Tracing and Writing Letters c and d for Pre-School Level 4

Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Handwriting
Curriculum Theme: Handwriting
Previous Lesson: Pre-writing patterns (e.g., curves, slanting lines) or tracing of previous letters.
Topic: Tracing and Writing Letters c and d
Subject Matter: Tracing and writing letters “c” and “d”.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Identify the sounds of letters ‘c’ and ‘d’.
• Recognise the lowercase forms of letters ‘c’ and ‘d’.

Affective Domain

• Show enthusiasm for learning to write letters.
• Listen attentively to instructions for letter formation.

Psychomotor Domain

• Trace the letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ correctly in the air and on paper.
• Form the letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ using pencils in their handwriting books.
• Copy the letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ from the board or a model.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in classroom tracing and writing activities.
• Share materials respectfully with peers.

Reference Materials

• NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 4
• Early Childhood Care and Education Handwriting Resources
• Relevant early-years workbook/textbook

Instructional Materials

• Handwriting books
• Pencils
• Crayons
• Flashcards with letters ‘c’ and ‘d’
• Pictures of objects starting with ‘c’ (e.g., cat, car, cup)
• Pictures of objects starting with ‘d’ (e.g., dog, drum, duck)
• Chart showing correct letter formation for ‘c’ and ‘d’
• Whiteboard/Chalkboard and markers/chalk

Rationale for the Lesson

Learning to trace and write letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ is a fundamental step in developing early literacy skills. It helps pupils develop fine motor control, hand-eye coordination, and letter recognition, which are essential for reading and writing simple words later on. This lesson provides a concrete foundation for forming these common letters.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils can hold a pencil correctly, make simple pre-writing patterns (like curves and straight lines), and recognise some basic letters of the alphabet.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Tracing and Writing Letters c and d

Today, we are going to learn how to trace and write two special letters: ‘c’ and ‘d’. These letters are very important for making many words!

Letter ‘c’ (sound: /k/)

• Sound: The letter ‘c’ makes the /k/ sound, like in “cat” or “cup”. (Teacher demonstrates sound).
• Formation:
  • Start near the top.
  • Curve around to the left, then down, and then curve back up a little, like a half-circle or a crescent moon.
  • It’s like making a big open mouth!
• Examples:
  • cat
  • car
  • cup

Letter ‘d’ (sound: /d/)

• Sound: The letter ‘d’ makes the /d/ sound, like in “dog” or “drum”. (Teacher demonstrates sound).
• Formation:
  • Start by making a straight stick down from the top.
  • Then, go back to the middle of the stick and make a big curve around to the right, touching the bottom line.
  • It’s like a stick with a big tummy!
• Examples:
  • dog
  • drum
  • duck

Key Steps for Tracing and Writing

1. Pencil Grip: Hold your pencil correctly with your thumb and first two fingers.
2. Sitting Position: Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor.
3. Paper Position: Place your book slightly slanted.
4. Air Tracing: Practise making the letter shapes in the air with your finger.
5. Finger Tracing: Trace the letters on a chart or flashcard.
6. Guided Tracing: Trace over dotted lines in your book.
7. Independent Writing: Try to write the letters by yourself next to the traced ones.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

• Large, clear examples of lowercase ‘c’ and ‘d’ on the board.
• Arrows indicating the correct starting point and direction for each letter.
• Pictures of objects starting with ‘c’ (e.g., a cat, a car) and ‘d’ (e.g., a dog, a drum).

Letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ Rhyme

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

Lyrics:

Round and round for letter ‘c’,
Like a curve for you and me.
/k/, /k/, /k/ the sound it makes,
For a cat that loves to bake.

Stick and tummy, letter ‘d’,
Happy dog for all to see.
/d/, /d/, /d/ the sound it’s heard,
In a drum, a happy word.

Actions:

• For ‘c’: Make a curving motion with your finger in the air.
• For ‘k/k/k’: Clap hands softly three times.
• For ‘d’: Make a straight line down with your finger, then a curve for the “tummy.”
• For ‘d/d/d’: Tap knees softly three times.

How to use the rhyme: Recite the rhyme while demonstrating the letter formation in the air. Encourage pupils to join in with the sounds and actions.

Watch and Practise

Let’s watch a short video to see how to trace and write letters ‘c’ and ‘d’ correctly.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

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

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engagement/Recall

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and starts with a quick warm-up, asking them to show how they hold their pencils and make some pre-writing patterns (e.g., curves, straight lines) in the air. The teacher reminds them of the importance of good handwriting.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils greet the teacher, demonstrate pencil grip, and make air patterns as instructed.

Learning Point: Pupils are engaged and recall prior knowledge related to writing readiness.

Step 2: Introduction of Letter ‘c’

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Introduction/Sound-Picture Association

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the letter ‘c’, shows its flashcard, says its sound /k/, and shows pictures of objects starting with ‘c’ (e.g., cat, car, cup). The teacher demonstrates how to form ‘c’ in the air and on the board, explaining the curved movement.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, repeat the /k/ sound, identify the pictures, and practise air-tracing the letter ‘c’ with their fingers.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise letter ‘c’, its sound, and associate it with familiar objects.

Step 3: Guided Tracing of ‘c’

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to trace large ‘c’s on a chart or worksheet. Then, the teacher instructs pupils to open their handwriting books and trace over dotted ‘c’s, providing individual help and correcting pencil grip/formation where needed. The teacher sings the ‘c’ part of the rhyme.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils trace the letter ‘c’ on charts/worksheets, then carefully trace ‘c’ in their handwriting books. They sing along with the rhyme.

Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and learn the correct formation of letter ‘c’ through guided practice.

Step 4: Introduction of Letter ‘d’

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Introduction/Sound-Picture Association

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the letter ‘d’, shows its flashcard, says its sound /d/, and shows pictures of objects starting with ‘d’ (e.g., dog, drum, duck). The teacher demonstrates how to form ‘d’ in the air and on the board, explaining the “stick and tummy” movement.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, repeat the /d/ sound, identify the pictures, and practise air-tracing the letter ‘d’ with their fingers.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise letter ‘d’, its sound, and associate it with familiar objects.

Step 5: Guided Tracing of ‘d’

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to trace large ‘d’s on a chart or worksheet. Then, the teacher instructs pupils to trace over dotted ‘d’s in their handwriting books, providing individual help and correcting pencil grip/formation. The teacher sings the ‘d’ part of the rhyme.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils trace the letter ‘d’ on charts/worksheets, then carefully trace ‘d’ in their handwriting books. They sing along with the rhyme.

Learning Point: Pupils develop fine motor skills and learn the correct formation of letter ‘d’ through guided practice.

Step 6: Writing Practice and Reinforcement

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher encourages pupils to try writing ‘c’ and ‘d’ independently in their books next to the traced letters. The teacher walks around, offering encouragement and support. The teacher may also ask pupils to colour pictures of objects starting with ‘c’ and ‘d’.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils attempt to write ‘c’ and ‘d’ independently. They may also colour related pictures.

Learning Point: Pupils apply their tracing skills to independent writing and reinforce letter-picture association.

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 does this letter make?” (Showing ‘c’ flashcard).
2. “Show me how to make the letter ‘c’ in the air.”
3. “What sound does this letter make?” (Showing ‘d’ flashcard).
4. “Show me how to make the letter ‘d’ in the air.”
5. The teacher observes pupils’ written work in their books.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond orally and demonstrate the required skill where appropriate.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

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. The teacher assigns a simple homework task, such as tracing ‘c’ and ‘d’ at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher’s feedback and instructions for homework.

Learning Point: Pupils feel encouraged and know what to practise next.

Lesson Keywords

• c – The letter ‘c’, which makes the /k/ sound.
• d – The letter ‘d’, which makes the /d/ sound.
• Trace – To draw over a line or pattern.
• Write – To form letters using a pencil or pen.
• Curve – A smooth, continuous line that bends.
• Stick – A straight line, often used in letter formation.

Differentiation

• Support: For pupils who struggle, provide larger tracing templates, use hand-over-hand guidance, allow them to trace in sand or on a sensory tray, or focus on only one letter at a time. Provide extra verbal prompts and repetition of the formation steps.
• Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, encourage them to write the letters without tracing, identify more words that start with ‘c’ and ‘d’, or try to write simple ‘c’ and ‘d’ words if appropriate (e.g., “cat”, “dog”).

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have enough handwriting books and sharpened pencils for all pupils. Prepare flashcards with clear images for ‘c’ and ‘d’ words. The main idea children must understand is the correct starting point and direction for each letter. Demonstrate the letter formation several times, slowly and clearly, using verbal cues like “start at the top, curve around” for ‘c’ and “straight stick down, then a big tummy” for ‘d’. Encourage air tracing and finger tracing before moving to paper. Observe pupils’ pencil grip and posture throughout the activity. Repeat the rhyme often to reinforce the sounds and shapes. For shy or slower pupils, offer one-on-one attention and positive reinforcement for any effort. Quicker pupils can be challenged to draw objects that start with ‘c’ and ‘d’. Observable actions that show understanding include correct air tracing, accurate tracing over dotted lines, and independent attempts at writing the letters with the correct formation.