Adam's Fat Bat

Adam's fat bat

Emergent Literacy

Rationale: Letter recognition is vitally important for emergent readers. It is essential that they know that every letter has a sound. This lesson is for students to learn that a=/a/. In order to master the, a=/a/ the student will practice beginning reading words including a=/a/. By the end of this lesson a child should be able to recognize the, a=/a/.

Materials:

Primary Paper

Pencil

Chart paper with the chant (Adam’s fat bat sat on the mat)

The Book, A Cat Nap by Sheila Cushman, Educational Insights.

Construction paper with the words (apple, sad, lad)

Procedure:

1.) Begin this lesson by introducing the letter a. Help the students pronounce the /a/ sound. Have each student practice saying the /a/. Tell the students to look at each others mouths to see what there mouth does when saying the sound. “Today we are going to be making the sound /a/. Everyone say the sound /a/. Now class as u say the /a/ sound look at your classmate next to you and see what their mouth does when you say the /a/ sound for the letter a.

2.) “What is your mouth doing when you say the /a/ sound? That’s right your mouth is open. My mouth kind of reminds me of when I am about to take a bite out of an apple. Apple makes the /a/ sound so it help me remember that /a/pple and not /A/pple.

3.) “I have a funny saying in which all the words have the /a/ sound in them. Listen to me as I say it then we will say it together. “Adam’s fat bat sat on the mat” Now everyone say it. This time let’s say the /a/ sound in the words very slowly. “Aaadam’s faaat baaat saaaat on the maaaaat.” Good job!!! (Have the funny saying written on chart paper)

4.) Now let’s practice some words together that have the /a/ sound. (have them repeat the word after you) /a/pple, l/a/d, s/a/d. (hold up the words on a piece of construction paper). Then ask the students question about the /a/ sound. “Do you hear the /a/ sound in sad or sod?” Do you hear the /a/ sound in fast or fist?” “Do you hear the /a/ sound in lad or led?”

5.) Now take out your paper and pencil and your going to copy what I do. “Everybody ready?” First make a little c and then draw a line connecting the open mouth of the c. I want you to keep writing the /a/ until I say stop as you write the /a/ I want you to say quietly the /a/ sound. (As the students do this go around and see how the students are writing and have them say the /a/ sound for you.

6.) Now read to the class “ A Cat Nap” by Sheila Cushman. Book talk for A Cat Nap, A cat name Tab likes to take naps in a bag. Sam takes the bag that Tab is in to a baseball game. What happens when tab is found in the bag at the baseball game? Let’s read and find out! When finished review the words in the story that have the /a/ sound.

7.) To assess what the students have learned. Go around the class asking questions about words that have /a/ sound in them. Questions such as what we did before (Do you hear the /a/ sound in fast or fist?, mad or med?, job or jab?, jack or jock?)

References:
Cushman, Sheila. A Cat Nap. Educational Insights: Carson, CA, 1990.

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