Free pre-K lesson plan · Unit 5: Animals
Pre-K 4, week 18: the letter e and sorting
This week your learner will hear the short e sound, as in egg, sort things by kind and by size, and find animals that live in water. Each activity takes about 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 18 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 E and a small e on a sheet of paper.
- Gather big and small socks of two colors, and a blue towel.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, big and small socks, a blue towel, toy animals or animal pictures. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Letter e | Letter e page, Echo e card |
| Tuesday | Math | Big and small sort page, Sock sort two ways card |
| Wednesday | Explore | Who lives in water page, Pretend pond card |
| Thursday | Make and move | Swim like a fish page, Elephant 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
Letter e
Say: "E says e, like egg and elephant. Listen for e in bed too." Your learner traces the big E and the small e, then colors the pictures. Egg and elephant start with e; bed has e in the middle.
egg
elephant
bed
egg
elephant
bed
Big and small sort
Say: "Find the big animals and the small animals. Now find the fish and the birds." Your learner circles the big animals, then colors the fish in one color and the birds in another.
Who lives in water?
Say: "Which animals live in water? Which live on land?" Your learner colors the animals that live in water and draws a line under the animals that live on land.
Swim like a fish
Say: "Swim through the waves. Start at the green dot." Your learner traces each wavy line from left to right.
Activity cards
Echo e
- Say "e, e, egg" and your learner echoes it back.
- Say a word. If it starts with e, your learner echoes it. If not, they stay quiet.
- Try: egg, sun, elf, map, end, elephant.
Easier: Use only egg and sun.
Next step: Say the sounds b, e, d slowly. Your learner says the word: bed.
Say this: "Elf starts with e. Elf, elf."
No supplies: Needs nothing.
Literacy: phonological awareness
Sock sort two ways
- Your learner sorts the socks into big and small.
- Mix them up, then sort them by color.
- Ask "Can you find a small sock that is white?"
Easier: Sort one way only.
Next step: Make 4 groups: big and white, big and dark, small and white, small and dark.
Say this: "This one is big and dark. Where does it go?"
No supplies: Sort toys by size, then by kind.
Math: sorting and classifying
Pretend pond
- Lay the towel on the floor as a pretend pond.
- Your learner puts animals that live in water on the towel.
- Animals that live on land go on the floor.
Easier: Use 4 animals.
Next step: Ask "Which animal lives in water and on land?" (a frog or a duck)
Say this: "A fish lives in water. A cow lives on land."
No supplies: Name animals and your learner points to water or land.
Science: where animals live
Elephant walk
- Clasp your hands and swing your arms like an elephant trunk.
- Walk slowly with big, heavy steps.
- Say "e, e, elephant" with each step.
Easier: Swing the trunk while standing.
Next step: Walk like an elephant, then swim like a fish.
Say this: "Big steps, swing your trunk."
No supplies: Needs nothing but space.
Physical: gross motor
Song of the week: E, e, egg
E, e, egg, and e, e, elf,
An elephant can stomp itself.
Fish and whale and crab can swim,
E, e, e, we sing to them.
Actions: Swing your arm like a trunk, then swim with your hands. Try next: Add a verse about an animal that lives on land.
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 short e sound
- Finds e on a page
- Sorts things two ways
- Names an animal that lives in water
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
First sort one way, such as big and small. Then mix the same things up and sort a new way, such as by color. Later, try both at once: big and white, small and dark. Socks, spoons and toy animals all work well, and your student can explain each choice.
Start with easy ones: fish, whales, crabs and sea turtles. Then talk about animals that live in water and on land, like frogs and ducks. A pretend pond on a towel and picture books about the sea help your student sort animals by where they live.
Yes. This week's pond is a dry towel, so no water is needed. If you do play with real water, use a shallow tub, stay within arm's reach the whole time and empty the tub right after. Wipe up spills to prevent slips.
Paper, crayons, big and small socks of two colors, a blue towel, and toy animals or animal pictures. Every activity also has a no-supplies swap, such as sorting spoons by size, 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
Pre-K 4 Full Year
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