Big A, Little a, What Begins With the Letter A? {Letter A Activities}

The "A" Box 

Decorate a box with the letter "A". Inside the box place items or pictures of items that begin with the letter "A". This also works well if you use pictures, and have each child in turn draw out one picture and tell it's name and what they would do with it.

Acrobatic "A"'s
Divide the children into groups of threes. Have the children in each group lie on the floor and use their bodies to form the letter "A". Let the children in each group trade places and form the letter "A" again, so each child gets a turn at being a different part of the "A".  

All About the Letter Aa

The SMARTBoard file contains the following activities:

• Let’s sing about the letter Aa. “Hooray for A”, by the StoryBots (Youtube video link.)
• Let’s read all about it! “This is the Letter A”, by PopArts. (Youtube video link.)
• Let’s read all about it! “Dr. Seuss’ ABC.” (Youtube video link.)
• Where is the letter A? Circle the upper and lowercase letter out of a random group of letters. Then count and write how many uppercase and lowercase A’s you found.
• Direct teacher-led instruction on how to write both the upper and lowercase letter A.
• Let’s write the letter A. Individual practice for students.
• Write the missing letter. Students write the missing letter of words beginning with the letter A.
• Help Andy Astronaut get to the asteroid. Draw a line from Andy to the asteroid following the path of upper and lowercase letter A.
• What comes next? Drag the picture and or letter which come next in the pattern.
• What does not belong? Put an X on the letter and or picture that does not belong.
• Sort uppercase and lowercase letter A. Upper and lowercase letters are printed on red apples. Drag the apples to the matching tree.
• Sort beginning letter /a/ sound. Drag the pictures that begin with the /a/ sound to the apple.
• Find, Graph, and Tally. Find the letters, count the letters, and color in the correct number of squares. Then practice using tally marks to count the letters. Then determine which letter had the most and which had the least.
• Find, Graph, and Tally. Find the picture, count the pictures, and color in the correct number of squares. Then practice using tally marks to count the pictures. Then determine which picture had the most and which had the least.

DOWNLOAD>> All About the Letter A (SMARTBoard Activities) for purchase at my TPT store.

Alligators and the Monkeys 

5 little monkeys
Sitting in a tree
Teasing the alligator
"Can't catch me!"
Along came the alligator
Quiet as can be (whisper this part loudly)
SNAP!!! No more monkeys sitting in the tree! (snap your hands together and tickle the kids)


Sing Hurray for A!
(To the tune of "Farmer in the Dell")
Let's sing hurray for A,
Let's sing hurray for A,
Let's sing hurray for A today
Let's sing hurray for A.
Astrounaut starts with A,
Asteriod starts the same way,
Let's sing hurray for A today,
Let's sing hurray for A.


When the Ants Go Marching In
Oh when the ants
Go marching in
Oh when the ants go marching in
How I want
To be in that number
When the ants go marching in

Letter Hunt: Go on a Letter Aa hunt around your home. Encourage your child to see how many objects he can find with names beginning with the long /a/ sound like in apron or short /a/ sound like in apple. Support your child’s writing process by encouraging him/her to write the word on an index card. Then have him/her tape it to the object.

Odd Sound Out: Say three words, two beginning with the /a/ sound like in apple and one sound that is different. Have the student repeat which sound does not belong.

apple, attendance, bee

astronaut, asteroid, bear

Adam, cat, Abigail

dog, ax, alley

absent, elephant, avenue

/a/ Listening Game: Read the following sentences. Have the students repeat the words that begin with the /a/ sound like in apple.

•     Abigail eats a red apple.
•     Adam bought an axe.
•     Abby was absent this afternoon.
•     Andy is an astronaut.
•     An asteroid can be found in outer space.

Fill in the Missing Word:  All of your guesses should begin with the /a/ sound like in axe.

• It’s crunchy, sweet, and red and grows on a tree. It is an __________. (apple)

• An _______ is a small insect that lives in a hill and likes to bite. (ant)

• It’s sharp, has a wooden handle and is used to cut down trees. It is an _______. (axe)

• An __________ is a person that flies a space shuttle and works in outer space. (astronaut)

Circle and Find: Have students practice reading environmental print. Use newspapers, junk mail, and/or sales flyers and have them highlight all of the letter Aa’s using a  highlighter.

The All About the Letter Aa Independent Practice Packet is the perfect accompaniment to the All About the Letter Aa SMARTBoard Activity. I have used a variety of the activities in both whole and small group instruction.

DOWNLOAD>> All About the Letter Aa Independent Practice for purchase at my TPT store.

All About the Letter Aa Independent Practice contains the following:

• Where is the Letter Aa? Find the upper and lowercase letter Aa out of a random group of letters. Then count how many uppercase and lowercase Aa’s and write the number at the bottom of the paper.
• Where is the Letter Aa? Find the upper and lowercase letter Aa in the nursery rhyme, A Sailor Went to Sea. Then count how many uppercase and lowercase Aa’s and write the number at the bottom of the paper. Finally, practice writing the letter A.
• Aa is for Astronaut. Help Andy Astronaut find the asteroid. Follow the upper and lowercase A’s to the asteroid.
• Find, Graph, & Tally Count the number of objects and color in the matching number of squares.
• Write. Find.  Practice writing the letter A. Find the picture that does not belong. Find the letter A out of a group of letters.
• Big A, little a What Begins With A?  Draw a picture that begins with the letter Aa. Practice writing the letter Aa.
• Which One Does Not Belong? Put an A on the pictures that do not begin with the Letter A. Put an X on the letter that does not belong.
• Which One Comes Next?  Write the letter that comes next in the pattern. Use the pictures at the bottom of the page to finish the pattern.Sort Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Aa  Use the apples printed with the letters Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee, Sort the upper and lowercase letter Aa apples onto the matching apple trees.
• Letter Aa Sorting Mat  Use the pictures and sort by beginning letter A sound onto the mat.

Directions: Print Sort Uppercase and Lowercase Letter A and the Letter Aa Sorting Mat on card stock and laminate for durability.

Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards:

Approaches to Play

APL2.4a Demonstrates eagerness to learn about and discuss new topics, ideas and tasks.

APL1.4a Takes initiative to learn new concepts and try new experiences. Initiates and completes new tasks by himself/herself.

Language and Literacy

CLL1.4a Listens and responds on topic to conversations and group discussions for an extended period.

CLL1.4b Listens to and follows multi-step directions.

CLL1.4c Extends/expands thoughts or ideas expressed.

CLL6.4c Isolates the initial (beginning) sounds in words with adult guidance.

CLL7.4a With prompting and support, recognizes and names some upper/lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Mathematics

CD-MA4.4b Sorts and classifies objects using one or more attributes or relationships.

CD-MA4.4c Creates and extends simple, repeating patterns.

CD-MA2.4b Counts at least 10 objects using one-to-one correspondence.

Cognitive Process

CD-CP3.4b Uses both familiar and new strategies to solve a problem.

CD-CP3.4c  With adult guidance and questioning determines and evaluates solutions prior to attempting to solve a problem.

Contact Info:

• If you have any suggestions and/or comments to make this learning packet better, please feel free to email me at: lanieslittlelearners@gmail.com.
• If you find a mistake or typo in the packet, please email me at: lanieslittlelearners@gmail.com so I can fix the error and send you a revised packet.

AMAZON Book List


In My "a" Sound Box,  "Little a" looks for items that begin with the letter A to collect in his sound box. The book has repetitive text, word/picture correspondence, and improves vocabulary. I have bought the Kindle version of the book to project on the SMARTBoard. The kids love coming up and looking for objects that begin with the letter A or helping me turn the pages.

BUY>> My "a" Sound Box

AlphaTales (Letter A: The Adventure of Abby the Alligator)

What will Abby Alligator be? Maybe an artist, an astronaut or an actor. Share Abby's adventures in real world settings to teach and reinforce the letter A.

BUY>>  AlphaTales (Letter A: The Adventures of Abby the Alligator)

The Apple Pie Tree by Zoe Hall

The book contains colorful images which take you through the seasons of an apple tree. From a brown and bare winter to a ripe red fall… and finally a delicious apple pie you grew yourself.

BUY>> The Apple Pie Tree