ABCs and Rhyme

At the start of the school year, when I taught students in an extended day kindergarten class, I would introduce a letter each day within the context of a nursery rhyme.  The main focus was on letter recognition, but many other skills were being taught as well - left to right progression, ABC order, beginning rhyme, and introduction to 'popcorn'/sight words.

Each day, we did 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!

Printable Nursery Rhyme Charts

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 that 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 had 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.

Printable Letter and Rhyme Sheets A-Z
 

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 Kindergarten children need to focus on at the start of the school year!). Most days, it also allows students to leave with an object that starts with the letter of the day and a connection to the nursery rhyme!

Aa - 'Way Up High in the Apple Tree'
Craft: apple sun catchers

Bb - 'Baa Baa Black Sheep'
Craft: black sheep

Cc - 'Hickory Dickory Dock'
Craft: clock

Dd - 'Old Mother Hubbard'
Craft: dog puppet

Ee- 'Engine, Engine Number Nine'
Craft: engine

Ff- 'Once I Caught a Fish Alive'
Craft: fish

Gg- 'Gregory Griggs'
Craft: Gregory

Hh - 'Humpty Dumpty'
Craft: Humpty Dumpty

Ii- 'Itsy Bitsy Spider'
Craft: itsy bitsy spider

Jj - 'Jack and Jill'
Craft: Jack and Jill

Kk - 'Kitty'
Craft: kitten

Ll - 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'
Craft: lamb

Additional Resources

Sample Literacy Sequence (See how 'Letter and Rhyme a Day' fits with other literacy components during the year!) 
TLC Nursery Rhyme Books - Teaching Little Children (TLC) have step by step art projects for most of the nursery rhymes.

Modern Manuscript/D'Nealian Letter Sheets (here at Hubbard's Cupboard)
Letter Sheets A-D
Letter Sheets E-H
Letter Sheets I-L
Letter Sheets M-P
Letter Sheets Q-T
Letter Sheets U and V
Letter Sheets W and X
Letter Sheets Y and Z