Letter A

Ages 3–5 · 5 minutes · English

Learn all about letter A!

Practice letter sounds. Play alphabet games that build upon each other throughout the course. Become familiar and build confidence using the alphabet! These lessons are a great first step in learning to read.

Part of

Learn Letter Sounds

Standards alignment

Common Core State Standards

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Alabama

ELA21.K.11 — Recognize and name all upper and lower case letters in non-sequential order with accuracy and automaticity.

Alaska

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

Arizona

K.RF.1.f — Recognize and name all upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
K.RF.3.a — Demonstrate basic knowledge of one‐to‐one letter‐sound correspondence by producing the primary or most frequent sound(s) for each consonant and the five major vowels.
K.RF.2.a — Identify and produce sounds (phonemes) in a spoken word.

Arkansas

K.FR.21.F — Produce the most common sound for each letter of the alphabet with accuracy and automaticity.
K.FR.4.CP — Name all upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet in print.
K.FR.5.PA — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds in three sound words.

California

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels. (Identify which letters represent the five major vowels [Aa, Ee, Ii, Oo, and Uu] and know the long and short sound of each vowel. More complex long vowel graphemes and spellings are targeted in the grade 1 phonics standards.)
RF.K.2 — Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

Colorado

RWC20-GR.PS-S.2-GLE.4.b — Recognize that letters of the alphabet have distinct sound(s) associated with them.
RWC20-GR.PS-S.2-GLE.4.c — Attend to the beginning letters and sounds in familiar words.
RWC20-GR.PS-S.2-GLE.2-EO.c — Identify and discriminate between sounds and phonemes in language, such as attention to beginning and ending sounds of words and recognition that different words begin or end with the same sound.
RWC20-GR.PS-S.2-GLE.4.a — Recognize that the letters of the alphabet are a special category of visual graphics that can be individually named.

Connecticut

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

Delaware

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Florida

ELA.K.F.1.2 — Demonstrate phonological awareness. • Blend and segment syllables in spoken words. • Identify and produce alliterative and rhyming words. • Blend and segment onset and rimes of single-syllable words. • Identify the initial, medial, and final sound of spoken words. • Add or delete phonemes at the beginning or end of a spoken word and say the resulting word. • Segment and blend phonemes in single-syllable spoken words.
ELA.K.F.1.1 — Demonstrate knowledge of the basic concepts of print. • Locate a printed word on a page. • Distinguish letters from words within sentences. • Match print to speech to demonstrate that language is represented by print. • Identify parts of a book (front cover, back cover, title page). • Move top to bottom and left to right on the printed page; returning to the beginning of the next line. • Identify all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet. • Recognize that print conveys specific meaning and pictures may support meaning.
ELA.K.F.1.3 — Use knowledge of grade-appropriate phonics and word-analysis skills to decode words accurately. • Demonstrate knowledge of the most frequent sound for each consonant. • Demonstrate knowledge of the short and long sounds for the five major vowels. • Decode consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. • Encode consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words.

Georgia

ELAGSEKRF1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
ELAGSEKRF3.b — Demonstrate basic knowledge of long and short sounds for the five major vowels.
ELAGSEKRF2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)
ELAGSEKRF3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Hawaii

K.RF.1d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
K.RF.3b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
K.RF.2 — Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
K.RF.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Idaho

K.FR.PC.1h — Identify and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
K.FR.PH.3b — Associate the long and short sounds for the five major vowel letters.
K.FR.PA.2 — Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds.
K.FR.PA.2d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in spoken three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words and say the resulting word (Note: This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

Illinois

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

Indiana

K.RF.3 — Identify and name all uppercase (capital) and lowercase letters of the alphabet. (E)
K.RF.6 — Identify and produce the beginning, middle (medial), and final sounds in three and four phoneme words. (E)

Iowa

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common graphemes (spellings) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2 — Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and phonemes (sounds).
RF.K.2.c — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final phonemes (sounds) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

Kansas

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2 — Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Kentucky

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme words.

Louisiana

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Maine

R.1.K.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
R.3.K.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
R.2.K.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words.* (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

Maryland

RF.PK.1.d — Recognize and name some upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.PK.2.e — Isolate and pronounce the initial sound in spoken words
RF.PK.3.a — Recognize that words are made up of letters and their sounds.
RF.PK.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Massachusetts

RF.PK.1.d — Recognize and name some uppercase letters of the alphabet and the lowercase letters in their own name.
RF.PK.3.a — Link an initial sound to a picture of an object that begins with that sound and, with guidance and support, to the corresponding printed letter (e.g., link the initial sound /b/ to a picture of a ball and, with support, to a printed or written “B”).
RF.PK.2.c — Identify the initial sound of a spoken word and, with guidance and support, generate several other words that have the same initial sound.
RF.PK.3 — Demonstrate beginning understanding of phonics and word analysis skills.

Michigan

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonent-vowel-consonent, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)
RF.K.2 — Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

Minnesota

0.1.1.0.b — Demonstrate understanding of the basic features of print: Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Mississippi

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with the common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words.(This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

Missouri

K.RF.1.A.a — identifying all upper- and lower-case letters
K.RF.2.A.g — isolating the initial, medial, and final sounds in spoken words
K.RF.2.A.a — identifying sounds in spoken words
K.RF.3.A.a — producing and writing letter(s) for most short vowel and consonant sounds
K.RF.1.A.b — sequencing the letters of the alphabet

Montana

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

Nebraska

LA.K.F.1.a — Identify all upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet in isolation and in connected text.
LA.K.F.3 — Know and apply phonics and word analysis skills in decoding and encoding (spelling) words.
LA.K.F.3.b — Demonstrate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
LA.K.F.4.a — Recognize upper and lowercase letters automatically and accurately.
LA.K.F.2.f — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in two- and three-phoneme (VC or CVC) words, excluding CVC words ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.

Nevada

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

New Hampshire

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

New Jersey

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding and encoding words.

New Mexico

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

New York

PKRF1d — Recognize and name some upper/lowercase letters of the alphabet, especially those in own name.
PKRF3 — Demonstrate emergent phonics and word analysis skills.
KRF1d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

North Carolina

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lower-case letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.4.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

North Dakota

K.F.12a — Accurately and automatically recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet in non-sequential order.
K.F.12b — Accurately and automatically produce the predictable consonant and short vowel sounds associated with uppercase and lowercase letters in non-sequential order.
K.F.7 — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final phonemes in three-phoneme words.

Ohio

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.2 — Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and phonemes (sounds).
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Oklahoma

PK.2.PWS.2 — Students will name a majority of uppercase and lowercase letters.
PK.2.PWS.3 — Students will produce some sounds represented by letters.
K.2.PA.3 — Students will isolate and pronounce initial and final sounds in spoken words.

Oregon

K.RF.1d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
K.RF.3b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings for the five major vowels.
K.RF.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
K.RF.2e — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final phonemes in threephoneme words.

Pennsylvania

CC.1.1.PK.B — Identify basic features of print. • Differentiate between numbers and letters and letters and words. • Recognize and name some uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
CC.1.1.PK.D — Develop beginning phonics and word skills. • Associate some letters with their names and sounds. • Identify familiar words and environmental print.
CC.1.1.PK.C — Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes). • Recognize rhyming words and when two or more words begin with the same sound (alliteration). • Count syllables in spoken words. • Segment single-syllable spoken words. • Segment single-syllable spoken words.

Rhode Island

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonant-vowel-consonant, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

South Carolina

ELA.K.F.3.1 — Identify, name, and form all upper and lowercase letters with automaticity.
ELA.K.F.1.6 — Orally identify initial, medial, and final phonemes in two- and three-phoneme (i.e., VC and CVC) words, excluding CVC words ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.
ELA.K.F.3.4 — Identify the vowel and produce the vowel sound in a printed syllable or word when decoding: a. in a closed syllable (VC: at; CVC: bat); b. in an open syllable (e.g. he, so, me, go, hi); and c. in a vowel- consonant-e (VCe) syllable with prompting and support.

South Dakota

K.RF.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
K.RF.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds for the five vowels.
K.RF.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Tennessee

K.FL.PC.1.d — Recognize and name all upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet in isolation and in connected text.
K.FL.PWR.3.b — Associate the long and short phonemes with common spellings for the five major vowels.
K.FL.PA.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in two- and three-phoneme (VC or CVC) words, excluding CVC words ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.

Texas

K.2B.i — identifying and matching the common sounds that letters represent;
K.2D.v — identifying all uppercase and lowercase letters; and
K.2B — demonstrate and apply phonetic knowledge by:
K.2A.ii — recognizing spoken alliteration or groups of words that begin with the same spoken onset or initial sound;

Utah

P3.R.2.c — With prompting and support, identify initial sounds in spoken language.
P3.R.3.b — With prompting and support, begin to identify one or more vowel names and short vowel sounds using one-toone letter-sound correspondence (alphabetic principle).
P4.R.1.b — Begin to identify frequently seen letters and words, recognizing that words are made up of letters.
P4.R.2.c — Identify initial sounds in spoken language.
P3.R.1.b — With prompting and support, begin to recognize frequently seen letters and words, and recognize own name in print.

Vermont

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Virginia

K.FFR.3.A — Identify capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
K.FFR.3.B — Identify common letter-sound correspondences.
K.FFR.2.C — Isolate the initial, medial, and final sounds in three phoneme (individual sound) words (excluding words ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/).

Washington

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Washington, D.C.

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RF.K.2.d — Isolate and pronounce the initial, medial vowel, and final sounds (phonemes) in three-phoneme (consonent-vowel-consonent, or CVC) words. (This does not include CVCs ending with /l/, /r/, or /x/.)

West Virginia

ELA.K.II.b — Associate common spellings (graphemes) with the five major short vowel sounds.
ELA.K.V.d — Recognize and name upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
ELA.PK.FR.PC.3 — Recognize that letters of the alphabet are a special category of visual graphics that can be individually named.
ELA.K.IV — Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes).

Wisconsin

ELA.K.RF.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
ELA.K.RF.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
ELA.K.RF.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.

Wyoming

RF.K.1.d — Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
RF.K.3.b — Associate the long and short sounds with common spellings (graphemes) for the five major vowels.
RF.K.3 — Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.