Letter Masters Teacher Guide
Kindergarten Phonics Total Duration: 55 Mins
TW = Teacher S = Students
Letters A & M Explicit Lesson Plan
Direct instruction dialogue script: Letter names, phonemes, and stroke formation
1 Introduction – Letter Names & Sounds
5 Minutes
TW
Shows the letter cards to the whole group: A a and M m.
S
Repeat the letter names after TW: "A!" and "M!"
2 Letter A – Teacher Modeling & Quick Check
10 Minutes
Teacher Modeling:
TW
Shows uppercase A and lowercase a. Says: “This is A. A says /ă/.” Models the sound several times with an open jaw.
S
Repeat the phoneme together: /ă/ /ă/ /ă/
TW
Shows picture cards (apple, ant, alligator) and emphasizes beginning sound: “/ă/ apple.” • “/ă/ ant.” • “/ă/ alligator.”
S
Repeat each word with TW.
Quick Check:
TW Shows pictures one at a time and asks: “Does it start with A?”
S “Yes!” or “No!”
3 Letter Formation – A
5 Minutes
Uppercase A:
TW Models on board: “Start at top. Slant down. Slant down. Line across.”
S Air-write using pointer finger 3 times.
Lowercase a (Circle & Stick):
TW Models on board: “Circle around like a ball, pull down a straight stick!”
S Trace in air, on table, then practice: A A A • a a a
Letter Masters A & M • Lesson Plan Dialogue Guide Page 1 of 2
Instructional Sequence (Continued)
Letter M, Sorting Activity & Letter Hunt
4 Letter M – Teacher Modeling & Quick Check
10 Minutes
Teacher Modeling:
TW
Shows uppercase M and lowercase m. Says: “This is M. M says /m/.” Models a clean sound: /mmm/ (lips together, no schwa).
S
Repeat the clean sound together: /mmm/
TW
Shows pictures (moon, mouse, monkey) and models: “/m/ moon.” • “/m/ mouse.” • “/m/ monkey.”
S
Repeat each word with TW.
Quick Check: A or M?
TW Mixes A and M cards and asks: “A or M?” (apple → A, mouse → M, ant → A, moon → M)
S Point to the correct letter card!
5 Letter Formation – M
5 Minutes
Uppercase M:
TW Models on board: “Start at the top. Down. Up. Down. Up.”
S Air-write 3 times.
Lowercase m:
TW Models lowercase m: “Down, bounce hump, bounce hump!”
S Air-write then practice: M M M • m m m
6 Guided Practice – Activity: A or M?
10 Minutes
TW
Places letters A and M on opposite sides of board/room. Shows one picture at a time (apple, monkey, ant, mouse, alligator, moon) and asks: “What letter?”
S
Identify the beginning sound, move or point to the correct letter, and answer: “A!” or “M!”
Extension for ready students: Say the full sentence: “Apple starts with A.” / “Moon starts with M.”
7 Follow-Up Activity – Letter Hunt
10 Minutes
TW
Gives students magnetic letters, letter cards, or the Letters A & M Mixed Showdown Worksheet.
S
Search for A, a, M, m. When they find a letter, they state both its name and sound aloud (e.g., “A, /ă/!” or “M, /m/!”).
Letter Masters A & M • Lesson Plan Dialogue Guide Page 2 of 2
Letter Adventures Slide Deck
Kindergarten Phonics Unit 1 • Lesson 1
🍎
A
& Mm 🌙
Letter Masters: A & M
Discover the Names, Hear the Sounds, and Build the Letters!
👀 Look at the Shapes
👂 Hear the Sounds
✍️ Write in the Air
LETTER 1
Meet Letter A
Sound: /ă/
A
Letter Name: "A"
🐊 Action: Alligator Chomp!
Open your arms wide like alligator jaws. Snap them together and say: /ă/ - /ă/ - /ă/!
Sound Words:
🍎
apple
🐊
alligator
🚀
astronaut
Chant together: "A says /ă/, A says /ă/, alligator /ă/ /ă/ /ă/!"
FORMATION
How to Write Letter A
👆 Get Your Magic Fingers Ready!
A Uppercase
1 Start at top: Slant down left!
2 Jump to top: Slant down right!
3 Middle: Bridge across!
"Slant down, slant down, bridge across!"
Lowercase
1 Start in middle: Circle around!
2 Close circle: Touch the top!
3 Pull straight down: Stick down!
"Circle around like a ball, pull down a straight stick!"
Skywrite with teacher: 3 times for uppercase A, 3 times for lowercase a!
PRACTICE & CHANT Air-Write with Your Magic Finger!
A Uppercase A
🍎 /ă/ /ă/ /ă/
"A says /ă/!"
Lowercase a
👆 Trace in the air: "Slant, slant, across!" • "Circle around, stick down!"
LETTER 2
Meet Letter M m
Sound: /m/
M m
Letter Name: "M"
😋 Action: Yummy Tummy Rub!
Close your lips tight, rub your tummy, and hum like you smell warm muffins: Mmmmmm /m/!
Sound Words:
🌙
moon
🐵
monkey
🥛
milk
Chant together: "M says /m/, M says /m/, muffins are yummy /m/ /m/ /m/!"
FORMATION
How to Write Letter M
👆 Skywrite High in the Sky!
M Uppercase
1 Top to bottom: Straight soldier down!
2 Jump to top: Slide down to middle!
3 Climb up: Slant up, then straight down!
Letter Strokes Activity Sheet
Handwriting & Phonics
Letter Aa Champion Sheet
Name:
Date:
A 1. Slant 2. Slant 3. Across
1. Circle Around 2. Stick Down
Say the sound while you write:
"/ă/ like ambulance, ant, arrow, asteroid!"
🐜
1 Trace and write Uppercase A (Start at the green dot •)
Headline to Baseline
A A A A
2 Trace and write Lowercase a (Start under middle dashed line: circle & stick down)
Midline to Baseline
3 Sound Detective: Circle 4 pictures that start with the /ă/ sound!
🚑 Ambulance
🐜 Ant
🚌 Bus
➡️ Arrow
☄️ Asteroid
4 Letter Hunt: Color or stamp all the letter A's (uppercase & lowercase)
A
B
M
A
o
T
Letter Masters A & M • Practice Sheet Page 1 of 2
Handwriting & Phonics
Letter Mm Champion Sheet
Name:
Date:
M 1. Down 2. Slant 3. Up 4. Down
m 1. Down 2. Bump 3. Bump
Say the sound while you write:
"/m/ like mountain, map, mug, mask!"
🏔️
1 Trace and write Uppercase M (Start at the green dot •)
Headline to Baseline
M M M M
2 Trace and write Lowercase m (Start at the middle dashed line)
Midline to Baseline
m m m m
3 Sound Detective: Circle 4 pictures that start with the /m/ sound!
🏔️ Mountain
🗺️ Map
☕ Mug
🎭 Mask
🐶 Dog
4 Partner Match: Draw a line from the letter to its starting picture sound!
Aa
Mm
🗺️ Map
🐜 Ant
Letter Masters A & M • Practice Sheet Page 2 of 2
