Free pre-K lesson plan · Unit 6: Plants and food
Pre-K 4, week 23: the letter b and heavier or lighter
This week your learner will hear the b sound, feel which things are heavier and lighter, and find the seeds inside fruit. Each activity takes about 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 23 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 B and a small b on a sheet of paper.
- Gather a shoe, a sock, a book and a spoon, and pick a fruit with seeds for snack day.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, a shoe, a sock, a book, a spoon, a fruit with seeds. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Letter b | Letter b page, Bouncing b card |
| Tuesday | Math | Heavy or light page, Heavy hands card |
| Wednesday | Explore | Food from plants page, Seed hunt at snack time card |
| Thursday | Make and move | My bean plant page, Bear 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 b
Say: "B says b, like a bouncing ball. Ball, bear, banana." Your learner traces the big B and the small b, then colors the pictures that start with b.
ball
bear
banana
ball
bear
banana
Heavy or light
Say: "An elephant is heavy. A mouse is light. Which one is heavier?" Your learner colors the heavier picture in each row, then points to the lighter one.
Food from plants
Say: "All of these foods come from plants. Which ones have seeds inside?" Your learner names each food, colors it, and tells which ones they have tasted.
My bean plant
Say: "Draw your bean. Show me the roots and any leaves you see." Your learner looks at their bean in a cup and draws it in the frame. Count the roots or leaves together.
Activity cards
Bouncing b
- Say "b, b, ball" together.
- Say a word. If it starts with b, your learner bounces the ball or pats their knees.
- Try: ball, bear, sun, bus, cat, banana.
Easier: Use only ball and sun.
Next step: Your learner says a b word for you.
Say this: "Bus starts with b. Bounce."
No supplies: Pat your knees instead of bouncing a ball.
Literacy: phonological awareness
Heavy hands
- Your learner holds one thing in each hand.
- Ask "Which hand feels heavier?"
- Swap one thing and try again.
Easier: Use a shoe and a sock, which feel very different.
Next step: Put 3 things in order from lightest to heaviest.
Say this: "The book is heavier than the spoon."
No supplies: Lift a pillow and a chair cushion, or pick up two toys.
Math: measurement
Seed hunt at snack time
- An adult cuts the fruit open.
- Your learner finds the seeds and counts them.
- Talk about it: "Seeds can grow into new plants."
Easier: Just find the seeds and point.
Next step: Compare two fruits: which had more seeds?
Say this: "An apple seed can grow into an apple tree." An adult does the cutting, and the seeds go in the trash after.
No supplies: Look at pictures of fruit in a book and point to the seeds.
Science: seeds and growing
Bear walk
- Put hands and feet on the floor and walk like a bear.
- Say "b, b, bear" as you walk.
- Stop and growl softly, then walk again.
Easier: Crawl on hands and knees.
Next step: Bear walk backward a few steps.
Say this: "Big bear, b, b, b."
No supplies: Needs nothing but space.
Physical: gross motor
Song of the week: Bean in the box
B, b, a bean in a box,
Bounce like a ball and tap your socks.
Big and heavy, small and light,
B, b, b, goodnight.
Actions: Bounce on "bounce", tap your feet on "socks" and rest your head on your hands on "goodnight". Try next: Change the last line to another b word your learner picks.
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 b sound
- Finds b on a page
- Tells which of two things is heavier
- Finds seeds inside a fruit
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
Let your student feel it. Put one thing in each hand, like a shoe and a sock, and ask which hand feels heavier. Start with things that are very different. Later, try two things that are close, and talk about how hard it is to tell.
Not always, and that is a good thing for your student to find out. A big pillow can be lighter than a small book. Try it together and say what you notice. Surprises like this help your student think, not just guess.
Use snack time. Name the food, ask "Does this grow on a plant?" and look for seeds inside fruits. Carrots are roots, apples grow on trees and bread starts as a plant called wheat. Short chats at meals add up over the week.
Paper, crayons, a shoe, a sock, a book, a spoon and a fruit with seeds, such as an apple. Every activity card also has a no-supplies swap, 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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