Free Pre-K 3 lesson plan · Unit 6: Plants and food
Pre-K 3, week 22: the t sound and squares
This week your learner will hear the t sound in tree and train, find squares and learn what plants need. Each activity takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 22 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 T and a small t on a sheet of paper.
- Find 3 square things: a napkin, a box, a cracker.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, square things, a plant or your bean cup. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Talk and listen | The t sound page, Tick tock t card |
| Tuesday | Math | Find the squares page, Square hunt card |
| Wednesday | Explore | What plants need page, Water the plant card |
| Thursday | Make and move | Train tracks page, Train ride 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 t sound
Say: "T, t, tick tock. Tree, train and turtle start with t." Your learner traces the big T and small t with a finger, then colors the pictures.
tree
train
turtle
tree
train
turtle
Find the squares
Say: "A square has four sides the same. Color the squares." Your learner colors the squares.
What plants need
Say: "Plants need sun, water and soil." Your learner points to each picture and says what plants need.
Train tracks
Say: "Drive the train on the wavy track. Start at the green dot." Your learner traces each wavy line from left to right.
Activity cards
Tick tock t
- Say "t, t, t" like a clock.
- Say t words: tree, toe, top.
- Tap your knee for each t.
Easier: Just tap and say "t".
Next step: Ask "Does toe start with t? Does ball?"
Say this: "Toe. T, t, toe."
No supplies: Needs nothing.
Language: sounds in words
Square hunt
- Show a napkin and say "square".
- Find square things together.
- Count the sides with a finger.
Easier: Find 1 square.
Next step: Find a big square and a small square.
Say this: "One, two, three, four sides. A square."
No supplies: Draw a square in the air.
Math: shapes
Water the plant
- Check the plant together.
- Your learner gives it a little water.
- Talk about sun and water.
Easier: Pour together.
Next step: Ask "What if it has no water?"
Say this: "Plants drink water, like us."
No supplies: Talk about plants in a book.
Science: what plants need
Train ride
- Hold the waist of the person in front.
- Chug around the room saying "choo choo".
- Stop at "stations" and start again.
Easier: Go slow.
Next step: Your learner is the engine.
Say this: "All aboard. Choo choo."
No supplies: Move arms like train wheels.
Physical: gross motor
Song of the week: Tick tock t
Tick tock, tick tock, t, t, t,
Tree and train and turtle, see.
Tap your toes and tap your knee,
T, t, t, tap along with me.
Actions: Tap knees and toes. Try next: Make up a line about a toy.
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 "t" for t words
- Finds a square
- Says one thing plants need
- Joins a train walk
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
Tap and say "t" like a clock, find t things (toe, top, towel) and sing. Hearing the sound is the goal at 3. Tracing the letter with a finger is a bonus.
Plants grow from seeds and need sun, water and soil. Watering a plant and watching a bean sprout teach this better than any page.
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.
Yes. The plans, printables and cards are free to use at home or in a classroom, with no caps, no card and no ads. A free adult account is needed only to download the PDFs. Each card has an easier step for younger students.
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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