Lesson Plan Template
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Grade
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Subject
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Section
First
ELA
Phonological Awareness
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Competency
Consonant sounds and letters
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Aligned Standards
Reading: Foundational Skills
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Strand
RF.1.2.c
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Vocabulary
- Letter: A symbol used to represent a sound in writing.
- Sound: The noise produced by a letter or combination of letters.
- Beginning: The first part of something.
Letter Launchpad
Determine Which Letter Does the Word Start with
Prerequisite Skill
Materials and Preparation
- Flashcards with pictures and words
- Audio clips of words
- Whiteboard and markers
- TeachTastic Worksheet Pack for Identifying Beginning Letters
Learning Objectives
- Students will be able to listen to a word and identify the first letter.
- Students will be able to match the sound of the initial letter to the correct written letter.
- Students will demonstrate understanding by correctly identifying the initial letters in various words.
Introduction
Begin the lesson by showing students a picture of a common object, such as a top. Play the audio clip of the word "top" and ask students to listen carefully. Explain that today, they will learn how to identify the first letter of words by listening to the sounds.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling
Explain to students that words are made up of sounds, and each sound is represented by a letter. Write the word "top" on the whiteboard and underline the first letter, "t". Play the audio clip again and emphasize the "t" sound. Show students the flashcard with the letter "t" and the picture of the top.
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Guided Practice
Hand out flashcards with pictures and words to students. Play audio clips of various words and ask students to hold up the flashcard with the letter that matches the initial sound. Provide feedback and correct any mistakes, reinforcing the correct associations.
Independent Practice
Distribute the TeachTastic Worksheet Pack for Identifying Beginning Letters. Have students complete the worksheets, which include activities such as matching pictures to the correct beginning letter and circling the initial letter of given words.
Differentiation
Support
- Work with students in small groups who need additional practice with letter sounds.
- Use visual aids and gestures to help students associate sounds with letters.
- Provide extra repetition and practice with the initial letters that students find challenging.
Extension
- Provide students with more challenging words that have blends or digraphs at the beginning.
- Incorporate technology by using educational apps that focus on phonics and letter recognition.
- Encourage students to create their own flashcards with pictures and words at home.
Assessment
Use the assessment worksheets from the TeachTastic Worksheet Pack to evaluate students' ability to identify the beginning letter of words. This will include listening exercises, matching activities, and written responses.
Review and closing
Review the key points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of listening to sounds and matching them to letters. Allow students to ask any questions they may have and address any common misconceptions. Summarize the lesson by revisiting the initial example of the word "top".
Misconceptions
- Students may confuse letters that have similar sounds (e.g., "t" and "d").
- Emphasize the difference in mouth position and air release when producing the sounds.
- Students may think that a word's initial sound is the same as another word that starts with a different letter (e.g., "cat" and "kite").
- Provide ample examples and practice with different words to highlight the distinct sounds.
- Students may believe that letters and sounds are the same in every language.
- Explain that different languages have different sounds and letters, and focus on the specific sounds in English.