Short A Lesson Plan Phonics Power-Up
Short 'a' Sound • Lesson Plan
Duration
15 MIN
Learning Objective
Students will be able to identify, read, and write CVC words with the short 'a' sound, improving their foundational decoding skills.
The "Why"
Mastering short vowel sounds is crucial for developing strong decoding skills, enabling students to read and spell a wide range of words independently.
Materials
Whiteboards & Markers
Short 'a' Slide Deck
Word Practice Worksheet
Pre-Lesson Checklist (5 Min)
Review Slide Deck and check visuals/sounds.
Print Short 'a' Word Practice Worksheet for each student.
Gather whiteboards and markers for all students.
Prepare CVC word list for dictation (cat, fan, mad).
Mission Steps
Min 2
Warm-Up: 'A' Sound Chant
Ask students to identify the first sound in apple , alligator , and ant .
Lead a quick rhythmic chant: "A, A, /a/, /a/, /a/!" (Repeat 3 times).
Min 3
Introduce Short 'a'
Display the Slide Deck . Explain that today's focus is the short 'a' sound.
Go through slides introducing short 'a' and example CVC words.
Teacher Tip: Emphasize blending sounds together smoothly (e.g., /c/... /a/... /t/ -> /cat/).
Min 7
Guided Practice: Blending & Writing
Model blending sounds using the slides. Then, distribute the Practice Worksheet .
Dictate words for students to write on whiteboards: cat , fan , mad . Give immediate feedback.
Circulate as students trace and write on their worksheets. Provide 1:1 support for students struggling with letter formation or sound isolation.
Min 2
Cool-Down: Thumbs Up/Down
Game: Thumbs up if the word has a short 'a', thumbs down if not.
Words: cat, dog, fan, jet, map.
Quickly review any misses before dismissing.
Short A Slides Phonics Power-Up
Short 'a'
Let's explore the sound of 'a'!
Teacher: Begin with the sound chant to activate prior knowledge.
What does short 'a' sound like?
🍎
It's the sound you hear in apple!
/a/ /a/ /a/
Teacher Notes: Introduce the sound using visuals. Emphasize mouth position (jaw open wide, tongue low).
Let's Read!
C - A - T
🐱
c
a
t
= cat
Teacher Notes: Model blending the sounds smoothly. Ask: "What do you see?"
Next Word!
F - A - N
🌀
f
a
n
= fan
Teacher Notes: Ask students to blend the sounds with you. "Can you say it?"
One More!
M - A - P
🗺️
m
a
p
= map
Teacher Notes: Guide students to blend sounds independently. "Your turn!"
Short 'a' Review
🐱
Cat
🌀
Fan
🗺️
Map
What other words have the short 'a' sound?
Teacher Notes: Review words. Ask students to generate other short 'a' words (bat, hat, mad).
Short A Worksheet Phonics Power Practice
Short 'a' CVC Words
Name: ________________________________
Date: _________________________________
Directions: Trace the word, then write it two more times.
🐱
Trace cat
Write
Write
🌀
Trace fan
Write
Write
🗺️
Trace map
Write
Write
🦇
Trace bat
Write
Write
🎩
Trace hat
Write
Write
Directions: Circle all the words that have the short 'a' sound.
cat
dog
fan
bed
map
sit
sad
hen
dad
box
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Number Bonds Lesson Plan Number Bond Bonanza
Making 10 • Lesson Plan
Duration
15 MIN
Learning Objective
Students will be able to identify number pairs that sum to 10, improving their number sense and addition fluency through number bonds.
The "Why"
Understanding number bonds to 10 is a foundational skill for mental math, addition, and subtraction strategies, and a strong sense of number relationships.
Materials
Counters / Unifix Cubes (10 each)
Making 10 Slide Deck
Making 10 Worksheet
Pre-Lesson Checklist (5 Min)
Review Slide Deck visuals and examples.
Print Making 10 Worksheet for each student.
Prepare bags of 10 manipulatives per student.
Clear space for hands-on counting activity.
Mission Steps
Min 2
Warm-Up: Count to 10
Count to 10 forwards and backwards together as a group.
Quick check: "What two numbers can you put together to make 5?" (Briefly review a simpler bond to activate the part-part-whole concept).
Min 3
Introduce Number Bonds to 10
Display the Slide Deck . Define a number bond: two parts coming together to make a whole.
Today's Mission: The Whole is 10 .
Use slide visuals (ten frames) to show how parts combine to make 10.
Min 7
Guided Practice: Manipulatives & Worksheet
Distribute manipulatives. Have students show 10.
Guide them: "If you have 3, how many more to make 10?" (Students move cubes to find 7). Repeat with various pairs.
Model the first item on the Worksheet . Ensure they understand the circle layout (Whole at top, Parts below).
Provide 1:1 support as students fill in missing parts.
Min 2
Cool-Down: Share a Pair
Ask each student to share one "10-friend" pair they found (e.g., "4 and 6 make 10!").
Collect materials and praise their math power!
Number Bonds Slides Math Power-Up
Number Bonds
Let's find the friends that make 10!
Teacher: Briefly review counting to 10. Introduce number bonds as 'friends'.
What's a Number Bond?
10
part
part
A number bond shows how two smaller numbers (parts ) come together to make a bigger number (the whole ).
Today, our whole is 10!
Use a simple visual to show how parts connect to the whole.
Let's Make 10!
If I have 1 , how many more do I need to make 10 ?
1 + ___ = 10
Teacher: Use the frame. Put 1 counter in and ask students to count the empty spots.
Making 10 with 2
If I have 2 , how many more do I need to make 10 ?
2 + ___ = 10
Teacher: Encourage students to use their own manipulatives to solve.
Making 10 with 3
If I have 3 , how many more do I need to make 10 ?
3 + ___ = 10
Teacher: Guide them to count the "friends" that finish the group of 10.
Number Bond Challenge!
1 + 9
Ready!
2 + 8
Set!
3 + 7
Go!
Can you find more pairs that make 10?
Teacher: Review pairs. Ask if they noticed any patterns (as one part grows, the other shrinks).
Number Bonds Worksheet Number Bond Mission
Making 10 Challenge
Name: ________________________________
Date: _________________________________
Directions: Complete each number bond to make 10. Write the missing part in the empty circle.
MISSION 1
10
4
MISSION 2
10
7
MISSION 3
10
2
MISSION 4
10
9
MISSION 5
10
5
MISSION 6
10
1
Power Challenge: Draw and write two DIFFERENT number bonds that make 10!
Mission Accomplished!
