Class: Pre-School Level 4
Term: First Term
Week: 8
Age: 5 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Handwriting
Curriculum Theme: Handwriting
Previous Lesson: Tracing and Writing Letters P, p, Q, q
Topic: TRACING AND WRITING LETTERS R, S AND T
Subject Matter: TRACING AND WRITING LETTERS: “r” “s” and “t”. Weekly focus: Tracing and Writing Letters r, s and t.

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

Identify the sounds /r/, /s/, and /t/.
Recognise the uppercase letters R, S, T and lowercase letters r, s, t.

Affective Domain

Show interest in learning to write letters.
Listen attentively to the teacher’s instructions.

Psychomotor Domain

Hold a pencil correctly using the tripod grip.
Trace the letters R, r, S, s, T, t accurately.
Write the letters R, r, S, s, T, t independently.

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

Reference Materials

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

Instructional Materials

Whiteboard or chalkboard
Markers or chalk
Large letter charts showing Rr, Ss, Tt
Picture cards of objects starting with /r/, /s/, /t/ (e.g., rabbit, sun, tiger)
Handwriting books or plain paper
Pencils
Crayons (optional, for colouring traced letters)

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is essential for developing fine motor skills and early literacy in 5-year-old pupils. Learning to trace and write letters r, s, and t helps children recognise letter shapes, associate them with their sounds, and build a foundation for reading and writing words. Mastering proper pencil grip and letter formation at this age supports future academic success.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils have prior experience with:

Holding a pencil and making scribbles or lines.
Recognising and tracing some other alphabet letters.
Identifying basic sounds and pictures.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Tracing and Writing Letters: r, s, t

Today, we will learn to identify, trace, and write three new letters: r, s, and t. These letters have special sounds!

Letter ‘r’

Sound: /r/ (like in ‘rabbit’, ‘rain’, ‘red’)
Formation (lowercase ‘r’): Start from the top, straight line down, then a small curve up and over.
Formation (uppercase ‘R’): Start from the top, straight line down. Go back to the top, make a curve to the middle, then a slant line down.

Example Words: Rabbit, Rain, Red

Letter ‘s’

Sound: /s/ (like in ‘sun’, ‘snake’, ‘star’)
Formation (lowercase ‘s’): Start from the middle, curve left, then curve right to the bottom.
Formation (uppercase ‘S’): Start from the top, curve left, then curve right to the bottom.

Example Words: Sun, Snake, Star

Letter ‘t’

Sound: /t/ (like in ‘tiger’, ‘tree’, ‘table’)
Formation (lowercase ‘t’): Start from the top, straight line down, then a small line across the middle.
Formation (uppercase ‘T’): Start from the top, straight line across, then a straight line down from the middle of the top line.

Example Words: Tiger, Tree, Table

Key Words

r – a letter that makes the /r/ sound.
s – a letter that makes the /s/ sound.
t – a letter that makes the /t/ sound.
Trace – to follow the lines of a letter or shape.
Write – to form letters on paper.
Sound – what a letter says.

What the Teacher Should Show or Draw

Large, clear examples of Rr, Ss, Tt on the board.
Pictures of a rabbit, sun, and tiger.
Demonstrate the correct tripod pencil grip.
Demonstrate air tracing of each letter.
Demonstrate tracing and writing each letter on the board, showing starting points and direction.

Letters R, S, T Rhyme

Tune: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”

R, S, T, we learn today,
Sounds we make as we all play.
/r/, /s/, /t/, so clear and bright,
Writing letters with all our might.
R, S, T, we learn today,
Happy writing, come what may!

Actions:

Point to R, S, T on the chart as you sing.
Make the /r/, /s/, /t/ sounds with actions (e.g., pretend to growl for /r/, hiss like a snake for /s/, tap fingers for /t/).
Pretend to write in the air.

How to use the rhyme: Sing the rhyme after introducing each letter and again during the tracing/writing practice to reinforce the letter names and sounds in a fun way.

Watch and Practise

Let’s watch a video to see how to form these letters and practise with them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1858z6xW69Y

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: Engagement/Review

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils warmly and reviews previously learned letters (e.g., P, p, Q, q) by asking pupils to identify them or make their sounds. The teacher introduces the topic for the day: learning to trace and write letters R, S, T.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, identify previous letters, and listen to the teacher.

Learning Point: Pupils recall previous knowledge and are prepared for the new lesson.

Step 2: Sound and Picture Identification

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Sound-Letter Association/Visual Aids

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays picture cards for ‘rabbit’, ‘sun’, ‘tiger’. The teacher says the word, emphasizes the initial sound (/r/, /s/, /t/), and asks pupils to repeat the sound and the word. The teacher then shows the uppercase and lowercase letters Rr, Ss, Tt on the chart, associating them with their sounds.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the pictures, repeat the sounds and words, and point to the letters on the chart.

Learning Point: Pupils identify the sounds /r/, /s/, /t/ and associate them with example words and the corresponding letters.

Step 3: Letter Recognition and Air Tracing

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Visual Recognition/Motor Skill Development

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher points to each letter (Rr, Ss, Tt) on the chart and says its name and sound. The teacher demonstrates air tracing each letter, explaining the starting point and direction (e.g., “For ‘r’, straight line down, then a small curve up and over”). Pupils are guided to air trace each letter with their fingers.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils repeat the letter names and sounds, and follow the teacher’s demonstration to air trace Rr, Ss, Tt.

Learning Point: Pupils recognise the visual form of the letters and practise the motor movements for their formation.

Step 4: Pencil Grip Demonstration and Guided Tracing

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Fine Motor Guidance/Demonstration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher reminds pupils about the correct tripod pencil grip, demonstrating it clearly. The teacher then distributes handwriting books/paper and pencils. On the board, the teacher draws large dotted outlines of Rr, Ss, Tt and demonstrates tracing them carefully. Pupils are guided to trace the letters in their books, with the teacher providing individual support.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils hold their pencils correctly, then trace the dotted letters Rr, Ss, Tt in their handwriting books.

Learning Point: Pupils develop correct pencil grip and practise tracing letters with guidance.

Step 5: Guided Writing Practice

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Individual Support

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher draws a few blank lines on the board and demonstrates how to write Rr, Ss, Tt without dotted lines, emphasising starting points and strokes. The teacher encourages pupils to attempt writing the letters independently in their books, moving around to offer assistance and praise. The “Letters R, S, T Rhyme” is sung again.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils attempt to write the letters Rr, Ss, Tt in their books, following the teacher’s example and singing along with the rhyme.

Learning Point: Pupils apply their tracing skills to independently write the letters Rr, Ss, Tt.

Step 6: Reinforcement Activity

Time: 3 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher holds up the picture cards again (rabbit, sun, tiger) and asks pupils to identify the first letter of each word and make its sound. The teacher may also ask pupils to point to any R, S, or T they see in the classroom or on a chart.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the initial letters of words and point to R, S, T around the classroom.

Learning Point: Pupils reinforce letter-sound association and letter recognition in different contexts.

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 this letter make?” (Teacher points to ‘r’ on the board).
“Show me how you write the letter ‘s’ in the air.”
“Which picture starts with the /t/ sound?” (Teacher shows picture cards of tiger, apple, ball).
“Can you trace the letter ‘R’ in your book?”

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/Closure

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their effort and participation. The teacher reminds them to keep practising their writing. The teacher may assign a simple homework task, such as tracing Rr, Ss, Tt at home.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher and tidy up their materials.

Learning Point: Pupils feel encouraged and understand the importance of continued practice.

Lesson Keywords

R – The twenty-first letter of the English alphabet.
S – The nineteenth letter of the English alphabet.
T – The twentieth letter of the English alphabet.
Trace – To draw over a line or shape that is already there.
Write – To make letters or words on a surface, usually with a pen or pencil.
Sound – The specific noise a letter makes when spoken.

Differentiation

Support: For pupils who are struggling, provide larger tracing outlines, offer hand-over-hand guidance for pencil grip and letter formation, or give more one-on-one repetition of sounds and letter shapes. Focus on one letter at a time if needed.
Extension: For quicker learners, encourage them to identify more words that start with /r/, /s/, /t/, or challenge them to write a short sequence of the letters independently. They could also draw a picture of something starting with one of the letters they wrote.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Before the lesson, ensure all instructional materials, especially the letter charts and picture cards, are ready and clearly visible. Prepare handwriting books with pre-drawn dotted letters Rr, Ss, Tt for tracing, or guide pupils to draw them. Emphasise the tripod pencil grip throughout the lesson, as it is crucial for handwriting development. Observe each pupil’s grip and offer gentle corrections. When demonstrating letter formation, use clear, simple directional language (e.g., “down,” “round,” “across”). Repeat the sounds and letter names frequently. Encourage oral participation from all pupils, especially shy ones. Praise effort over perfection in early writing attempts. Understanding should be judged by the child’s ability to correctly identify the sound, recognise the letter, and make a reasonable attempt at tracing or writing it.