Kindergarten · English Language Arts · Unit 2 of 12
First Sounds
What sound does it start with?
What your child practices
Hearing the first sound in a word (b in bus) and linking it to its letter. Say the words out loud together and stretch out the first sound.
Alabama Course of Study content standard: K.9; K.10 · hearing first sounds and matching them to letters
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Say the word out loud.
- Listen to the very first sound.
- Find the letter that makes that sound.
Example: Which letter does “ball” start with? Say “ball”: b-b-ball. The first sound is /b/. Answer: b
First Sounds in Alabama
In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 2 of 12 in Kindergarten English Language Arts, after Letter Partners and before Rhyme Time.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which one starts with “p”?
- 🍕pizza
- 🍉watermelon
- 🐐goat
🍕 pizza
Hint: Say it slowly: pizza. It starts with puh, the sound of p.
Question 2
Which one starts with “f”?
- 🚌bus
- 🐟fish
- 🚀rocket
🐟 fish
Hint: Say it slowly: fish. It starts with fff, the sound of f.
Question 3
Which one starts with “s”?
- 🐯tiger
- 🥪sandwich
- 🐭mouse
🥪 sandwich
Hint: Say it slowly: sandwich. It starts with sss, the sound of s.
Question 4
Which one starts with “h”?
- 🦛hippo
- 🍋lemon
- 🦋butterfly
🦛 hippo
Hint: Say it slowly: hippo. It starts with huh, the sound of h.
Question 5
Which one starts with “v”?
- 🦝raccoon
- 🔒lock
- 🌋volcano
🌋 volcano
Hint: Say it slowly: volcano. It starts with vvv, the sound of v.
Question 6
Which letter does it start with?
🎸_uitar- g
- w
- t
g
Hint: Say it slowly: guitar. It starts with guh, the sound of g.