ABCs by the week

This is an ongoing series of lessons to teach the 26 letters of the alphabet through functional skills that can be used on a daily/weekly basis building on and transferring to other educational tasks. These lessons incorporate coloring, marking, painting, cutting, pasting, creating, listening and following directions.

A lesson plan for grade K English Language Arts

By Karen Dawsey and Sherry Waters

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Related topics

• Learn more about alphabet, decoding, hands-on, kinesthetic learners, language arts, letters, and reading.

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Learning outcomes

The students will recognize letters of the alphabet in a variety of formats (print, audio-video and multimedia).

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 hours

Materials/resources

• Resources:

• R is for Rainbow by Sandra Anselmo, Pamela Rollins, and Rita Schuckman
• The Sound of the Week by Sally Barrett
• Alphabetivities by Claudia Krause
• Hands-On Alphabet Activities for Young Children by Roberta Seckler Brown and Susan Carey
• Daily Materials: scissors, glue, pencils, markers, paint, crayons, and a variety of paper
• As needed per lesson: art/craft sticks,sand, clay, yarn, cereal, feathers, beans, rice, noodles, and manipulative consumables

Technology resources

CD player, Cassette player, computer, internet connection, printer

Pre-activities

• The student should be able to: make marks, color, paint, cut and paste, and recognize a letter of the alphabet as having meaning.
• The student should be able to display beginning computer skills.

Activities

This is an ongoing series of lessons to teach the 26 letters of the alphabet through pre-academic functional skills that can be used on a daily/weekly basis, building on and transferring to other educational tasks.

Daily/Weekly Activities

1. Group time recognition of the “Letter of the Week”
2. Song and Movement with the “Letter of the Week”
3. “Letter of the Week” being made concretely with large painted wrapping paper rolls in circle time
4. Alphabet story for appropriate “Letter of the Week”
5. Engage in locating letters in various prints around the room

Individual Student Activities

1. Make the letter of the alphabet by using one of the following mediums:
   • paint
   • Noodle Doodles
   • art/craft sticks
   • yarn
   • cereal
   • candy
   • feathers
   • sand
   • beans
   • rice
   • modeling clay
2. Visually discriminate a letter of the week from other letters by marking.
3. Engage in letter hunt finding and matching identical letters around the room.
4. Make alphabet booklets.

Center Time Activities

1. sponge painting
2. clay play
3. easel painting
4. water painting
5. individual student chalk boards
6. magnetic letter boards
7. sorting and matching
8. dramatic play
9. crayon letter rub
10. computer activities

All the above activities are related to the letter of the week.

Assessment

The student will recognize and name all letters of the alphabet using assessment tools from Highreach, Brigance, etc.

Supplemental information

Lessons can also incorporate Multiple Intelligences or the Seven Styles of Learning.

Comments

These lessons are designed to teach beginning pre-academic skills and fine motor skills. They have the same skills each day and week to promote learning of each skill. These lessons are adaptable to the needs and levels of the students and for exceptional students. They may be used as needed to incorporate into the scope of the curriculum. These are virtually beginning reading activities and can and do include beginning sounds.