Letter A Long and Short Vowel Sorting

This beginning sound sort for the letter A is a great hands on activity for recognizing the beginning sounds of the letter A. This is an easy and fun activity to give students who need practice with recognizing the letter A sound in both its long and short form or for those students who need extra practice distinguishing between the initial sounds in words.

To complete this sorting activity, students will look at an item an astronaut is holding to determine if the picture begins with the long or short sound of A and then the students will place the astronaut on the correct scene.

This sorting activity includes 3 pages that contains

• * One space mat for pictures that begin with the long A sound

• * One space mat for pictures that begin with the short A sound

• * Pictures that begin with the short A sound: alligator, ambulance, ant, apple

• * Pictures that begin with the long A sound: acorn, apron, angel, alien, anchor (depending on regional dialect)
  
  This beginning sound sort can be used in the following ways

  • * Literacy centers

  • * Fine motor centers

  • * File folder activity

  • * Add magnets to the apples for a baking tray activity

  • * Small group activities

  • * Morning work

  • * Emergency sub plans

• 
  Skills assessed with these letter A initial sound sort

• * Initial Sounds of the letter A

• * Distinguishing between words that begin the long A and short A sounds

• * Ability to sort the astronauts on to the correct mat

• 
  This beginning sounds sorting activity is a low prep activity. All a teacher needs to do is to print the three pages, cut out the apples, and laminate the pages and apples if desired. The activity is easy to set up and to put away and store.

1 long A vowel sorting mat

1 short A vowel sorting mat

9 astronaut picture cards for sorting