Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before the lesson, prepare a variety of clear picture cards for familiar objects, some starting with consonant sounds (e.g., ball, cat, desk) and others with vowel sounds (e.g., apple, egg, umbrella). Ensure pupils can recognise basic letter sounds, especially the vowels. The central idea is for pupils to understand that ‘an’ is used before words starting with a vowel sound, and ‘a’ is used before words starting with a consonant sound. Successful learning will be observed when pupils can correctly choose ‘a’ or ‘an’ for different picture cards.
Class: Pre-School Level 3
Term: Third Term
Week: 5
Age: 4 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Literacy
Curriculum Theme: Language Domain
Previous Lesson: Recognising and saying letter sounds
Topic: USING ‘A’ AND ‘AN’: IDENTIFYING THE RIGHT ARTICLE
Subject Matter: Use of ‘a’ and ‘an’
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify the five vowel letters (a, e, i, o, u).
- Differentiate between words starting with vowel sounds and consonant sounds.
- Choose the correct article (‘a’ or ‘an’) for simple, familiar words.
Affective Domain
- Listen attentively to instructions and examples.
- Participate actively in class activities and discussions.
Psychomotor Domain
- Point to pictures that require ‘a’ or ‘an’.
- Say simple words correctly using ‘a’ or ‘an’.
Social Domain
- Take turns when responding to questions.
- Share instructional materials like picture cards respectfully.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 3
- Early Childhood Care and Education resources
- Phonics Handbook and CD
Instructional Materials
- Picture cards of familiar objects (e.g., apple, ball, egg, cat, orange, dog, umbrella)
- Whiteboard or chart paper
- Markers or crayons
- Song and rhyme audio/video (digital or physical)
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is important for 4-year-olds because it introduces fundamental rules for using ‘a’ and ‘an’, which are common words in English. Understanding these articles helps children speak more correctly and prepares them for early reading and writing, building a strong foundation for their language development.Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils can recognise some letters of the alphabet and say their basic sounds. They are familiar with various common objects and can name them.Lesson Content/Board Summary
USING ‘A’ AND ‘AN’: IDENTIFYING THE RIGHT ARTICLE
We use ‘a’ and ‘an’ to talk about one thing.
When to use ‘an’
We use ‘an’ before words that start with a vowel sound.
The vowel letters are: a, e, i, o, u.
- an apple
- an egg
- an igloo
- an orange
- an umbrella
When to use ‘a’
We use ‘a’ before words that start with a consonant sound.
Consonant letters are all the other letters that are not vowels (b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, z).
- a ball
- a cat
- a dog
- a fish
- a table
Key Words
- a – used before words starting with a consonant sound.
- an – used before words starting with a vowel sound.
- vowel – the letters a, e, i, o, u.
- consonant – all other letters that are not vowels.
‘A’ or ‘An’ Rhyme
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
‘A’ for sounds that start with ‘b’,
Like ‘a’ ball, for all to see.
‘An’ for sounds that start with ‘a’,
Like ‘an’ apple, hip hooray!
‘A’ for ‘c’, ‘an’ for ‘e’,
Learning articles, yay for me!
Actions: Point to mouth for sounds, make a big ‘A’ and ‘N’ in the air, mime eating an apple, bounce a ball.
Watch and Practise
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Begin by reviewing the five vowel letters (a, e, i, o, u) and their sounds. Explain that ‘an’ is used before words that start with these sounds. Then, explain that ‘a’ is used before words that start with other sounds (consonants). Use the picture cards to demonstrate each example clearly, emphasizing the initial sound of each word.
What to show or demonstrate: Show large, clear picture cards. For ‘an apple’, point to the ‘a’ in apple and say “an apple”. For ‘a ball’, point to the ‘b’ in ball and say “a ball”. Write the examples on the board as you say them, circling the first letter of the word to highlight the vowel/consonant.
How to use the rhyme/song: Introduce the ‘A’ or ‘An’ Rhyme after explaining the rules. Sing it twice or thrice with the pupils, encouraging them to perform the actions. The rhyme helps reinforce the concept in a fun, memorable way.
How to use the video: Introduce the video as a fun way to learn more about ‘a’ and ‘an’. Ask pupils to pay attention to the examples given. After watching, pause and discuss some of the words and pictures from the video, asking pupils to say “a” or “an” for each one. Encourage them to repeat the words and phrases shown in the video.
What to watch for: Observe if pupils are listening to the initial sound of the word rather than just looking at the first letter, as some words (like “hour”) start with a vowel sound but a consonant letter. For this level, focus primarily on clear vowel/consonant letter-sound matches. Correct any confusion gently by re-emphasizing the sound.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
Play-based Learning, Demonstration, Guided Practice, Songs and Rhymes, Picture Talk, Question and Answer, Repetition, Manipulation of ObjectsInstructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Engagement/Review
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and starts with a quick review of some letter sounds, especially the vowels (a, e, i, o, u). “Good morning, children! Let’s remember our special letters: a, e, i, o, u!”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the greeting and repeat the vowel sounds after the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils recall basic letter sounds, especially vowels.
Step 2: Presentation of Vowels and Consonants
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Visual Aid
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher writes the vowels (a, e, i, o, u) on the board and reminds pupils they are special. Then, the teacher explains that all other letters are called consonants. “These five letters are our special vowel friends. All the other letters are called consonant friends!”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and say the vowel sounds. They listen as the teacher explains consonant letters.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise vowels and understand the concept of consonants.
Step 3: Introducing ‘An’
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the article ‘an’. “When a word starts with one of our special vowel sounds, we use ‘an’ before it.” The teacher shows picture cards like ‘apple’, ‘egg’, ‘orange’, saying “an apple”, “an egg”, “an orange” and emphasizing the ‘an’ and the vowel sound. Pupils repeat.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the picture cards, and repeat “an apple”, “an egg”, “an orange” after the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils learn to use ‘an’ before words starting with vowel sounds.
Step 4: Introducing ‘A’
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Guided Practice
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the article ‘a’. “When a word starts with a consonant sound, we use ‘a’ before it.” The teacher shows picture cards like ‘ball’, ‘cat’, ‘dog’, saying “a ball”, “a cat”, “a dog” and emphasizing the ‘a’ and the consonant sound. Pupils repeat.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, observe the picture cards, and repeat “a ball”, “a cat”, “a dog” after the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils learn to use ‘a’ before words starting with consonant sounds.
Step 5: Rhyme and Practice
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Reinforcement/Activity
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads pupils in singing the ‘A’ or ‘An’ Rhyme with actions. After the rhyme, the teacher shows more picture cards one by one (e.g., umbrella, fish, ant, bird) and asks pupils to say “a” or “an” before the word.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils sing the rhyme with actions and then practise saying ‘a’ or ‘an’ for each picture card shown by the teacher.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding through song and immediate practice.
Step 6: Video Reinforcement
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Multimedia/Consolidation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher plays the educational video on ‘a’ and ‘an’. After the video, the teacher asks pupils to recall some of the examples from the video and say “a” or “an” for them.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video attentively and participate in recalling and saying examples from the video.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning through visual and auditory reinforcement.
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.
- Show a picture of an ‘igloo’. Ask: “Do we say ‘a igloo’ or ‘an igloo’?”
- Show a picture of a ‘pencil’. Ask: “Do we say ‘a pencil’ or ‘an pencil’?”
- Hold up a picture of an ‘aeroplane’. Ask pupils to say the correct article and word.
- Hold up a picture of a ‘chair’. Ask pupils to say the correct article and word.
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
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises the pupils for their participation and reminds them to keep practising. “You all did so well today learning about ‘a’ and ‘an’! Keep listening for those special sounds!”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the praise and tidy up any materials.
Learning Point: Pupils feel encouraged and remember the importance of practice.
Lesson Keywords
- a – used before words that start with a consonant sound.
- an – used before words that start with a vowel sound.
- vowel – the letters a, e, i, o, u.
- consonant – all other letters that are not vowels.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils who are struggling, provide larger picture cards and repeat the initial sound and the correct article multiple times. Use hand-over-hand gestures to point to the first letter and then the article. Focus on just two or three clear examples for ‘a’ and ‘an’.
- Extension: For pupils who grasp the concept quickly, challenge them by showing pictures of objects that are less common or by asking them to think of their own examples of words that use ‘a’ or ‘an’.
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