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.
Alaska content standards learning standard: RF.K.2; RF.K.3 · 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 Alaska
In the Alaska content standards, 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.
- Kindergarten guide for Alaska parents
- Printable Kindergarten English Language Arts sheet
- Alaska report cards explained
Source: Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
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 “v”?
- 🦶foot
- 🔒lock
- 🎻violin
🎻 violin
Hint: Say it slowly: violin. It starts with vvv, the sound of v.
Question 2
Which one starts with “r”?
- 🦝raccoon
- 🏠house
- 🚪door
🦝 raccoon
Hint: Say it slowly: raccoon. It starts with rrr, the sound of r.
Question 3
Which letter does it start with?
🔔_ell- f
- b
- w
b
Hint: Say it slowly: bell. It starts with buh, the sound of b.
Question 4
Which one starts with “w”?
- 🪟window
- 🚌bus
- 🐬dolphin
🪟 window
Hint: Say it slowly: window. It starts with wuh, the sound of w.
Question 5
Which one starts with “t”?
- 🍌banana
- 🎸guitar
- 🌮taco
🌮 taco
Hint: Say it slowly: taco. It starts with tuh, the sound of t.
Question 6
Which letter does it start with?
🥪_andwich- v
- s
- t
s
Hint: Say it slowly: sandwich. It starts with sss, the sound of s.