A is for Apple and Airplane! Learning Long and Short A Sounds

English Language Arts Grades Kindergarten 8:57 Video
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Lesson Description

This lesson helps Kindergarteners learn the difference between the long and short A sounds through fun activities and examples.

Video Resource

Short A and Long A Sounds - Learning to Read for Kids!

Miacademy Learning Channel

Duration: 8:57
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Long A sound
  • Short A sound
  • Vowels

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify the long A sound.
  • Students will be able to identify the short A sound.
  • Students will be able to differentiate between words with long and short A sounds.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by introducing the letter A and explaining that it can make two different sounds: a long sound and a short sound. Engage students by asking if they know any words that start with A.
  • Video Viewing (7 mins)
    Play the Miacademy Learning Channel video "Short A and Long A Sounds - Learning to Read for Kids!". Encourage students to pay attention to how the presenter pronounces the long and short A sounds.
  • Long A Sound Activity (8 mins)
    After the video, review the long A sound. Have students make a 'long smile' as they say the long A sound. Write 'A' on the board. Give 3-4 examples of words with the long A sound (e.g., cake, train, grape, snake). Have students repeat each word and identify the long A sound.
  • Short A Sound Activity (8 mins)
    Review the short A sound. Have students pretend to bite an apple as they say the short A sound. Write 'a' on the board. Give 3-4 examples of words with the short A sound (e.g., apple, map, cat, bat). Have students repeat each word and identify the short A sound.
  • Sound Sorting Game (7 mins)
    Show pictures of objects with long and short A sounds (e.g., cake, apple, train, cat). Ask students to identify whether each word has a long A or short A sound. You can create two columns on the board, one for long A and one for short A, and have students write the words under the correct column. Pictures can include items like 'grape,' 'hat,' 'lake,' 'ant,' 'plane,' and 'fan.'
  • Conclusion (5 mins)
    Recap the difference between long and short A sounds. Remind students to listen for these sounds in the words they hear every day.

Interactive Exercises

  • Sound Sorting
    Provide flashcards with pictures of words containing long and short A sounds. Students sort the cards into two piles: Long A and Short A.
  • Mouth Movement
    Have the students practice making the mouth movements for the long and short A sounds, exaggerating the 'long smile' for long A and the 'apple bite' for short A.

Discussion Questions

  • What is the difference between the long A sound and the short A sound?
  • Can you think of other words that have the long A sound?
  • Can you think of other words that have the short A sound?
  • Why is it important to know the difference between long and short vowel sounds?

Skills Developed

  • Phonological Awareness
  • Auditory Discrimination
  • Vocabulary Building

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which picture shows something that has a SHORT A sound?

Correct Answer: Apple

Question 2:

Which word has a LONG A sound?

Correct Answer: Lake

Question 3:

What sound does the letter 'A' make in the word 'ant'?

Correct Answer: Short A

Question 4:

Which of these words starts with the short 'a' sound?

Correct Answer: Apple

Question 5:

Which word sounds like you're making a long smile?

Correct Answer: Grape

Question 6:

Which word has a short A like in apple?

Correct Answer: Bat

Question 7:

When you say the LONG A sound, what does your mouth do?

Correct Answer: Make a long smile

Question 8:

Which picture has the long A sound?

Correct Answer: Cake

Question 9:

Which of these words rhymes with train?

Correct Answer: Rain

Question 10:

Which of these is NOT a word with short A?

Correct Answer: Alien

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The sound 'a' like in 'apple' is a ______ A sound.

Correct Answer: short

Question 2:

The sound 'A' like in 'cake' is a ______ A sound.

Correct Answer: long

Question 3:

When you say the short A sound, it's like you are biting an _______.

Correct Answer: apple

Question 4:

When you say the long A sound, you make a long _______.

Correct Answer: smile

Question 5:

The word 'map' has a ________ A sound.

Correct Answer: short

Question 6:

The word 'grape' has a ________ A sound.

Correct Answer: long

Question 7:

'A' is a _________.

Correct Answer: vowel

Question 8:

The opposite of short is ________.

Correct Answer: long

Question 9:

An example of a short 'a' word is _______.

Correct Answer: ant

Question 10:

An example of a long 'a' word is _______.

Correct Answer: cake

Educational Standards

K.2.PWS.3:Students will produce the sounds for short and long vowels and the most common sound for consonants (e.g., a = /ă/ & /ā/, f = /f/, s = /s/, x = /ks/). K.2.PA.3:Students will isolate and pronounce initial and final sounds in spoken words. K.4.R.3:Students will begin to acquire new vocabulary and relate new words to prior knowledge. K.1.L.1:Students will actively listen using agreed-upon discussion rules with prompting.

Teaching Materials

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