By providing activities that support clear learning objectives, preschool teachers can implement lesson plans that help young children learn the letter A and the long A sound.
Learning Objectives
- The students will identify the letter A.
- The students make and recognize the long A sound.
- The students will correctly trace and write upper and lower case As.
- The students will identify objects that begin with the long A sound.
- The students will help measure ingredients for apricot scones.
- The students will make an angel craft using handprints and footprints.
Handwriting and Phonetics Activities
Using sturdy poster board, create a letter A poster which shows both the upper and lower case A. Glue pictures of objects cut from magazines that begin with the long A sound. Explain to the students that this is the letter A. Next, demonstrate the long A sound and ask the children to make (repeat) the long A sound. Ask students what things they can think of (objects, names, etc.) that begin with the long A sound.
Have children practice tracing the letter A in both upper and lower case using letter A worksheets. A good example of such a worksheet is available on Education.com website. With either pencils or crayon, let students practice making the letter A in both upper and lower case on blank sheets of paper.
Cognitive Learning: Object Sorting
For this cognitive learning activity, place toy or real objects which begin with a long A in a box or other container. Examples include: Angel, ape, acorn, alien, apricot, and ace. Along with these items, place objects beginning with various other letters. As you pull each object out, students will sort (recognize) those that begin with a long A sound from those that do not.
Angel Footprint and Handprint Craft
Materials
- Poster board
- Yellow construction paper
- Crayons
- Large photo of each child
- String
- Glue
- Scissors
- Embellishments (glitter, tissue paper, buttons, confetti, etc.)
- Ribbon or pipe cleaners
Instructions
Trace the child’s hand on yellow construction paper and cut them out. This will be the angel’s wings. Have the child stand on the poster board with feet together and trace all around to create the body or robe of the angel. Let the children decorate the robe and the wings. Next, cut out the child’s face from the photograph. Glue the wings and face to the angel’s body. Using ribbon or a pipe cleaner, create a halo and glue it above the angel. This craft was adopted from DLTK Craft website.
Storytime: Letter A Books
- Ape: Watching Me Grow by DK Publishing [DK Preschool, 2006]
- Funny Faces Alien Al by Roger Priddy [Priddy Books, 2007]
- Ape Cape (Rhyming Riddles) by Pam Scheunemann and Monica Marx [SandCastle, 2003]
- Angel Baby by Gillian Shields and Nathan Reed [HarperCollins UK, 2006]
Cooking Activity
Apricot scones are perfect for snack time or tea parties. Children can help pour and measure ingredients. This simple recipe is taken from CooksRecipes.com.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400*F (205*C).
- Mix flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender. Add apricots and sugar; mix well.
- Whisk the half and half with the egg, and add to dry ingredients; stir until just blended.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 8 to 10 times.
- Pat into a 9-inch circle onto a lightly greased baking sheet and score top into 12 wedges. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Approaches to teaching alphabet recognition should be fun and educational. Poems, songs, and circle time activities make great additional activities that help children learn to recognize, hear, make, write, and use the letter A.
 |
