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Teaching Letter Aa

Are you looking for letter Aa activities to use with your preschooler or kindergartner? Maybe you’re a classroom teacher browsing for more ideas.

Research tells us that a direct, explicit approach to teaching the alphabet is more effective than indirect teaching. Enjoy the crafts, art ideas, and book list, but know that using a scripted routine like the one below is the most efficient way to teach letters and sounds. Make it your own!

How to introduce letter Aa

  • Say words that begin with Aa: Say each word after me. (Emphasize the /ă/ at the beginning of each word as you say it.) Apple. Astronaut. Ax. Animal. Add. What sound do you hear at the beginning of each word? The sound is /ă/.
  • Talk about what your mouth is doing as you say the sound: Look at what my mouth is doing as I say /ă/. Now you try. Put your fingers between your teeth as you say the sound. Is your mouth open a lot or a little? Put your hand on your throat as you say /ă/. Is it a quiet or noisy sound? (noisy)
  • Introduce the letter on a flash card: (Hold up the letter A card in uppercase or lowercase.) This is the letter A. When we see this card, we say “A spells /ă/.” Your turn. (Students: “A spells /ă/.”)

How to practice writing uppercase letter A

  • Sky-write the letter: To make the letter A, we start at the top and slant down. Then we go back to the top and slant down the other way. Then go across. Watch me put my hand in the air and write an A in the sky. I start at the top and slant down. Then I go back to the top and slant down the other way. Then I go across. Now you try. Start at the top and slant down. Then go back to the top and slant down the other way. Then go across.
  • Have students finger-write the letter: Make an A by moving your finger on the table. Start at the top and slant down. Then go back to the top and slant down the other way. Then go across. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “A spells /ă/.” Remember to underline the A when you say /ă/. (Practice multiple times.)

How to practice writing lowercase letter a

  • Sky-write the letter: To make the letter a, we start in the middle. Then we pull back, around, up, and down. Watch me put my hand in the air and write an a in the sky. I start in the middle, pull back, around, up, and down. Now you try. Put your finger in the air. Start in the middle. Pull back, around, up, and down.
  • Have students finger-write the letter: Make an a by moving your finger on the table. Begin in the middle. Pull back, around, up, and down. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “a spells /ă/.” Remember to underline the a when you say /ă/. (Practice multiple times.)

Other letter Aa activities

Free printables

More alphabet resources

Find the rest of the alphabet HERE.

Looking for a done-for-you alphabet curriculum?

Alphabet Curriculum for Preschool

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Our curriculum includes lessons for teaching both upper and lowercase letter names and sounds. You’ll get three lessons per letter, built-in review, simple handwriting practice, rhyming, syllable counting, phonemic awareness, and a whole lot more!

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MEMBERS GET MORE!

Members of The Measured Mom Plus get access to even more printables – plus helpful video trainings and no-print resources! Not a member yet? Learn more here.

CHECK OUT ALL THE ALPHABET PRINTABLES IN THE MEMBERSHIP

Reader Interactions

30 Comments

  4. chesda

    your website so great. i’m very interested in this. i want to find hand writing alphabet. where do i get it? and i want to purchase some ebook in this website. i want to download it by myself.

    Reply to this comment

  7. Valma

    I just purchased your letter of the week Book for pre-school does that mail out or can I download it, if so were would I find the download. I love your website I am a in home daycare and I prepare my pre school children for kindergarten.

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna G

      Hi Valma! It looks like you had a typo in your email address when you ordered the file. I changed it and resent. Please send me an email at anna(at)themeasuredmom(dot)com if you still don’t see it! Aol can also be finicky.

      Reply to this comment

  8. Natalie Snowden

    Hey. I’m looking for the printable for the chart and dice apple activity pictured at the top under the Activities & free printables for preschooler for the Letter A. Where can I find it?
    Thank you! Love your blog!

    Reply to this comment

  10. Heather

    Hello. In this picture for letter Aa activities and printable is a picture with a dice and a page with what looks like ladders. It looks like a graphing activity. Where would i find this printable? And do you have it for all letters? Thank you.

    Reply to this comment

  12. Janelle

    I LOVE your website. It has a lot of interesting stuff for preschoolers.

    i was wondering do you have any second and third grade resources. I have a niece who is seven and would really like to use some of your resources with her.

    Reply to this comment

    • Anna Geiger

      Hi Janelle! My oldest is seven, so I do have some resources for older children, even though my focus has been preschool so far. They are easy to find because I tag all my post with the ages they are recommended for. Just go to the search bar (top right under the menu bar) and put in “second grade.” Everything that fits that age group will come up.

      Reply to this comment

  14. Kayla Sandoval

    I am so grateful that I was able to find your website! You have so many fun ideas and things to with the kids. Definitely recommending your website! Take care and keep up the awesome work!

    Reply to this comment

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