Note for teachers using this lesson plan
Before the lesson, ensure each pupil has a writing book, a sharpened pencil, and an eraser. Prepare flashcards with “he”, “me”, “we”, and “be” written clearly. The central idea is for pupils to correctly hold their pencils and attempt to copy these two-letter words. Observe pupils’ sitting posture, pencil grip, and their effort to form the letters and words accurately, moving from left to right.
Class: Pre-School Level 2
Term: Third Term
Week: 10
Age: 3 years
Duration: 30 minutes
Subject: Handwriting
Curriculum Theme: Handwriting
Previous Lesson: Tracing and copying basic lines, curves, and simple single letters.
Topic: TWO-LETTER WORDS: WRITING AND READING HE, ME, WE AND BE
Subject Matter: Writing and Reading the Following Words: He, Me, We, Be.
Specific Objectives
By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:
Cognitive Domain
- Identify and recognise the two-letter words ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, and ‘be’.
- Orally read the words ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, and ‘be’.
Affective Domain
- Show interest in learning to write new words.
- Follow the teacher’s instructions for proper sitting and pencil grip.
Psychomotor Domain
- Hold a pencil correctly.
- Trace and copy the words ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, and ‘be’ in their writing books.
- Demonstrate correct strokes for forming the letters in the words.
Social Domain
- Participate actively in classroom activities.
- Take turns when demonstrating writing.
Reference Materials
- NAPPS National Unified Teaching Scheme for Pre-School Level 2
- Relevant Early Childhood Care and Education resources
- Early years handwriting workbooks
Instructional Materials
- Writing Books
- Pencils
- Erasers
- Whiteboard or chart with ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, ‘be’ written clearly
- Flashcards with ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, ‘be’
Rationale for the Lesson
This lesson is essential for Pre-School Level 2 pupils as it builds foundational literacy skills. Learning to write and read simple two-letter words like ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, and ‘be’ helps children develop fine motor control, letter recognition, and early word recognition, which are crucial steps towards independent reading and writing. It connects to their daily experiences by introducing words they will encounter frequently.
Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge
Pupils have prior experience with holding pencils, tracing basic pre-writing patterns (lines, curves), and forming some single letters. They can recognise and name some letters of the alphabet.
Lesson Content/Board Summary
TWO-LETTER WORDS: WRITING AND READING HE, ME, WE AND BE
Two-letter words are very short words made up of only two letters. We will learn to write and read some of these words today.
Words to learn:
- he (h-e)
- me (m-e)
- we (w-e)
- be (b-e)
How to write these words:
We start from the top and move down, then across. We write from left to right.
- he: First write ‘h’ (down, up and curve), then write ‘e’ (across and round).
- me: First write ‘m’ (down, up and curve, up and curve), then write ‘e’ (across and round).
- we: First write ‘w’ (down, up, down, up), then write ‘e’ (across and round).
- be: First write ‘b’ (down, round), then write ‘e’ (across and round).
Key Words
- he – a word used for a boy or man.
- me – a word used to talk about yourself.
- we – a word used to talk about yourself and others.
- be – a word that means to exist or happen.
- write – to make letters or words on paper.
- read – to look at words and understand their meaning.
Our Writing Words Rhyme
Tune: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Lyrics:
H-e, he, he, he,
Write it carefully.
M-e, me, me, me,
Now you can see!
W-e, we, we, we,
Good for you and me!
B-e, be, be, be,
Learning happily!
Actions: Pupils can air-trace the letters as they sing, then point to the words on a chart, and give a thumbs-up for ‘happily’.
💡 Teacher Guide for Using This Board Summary
How to teach the content: Write each word clearly on the whiteboard or chart. Point to each letter as you say its sound, then blend to say the whole word. Repeat several times. Emphasise that we write from left to right. Explain the simple meaning of each word using familiar examples (e.g., “He is a boy,” “This is for me,” “We are friends,” “Try to be kind”).
What to show or demonstrate: Demonstrate proper sitting posture and how to hold the pencil with the correct grip. Show the strokes for each letter in the words ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, ‘be’ on the board, explaining the starting point and direction (e.g., “For ‘h’, start at the top, go down, then up and make a curve”). Use a large motion for air-tracing before pupils attempt to write.
How to use the rhyme/song: Sing the rhyme together, encouraging pupils to do the actions. Repeat it 2-3 times to reinforce the words and the idea of writing. Use it as a fun break during the writing practice.
What to watch for: Observe pupils’ pencil grip, sitting posture, and their attempt to form the letters correctly, especially the direction of strokes and writing from left to right. Provide individual guidance and hand-over-hand support for those struggling.
Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques
- Demonstration
- Guided Practice
- Repetition
- Songs and Rhymes
- Picture Talk (using flashcards)
- Play-based Learning
Instructional Procedures
Step 1: Introduction
Time: 3 minutes
Teaching Skill: Greeting/Review/Motivation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils, leads a quick review of previous handwriting skills (e.g., tracing lines), and introduces the topic of learning to write and read new two-letter words in a fun way.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, participate in the review, and listen attentively to the introduction.
Learning Point: Pupils are prepared and motivated for the new lesson.
Step 2: Presentation of Two-Letter Words
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Recognition/Pronunciation
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher displays flashcards or writes ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, ‘be’ on the board. The teacher says each word clearly, points to the letters, and asks pupils to repeat after her. The teacher explains the simple meaning of each word.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils look at the words, listen to the teacher, and repeat the words ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, ‘be’ several times.
Learning Point: Pupils recognise and pronounce the words ‘he’, ‘me’, ‘we’, ‘be’.
Step 3: Demonstration of Writing ‘he’ and ‘me’
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher demonstrates the correct sitting posture and pencil grip. On the board, the teacher slowly writes ‘he’, explaining each stroke (e.g., “down for ‘h’, then up and curve, then for ‘e’, across and round”). The teacher repeats for ‘me’. Pupils air-trace along with the teacher.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s posture and pencil grip. They air-trace ‘he’ and ‘me’ as the teacher demonstrates.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the correct way to sit, hold a pencil, and form the letters for ‘he’ and ‘me’.
Step 4: Guided Practice for ‘he’ and ‘me’
Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Supervision
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils to open their writing books. The teacher supervises as pupils attempt to trace or copy ‘he’ and ‘me’. The teacher provides individual assistance, correcting grip and strokes as needed. The class sings the “Our Writing Words Rhyme”.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils hold their pencils, trace or copy ‘he’ and ‘me’ in their books, and sing the rhyme.
Learning Point: Pupils practise writing ‘he’ and ‘me’ with guidance and reinforce learning through song.
Step 5: Demonstration of Writing ‘we’ and ‘be’
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Modelling
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher once again demonstrates writing ‘we’ and ‘be’ on the board, explaining the strokes for ‘w’, ‘e’, ‘b’, and ‘e’. The teacher encourages pupils to air-trace along.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the teacher’s demonstration and air-trace ‘we’ and ‘be’.
Learning Point: Pupils understand the correct way to form the letters for ‘we’ and ‘be’.
Step 6: Guided Practice for ‘we’ and ‘be’
Time: 4 minutes
Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Supervision
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher supervises pupils as they trace or copy ‘we’ and ‘be’ in their writing books. The teacher offers encouragement and gentle corrections, ensuring pupils try to write from left to right. The class sings the “Our Writing Words Rhyme” again.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils trace or copy ‘we’ and ‘be’ in their books and sing the rhyme.
Learning Point: Pupils practise writing ‘we’ and ‘be’ and reinforce learning through song.
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.
- “Can you point to the word ‘he’ on the board?”
- “What word is this?” (pointing to ‘me’ on a flashcard)
- “Show me how you wrote ‘we’ in your book.”
- “Let’s all say ‘be’ together.”
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: Summarising/Praise
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher praises pupils for their effort in learning to write and read the new words. The teacher reminds them to keep practising. The teacher leads a final round of the “Our Writing Words Rhyme”.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the teacher, feel encouraged, and sing the rhyme one last time.
Learning Point: Pupils feel a sense of accomplishment and are encouraged to continue practising.
Lesson Keywords
- he – a word used for a boy or man.
- me – a word used to talk about yourself.
- we – a word used to talk about yourself and others.
- be – a word that means to exist or happen.
- write – to make letters or words on paper.
Differentiation
- Support: For pupils struggling with pencil grip or letter formation, provide hand-over-hand guidance. Use larger print for tracing. Offer fewer words to focus on initially (e.g., just ‘he’ and ‘me’). Provide extra oral repetition and air-tracing practice.
- Extension: For pupils who quickly master writing the words, encourage them to write the words without tracing. Ask them to identify these words in a simple storybook or on classroom labels. They can also try to say a simple sentence using one of the words (e.g., “He is tall”).
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