Samantha McStraw

DIFF 510
Unit Lesson Plan #1
Page 1 of 7
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Letter Recognition- Letter names and Sounds
Unit essential questions:
Why is it important to know the sounds the different letters make?
Why do letters have names?
Why do letters have sounds?
How do we use letters to make words?
What happens when we put letter sounds together?
Lesson questions:
Why do letters have names?
Why do letters have sounds?
NYS or other appropriate standard(s) addressed:
R.F.K 1d: Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
R.F.K 3a: Demonstrate basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondences by
producing the primary sound or many of the most frequent sounds for each consonant.
Lesson objectives:
Students will recognize and name uppercase and lowercase letters using a variety of
activities.
Students will be able to match letter sounds to uppercase and lowercase letters.
Assessment:
Recording sheet for Write the Room
Recording sheet for Legos and Play dough center
Checklist for letter sounds and letter names
Teacher observation throughout the lesson using checklist to determine student
recognition of letter names and letter sounds.
Opening:
Whole Group:
Students will gather at carpet for whole group instruction before station work.
Begin todays lesson by explain to students that Today we will continue to work on our
letters.
o Explain to students what we will be doing in centers today. Centers will be
focused on different activities to practice letter names and letter sounds.
Begin read aloud to students of Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom. Ask students to tell you
what they remember from yesterdays read of this story.
o What happened in the story?
o Who are the characters in the story?

Samantha McStraw
DIFF 510
Unit Lesson Plan #1
Page 2 of 7
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o What are the characters names?

o Do these characters have sounds?
Ask students to put on their listening ears to listen for the letters sounds in the story.
o As you are reading pause to tell students the sounds for each letter.
o This should be a review from yesterday. We have been practicing letter names and
letter sounds for the past week. Students should be able to tell you letter names
and most of the letter sounds.
Once you are finished reading, have students look at SMART board. Display the center
rotation on board. Students will find their names then go to that center. Explain to
students that they will have 15 minutes to complete each center.

Procedure:
Tiered by Product:
3 different tiers
Explain centers to students.
o Center #1: Legos and Play dough Letters (visual/spatial)
Students will investigate what upper- and lowercase letters look like.
Using the skinny Legos, have student stamp the bumped up side of the
Lego into the play dough to create a letter.
Students will have to look at how many steps are used to write the letter.
Model this for students before going to center.
After students make this letter in the play dough, students will record the
letter they made on recording sheet.
o Center #2: Squishy Letters (Bodily/Kinesthetic)
Students will use the Squishy Letter mats already created for them
Mats were made using black construction paper, glue, shaving
cream, and letter stickers.
Give students a letter name. (Go through all letters before moving to
sounds)
Students will squish the letter.
Give students a letter sound
Students will squish the letter that belongs to that sound.
Model this for students before going to center.
Use the checklist to assess students in letter name and sound recognition.
o Center #3: Write the Room (verbal/linguistic)
Teacher will number objects around the classroom.
Students will use recording sheet to write the room.
Students will go around the room to find the numbers 1-10.

Samantha McStraw
DIFF 510
Unit Lesson Plan #1
Page 3 of 7
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Students will use recording sheet to write the beginning sound of

that letter. Say the name of the object out loud. Then write the
letter that the object begins with.
Teacher will model this for students before going to that center.
After explain centers to students remind them that we are focusing on letter names and
letter sounds.
Remind students again to listen for the timer to stop working and rotate to next center.
Leave the center rotation up on the SMART board.

Closure:
After centers are completed, have students return to the carpet.
o Use the Random Chooser on SMART board to choose different letters.
When the random chooser stops on a letter, choose a name stick.
That student will tell you the name of the letter and the sound.
Do this will all students.
Have student sing along to Lettercise on the SMART board.
Materials:
Center 1
o Legos (mostly long, skinny ones; make sure you have the correct shapes for all
letters)
o Play dough
o Recording sheet
Center 2
o Glue
o Shaving Cream
o Black construction paper
o Letter stickers
Create the squishy letters at least 1 day before.
http://www.icanteachmychild.com/alphabet-squish/#_a5y_p=805586

o Checklist
Center 3
o Number cards 1-10
o Recording sheet
Lettercise song on SMART board
Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom book.
Timer

Samantha McStraw
DIFF 510
Unit Lesson Plan #1
Page 4 of 7
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Samantha McStraw
DIFF 510
Unit Lesson Plan #1
Page 5 of 7
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Samantha McStraw
DIFF 510
Unit Lesson Plan #1
Page 6 of 7
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Samantha McStraw
DIFF 510
Unit Lesson Plan #1
Page 7 of 7
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