English lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 45 minutes
Match capital and small letters
Phonics & Sight Words
CCSS RF.K.1.DEngland: Reception Phonics (letter formation)England: Y1 Spelling (capital letters)
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Match capital and small letters.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: no earlier skill in the map; start from what students know.
Leads to: Alphabet order: before, after and missing letters; Vowel letters and consonant letters
Materials: Sound cards and picture cards, Magnetic letters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 5 min
- Quick retrieval: three short questions students should already manage. Answers on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which small letter goes with the capital letter P? (b / d / p / q) → pPrompt: Capital and small letters make the same sound, but some look very different.
- Type the capital letter that goes with "d". → DPrompt: Capital letters are the big letters we use at the start of names and sentences.
- Which pair shows the SAME letter as a capital and a small letter? (Lt / Li / Lf / Ll) → LlPrompt: Say the name of the capital letter in each pair.
Hook · 5 min
- Hide picture cards in a bag and ask children to say the first sound of each one they pull out.
- Share the objective: Match capital and small letters. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 10 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Which small letter goes with the capital letter M?
- Step 1: M and m are the same letter.
- Step 2: So the answer is: m
- Answer: m
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 10 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Which small letter goes with the capital letter M? (m / u / w / n) → mPrompt: Capital and small letters make the same sound, but some look very different.
- Type the capital letter that goes with "f". → FPrompt: Capital letters are the big letters we use at the start of names and sentences.
You do: independent practice · 10 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 5 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Type the capital letter that goes with "h". → HPrompt: Capital letters are the big letters we use at the start of names and sentences.
- Which pair shows the SAME letter as a capital and a small letter? (Fk / Fl / Ff / Ft) → FfPrompt: Say the name of the capital letter in each pair.
Watch out for
- Adding an extra "uh" to sounds ("buh" instead of a clean b).
- Reading the letters one by one but not blending them into a word.
Support and stretch
Support
- Use concrete materials: sound cards and picture cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Alphabet order: before, after and missing letters; Vowel letters and consonant letters.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/kindergarten.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder