple news or happenings from their home or community.
Learning Point: Pupils practise speaking and listening skills, connecting to their daily lives.
Step 2: Introduction of Letter Hh and its Sound
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Presentation/Sound Association
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the letter Hh using flashcards (uppercase H and lowercase h). “Today, we will learn about a new letter! This is letter H (shows H) and this is h (shows h). Hh makes the /h/ sound, like when you breathe out gently – /h/, /h/, /h/.” The teacher demonstrates the sound.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the flashcards, repeat “Hh” and practise making the /h/ sound after the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise the visual form of Hh and associate it with its /h/ sound.
Step 3: Picture Reading and ‘H’ Words
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Association/Vocabulary Building
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows picture cards of objects starting with ‘H’ (e.g., House, Hut, Horn, Hen, Hat). “Look! This is a **H**ouse. It starts with /h/, /h/, **H**ouse. This is a **H**ut. It starts with /h/, /h/, **H**ut.” The teacher repeats for each picture, stressing the /h/ sound.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the pictures, repeat the ‘H’ words, and try to make the /h/ sound at the beginning of each word.
Learning Point: Pupils connect the /h/ sound to familiar objects and expand their vocabulary.
Step 4: Video Reinforcement
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Multimedia Learning
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces a short educational video about the letter Hh and its sound. “Let’s watch a fun video to see more about our letter Hh!” The teacher plays the verified YouTube video: “Learn The Letter H | Let’s Learn About The Alphabet | Phonics Song for Kids | Jack Hartmann”.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video, listen to the sounds, and observe the letter and words.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce letter Hh recognition and sound through visual and auditory stimulation.
Step 5: Singing the ‘H’ Rhyme
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Rhyme/Song Integration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing “The Happy H” rhyme, demonstrating the actions. “Now let’s sing a song about our letter H!” The teacher sings the rhyme several times, encouraging pupils to join in with the words and actions.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along with the teacher, performing the actions for the rhyme.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce the /h/ sound and ‘H’ words through a fun, repetitive song.
Step 6: Tracing and Colouring Letter Hh
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Fine Motor Skills
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher distributes tracing worksheets for letter Hh. “Now, let’s trace our letter Hh. Remember, straight lines down, and a line across for big H. Then a line down and a curve for small h.” The teacher guides pupils, providing hand-over-hand assistance if needed.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils trace the uppercase ‘H’ and lowercase ‘h’ on their worksheets and colour any ‘H’ pictures provided.
Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and practise forming the letter Hh correctly.
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.
- “What letter did we learn today?” (Shows Hh flashcard)
- “What sound does letter Hh make?”
- “Point to the picture of a ‘House’.” (Shows various picture cards including a house)
- “Can you trace letter ‘H’ in the air?”
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/Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their participation and effort. “You all did a great job learning about letter Hh today! Keep practising the sound and looking for ‘H’ words around you.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher and tidy up their materials.
Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and are encouraged to continue learning.
Lesson Keywords
- Hh – The letter of the alphabet we learned.
- Sound – The /h/ sound that Hh makes.
- House – A building where people live, starting with H.
- Horn – Something that makes a loud sound, starting with H.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who are struggling, the teacher will provide more one-on-one guidance during tracing, use larger tracing patterns, or offer hand-over-hand assistance. They will be given extra oral practice repeating the /h/ sound and identifying ‘H’ pictures.
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, the teacher can ask them to identify other objects in the classroom or pictures in a book that start with the /h/ sound. They can also be encouraged to draw their own ‘H’ objects.
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