© 2014 Music, Movement & Magination, Inc.®

Lesson Objective: Children will learn to recognize each of the letters of the alphabet and the letter sounds.Song: I Like LettersLesson Includes:

– Lesson Script (1 page)– Mp3 Song– Lyrics And Movements Page (1 page)– Visual Aids (7 page)– Bridging Activity (7 pages)– Activity Sheet (1 page)– Parent Guide (1 page)– Home Activity (2 pages)– Movement Video & BONUS Reader Video (Mp4 Videos)

Early Learning Strands:– Print concepts (one-to-one correlations, distinguish between letters and

words)– Phonics (letters of the alphabet)

Academic Vocabulary: letters, big, small, hi, short, tall, long, straight, round

Sight Words (Dolch/Brigance): I, like, are, big, and, me, say, it, all, if, want, to, an, then, yes, too, do, know, can, you, with, now, see, when, my, in

Teaching Strategies:– Rhyming– Letter Knowledge– Alphabetic Principle

Movement Strategies:– Gross Motor– Rhythmic coordination

Additional Supplies Needed:– None

Alphabet – Letter Recognition & Sounds

38 © 2014 Music, Movement & Magination, Inc. ®

Alphabet - Letter Recognition & Sounds“I Like Letters”

Lesson Objective: Children will learn to recognize each of the letters of the alphabet and the letter sounds.

Interactive Dialogue• Begin the class by singing the traditional ABC song. Discuss

the importance of letters and how all words are made up of different combinations of letters.

• Using the lower case alphabet letter flash cards say the alphabet as you place each letter on the board. Ask the children if they can tell you with what letter the word “cat” begins. Ask a volunteer to point to the letter on the board. Repeat for other words such as “dog,” “fish” and “pig.”

• Explain that the red letters are called “vowels.” Discuss how nearly every word has a vowel in it.

• Ask for volunteers to give the first letter of their name. Practice saying that letter sound and ask for other names or words that begin with the same sound.

• Using your fingers in the air, have the children make an “a” with you in the air. Practice each letter as a group. Use the words “straight and round,” “tall and short,” “long and curved” when describing the letters.

• Using the Bridging Activity materials, have the children color the alphabet flash cards and use for further discussion.

• Using the flash cards on a board, have a volunteer find the letters “h” and “i”. Place them together on the board and tell the children that spells the word, “hi.” Do the same with “y”, “o” and “u”.

• Listen to the song I Like Letters and have the children observe as you do the movements.• Invite the children to learn the song and movements. Walk the children through the movements in

short segments. Have them repeat the movements as you say the words to the song. • Play the song and have the children sing and do movements. Repeat.

Recommended Booklist

• Carlson, Nancy. ABC I Like Me!.

• Chandra, Deborah. A is for Amos.

• Fleming, Denise. Alphabet Under Construction.

• Inkpen, Mick. Kipper’s A to Z.• Jordan, Tanis. Amazon

Alphabet. • Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Museum ABC.• Wells, Rosemary. Max’s ABC.

1. While reading your favorite picture book, have the children point to different letters. Note the shape of the letter and whether the letter has straight lines, curved lines, or both.

2. Have the children find all the letters in the alphabet throughout the classroom. 3. Have the children search through magazines and newspapers to make a collage of one particular letter with

that letter in different print as well as items that start with that letter. Feature one letter per week! 4. Visit your school library and have the children check out alliteration or alphabet children’s books such as

The Absolutely Awful Alphabet by Mordicai Gerstein.

Related Activities

LYRICS MOVEMENTSMusic intro . . . . I like letters. Letters are big and small.

I like letters. They help me say it all.

If I want to say “hi” I need an “h” and then an “i.”

And if I want to say “I like you,” I write “y-o-u.”

And hope you like me too. Yes, I hope you like me too.

Hands on hips and bend knees to beat.Thumbs point to chest. Stand up with arms and legs out

wide on “big” and bend down in ball on “small.”Thumbs point to chest. Right hand fingers in “v” on mouth

for “help me” then out forward on “say,” then little jump and palms out on “all.”

Make a wave for “hi” then right palm out for “H” and then left palm out for “I.”

Palms to chest then out, then point to left on “Y,” point to middle on “O,” point to right on “U.”

Hug self and show a big smile.Wiggle down while hugging self.

I like letters. Letters are short and tall.I like letters. They help me say it all.

Do you know the letter a?Can you point to letter b?Can you find the letter c and d, e, f, and g?Remember h and i spell “hi.” Sing it with me now.

Thumbs point to chest. Crouch down, stand tall.Thumbs point to chest. Right hand fingers in “v” on mouth

for “help me” then out forward on “say,” then little jump and palms out on “all.”

Hands on hips, bend knees to beat and sing the letters loud.

Make a wave.Make a “come here” gesture.

I like letters. Letters are short and long.

I like letters. They’re the reason I sing this song.

Can you see the letter j? And right behind the letter k?l, m, n, o, p and q, r, s, and t, u, vAnd w, x, y, z.

Thumbs point to chest. Palms face each other about 4 inches apart for “short” then palms far apart for “long.”

Thumbs point to chest. Make big swooping inward circles with arms.

Hands on hips, bend knees to beat and sing the letters loud.

Shake hips left and right with “W, X, Y, Z.”

I like letters. Letters are straight and round.

And when I know my letters, I’ll be the happiest kid in town. I like letters. I like letters. I like letters. I like letters. I like letters. I like letters. I like letters. I like letters. . . (music fades)

Thumbs point to chest. Arms straight up over head, arms make a big circle over head.

Thumbs point to chest. Jump up high with a big smile and yell YEA!Have everyone march in one big circle while thumbs point

to chest and singing, “I like letters.”

I Like Letters Lyrics & Music By: Peggy Collins; Performed By: Sue Radacosky & Cheyene Murray

40 41© 2012 3rd ed. Music, Movement & Magination, Inc. ®

Alphabet - Letter Recognition & SoundsVisual Aids

For full page open the 05_Letter_Recognition_Sounds_Visual_Aids.pdf file.

Instructions: Project file on a screen OR print each page on 8½”x11” card stock and cut along outside edges of each letter box to make letter flash cards, laminate if desired. Attach a magnet strip or Velcro on back of each letter for use on a magnet or felt board.

Alphabet - Letter Recognition & SoundsBridging Activity

For full page versions, insert ABC’s & Much More Companion Data CD and open the Groovin’ Guitars/Letter Recognition & Sounds folder.

Instructions: Print each page on 8½”x11” card stock and duplicate one set for each child. Have each child creatively color the letters (except vowels are to be solid red) and cut along outside edges of each letter box to make letter flash cards. Help the children make simple words or identify the beginning letter of simple words.

40 41© 2012 3rd ed. Music, Movement & Magination, Inc. ®

Alphabet - Letter Recognition & SoundsVisual Aids

For full page versions, insert ABC’s & Much More Companion Data CD and open the Groovin’ Guitars/Letter Recognition & Sounds folder.

Instructions: Project file on a screen OR print each page on 8½”x11” card stock and cut along outside edges of each letter box to make letter flash cards, laminate if desired. Attach a magnet strip or Velcro on back of each letter for use on a magnet or felt board.

Alphabet - Letter Recognition & SoundsBridging Activity

For full page versions, open the 06_Letter_Recognition_Sounds_Bridging_Activity.pdf file.

Instructions: Print each page on 8½”x11” card stock and duplicate one set for each child. Have each child creatively color the letters (except vowels are to be solid red) and cut along outside edges of each letter box to make letter flash cards. Help the children make simple words or identify the beginning letter of simple words.