Students learn to hear the very first sound in a word — the /k/ in cat, the /s/ in sun — and match it to its letter, a key step toward reading and spelling.
Students will be able to…
When you say “cat,” what is the very first sound you hear? How do you know which letter a word starts with?
Project each picture and say the word slowly. Have students choose the letter it starts with — the tool cheers the first sound.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Say “ssssun” — what sound do you hear first?
Teacher models.
Class uses the tool.
Students find beginning sounds.
Students share a sound.
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial, and final sounds in three-phoneme words.
Demonstrate knowledge of letter-sound correspondences.
Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds.
Know and apply grade-level phonics skills.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students find objects in the room that start with the same sound as their name. A printable beginning-sound sheet is in the ELA library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.