Free pre-K lesson plan · Unit 6: Plants and food
Pre-K 4, week 22: the letter h and longer or shorter
This week your learner will hear the h sound, compare which things are longer and shorter, and name the parts of a plant. Each activity takes about 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 22 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 H and a small h on a sheet of paper.
- Gather 6 to 8 socks and find a plant, or a carrot with its top on.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, 6 to 8 socks, a plant or a carrot. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Letter h | Letter h page, Huff and puff card |
| Tuesday | Math | Longer or shorter page, Sock snakes card |
| Wednesday | Explore | Parts of a plant page, Plant parts look card |
| Thursday | Make and move | Hop over the hills page, Hop and hold 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 h
Say: "H says h, h, h, like a little puff of air. Hat, horse, house." Your learner traces the big H and the small h, then colors the pictures that start with h.
hat
horse
house
hat
horse
house
Longer or shorter
Say: "Look at the two pencils. Which one is longer?" Your learner colors the longer picture in each row, then points to the shorter one.
Parts of a plant
Say: "A plant has roots, a stem, leaves and a flower. Point to the roots." Your learner points to each part as you say its name, then colors the plant.
Hop over the hills
Say: "Hop up and down the hills. Start at the green dot." Your learner traces each zigzag from left to right.
Activity cards
Huff and puff
- Hold your hand in front of your mouth and say "h, h, h". Feel the puff of air.
- Your learner tries it too.
- Put a scrap of paper on the table and puff "h" to make it move.
Easier: Just feel the puff on your hand.
Next step: Say h words: hat, hop, hand, happy. Puff on each one.
Say this: "H is a puff of air. H, h, hat."
No supplies: Feel the puff on your hand, no paper needed.
Literacy: phonological awareness
Sock snakes
- Lay socks end to end to make two snakes on the floor.
- Make one snake with more socks than the other.
- Your learner walks along each snake and says which one is longer.
Easier: Use one sock in one snake and four in the other.
Next step: Make a third snake and put all three in order.
Say this: "This snake is longer. It has more socks."
No supplies: Compare arm lengths, or two of your learner's toys.
Math: measurement
Plant parts look
- Look at the plant together.
- Find the roots, the stem and the leaves.
- Ask "What do the roots do?" They drink water from the soil.
Easier: Find just the leaves and the roots.
Next step: Look at the bean from last week. Does it have roots yet?
Say this: "Roots hold the plant and drink the water."
No supplies: Look at plants through a window and name the parts you can see.
Science: seeds and growing
Hop and hold
- Hop on two feet 5 times.
- Freeze and hold still like a plant.
- Try hopping on one foot, then hold.
Easier: Hop on two feet only.
Next step: Hop on one foot 5 times, then switch feet.
Say this: "Hop, hop, hop, and hold."
No supplies: Needs nothing but space.
Physical: gross motor
Song of the week: Happy hat
H, h, a happy hat,
Hop like this and hop like that.
Huff a puff of air for me,
H, h, h, one, two, three.
Actions: Hop on the word "hop" and puff on the word "huff". Try next: Clap 3 times at the end instead of saying the numbers.
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 h sound
- Finds h on a page
- Points to the longer of two things
- Names 2 or more parts of 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
Line two things up at one end, side by side, and ask which one is longer. Socks, spoons and toy cars all work. The lining-up step matters, so show it each time. After a few days your student can try pictures, like the pencil page this week.
At this age, four parts are plenty: roots, stem, leaves and flower. Roots drink water from the soil, the stem holds the plant up, and leaves use the sun. Look at a real plant or a carrot with its top on, then use the picture page.
The h sound is mostly air, so it is quiet. Have your student hold a hand in front of their mouth and feel the puff on h words like hat and hop. Feeling the sound helps when hearing it is tricky.
Paper, crayons, 6 to 8 socks and a house plant or a carrot with its top. Every activity card also has a no-supplies swap, such as comparing arm lengths, 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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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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