Lesson 1

Multi-Session Phonics Short a; Consonants c, m, s, t

To the Tutor: Some students will require more time on these

activities than others. Feel free to adjust the pace of the lesson
Target Elements: short a; c, m, s, t
and the amount of practice the student needs. You can track the High-Frequency Words: I, is, on, see, the
student’s progress by placing a check and/or date next to each
part of a lesson that is completed.

1
• Take away or turn over the pictures of the top,
tiger, and moon. Show the Picture Card of the cat
Part and have it identified. Then say: Our next sound
is /k/. Cat begins with /k/. Slowly say the sound
and have the student watch your mouth as you
Materials: Picture Cards: cat, cow, cup, man,
make the sound.
monkey, moon, soap, sock, sun, tiger, toe, top;
Letter Cards: c, m, s, t; Word Cards: I, is, on, • Place the Picture Cards for cup and sun below
see, the the cat. Point to each of the three pictures and
have the student identify each one. Then ask:
Step 1 Isolate Beginning Sounds Which picture shows something that begins
• Tell the student that he/she will learn four sounds with the sound you hear at the beginning of
and match each sound to a letter of the alphabet. cat? (cup) What is that sound? (/k/)
Show the student the Picture Card of the top, and • Introduce /s/ and /m/ in the same way, using the
say: This is a top. Say top with me. Then ask: What pictures of the moon for /m/ and the sun for
sound do you hear at the beginning of top? (/t/) /s/. Slowly say each sound and have the student
Note to the Tutor: When you see a letter inside slashes watch your mouth as you make each sound.
(/t/), say the sound, not the name of the letter: /t/, not
• Lay out the Picture Cards of the top, cat, moon,
tee. As you pronounce the /t/ sound, be careful not to
and sun. Point to each picture and say its
add the /ah/ sound, (/tah/).
beginning sound. (/t/, /k/, /m/, and /s/) Then have
• Point to the top again and explain: Top begins the student point to each picture and say its
with /t/. Have the student watch your mouth beginning sound.
as you say top. Practice with the student until • Finally, you point to a picture and have the
he/she can say it correctly. student say its beginning sound. Repeat until
• Place the Picture Cards for moon and tiger below the student can say the beginning sounds quickly
the top. Point to each of the pictures and have and confidently.
the student identify it. Ask: Which picture shows
• Put the remaining Picture Cards (cow, man,
something that begins with the sound you hear
monkey, soap, sock, toe) in a pile. Ask the student
at the beginning of top? (tiger) What is that
to choose a card, identify the picture, and match
sound? (/t/)
it to the top, cat, moon, or sun according to its
beginning sound. Model for the student: This
is a man. Man begins with /m/—the same sound
I hear at the beginning of moon.
• When the student is comfortable with the four
sounds, shuffle all the Picture Cards and challenge
the student to sort them by beginning sounds.
Make sure the student says the name of each
picture while sorting.

continued on page 2

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 Lesson 1
Multi-Session Phonics (continued) Short a; Consonants c, m, s, t

2
Step 2 Match Letters and Sounds
• Display the Letter Cards t, m, s, and c and the
Picture Cards of the top, cat, sun, and moon.
Point to the letter t and say: This is the letter t.
Part
T stands for the /t/ sound. Which picture shows Materials: Picture Cards; Letter Card: a;
something that begins with /t/? (top) Word Cards; Sound/Letter Mat and markers,
• Have the student locate the picture of the top such as pennies
and place it next to the Letter Card for t. Then ask
what sound the letter stands for. If the student Step 1 Beginning Sound Review Game
places a Picture Card that doesn’t begin with • Say: Last time you learned four sounds. Let’s play
the /t/ sound, repeat the /t/ sound and the name a game to see if you remember those sounds.
of the picture and ask: Do you hear /t/ at the
• Display the pictures of the moon, sun, and top.
beginning of (sun)?
Say: I see something that begins with the /t/
sound. What is it?
• When the student guesses the correct picture,
t he/she can select three cards and ask the
question. Be sure to review all four sounds: /t/
(top), /k/ (cat), /m/ (moon), and /s/ (sun).

• Repeat this activity with the Letter Cards c, m, Step 2 Identify Short a
and s. Spend the time needed to make sure • Explain that today the student will learn another
the student can match /t/, /k/, /m/, and /s/ with sound. Display the Picture Cards for apple, ant,
the letter that stands for each sound. and alligator. Point to the apple and have the
student identify it: What do you hear at the
• When the student seems confident, have him/her
beginning of apple? (/a/) Say: Apple begins with
sort the remaining Picture Cards, matching their
the /a/ sound. Say it with me: aaapple.
beginning sounds with the letters that stand for
those sounds. • Point to the picture of the ant and ask the
student to identify it. Say: You’re right! This is
Step 3 Read High-Frequency Words a picture of an ant. Ant begins with /a/—aaant.
• Show the student the Word Cards for I, is, on, see, Say it with me: aaant.
and the. Explain that these are words he/she will • Point to the picture of the alligator and have the
see often in books. Read each word aloud several student identify it, drawing out the beginning
times. Point out the letters in each word. Have sound (aaaaligator). Then ask: Does alligator
the student read each word with you as you point begin with the same sound you hear at the
to it. Then echo read the words: you read a word beginning of apple and ant or does it begin
and have the student read the word after you. with a different sound? (the same sound: /a/)
• Choose the card for the and place it in front of • Show the Letter Card a and explain that the letter
the picture of the monkey, saying the monkey. a stands for the sound heard at the beginning of
Invite the student to repeat the phrase and use apple, ant, and alligator. Have the student hold
the Word Card the to make phrases using other the Letter Card a next to each picture and say the
Picture Cards. sound and the object in the picture.
Note to the Tutor: After each session, collect all the • Show the Picture Card for cat and have the
Picture, Letter, and Word Cards and put them back student identify it, drawing out the middle sound
in the packet for use next time. (kaaaat.). Say: Listen for the sound in the middle
of cat. The sound you hear in cat is the /a/ sound.
You will hear the /a/ sound in the middle of many
words. Say cat with me: cat.

continued on page 3

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 Lesson 1
Multi-Session Phonics (continued) Short a; Consonants c, m, s, t

3
Step 3 Segment and Count Sounds
• Show the Picture Cards for cat and man and have
the student identify each one. Point to the cat
and say its name slowly: caaat. Say: Cat begins
Part
with the /k/ sound. There are other sounds in cat.
Materials: Letter Cards; Word Cards; Sound/
Do you hear /a/? Do you hear /t/?
Letter Mat and markers, such as pennies;
• Explain that most words have more than one Phonics Practice Sheet
sound. Say: Cat has three sounds: /k/ /a/ /t/. Have
the student say the three sounds after you. Ask: Step 1 Sound Review Game
How many sounds does cat have? What are they? • Remind the student of what you worked on so
(3, /k/ /a/ /t/) far in the lesson: You’ve been learning some
• Point to the picture of the man and have the different sounds and the letters that stand for
student identify it. Ask: How many sounds do you these sounds. Let’s play a game to see if you can
hear in man? (3, /m/ /a/ /n/) pick out all the sounds you have learned so far.

• Give the student the Sound/Letter Mat and place • Show the Letter Card m. Say: This is the letter m.
a marker in each box in the bottom row. Explain What sound does it stand for? (/m/) Now listen
that you will say a word and the student is to as I read a silly sentence. Clap each time you hear
repeat the word and move a marker to the box the /m/ sound. Read the following slowly:
above it for each sound he/she hears in the word. Most monkeys do not like to make their
• Say the word at and model moving a marker moms mad.
up for each of the two sounds in the word at. • Repeat this activity with /t/, /s/, /k/, and /a/.
Use these sentences:
Tigers take turns pulling each other’s tail.
Sara wears silly socks every Saturday
and Sunday.
Cubby bear’s friend was a cute cat.
Aunt Annie makes good apple pie.
Step 2 Blend Short a Words
• Tell the student that he/she can use the sounds
• Repeat this activity using other words with two he/she has learned to make words. Give the
or three sounds, such as am (2 sounds) and cat, student the Sound/Letter Mat and place the
mat, sat, and Sam (3 sounds). letters a and t in the boxes as shown. Explain
that the letter in each box stands for a sound.
Step 4 Read High-Frequency Words
• Show the student the Word Cards for I, is, on,
see, and the. Read each word aloud and have the
student read it with you. Then have the student
echo read the word. Finally, hold up each word
in turn and have the student read it.
a t
Note to the Tutor: Remember to collect all the
Picture, Letter, and Word Cards and put them
back in the packet for use next time.

continued on page 4

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 Lesson 1
Multi-Session Phonics (continued) Short a; Consonants c, m, s, t

• Slowly say the word at, drawing out the two • Repeat this activity with am and then ask the
sounds: /a/ /t/. Have the student say each sound student to spell Sam.
in at after you, pushing each letter up to the
corresponding box in the top row. Then have Step 4 Review High-Frequency Words
the student blend the sounds /a/ /t/ to say the • Show the student the Word Cards I, is, on, see, and
word at. the. Read each word aloud and have the student
• Move the letters a and t back down to their read each word with you. Have the student echo
original positions. Place the letter m in the first read the word. Finally, hold up each word and
box in the bottom row. Ask: What sound does have the student read the words.
the letter m stand for? Let’s blend these sounds • Turn the cards face down. Have the student pick
together: mmmaaat. a card and read it.

Step 5 Read Words

• Show the student the Phonics Practice Sheet. Point
to the section titled Words and ask the student to
read each word in the first column. To correct a
misread word, tell the student to run his/her finger
m a t
under the letter in the word saying the sound at
the same time, blending the letter sounds in the
word aloud. Then have the student read the words
• Have the student push each letter up to the in the second column. To correct a misread of a
corresponding box in the first row, saying the high-frequency word, read the word and have the
sound each letter stands for. After the letters student read it after you.
are in place, model blending the three sounds Note to the Tutor: Remember to collect all the Picture,
together as you move your finger under each Letter, and Word Cards and put them back in the
letter to say mmmaaat, mat. packet for use next time.

4
• Move the letters m, a, t down to the bottom row.
Ask: Suppose you want to make cat. What letter
do you need to change in mat to make cat? (m)
Have the student substitute c for m, move the
letters up, and blend the letters to make cat. Part
The student can repeat this process to make sat.
• Put the letters a and m in the last two boxes of Materials: Letter Cards; Word Cards; Phonics
the bottom row. Have the student push up the Practice Sheet
letters, saying the sound each letter stands for,
and blending am. Ask: Is the /m/ sound at the Step 1 Rhyme Review Game
beginning or end of am? (end) Where is the /m/ • Begin the session with a rhyming game. Remind
sound in mat? (at the beginning) Help the student the student that many words rhyme, or have the
understand that sounds appear in different same ending sounds. Read several examples
positions in different words. aloud, emphasizing the words that rhyme.
A cat is wearing a hat.
Step 3 Make Short a Words A bear sits in a chair.
• Place the Letter Cards a and t on the table. Smell a rose with your nose.
Have the student put them together to make
at and blend the sounds to say at. • Then have the student suggest rhyming words to
complete a few sentences. Praise any word that
• Give the student the letters c, m, and s and forms a rhyming pair, even if it is a nonsense word.
have them push each letter in front of at to
spell cat, mat and sat.

continued on page 5

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 Lesson 1
Multi-Session Phonics (continued) Short a; Consonants c, m, s, t

A bee is on my ____ (knee). Step 4 Read Words and Sentences

The bug crawled under the ____ (rug). • Have the student look at the section of the
A goat can’t sail a ____ (boat). Phonics Practice Sheet titled Words. Randomly
point to the words in each list and ask the
Step 2 Make Words student to read each one. To correct a misread
• Remind the student that he/she blended sounds word in the first column, tell the student to run
to make some words last time you were together. his/her finger under the letter in the word and
Place the letter cards a, c, m, s, and t face up on blend the word aloud. To correct a misread of a
the table. Review the sounds each one makes: /a/, high-frequency word in the second column, read
/k/, /m/, /s/, /t/. the word and have the student read it after you.
• Say the word at and ask the student to make this • Ask the student to read the story at the bottom
word with the Letter Cards. of the page. Give help as needed, using the same
strategies you used as the student read the
• Ask: Can you think of
words above.
something that rhymes
with at? If necessary, prompt a t Note to the Tutor: Remember to collect all the
with cat, mat, sat, and so on. Picture, Letter, and Word Cards and put them back
Choose one of the words, such in the packet for use next time.
as mat and give the student the c a t

5
letter m. Have the student say
mat and then place the letter m
in front of at. With the student, m a t
blend the sounds: mmmaaat, Part
mat. Choose another word that s a t
rhymes with at and have the Materials: Letter Cards; Word Cards; Blank
student build that word. The Word Cards; Letter-sized envelope;
student should be able to build Notebook paper
cat, mat, and sat.
• Make the word am. Say: Sam rhymes with am. Step 1 Mixed Review
Guide the student as he/she blends and • Place Letter Cards a, c, m, s, and t face up on the
builds Sam. table. Have the student make the word at and
say the word aloud. Then ask the student what
Step 3 Finish the Phrase letter they need to put at the beginning of at to
• Show the student Phonics Practice Sheet and make cat. Have the student find the Letter Card c
point to the section titled Finish It! Explain that and place it in front of the word at. Tell him/her
there are some sentences that are started but not to blend the c with at to make the word cat. Have
finished and the student is to finish each one. the student write the word cat on a Blank Word
Card. Repeat this process with the words mat
• Point to the first unfinished sentence and read and sat.
it with the student: I am at the _____. Ask: How
would you finish this sentence? Let the student • Have the student read all the at words he/she
use his/her own words to orally finish the made and then wrote on Blank Word Cards.
sentence. Repeat with the remaining Ask the student to tell what the words have in
unfinished sentences. common. If the student doesn’t respond, point
out that all the words have the same ending.
Have the student circle the at letter combination
on each word card. Tell the student that these
words belong to the -at word family because they
have the same ending letters and the same
ending sound.

continued on page 6

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 Lesson 1
Multi-Session Phonics (continued) Short a; Consonants c, m, s, t

Step 2 Build Sentences

• Spread the Word Cards on the table. Include
the words the student wrote in Step 1. Have the
student choose some words and make a sentence.
Write the sentence on a piece of paper for the
student. The student should write the words from
the Word Cards he/she chose. If the student’s
sentence includes words that are not on the
Word Cards, write them for the student. As
you write, ask the student to help you with
any sounds he/she may know. When the sentence
is complete, have the student read it to you.
• Cut apart the sentence and mix up the words.
Have the student put the sentence back together
in the correct order.

ction
Home-Conne
pe so
ent an envelo
Give the stud tt er and
ke all the Le
he/she can ta se them
ome and u
Word Cards h s an d
aking word
to practice m m em b ers.
h family
sentences wit

6
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 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

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Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

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Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

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Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

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Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

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Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

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Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

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Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1 Multi-Session Phonics · Lesson 1

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 Lesson 1
Multi-Session Phonics Phonics Practice

Words Finish It!

cat the I am at the
_____.
at on
Sam I I see the _____.
mat is
sat see
am

The Mat
I am on the mat.
I see the cat.
The cat is on the mat.
I see Sam.
Sam is on the mat.

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 Lesson 1
Multi-Session Phonics Sound/Letter Mat

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