Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before this lesson, prepare flashcards or real objects representing words that start with sounds /a/ through /w/ (e.g., apple, ball, cat, dog). Have large printouts of letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ for tracing, along with crayons and paper. The central idea is for pupils to begin recognising and repeating initial sounds, and to practise the large motor movements needed for tracing letters ‘c’ and ‘d’. Observe pupils’ ability to repeat sounds and make controlled movements during tracing and colouring activities.
Class: Pre-School Level 1
Term: Third Term
Week: 4
Age: 2 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Previous Lesson: Not separately stated in the scheme.
Topic: Sounds /a/-/w/ and Writing Letters c-d
Subject Matter: Speech: Sounds: /a/ – /w/ Sounding and recognition of sounds; Writing: Tracing and Writing Letters c – d; Rhyme: Old MacDonald Had a Farm.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify and repeat the sounds /a/, /b/, /c/, /d/ when presented with objects or pictures.
- Recognise the shapes of letters ‘c’ and ‘d’.
Affective Domain
- Show enjoyment while singing the “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” rhyme.
- Participate actively in sound and letter recognition games.
Psychomotor Domain
- Trace large letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ with their fingers in the air and on paper.
- Colour objects beautifully that start with target sounds.
Social Domain
- Listen attentively when the teacher introduces sounds and letters.
- Take turns during interactive activities.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 1
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources
- Suitable early-years literacy workbook
Instructional Materials
- Flashcards with letters A-W and pictures of objects starting with those sounds (e.g., apple, ball, cat, dog).
- Real objects: apple, ball, toy cat, toy dog.
- Charts showing uppercase and lowercase letters ‘c’ and ‘d’.
- Large printouts of letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ for tracing.
- Crayons.
- Drawing paper.
- MP4 Player or speaker for playing songs/videos.
- Rhyme book.
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson introduces young children to the foundational skills of literacy by exposing them to initial letter sounds and the shapes of letters. At age two, this early exposure helps develop phonological awareness and pre-writing skills, which are crucial for future reading and writing success. It also encourages language development through repetition and engaging activities.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can recognise and name some familiar objects, make simple sounds, and hold a crayon. They may have been exposed to some letters and sounds informally.Lesson Content/Board Summary
Sounds /a/-/w/ and Writing Letters c-d
Learning Sounds /a/ – /w/
We will learn to make the sounds of letters and say words that start with those sounds.
- Sound /a/: Like in apple, ant. (Show picture/object)
- Sound /b/: Like in ball, bird. (Show picture/object)
- Sound /c/: Like in cat, car. (Show picture/object)
- Sound /d/: Like in dog, duck. (Show picture/object)
We will listen and repeat many sounds from /a/ to /w/.
Writing Letters c – d
We will learn how to make the shapes of letters ‘c’ and ‘d’.
- Letter ‘c’:
- Uppercase: C (Big curve, like a crescent moon)
- Lowercase: c (Small curve, like a small crescent moon)
- Letter ‘d’:
- Uppercase: D (A straight line down, then a big curve)
- Lowercase: d (A small curve, then a straight line down)
We will trace these letters with our fingers and with crayons.
Rhyme Time: Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Tune: Traditional
Lyrics:
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on his farm he had a cow, E-I-E-I-O.
With a moo-moo here and a moo-moo there,
Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo-moo.
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on his farm he had a duck, E-I-E-I-O.
With a quack-quack here and a quack-quack there,
Here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack-quack.
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
Actions: Imitate animal sounds and actions (e.g., “moo” like a cow, “quack” like a duck, point to different places for “here” and “there”).
Watch and Learn Sounds
Watch and Learn to Write Letters c and d
Key Words
- Sound – What we hear when we say a letter.
- Letter – A symbol we write.
- Trace – To draw over a line or shape.
- Colour – To fill a shape with colour.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Introduce sounds /a/, /b/, /c/, /d/ one by one. For each sound, say the sound clearly, show the flashcard/real object, and have pupils repeat the sound and the word several times. Emphasize the initial sound. For letters ‘c’ and ‘d’, show the uppercase and lowercase forms on charts. Explain that ‘c’ is a curve and ‘d’ has a straight line and a curve. Guide pupils to trace the letters in the air using large arm movements.
What to show or demonstrate: Display flashcards and real objects for each sound. Demonstrate the actions for the “Old MacDonald” rhyme. Show clearly how to trace letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ in the air and then on a large printout using a finger.
How to use the rhyme/song: Sing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” with pupils, encouraging them to make animal sounds and perform the actions. Sing it twice or thrice to reinforce the sounds and enjoyment.
How to use the video: Introduce the first video as “a song about all our letter sounds.” Play the video and encourage pupils to listen and repeat the sounds they hear. For the second video, introduce it as “how to write letters ‘c’ and ‘d’.” Play the video and have pupils watch carefully, then try to trace in the air as the video demonstrates.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils are attempting to repeat the sounds, even if not perfectly. Watch their motor control when tracing and colouring. Encourage participation and praise effort over perfection for this age group.
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: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Greeting/Engagement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and leads them in a simple welcome song (e.g., “Good morning to you”).
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greeting and sing along with the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils are settled and ready for the lesson.
Step 2: Introduction to Sounds /a/, /b/, /c/, /d/
Time: 7 minutes
Teaching Skill: Sound Recognition/Oral Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces sounds /a/, /b/, /c/, /d/ using flashcards and real objects. For each sound, the teacher says the sound and the word, then asks pupils to repeat. (e.g., “/a/ for apple”, “/b/ for ball”, “/c/ for cat”, “/d/ for dog”).
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, look at the objects/pictures, and repeat the sounds and words after the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils begin to identify and pronounce initial sounds.
Step 3: Rhyme Time – Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Song/Rhyme Integration
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm”, encouraging them to make animal sounds and perform simple actions for each animal verse.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing along, make animal sounds, and perform actions with the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils enjoy the rhyme and practise making different sounds.
Step 4: Introduction to Letters c and d
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Letter Recognition/Pre-writing
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows charts of uppercase and lowercase ‘C’ and ‘D’. The teacher demonstrates tracing ‘C’ and ‘D’ in the air with a finger, explaining the direction of movement (e.g., “start at the top, curve around”).
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the letters and imitate the teacher by tracing ‘C’ and ‘D’ in the air with their fingers.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise the shapes of letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ and practise large motor tracing movements.
Step 5: Guided Tracing of Letters c and d
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Fine Motor Development
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher provides pupils with large printouts of letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ and crayons. The teacher guides pupils to trace the letters on the paper, offering hand-over-hand assistance where needed.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils hold their crayons and carefully trace the letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ on their papers.
Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and practise forming letters ‘c’ and ‘d’.
Step 6: Sound Matching and Colouring Activity
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Application/Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows pictures of objects (e.g., cat, dog, apple, ball) and asks pupils to identify the object and its beginning sound. The teacher then asks pupils to colour the objects that start with the sounds /c/ and /d/ on their activity sheets.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify objects and their beginning sounds. They then colour the specified objects beautifully.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce sound recognition and practise fine motor skills through colouring.
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 sound does ‘apple’ start with?” (Show picture of an apple)
- “Show me the letter ‘c’.” (Point to a chart with various letters)
- “Trace the letter ‘d’ in the air.”
- “Can you say a word that starts with the /d/ sound?”
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: Recap/Praise
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and effort, briefly recaps the sounds and letters learned, and sings a goodbye song.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to praise and sing the goodbye song.
Learning Point: Pupils leave feeling positive about their learning.
Lesson Keywords
- Sound – What we hear when we say a letter.
- Letter – A symbol we write.
- Trace – To draw over a line or shape.
- Colour – To fill a shape with colour.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who are struggling, provide more one-on-one guidance during tracing, use larger objects for sound recognition, and repeat sounds more frequently. Use hand-over-hand assistance for tracing.
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concepts quickly, encourage them to identify other familiar objects that start with the sounds /c/ and /d/. They can also be encouraged to try tracing the letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ independently on a blank part of their paper.
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