Week 1, lesson 2 Phoneme "a" Grapheme "a" - Phonics Phase 2 - Lesson Plan

The second lesson of Week 1 in Phonics Phase 2 is dedicated to learning the phoneme /a/ and its corresponding grapheme . The lesson begins with an engaging introduction where the teacher presents the "Ant in Pink Pants" card alongside the grapheme card , setting the objective to recognize and use the /a/ sound. The lesson then revisits previous learning through a fun 'Rhyme Time' activity, encouraging children to think of words that rhyme, starting with easy-to-rhyme words such as "hat".

As the lesson moves into the teaching phase, a story about the "Ant in Pink Pants" is shared, with a particular emphasis on the /a/ sound whenever it occurs. The story is designed to captivate the children while reinforcing the target sound. This is followed by an action activity where children do "disco fever arms" while singing /a/ /a/ /a/ /a/, reminiscent of the 'Staying Alive' dance move. In the practice phase, students learn how to form the grapheme by finger writing in the air or on a friend's back. They also engage in a 'Sound Shout' exercise to identify the /a/ sound in various words. The lesson concludes with an application phase where children practice writing the grapheme on mini whiteboards and can further extend their learning through chalk writing and a letter hunt. Teaching notes highlight that regional differences in pronunciation can affect how the grapheme is pronounced in certain words, such as 'path', 'grass', and 'bath'.