Free pre-K lesson plan · Unit 5: Animals
Pre-K 4, week 17: the letter k and sorting
This week your learner will hear the k sound, sort things into groups that go together and name animals that live on a farm. They will also practice being gentle with animals. Each activity takes about 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 17 of 36 · See the Pre-K 4 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 K and a small k on a sheet of paper.
- Gather 5 spoons, 5 socks and 2 bowls, plus a stuffed animal.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, 5 spoons, 5 socks, 2 bowls, a stuffed animal, a large soft ball. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Letter k | Letter k page, Kick the k card |
| Tuesday | Math | Sort it page, Sock and spoon sort card |
| Wednesday | Explore | Farm animals page, Gentle hands card |
| Thursday | Make and move | Kangaroo hops page, Kangaroo jumps 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
Letter k
Say: "K says k, k, k. Kitten, key, kitchen." Your learner traces the big K and the small k, then colors the pictures that start with k.
kitten
key
kitchen
kitten
key
kitchen
Sort it
Say: "Some of these are animals and some are foods. Let's sort them." Your learner colors the animals in one color and the foods in another, then counts each group.
Farm animals
Say: "These animals live on a farm. What sound does each one make?" Your learner names each animal, makes its sound and colors the pictures.
Kangaroo hops
Say: "Hop up and down like a kangaroo. Start at the green dot." Your learner traces each zigzag from left to right without lifting the crayon.
Activity cards
Kick the k
- Say "k, k, k" together.
- Say a word. If it starts with k, your learner gently kicks the ball.
- Try: kite, sun, king, dog, kitten, key.
Easier: Use only kite and sun.
Next step: Say the sounds k, i, t slowly. Your learner says the word: kit.
Say this: "King starts with k. Kick."
No supplies: Kick a foot in the air instead of a ball.
Literacy: phonological awareness
Sock and spoon sort
- Mix the spoons and socks in a pile.
- Your learner sorts them into two bowls: spoons and socks.
- Count each bowl. Which has more?
Easier: Use 3 of each.
Next step: Add a third kind, like blocks, and a third bowl.
Say this: "Spoons go here. Socks go there."
No supplies: Sort fingers and toes: point to each and say which.
Math: sorting and classifying
Gentle hands
- Show how to pet the stuffed animal gently, in one direction.
- Your learner pets it gently and talks softly to it.
- Talk about being gentle with real pets and asking the owner first.
Easier: Pet with one finger.
Next step: Pretend to feed and care for the animal.
Say this: "Soft hands, quiet voice. That is gentle."
No supplies: Practice gentle pats on your own arm.
Social-emotional: caring for living things
Kangaroo jumps
- Bend your knees and hold your hands up like a kangaroo.
- Jump forward with both feet together.
- Count 5 jumps, then rest.
Easier: Jump in place.
Next step: Jump 10 times, or jump backward.
Say this: "Knees bent, feet together. Jump."
No supplies: Needs nothing but space.
Physical: gross motor
Song of the week: K, k, kitten
K, k, kitten, soft and small,
Gentle hands for one and all.
Cow and pig and sheep and hen,
Sort them out and count again.
Actions: Pet the air gently on the second line. Try next: Sing it with farm animal sounds between lines.
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 the k sound
- Finds k on a page
- Sorts things into two groups
- Pets an animal or toy gently
Want the bigger picture? Use the free kindergarten readiness checklist.
Safety for this week
- Use objects too big to fit in your learner's mouth, and stay close during any counting with real objects.
- Child-size scissors only, with an adult watching. Hand scissors over handle first.
- Choose crayons, markers and paint labeled for young learners (look for the AP seal).
- Adults handle anything hot or sharp.
Questions parents ask
Sorting means putting things that go together in the same group. Start with two very different kinds, like spoons and socks, then try animals and foods, or big and small. Ask your student to tell you why each thing belongs. Laundry and toy cleanup are easy sorting practice.
Practice first with a stuffed animal: soft hands, slow pets and a quiet voice. Teach your student to ask the owner before touching any pet and to let the animal come to them. Stay close whenever your student is near a real animal.
C in cat and k in kitten make the same sound. Your student learned c in week 15, and this week the k sound will feel familiar. For now just say "k says k" and practice k words. Which letter to use in spelling comes much later.
Paper, crayons, 5 spoons, 5 socks, 2 bowls, a stuffed animal and a large soft ball. Every activity also has a no-supplies swap, such as sorting toys into piles, so you can start this week with what you already have at home.
Related pages
- Free Pre-K curriculum for 4 year olds, week by week
- Child development guide: preschoolers, 3 to 5
- Free kindergarten reading practice and kindergarten math practice for when your learner is ready for more
Recommended for your student
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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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