Happy Hippo's 'H': Learning the Letter H with Jack Hartmann

English Language Arts Grades Pre-K 3:52 Video
Print Lesson Plan Watch Video

Lesson Description

An engaging lesson for Pre-K students to learn about the letter 'H' using the Jack Hartmann video. Students will identify, pronounce, and write the letter H, and learn words that start with the letter H.

Video Resource

Learn The Letter H | Let's Learn About The Alphabet | Phonics Song for Kids | Jack Hartmann

Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel

Duration: 3:52
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Letter Recognition (uppercase and lowercase H)
  • Phoneme (sound) /h/
  • Vocabulary Development (H words)

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify the uppercase and lowercase letter H.
  • Students will be able to produce the /h/ sound.
  • Students will be able to name at least three words that begin with the letter H.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by asking children if they know any letters of the alphabet. Introduce the concept of learning a new letter today: the letter H. Show pictures of items that start with H (e.g., hat, house).
  • Video Time (5 mins)
    Play the Jack Hartmann 'Learn the Letter H' video. Encourage children to sing along, do the actions, and repeat the /h/ sound.
  • Letter Formation Practice (5 mins)
    Guide children to write the uppercase and lowercase letter H in the air using their fingers, following the video's instructions. Then, have them practice writing H on paper or a whiteboard. Provide verbal cues: 'Big line down, big line down, connect them in the middle!'
  • H-Word Brainstorm (5 mins)
    Ask the children to think of more words that start with the letter H. Write the words on the board as they say them. Examples: 'hat', 'house', 'horse', 'happy'.
  • Activity: Hippo Hula (5 mins)
    Relate back to the video and the hippo doing the hula. Play some music and have the children do a 'hippo hula'. This gets them moving and reinforces the 'H' sound and word association in a fun way.

Interactive Exercises

  • H-Word Picture Match
    Prepare cards with pictures of H-words (e.g., hat, house, heart) and have the children match the pictures to the written word 'H' or the corresponding word written out.
  • Sound Sorting Game
    Provide pictures of various objects. Have the children sort the pictures into two groups: those that start with the /h/ sound and those that don't.

Discussion Questions

  • What sound does the letter H make?
  • Can you think of other words that start with the letter H that weren't in the video?

Skills Developed

  • Letter Recognition
  • Phonological Awareness
  • Vocabulary Expansion

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What letter are we learning about today?

Correct Answer: Letter H

Question 2:

Is this an uppercase or lowercase H: H?

Correct Answer: Uppercase

Question 3:

Is this an uppercase or lowercase H: h?

Correct Answer: Lowercase

Question 4:

What sound does the letter H make?

Correct Answer: /h/

Question 5:

Which of these words starts with the letter H?

Correct Answer: Hat

Question 6:

In the video, where was the hippo?

Correct Answer: Hawaii

Question 7:

What part of your body is your 'head'?

Correct Answer: Your head

Question 8:

Which word that starts with 'H' do we use to say we are happy?

Correct Answer: Happy

Question 9:

What do we use our 'hands' to do?

Correct Answer: Touch

Question 10:

What part of your body is your 'heart'?

Correct Answer: Your chest

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The letter H is a ______.

Correct Answer: letter

Question 2:

H is for ______.

Correct Answer: hat

Question 3:

A big H is called ______.

Correct Answer: uppercase

Question 4:

A small H is called ______.

Correct Answer: lowercase

Question 5:

A ______ can be happy in Hawaii.

Correct Answer: hippo

Question 6:

We think with our ______.

Correct Answer: head

Question 7:

We touch with our ______.

Correct Answer: hands

Question 8:

We dance with our ______.

Correct Answer: hips

Question 9:

We love with our ______.

Correct Answer: heart

Question 10:

The sound of the letter H is ______.

Correct Answer: /h/

Educational Standards

PK.2.PWS.2:Students will name a majority of uppercase and lowercase letters. PK.2.PWS.3:Students will produce some sounds represented by letters. PK.2.PC.6:Students will begin to write some uppercase and lowercase letters including the majority of the letters in their first name with prompting. PK.4.R.3:Students will begin to acquire new vocabulary and relate new words to prior knowledge. PK.2.F.2:Students will chorally recite familiar texts (e.g., rhymes, songs, poetry, etc.).

Teaching Materials

Download ready-to-use materials for this lesson:

Student Worksheet Classroom Slides Assessment Quiz
Add to Google Classroom

User Actions

Sign in to save this lesson plan to your favorites.

Sign In

Share This Lesson

Related Lesson Plans