A-a-a, an alligator!


Beginning Reading

Megan Killen


Rationale: In the process of becoming successful readers, students must first have a firm understanding of grapheme/phoneme relationships that are seen in reading and writing.  The purpose of this lesson is to aid children in understanding the vowel correspondence of a=/a/.



Dry erase board and markers

Chart paper with tongue twister (alligator Al got apples from alligator Allie)

Picture of scared face to demonstrate a-a-a-, an alligator


Letter tiles: a, e, o, u, t, b, m, d, g, c, k, f, l, p



1.  I will introduce the a=/a/ correspondence. "Today, we are going to learn about the letter a and the /a/ sounds in words. The letter A sounds like this: (I will put my hands on my head and show a scared face and say, "A-a-a-a!") Just to remind us, I brought a picture to put on the board of someone that is scared and screaming "A-a-a-a!".  Now, I want everyone to make the "a-a-a" sound with me and look like you are scared of something. Good job! Way to go.

2. "Now, we are going to read a tongue twister. I will read it first, I want you to repeat after me.  Alligator Al got apples from alligator Allie.  Great Job! This time, let's say the tongue twister again and stretch out the /a/ sound and look like we are scared. Aaaaaaligator Aaaaaal got aaaaaaples from aaaaalligator Aaaaaalie. Great!

3. "I am now going to say sets of words, and I want you to tell me which one has the /a/ sound in them.

Bag or Bug? Trap or Truck? Jug or Jag? Hunt or Drag?

4."Good job students. Now let's do some practice with the sound we just practiced. (Show students how many numbers are going in the letterboxes; maybe even do one example beforehand to model the practice). Then ask students the words that are in the following list: 2-at, 3-rag, sat, had, set, lip, 4-cast, mask).  After you have made your word and you think you have the word correct, raise your hand and I will come check your work. To ensure that students can read words, the instructor may want to write the words on the whiteboard and have the students read the words.

5. "Now, we will read Apples for Al. This book is about an alligator named Al and he really loves apples. He has many alligator friends but his best friend is Allie the alligator.  Allie and Al play together all day one day in the water.  When the day is over, Al goes on a search for some apples. Do you think he will find apples? Will he share his apples with Allie? Where do you think he will find apples?


To ensure students have fully understood the a=/a/ correspondence, I will have them complete a worksheet that has pictures of words with the /a/ sound.  They will have to look at the pictures and decide which words have the a=/a/ sound.  They will find the pictures that have the sound and cross out the ones that do not. Also, the students will complete a worksheet in writing the letter A to ensure that students recognize that letter when written.





Brown, Lisa. Apples for Al. 2000, Scholastic.

Reading Genie Website; Morgan Montgomery - "Uhh, where is my umbrella?" http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/sightings/montgomerybr.html

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