LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

ABC's 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 task. These lessons incorporate coloring, marking, painting, cutting, pasting, creating, listening and following directions.

A lesson plan for grade K English Language Arts and Information Skills

By Karen Dawsey and Sherry Waters

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Related pages

  • Wet Your Kinders' Chops on the Sound "Op"!: Kinders will explore the sound “Op” with a reading of Charlie Parker Played Be-Bop by Chris Raschka and a showing of the PBS Between the Lions episode #130 “Be Bop,” which also features the Charlie Parker book and explores the “op” sound.

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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: Highreach, R is for Rainbow, The Sound of the Week, Alphabetivities and Hands-On Alphabet Activities for Young Children. Classroom library would have coordinating books.

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.
The websites of: http://www.pbskids.org and http://www.lessonplanz.com, and software for Dr. Seuss’s ABC and Curious George ABC Adventure.

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. These lessons incorporate coloring, marking, painting, cutting, pasteing, listening and following directions, and computer skills.

Daily/Weekly Activities will include:

  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 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 also incorporate Multiple Intelligences or the Seven Styles of Learning.

Related websites

http://www.pbskids.org
http://www.lessonplanz.com
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/languagearts/gradek.htm
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/Information/gradek.htm
http://www.learnnc.org
http://www.sitesforteachers.com
http://www.abcteach.com
http://www.kidgen.com

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.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Information Skills (2000)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 5: The learner will COMMUNICATE reading, listening, and viewing experiences.
    • Objective 5.01: Respond to reading, listening, viewing experiences orally, artistically, dramatically through various formats.
    • Objective 5.03: Acknowledge resources used in all print, non-print, and electronic products.

English Language Arts (2004)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop and apply enabling strategies to read and write.
    • Objective 1.03: Demonstrate decoding and word recognition strategies and skills:
      • recognize and name upper and lower case letters of the alphabet.
      • recognize some words by sight including a few common words, own name, and environmental print such as signs, labels, and trademarks.
      • recognize most beginning consonant letter-sound associations in one-syllable words.
  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.01: Connect information and events in text to experience.
    • Objective 3.02: Discuss concepts and information in a text to clarify and extend knowledge.
    • Objective 3.04: Use speaking and listening skills and media to connect experiences and text
      • listening to and re-visiting stories
      • discussing, illustrating, and dramatizing stories
      • discovering relationships.