Free pre-K lesson plan · Unit 6: Plants and food
Pre-K 4, week 21: the letter r and taller or shorter
This week your learner will hear the r sound, compare which things are taller and shorter, and plant a bean to watch it grow. Each activity takes about 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 21 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 R and a small r on a sheet of paper.
- Gather a clear cup, a paper towel and a few dry beans.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, a clear cup, a paper towel, a few dry beans, water. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Letter r | Letter r page, Rrr sound hunt card |
| Tuesday | Math | Taller or shorter page, Taller or shorter card |
| Wednesday | Explore | Seed to plant page, Bean in a cup card |
| Thursday | Make and move | Rain for the roots page, Grow like a seed 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 r
Say: "R says rrr, like a rabbit, a rock and rice." Your learner traces the big R and the small r, then colors the pictures that start with r.
rabbit
rock
rice
rabbit
rock
rice
Taller or shorter
Say: "Look at the two trees. Which one is taller?" Your learner points to the taller picture in each pair and colors it. Then they point to the shorter one.
Seed to plant
Say: "A seed grows into a plant. Start at the seed and follow the arrows." Your learner points to each picture in order and says what happens next, then colors the pictures.
Rain for the roots
Say: "The rain falls on the garden. Start at the green dot." Your learner traces the wavy lines from left to right with a crayon.
Activity cards
Rrr sound hunt
- Say "rrr" like a little motor together.
- Look around the house for things that start with r: rug, rock, radio.
- Say each word slowly and stretch the r.
Easier: You name the thing; your learner says "rrr".
Next step: Ask "Does rabbit start with r? Does cup?"
Say this: "Rrrug. Rug starts with rrr."
No supplies: Play it as "I spy something that starts with rrr."
Literacy: phonological awareness
Taller or shorter
- Stand two things side by side on the table.
- Your learner points to the taller one.
- Swap one thing and ask again.
Easier: Use two things that are very different in height.
Next step: Line up 3 things from shortest to tallest.
Say this: "The bottle is taller than the cup."
No supplies: Compare your learner with a chair, a door handle or a table.
Math: measurement
Bean in a cup
- Fold the paper towel and press it inside the cup.
- An adult slides 2 or 3 beans between the towel and the cup, where you can see them.
- Your learner adds a little water to make the towel damp, then you check the beans every day.
Easier: Your learner pours the water while you hold the cup.
Next step: Ask "What came out first, the root or the leaf?"
Say this: "We have to wait. Seeds grow a little every day." Dry beans are a choking risk: an adult holds them and puts the rest away.
No supplies: No beans? Look for seeds in an apple or an orange at snack time.
Science: seeds and growing
Grow like a seed
- Curl up small on the floor like a seed.
- You say "rain" and your learner wiggles.
- You say "sun" and your learner grows up slowly, tall like a plant.
Easier: Grow up in one move.
Next step: Grow as slowly as you can while you count to 10.
Say this: "Rain, sun, grow, grow, grow."
No supplies: Needs nothing but space.
Physical: gross motor
Song of the week: Little seed
Little seed, sleeping round,
Tucked in deep under the ground.
Rain comes down and sun comes through,
Up, up, up, a plant for you.
Actions: Curl up small, then grow up tall on the last line. Try next: Sing it again very slowly, like a plant that takes its time.
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 r sound
- Finds r on a page
- Points to the taller of two things
- Tells that a seed grows into a plant
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
Press a damp paper towel inside a clear cup, slide two or three dry beans between the towel and the cup, and keep the towel damp. Roots often show in a few days. An adult handles the dry beans, because they are small enough to be a choking risk.
Use real things first. Stand two objects side by side on a flat table and ask which is taller. Then compare your student with a chair or a door handle. Using the words every day, like "your tower is taller now", helps them stick before your student tries pictures on paper.
That happens. The towel may be too wet or too dry, or the room may be cold. Try again with new beans, and talk about it with your student: "Let's try again and see what changes." Waiting and trying again are part of the lesson this week.
Paper, crayons, a clear cup, a paper towel, a few dry beans and water. Every activity card also has a no-supplies swap, such as finding seeds in an apple at snack time, so you can start with what you already have at home. Print in black and white to save ink.
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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The whole Pre-K 4 year in one print-ready book: 36 weeks of parent plans, printable pages, activity cards and songs for ages 4 to 5, 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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