Free pre-K lesson plan · Unit 7: Sky and weather
Pre-K 4, week 26: the letter l, beside and the weather
This week your learner will hear the l sound, use the word beside, and talk about clouds, rain and the weather each day. Each activity takes about 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 26 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 L and a small l on a sheet of paper.
- Gather a sponge, two bowls and a towel for the sponge cloud.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, 3 toys, a sponge, 2 bowls, water, a towel. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Letter l | Letter l page, La, la, l card |
| Tuesday | Math | Beside page, Beside me card |
| Wednesday | Explore | Weather words page, Sponge cloud card |
| Thursday | Make and move | Puddle waves page, Leap the puddles 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 l
Say: "L says lll, like a song: la, la, la. Lion, lamp, ladybug." Your learner traces the big L and the small l, then colors the pictures that start with l.
lion
lamp
ladybug
lion
lamp
ladybug
Beside
Say: "The dog is beside the house. Beside means right next to." Your learner points to the dog, says "beside the house", and colors both pictures.
Weather words
Say: "What is the weather today? Point to the picture." Your learner names each kind of weather, colors it, and circles today's weather.
Puddle waves
Say: "Make the puddle ripple. Start at the green dot." Your learner traces the wavy lines from left to right with a crayon.
Activity cards
La, la, l
- Sing "la, la, la" together and feel your tongue go up.
- Say a word. If it starts with l, your learner sings "la, la".
- Try: lion, sun, lamp, cup, leaf.
Easier: Use only lion and cup.
Next step: Your learner says an l word for you.
Say this: "Lamp starts with l. La, la."
No supplies: Needs nothing.
Literacy: phonological awareness
Beside me
- Put one toy on the table.
- Ask your learner to put another toy beside it.
- Take turns giving directions: beside, above, below.
Easier: Use only beside.
Next step: Make a row of 3 and ask "What is beside the bear?"
Say this: "Put the car beside the block."
No supplies: Use people: "Stand beside the door. Sit beside me."
Math: spatial sense
Sponge cloud
- Dip the sponge in water. It soaks it up, like a cloud.
- Hold it over the empty bowl and squeeze: it rains.
- Talk about it: "Clouds hold water. When they are full, it rains."
Easier: Just squeeze and watch the rain.
Next step: Count how many squeezes until the sponge is empty.
Say this: "The cloud is full. Here comes the rain." Stay with your learner during water play, the whole time.
No supplies: Watch real rain or clouds from a window and talk about them.
Science: sun, clouds, rain, day and night
Leap the puddles
- Put the towel puddles on the floor.
- Your learner leaps over each puddle.
- Say "l, l, leap" with each jump.
Easier: Step over the puddles.
Next step: Spread the puddles a little farther apart.
Say this: "Leap, leap, l, l, l."
No supplies: Leap over a line on the floor or a crack in the path outside.
Physical: gross motor
Song of the week: Little cloud
Little cloud, so soft and gray,
Floating by me, la, la, lay.
Fill right up, then drip, drop, drip,
Rain comes down, so listen, quick.
Actions: Float your hands like a cloud, then wiggle your fingers down like rain. Try next: Tap the table for each drip, slow and then fast.
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 l sound
- Finds l on a page
- Puts a toy beside another toy
- Names today's weather
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
Look out the window each morning and name the weather together. Make a sponge cloud with a bowl of water, talk about what to wear, and draw the sky. Short daily chats about the weather build words and help your student notice changes.
Use toys and people. Put one toy beside another, sit beside your student and say the word each time. Then let your student give you directions. Mixing in above and below from last week helps your student hear the difference.
Water play is a great way to learn, and it always needs an adult right there. Use a small bowl of water and a towel, and stay with your student the whole time. Empty the bowls when you finish, and wipe up spills so the floor is not slippery.
Paper, crayons, 3 toys, a sponge, two bowls, water and a towel. Every activity card also has a no-supplies swap, such as watching the rain from a window, 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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