Letter A — Apple, Adam, and the Short A Sound

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." — John 1:1

God Gave Us Language

Did you know that God is the one who gave us the ability to speak and read? In the Bible, the very first thing God did was speak. He said, "Let there be light," and light appeared! God's words are powerful, and He gave us words too.

Today we begin a wonderful adventure — learning our letters! Letters are the building blocks of words. When you learn your letters and their sounds, you will be able to read. And the most important book you will ever read is the Bible — God's own Word.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." — Psalm 119:105

Meet the Letter A

The very first letter of the alphabet is A. It is also the very first vowel. Vowels are special letters that every word needs. There are five vowels: A, E, I, O, U. Today we learn the first one!

What Does A Look Like?

Uppercase A looks like a little tent or a mountain with a line across the middle:

A

To write uppercase A:

1. Start at the top
2. Draw a slanted line down to the left
3. Go back to the top
4. Draw a slanted line down to the right
5. Draw a straight line across the middle

Lowercase a looks like a circle with a little stick on the right side:

a

To write lowercase a:

1. Draw a small circle going to the left
2. Then draw a straight line down on the right side

What Sound Does A Make?

The short A sound is the sound you hear at the beginning of apple. Say it with me: /a/ — /a/ — /a/! Open your mouth and let the sound come out: /a/

Feel your mouth when you say /a/. Your mouth opens wide! God designed your mouth, tongue, and lips to make many different sounds. The /a/ sound is one of the first ones you can learn.

A Is for Adam

In the Bible, the first man God created was named Adam. Listen — A-dam starts with the letter A! God brought all the animals to Adam so he could name them (Genesis 2:19-20). Adam used words — words made of letters — to give each animal a name.

When Adam named the animals, he was using the gift of language that God gave him. And now you are learning the very same gift! Every letter you learn brings you closer to reading God's Word all by yourself.

Words That Start with A

Here are some words that start with the short /a/ sound:

• Apple
• Ant
• Alligator
• Adam
• Angel
• Ark (like Noah's Ark!)

Can you think of more words that start with the /a/ sound?

Let Us Practice!

Handwriting Practice

Now it is time to practice writing the letter A. Take your pencil and hold it gently — not too tight! Sit up straight and place your paper in front of you.

1. Trace the uppercase A five times
2. Write the uppercase A five times on your own
3. Trace the lowercase a five times
4. Write the lowercase a five times on your own

Remember: Good handwriting takes practice. Even if your letters are not perfect today, they will get better every time you try! God tells us that whatever we do, we should do it with all our heart (Colossians 3:23).

A Thought to Carry

God gave us letters so we could write and read His Word. The letter A is your very first step on this wonderful journey. Adam used words to name God's creation — and soon you will use words to read about God's love for you!

"How many different sounds can our mouths make? God designed our mouths, tongues, and vocal cords to produce dozens of distinct sounds." — Exodus 4:11 reminds us that God made our mouths!