Free Pre-K 3 lesson plan · Unit 5: Animals
Pre-K 3, week 18: the p sound and sorting by color
This week your learner will hear the p sound in pig and penguin, sort things by color and talk about what animals eat. Each activity takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 18 of 36 · See the Pre-K 3 year map · Not sure of the level? Take the 3-question Pre-K 3 or Pre-K 4 picker
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5-minute parent prep
- Write a big P and a small p on a sheet of paper.
- Gather red and yellow things too big to fit in the mouth.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, red and yellow household things. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Talk and listen | The p sound page, Pop the p card |
| Tuesday | Math | Sort by color page, Color sort card |
| Wednesday | Explore | What do they eat? page, Feed the animals card |
| Thursday | Make and move | Path to the pond page, Penguin walk card |
| Friday | Story and review | Song of the week, Parent notes page |
| Every day | Read, sing, play | Read a picture book together, sing the song of the week, play outside and check in on feelings with the free feelings cards. |
Printable pages
The p sound
Say: "P, p, pop. Pig, pizza and penguin start with p." Your learner traces the big P and small p with a finger, then colors the pictures.
pig
pizza
penguin
pig
pizza
penguin
Sort by color
Say: "Which ones are red? Which ones are yellow?" Your learner colors the red foods red and the yellow foods yellow.
What do they eat?
Say: "The rabbit eats a carrot. What does the dog eat?" Your learner points to each animal and you talk about what it eats.
Path to the pond
Say: "Help the duck get to the pond. Start at the green dot." Your learner traces each path from left to right.
Activity cards
Pop the p
- Put a hand in front of your mouth and say "p".
- Feel the puff of air together.
- Say p words: pig, pop, pan.
Easier: Just pop "p" together.
Next step: Ask "Does pan start with p? Does sun?"
Say this: "Pig. P, p, pig."
No supplies: Needs nothing.
Language: sounds in words
Color sort
- Mix them in a pile.
- Your learner sorts by color.
- Name each pile.
Easier: Use 2 of each.
Next step: Add a third color.
Say this: "These are red. These are yellow."
No supplies: Point to red and yellow in a book.
Math: sorting by color
Feed the animals
- Ask "What does the rabbit eat?"
- Your learner feeds it.
- Try other animals.
Easier: Use 2 animals.
Next step: Ask "Do we eat that too?"
Say this: "The rabbit eats carrots. Crunch."
No supplies: Pretend with pictures.
Science: what animals eat
Penguin walk
- Walk like a penguin with feet close together.
- Slide your feet.
- Waddle to a spot and back.
Easier: Hold hands.
Next step: Waddle while holding a pillow between your knees.
Say this: "Waddle, waddle, penguin."
No supplies: Do it in a small space.
Physical: balance
Song of the week: Pop, pop, p
Pop, pop, p, p, p,
Pig and penguin, look at me.
Pizza, pan and purple pot,
P, p, pop, I like it a lot.
Actions: Pop your hand open on each "pop". Try next: Find p things at home.
Parent notes for Friday
Not a test. Notice what your learner does this week, and practice the rest later. Nothing here is sent to UpOnly Learning.
- Says "p" for p words
- Sorts things by color
- Says what one animal eats
- Waddles like a penguin
Want the bigger picture? See developmental milestones by age and the child development guide for ages 3 to 5.
Safety for this week
- Use objects too big to fit in your learner's mouth, and stay close during any counting or sorting with real objects.
- Water play only with an adult within arm's reach the whole time, even in a small tub.
- An adult handles anything hot or sharp, knives, and rocks or heavy objects.
- Dry beans and seeds only with an adult watching closely, and not with a learner who still puts things in their mouth.
- No scissors needed: tear paper instead. If you do use scissors, use child safety scissors with an adult right there.
- Choose crayons, markers and paint labeled for young learners (look for the AP seal).
Questions parents ask
Use real things in two colors that look clearly different, like red and yellow. Name the colors as your learner sorts. When two colors are easy, add a third.
Answer simply, and sometimes ask back: "Why do you think?" Asking who, what, where and why questions is a 3 year old milestone, and it means your learner is curious.
Not yet. At 3, the goal is to hear and enjoy sounds, recognize their own name and notice a few letters around them. Pre-K 3 shows one letter about once a month, by sound play only. Letter learning starts in Pre-K 4.
Many students name a few colors by age 4. At 3, start by matching: "find one like this". Naming comes after lots of matching and talking about colors during the day.
Related pages
Recommended for your student
Pre-K 3 Full Year
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The whole Pre-K 3 year in one print-ready book: 36 weeks of parent plans, printable pages, activity cards and songs for ages 3 to 4, with a clickable table of contents, page numbers and parent answer notes. 309 pages.
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UpOnly Learning Pre-K is general education, not medical advice. If you have concerns about your learner's development, talk with your pediatrician. In an emergency, call 911.
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