Daily Lesson Plan -- Lesson 8

Letter Hh

Subject: English | Class: Nursery | Series: Leeds

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Overview

This lesson introduces the letter "Hh" and its sound /h/. Learners look at page 10, meet four words that begin with "H" (hive, hen, helicopter, hook), talk about the "Do You Know" question about hens, and tick the picture that begins with "H". All talk is oral and playful. Learners are not expected to read or write words.

Learning Outcomes

• Recognise capital "H" and small "h"
• Say the sound /h/
• Name pictures that begin with "H": hive, hen, helicopter, hook
• Pick out a picture that begins with "H" from one that does not

Key Vocabulary

• hive
• hen
• helicopter
• hook

Do You Know?

• "Do hens lay eggs round the year?"

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Day 1: Look and Say (30 minutes)

Materials

• Textbook page 10
• Picture cards (or the book pictures) of hive, hen, helicopter, hook
• A large "Hh" letter card

Circle Time Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Sit the learners in a circle and sing a hello song together
• Hold up the "Hh" card. Point to the big "H" and the small "h"
• Hold a hand in front of your mouth and say /h/ softly, like a warm breath
• Learners copy you and feel the puff of air on their hands: /h/ /h/ /h/

Look and Say (12 minutes)

• Open page 10 and point to the big red "Hh" and the sound box /h/ /h/
• Point to each picture and say the word; learners repeat twice:
  • hive
  • hen
  • helicopter
  • hook
• Point to the pink "H" at the start of each word and say: "Hen starts with H. /h/ /h/ hen"
• Play "Point to it": say a word, learners point to the right picture in their book

Action Fun (8 minutes)

• Helicopter: learners spin their arms slowly over their heads and say "helicopter"
• Hen: learners flap their elbows like wings and say "hen"
• Hook: learners bend one finger like a hook and say "hook"
• Hive: learners make a round hive shape with both arms and say "hive"
• Call out a word; learners do the action

Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

• Show one picture card at a time and ask: "What is this?"
• Ask: "What sound does hen start with?" Learners say /h/
• Draw "H" in the air together

Differentiation

• Support: Let shy learners point to pictures instead of saying words; say the word with them
• Extension: Ask confident learners to name all four pictures on their own

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Day 2: Think and Tick (30 minutes)

Materials

• Textbook page 10
• Pencils
• Picture cards of hive, hen, helicopter, hook

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• Show page 10 again. Point and say: hive, hen, helicopter, hook
• Say the sound together with a hand in front of the mouth: /h/ /h/ /h/

Do You Know? (7 minutes)

• Point to the "Do You Know" box and read the question aloud: "Do hens lay eggs round the year?"
• Let learners answer "yes" or "no" with a thumbs up or thumbs down
• Explain simply: yes, a hen lays eggs in summer and in winter, all through the year
• Ask: "Have you seen a hen?" Let two or three learners share

Hear the /h/ Sound (6 minutes)

• Say pairs of words from the page. Learners clap when they hear the /h/ sound at the start:
  • hen ... apple
  • hook ... apple
  • helicopter ... hive
• Praise every good listener

Tick the Picture (8 minutes)

• Read the instruction aloud: "Tick the pictures beginning with the letter 'H'."
• Point to the hook and the apple. Ask: "Which one starts with /h/?"
• Learners say "hook" and tick the box under the hook
• Check that nobody ticks the apple, which starts with "a"

Wrap-Up (4 minutes)

• Each learner says one "H" word from the page
• Say together: "H says /h/, as in hen"

Differentiation

• Support: Say "hook" and "apple" slowly and stress the first sound; guide the learner's hand to the right box
• Extension: Ask confident learners to point to the "H" at the start of each word on the page

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Teaching Tips

• Use the hand-in-front-of-the-mouth trick so learners feel the /h/ sound
• Keep the "Do You Know" talk short and simple; a yes or no answer is enough
• The correct answer in the activity is the hook; the apple begins with "a"