Free pre-K lesson plan · Unit 9: Ready for kindergarten
Pre-K 4, week 33: the letter y and getting ready for school
This week your learner will hear the y sound, review numbers 0 to 5, and practice a school morning, from packing a bag to saying goodbye. Each activity takes about 10 minutes. Print the pages, or do them with things you already have at home.
Week 33 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 Y and a small y on a sheet of paper.
- Find a bag or backpack, and write the numbers 0 to 5 on scraps of paper.
- Print pages 2 to 5, or skip printing and use the no-supplies swaps.
Household supplies only: Paper, crayons, a bag or backpack, a book, a snack. No supplies? Every activity has a no-supplies swap.
The week at a glance
| Day | Focus | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Letter y | Letter y page, Yes or no card |
| Tuesday | Math | Count my school things page, Number hunt 0 to 5 card |
| Wednesday | Explore | At school page, Practice school morning card |
| Thursday | Make and move | The way to school page, Make a Y 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 y
Say: "Y says y, like yes, yellow and yawn." Your learner traces the big Y and the small y, then says three y words with you: yes, yellow, yawn.
Count my school things
Say: "Count each row and color the dots." Your learner counts each group of school things and colors the same number of dots.
At school
Say: "This is a school. Who do you see? What will you do there?" Your learner names each picture, tells what happens at school, and colors the pictures.
The way to school
Say: "Help the bus get to school. Start at the green dot." Your learner traces each path from left to right: straight, curved and pointed.
Activity cards
Yes or no
- Say "y, y, yes" together.
- Say a word. If it starts with y, your learner says "yes". If not, they shake their head.
- Try: yellow, sun, yawn, cat, yes, yard.
Easier: Use only yellow and sun.
Next step: Your learner says a y word for you.
Say this: "Yellow starts with y. Yes."
No supplies: Needs nothing.
Literacy: phonological awareness
Number hunt 0 to 5
- Write 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 on scraps of paper.
- Your learner picks a number and finds that many things in the room.
- For 0, ask "Can you bring me zero spoons?"
Easier: Use 1, 2 and 3.
Next step: Your learner puts the numbers in order from 0 to 5.
Say this: "You found 4 books. Four."
No supplies: Show the number with fingers instead of paper.
Math: numbers 0 to 10
Practice school morning
- Your learner packs the bag: a book and a snack.
- Practice saying goodbye at the door with a hug and a wave.
- Walk around the house once, then come back and say "hello".
Easier: You pack the bag together.
Next step: Your learner zips the bag and hangs it up alone.
Say this: "Bye for now. I will come back after school."
No supplies: Act out the morning with a toy and pretend bag.
Social-emotional: saying goodbye and school routines
Make a Y
- Stand tall and stretch your arms up like a Y.
- Bend to the side, then stand tall again.
- Make a small y, then a big Y.
Easier: Just make a big Y.
Next step: Hold the Y while you count to 10.
Say this: "Big Y, small y, stretch."
No supplies: Needs nothing but space.
Physical: gross motor
Song of the week: Off to school
Pack my bag and zip it tight,
Hug goodbye and wave, all right.
Yes, yes, I'm ready to go,
Y, y, y, hello, hello.
Actions: Pretend to zip a bag, then hug yourself, then wave hello. Try next: Add a line about something your learner wants to do at school.
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 y sound
- Finds y on a page
- Matches numbers 0 to 5 to groups
- Practices a goodbye routine
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
Practice the daily routine in short, playful steps: packing a bag, saying goodbye, sitting for a story and asking for help. Keep it light. Check skills with the free kindergarten readiness checklist on UpOnly Learning, and practice what your student still needs.
That is very common. Make a short goodbye routine, like a hug, a wave and "I will come back after school," and practice it at home this week. Keep goodbyes short and calm. If worries are strong or lasting, talk with your pediatrician.
Ask for zero of something: "Bring me zero spoons." Your student will often laugh and bring nothing. Then show an empty bowl: zero apples. Zero means none, and playing with it makes the idea clear before writing it. Count down from 5 to 0 with fingers as another game.
Paper, crayons, a bag or backpack, a book and a snack. Every activity card also has a no-supplies swap, such as acting out the morning with a toy, 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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