Letter and Rhyme a Day

At the start of the school year, students in EDK are introduced to a letter each day within the context of a nursery rhyme.  The main focus is on letter recognition, but many other skills are being taught as well - left to right progression, ABC order, beginning rhyme, and introduction to 'popcorn'/sight words.

Each day, we do the following with the 'letter of the day' and the 'rhyme of the day.'

1) Determine the Letter of the Day
We sing or chant the ABC's, determine which letter is next, and hang the new letter of the day on our class Chicka tree.

2) Shared Reading - Read and act out the nursery rhyme!
After looking at the pictures, making connections with words or letters we know, we then may echo read, read it together, let individual students say the rhyme by themselves, or all three!   Sometimes, students have heard another version of the rhyme and it is fun for them to share how they have learned it previously!

3) Finding Letters in Context
We find the letter of the day within the rhyme, taking turns circling the letter with wiki stix.
(This is also an activity students enjoy repeating with a friend at free choice time!)

4) My Name/Not in My Name Letter Sort
Students love hunting for particular letters within their name and their friends' names! We sort our name cards under the headings "Yes" (with a smiley face) and "No" (with a sad face).

(Above: Our Chicka tree with letters we have introduced each day,
a my name/not in my name sort in the pocket chart,
and our ABC charts for singing, chanting, and signing!)

5) Beginning Letter Formation
We make the letter of the day in the air, on the floor, on each other's backs, etc.

6) Letter and Rhyme Sheets
Students complete a letter practice sheet. They trace upper and lowercase outlines of the letter of the day and distinguish the letter of the day from other, similar letters.   The nursery rhyme is included for students to read with their families, act out, and search for the letter of the day again.

Letter and Rhyme Sheets

Printable Letter Sheets (in PDF format) A - D E - H I - L M - P Q - T U and V W and X Y and Z

If using Zaner Bloser, there are some practice sheets, without the nursery rhymes, at SmartieZone.  (You'll need to scroll down to the Handwriting Practice section.)

 

7) Nursery Rhyme Art Project
Students construct a craft that starts with the letter they are studying. The craft involves listening, following directions, and fine motor skills (all areas Kindergartners need to focus on at the start of the school year!). It also allows students to  leave with an object that starts with the letter of the day!

 

Coordinating Letters, Nursery Rhymes, and Crafts

Letter Nursery Rhyme Craft A Way Up High in the Apple Tree Apple Sun Catchers B Baa Baa Black Sheep Black Sheep or TLC Baa Baa Black Sheep C Hickory Dickory Dock TLC Hickory Dickory Dock Clock D Old Mother Hubbard Dog Puppet E Engine, Engine Number Nine Engine F Once I Caught a Fish Alive Fish G Gregory Griggs Gregory H Humpty Dumpty TLC Humpty Dumpty I Itsy Bitsy Spider Spider (Thanks to Judy Reed for this craft idea!) J Jack and Jill TLC Jack and Jill K Kitty Kitten L Mary Had a Little Lamb TLC Mary Had a Little Lamb or Cotton Lamb M Little Miss Muffett TLC Little Miss Muffett N Jack Be Nimble TLC Jack Be Nimble O 1,2, Buckle My Shoe Sequence One, Two, Buckle My Shoe P Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater TLC Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater Q Queen of Hearts Queen R Rain TLC Rain S Star Light, Star Bright TLC Star T I'm a Little Teapot Teapot U and V Roses are Red Roses are Red Card W and X There Was a Crooked Man Crooked Man Y and Z Fuzzy Wuzzy Bear

Note:  TLC stands for Teaching Little Children. 
They have step by step art projects for most of the nursery rhymes.

More Literacy Links Inside of Hubbard's Cupboard!

Sample Literacy Sequence (See how 'Letter and Rhyme a Day' fits with other literacy components during the year!)
ABC and Nursery Rhyme Books/Links
Shared Reading
Read/Write/Sing Lessons
Guided Reading
Printable Booklets
ABC Centers
ABC's and Names
Morning Message
Writing Workshop
Literacy Kits
Literacy Review