Let's Blend and Read! Short Vowel 'A' Words

English Language Arts Grades Pre-K 6:28 Video
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Lesson Description

This lesson uses the FirstStepReading video to help Pre-K children learn to blend three letters to read short 'A' words, focusing on word families and sounding out letters.

Video Resource

Three Letter Blending A | Short Vowels,Beginning Readers, Pre-Readers Phonics Lesson

FirstStepReading

Duration: 6:28
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Letter sounds
  • Blending sounds to make words
  • Short vowel 'A' word families (at, an, am, ad, ag, ab, ap)

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify the sounds of individual letters.
  • Students will be able to blend three letter sounds together to read simple CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words with the short 'A' sound.
  • Students will be able to recognize and read a variety of short 'A' words.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by introducing the concept of blending letters to make words. Tell students that they will learn to read some new words with the help of a video. Briefly discuss the letter 'A' and its short sound.
  • Video Viewing (7 mins)
    Play the 'Three Letter Blending A' video from FirstStepReading. Encourage students to repeat the words after the teacher in the video.
  • Word Family Practice (8 mins)
    After the video, focus on each word family (at, an, am, ad, ag, ab, ap). Write one word family ending on the board (e.g., '-at'). Ask students to brainstorm different letters to put at the beginning to make a word (e.g., c-at, h-at, m-at). Say each word together, emphasizing the blending of sounds.
  • Blending Practice (5 mins)
    Write a few new short 'A' words on the board (e.g., 'rap', 'tab'). Point to each letter and sound it out slowly, then blend the sounds together to say the whole word. Have students repeat after you.
  • Wrap-up (5 mins)
    Review the words learned during the lesson. Ask students to name their favorite word and draw a picture of it.

Interactive Exercises

  • Magnetic Letter Blending
    Provide students with magnetic letters. Give them a word family ending (e.g., '-an') and have them add different consonants to the beginning to create new words. Encourage them to say the words they create.
  • Word Family Sort
    Prepare cards with various short A words (cat, bat, man, ran, sad, bad, etc.). Have the children sort the cards into groups based on their word family endings (-at, -an, -ad, etc.).

Discussion Questions

  • What sound does the letter 'A' make in the middle of the words we learned?
  • Can you think of any other words that have the same 'A' sound?

Skills Developed

  • Phonemic awareness
  • Blending skills
  • Vocabulary building

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

What sound does the letter 'a' usually make in the words we learned?

Correct Answer: /ă/ as in apple

Question 2:

Which word rhymes with 'cat'?

Correct Answer: hat

Question 3:

What letter comes at the beginning of the word 'mat'?

Correct Answer: m

Question 4:

Which of these is a word we learned?

Correct Answer: sad

Question 5:

If you put 'c' in front of 'at', what word do you make?

Correct Answer: cat

Question 6:

What sound do you hear at the end of the word 'ham'?

Correct Answer: /m/

Question 7:

Which of these is a word family?

Correct Answer: -bat

Question 8:

Which letter do you need to make the word 'dad'?

Correct Answer: d

Question 9:

What sound is at the beginning of 'bag'?

Correct Answer: /b/

Question 10:

Which of these isn't a real word?

Correct Answer: fap

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

A home for your pet is a c _ _.

Correct Answer: at

Question 2:

If you are very unhappy you are s _ _.

Correct Answer: ad

Question 3:

The opposite of can't is c _ _.

Correct Answer: an

Question 4:

A pig likes to h _ _ in the mud.

Correct Answer: am

Question 5:

To be a r _ _ fan you need to like cars.

Correct Answer: ad

Question 6:

If something is in a s _ _ it may be over.

Correct Answer: ag

Question 7:

A taxi that you ride in is a c _ _.

Correct Answer: ab

Question 8:

The top of a bottle may have a c _ _.

Correct Answer: ap

Question 9:

You put food in a b _ _.

Correct Answer: ag

Question 10:

You wear a c _ _ on your head.

Correct Answer: ap

Educational Standards

PK.2.PWS.3:Students will produce some sounds represented by letters. PK.2.F.2:Students will chorally recite familiar texts (e.g., rhymes, songs, poetry, etc.). PK.4.R.3:Students will begin to acquire new vocabulary and relate new words to prior knowledge.

Teaching Materials

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