Letter Launch Lesson Plan Uncommon Schools Camden Prep
K-12 ESL DAILY LESSON PLANNER
2026-2027 School Year • Kindergarten Multilingual Learners
WIDA Aligned
Daily Overview (45 Min)
ESL/MLL Teacher Mr. Rossi
Lesson Date / Period
Grade(s) & Group Type K/1st Grade • Newcomer & Emerging MLLs
Curriculum / Unit Phonics Unit 3: Letters N to T
Instructional Objectives
Content Objective:
Students will identify, name, and produce sounds for letters N, O, P, Q, R, S, T and pair each with 2 anchor vocabulary items.
Language Objective:
Students will use sentence frame "Letter [X] says /[x]/, [X] is for [word]" to name letters and trace uppercase/lowercase letterforms.
CCSS / State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.D, RF.K.2, RF.K.3.A, L.K.1.A
WIDA Framework
Key Language Uses:
Inform Narrate Explain Argue
Language Domains:
LST
SPK
RED
WRT
ELD Standards:
1: Soc/Ins 2: ELA
Supports Quick-Check
Sensory:
Realia / Objects
Slides & Visuals
Graphic:
Sentence Frames
Sound Anchor Cards
Interactive:
Choral Chant
Sky-Writing (TPR)
Linguistic:
Cognates (tiger/tigre)
Mouth Mechanics
Key Vocabulary:
Net, Nest, Octopus, Ox, Pig, Pencil, Queen, Quilt, Ring, Rainbow, Sun, Star, Turtle, Tiger.
Lesson Phase
Pacing
Core Activities & Teacher Steps (I Do, We Do, You Do)
Scaffolds & CFU
Extension
1. DO NOW & HOOK Activate prior knowledge
7 min
Alphabet Train Chant: Sing A–M quickly to warm vocal cords.
Mystery Letter Box: Teacher pulls realia/props: toy net , toy octopus , toy pig .
Hook Question: "What secret sounds begin these magic items?" Introduce letters N through T!
Scaffold: Realia props, visual sound slides.
CFU: Thumbs up if you hear /n/ in net .
Spot classroom items starting with N-T.
2. MODEL ("I DO") Explicit direct instruction
12 min
Mouth Mechanics: Teacher models tongue placement for /n/, round lips for /o/, lip pop for /p/, puff for /kw/, tongue curl for /r/, hiss for /s/, teeth tap for /t/.
Anchor Sound Routine: "Letter N says /n/, /n/ /n/ nest!" Repeat with O (octopus), P (pig), Q (queen), R (rainbow), S (sun), T (turtle).
Sky-Writing Demo: Model stroke paths on 3-guideline handwriting lines (top-down, round, cross).
Scaffold: Exaggerated lip gestures, color-coded letter strokes.
CFU: Mirror mouth shape check.
Count syllables in anchor words.
3. PRACTICE ("WE/YOU") Guided & independent application
20 min
WE DO (8 min - Slides Game): Choral echo & "Mystery Reveal" game on presentation slides. Students call out target sounds and move bodies to mimic words.
YOU DO 1 (6 min - Penmanship Sheet): Students trace and write uppercase and lowercase Nn, Oo, Pp, Qq, Rr, Ss, Tt with finger-spacing and guided arrows.
YOU DO 2 (6 min - Vocab Worksheet): Students identify vocabulary pictures, circle initial letter, and trace the anchor words.
Scaffold: Tactile tracing lines, peer pair turn-and-talk check.
CFU: Teacher circulates with stamp checklist.
Draw own picture for their favorite letter.
4. CLOSURE / CFU Exit Ticket check & celebration
6 min
Letter-Sound High-Five Exit Ticket: Teacher holds up a flashcard (e.g., S). Student says "/s/ like Sun!" and gives a high-five before lining up.
Closing Cheer: Quick choral rhyme: "N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, we are letter stars, yes we be!"
Scaffold: Visual prompt card with picture cue if needed.
CFU: 100% individual sound check.
Act as peer "Letter Helper".
Teacher Reflection
Monitor distinction between /p/ (puff) and /b/, and /n/ vs /m/. Watch pencil grip and baseline placement on lowercase p, q, and t.
Reteach & Support
Small group sand tray sensory tracing for students needing fine motor support. Pair Level 1 MLLs with bilingual peers for Spanish cognates (sol/sun, tigre/turtle).
School Events & Reminders
Bilingual family literacy night on Thursday. Send home Letter N-T mini chant bookmarks for family home practice.
Camden Prep Multilingual Resources • Daily Planner Matrix
Kindergarten ESL • Unit 3 Phonics (N–T)
Letter Safari Vocab Worksheet Part 1 ESL Phonics Discovery
Letter Safari: Words N to Q
Name:
Date:
Directions: 1. Say the letter and sound. 2. Look at each picture. 3. Circle the starting letter and trace the word!
N n /n/ sound
🪺
Anchor Word nest
Starts with: N M
🕸️
Anchor Word net
Starts with: T N
O o /ŏ/ sound
🐙
Anchor Word octopus
Starts with: O A
🐂
Anchor Word ox
Starts with: U O
P p /p/ sound
🐷
Anchor Word pig
Starts with: P B
✏️
Anchor Word pencil
Starts with: D P
Q q /kw/ sound
👑
Anchor Word queen
Starts with: Q K
🧵
Anchor Word quilt
Starts with: G Q
Kindergarten Phonics • Letters N, O, P, Q Page 1 of 2
Part 2 ESL Phonics Discovery
Letter Safari: Words R to T
Say it • Match it!
R r /r/ sound
🌈
Anchor Word rainbow
Starts with: R L
💍
Anchor Word ring
Starts with: W R
S s /s/ sound
☀️
Anchor Word sun
Starts with: S C
⭐
Anchor Word star
Starts with: Z S
T t /t/ sound
🐢
Anchor Word turtle
Starts with: T D
🐯
Anchor Word tiger
Starts with: P T
Sound Match Challenge
Draw a line from the letter to its matching friend!
N
O
P
Q
🐙 octopus
👑 queen
🪺 nest
🐷 pig
R
S
T
🐢 turtle
🌈 rainbow
☀️ sun
🌟 YOU!
Kindergarten Phonics • Letters R, S, T Page 2 of 2
Letter Strokes Penmanship Activity Penmanship Handwriting Studio
Letter Strokes: N to Q
Name:
Date:
Handwriting Rule: Start at the top! Touch the Sky Line ☁️, rest on the Grass Line 🌱, and watch the tail dip to the Worm Line 🪱!
Finger Spacing
N Letter N n • Down, slant down, straight up!
Nest 🪺
N N N N
n n n n
O Letter O o • Around like a big round clock!
Octopus 🐙
O O O O
o o o o
P Letter P p • Lowercase p drops into the worm line!
Pig 🐷
P P P P
p p p p
Q Letter Q q • Circle around, tail to the worm line!
Queen 👑
Q Q Q Q
q q q q
Kindergarten Penmanship • Letters N, O, P, Q Page 1 of 2
Penmanship Handwriting Studio
Letter Strokes: R to T
Super Writer Badge
R Letter R r • Down, curve around, kick out leg!
Rainbow 🌈
R R R R
r r r r
S Letter S s • Slither curve like a friendly snake!
Sun ☀️
S S S S
s s s s
T Letter T t • Straight down, cross top (or cross middle)!
Turtle 🐢
T T T T
t t t t
My Penmanship Check:
Started at top Used finger space Best neat work!
Teacher Stamp
⭐
Kindergarten Penmanship • Letters R, S, T Page 2 of 2
Letter Safari Slides Kindergarten ESL • Phonics
Camden Prep Multilingual
🪺 🐙 🐷 👑 🌈 ☀️ 🐢
Letter Safari: N to T
Let’s explore 7 super letters, make their magic sounds, and learn exciting new words!
🔊 Listen • 🗣️ Say It • ✍️ Trace It • ⭐ High-Five!
Step 1
Sound Warm-Up Routine
Echo with Me! 🗣️
Our Sentence Frame
“Letter [Letter] says /[sound]/,
[Letter] is for [word]!”
Mouth Mechanics
👀 Eyes on the teacher's lips
👅 Feel your tongue and breath
🖐️ Put your hand on your throat for voice!
Ready? Let's meet our first letter! 🚀
Letter N n
Sound: /n/
Tongue taps behind top teeth!
🪺
Anchor Word 1
Nest
“N says /n/, /n/ /n/ nest!”
🕸️
Anchor Word 2
Net
“N says /n/, /n/ /n/ net!”
Sky-write N: Start at the top, line down, slant down, line straight up! ✍️
Letter O o
Sound: /ŏ/ (Short O)
Lips make an open round circle! ⭕
🐙
Anchor Word 1
Octopus
“O says /ŏ/, /ŏ/ /ŏ/ octopus!”
🐂
Anchor Word 2
Ox
“O says /ŏ/, /ŏ/ /ŏ/ ox!”
Sky-write O: Start at the top, curve all the way around like a big clock! ⏰
Letter P p
Sound: /p/
Lips close and POP air out! 💨
🐷
Anchor Word 1
Pig
“P says /p/, /p/ /p/ pig!”
✏️
Anchor Word 2
Pencil
“P says /p/, /p/ /p/ pencil!”
Sky-write P: Line down, pick up pencil, curve around top! Lowercase dips low! 🪱
Letter Q q
Sound: /kw/
Always best friends with letter U! 👑
👑
Anchor Word 1
Queen
“Q says /kw/, /kw/ /kw/ queen!”
🧵
Anchor Word 2
Quilt
“Q says /kw/, /kw/ /kw/ quilt!”
Sky-write Q: Circle like an O, then give it a kickstand leg! 🦵
Letter R r
Sound: /r/
Tongue curls back gently inside mouth!