SUNY Canton Early Childhood Program

Language and Literacy

Name: Carrie Golden Date: October 22, 2017

Curriculum Theme:
Age: ___I ___T X PS ___K
Focus: Language Experience

Title of Lesson: Alphabet Under Construction

I. Concept Statement
The children will practice recognition and knowledge of upper-case letters of the alphabet by engaging in a Play-Doh letter
formation activity.
II. HSELOF Domain
___ Approaches to Learning
___ Social and Emotional Development
___ Language and Literacy X Language and Communication ___Literacy
___ Cognition ___ Mathematics Development ___Scientific Reasoning
___ Perceptual, Motor, and Physical Development

III. Sub-Domains
HSELOF Sub-Domain 1: Print & Alphabet Knowledge
HSELOF Code: P-Lit 3
HSELOF Goal: Child identifies letters of the alphabet and produces correct sounds associated with letters.

Objective 1: The children will identify the letters H, T, L, F by engaging in a storytelling experience Alphabet Under
Construction by Denise Fleming.
HSELOF Sub-Domain 2: Phonological Awareness
HSELOF Code: P-Lit 1
HSELOF Goal: Child demonstrates awareness that spoken language is composed of smaller segments of sound.
Objective 2: The children will demonstrate an awareness that spoken language is composed of smaller segments of
sounds by producing the correct sound for letters/words that begin with H, T, L, F.

HSELOF Sub-Domain 3: Print & Alphabet Knowledge

HSELOF Code: P-Lit 3
HSELOF Goal: Child identifies letters of the alphabet and produces correct sounds associated with letters.

Objective 3: The children will recognize and name the letters H, T, L, F by rolling out playdough pieces that match the
“Handwriting without Tears” alphabet cards.
 IV. Materials Needed:

❖ Constructing the Alphabet by Denise Fleming

❖ Mouse puppet (from our Resource Center)
❖ “Handwriting without Tears” alphabet cards
❖ Carpenter’s apron
❖ Plastic construction hard hat (from our Resource Center)
❖ Construction tools from the school—plastic hammer
❖ Play-Doh
❖ Play-Doh rolling pins (x 4)

*Prior to the children’s arrival:

o I will already have divided the children up into groups of 4 to present the lesson.
o I will and make sure the table in the Art Center area has a Stop Sign so other children will not be using that center
prior to presenting the lesson.
o I will make sure that I have Play-Doh and rolling pins needed set aside, along with the “Handwriting without Tears”
alphabet cards
o I will have some Play-Doh set aside for me to roll it and use it for demonstrating the letter H which we will be
learning all week long.
V. Directions / Steps / Process [Parts A, B C]:

A. Motivation

I will come in dressed in a carpenter’s waist apron, a plastic construction hard hat and some kid’s tools (hammer,
screwdriver, etc.) in the pockets.
I will ask the students if they know who I might be or what I might be involved in and show them my props.
I will also ask them if they can name the tools (This may also help them answer my questions about who or what I am/do.)
Next, I will show them my friend Mouse (puppet) and tell them that he is my special friend who will be here to help me
show them how we are going to build, or construct, the alphabet.
I will have the mouse “whisper” in my ear and then tell the children he has asked me to help him read a story.

B. Steps

1. I will read the book Building the Alphabet by Denise Fleming.

2. While I read the book, I will ask the children questions about the various objects used in constructing the letters
with my focus on the letters T, L, F, which we have already learned, plus H, which we are studying this week.
3. I will have Mouse help “read” some of the book too.
4. When I have finished reading the book, I will ask the children what their favorite letter in the book was and why.
5. I will then ask them what letter does their first name start with.
6. I introduce the next part of the lesson by showing them the “Handwriting without Tears” alphabet cards with only
the focus letters (H, T, L, F).
7. I will be starting with the current week’s letter “H.”
8. I will take the Play-Doh I set aside for myself and roll it out, while explaining to the children that we will be
practicing tracing out some letters.
9. Next, I will take the Play-Doh I have rolled out and demonstrate how they will take the Play-Doh and place it on the
card.
10. I will give the children their own “Handwriting without Tears” container with the letter cards (H, T, L, F), the Play-
Doh and the rollers.
11. The children will create the letters H, T, L, F from the Play-Doh and place it on their cards.
C. Conclusion and Transition

Conclusion

We will sing the ABC song all together, but I will stop and say each child’s name when I come to that letter.
For example, “A…. A is for Allyson, B…. B is for Brayden, C, D, E…. E is for Ethan,” etc.

Transition

I will hold up an H, T, L, or F, card, asking each child to identify the letter along with the sound it makes to dismiss them so
they may enter free play time.

VI. Supplemental Materials

None

08-12-2016 MM/CM