Welcome to Teacher Book Bag’s Exploring Letters in My World series, a set of

publications offering a meaningful, hands-on approach to really learning letters.

Preschoolers are naturally curious about the world around them. They love to know how
things work, why everything is the way it is, and what the world means to them. As they
are playing and exploring throughout the day, your children are also learning a lot about
letters and how they are used in speech. They will soon learn how that all relates to
reading as well. Good reading skills are built on a strong foundation of letter/sound
recognition and application. As children are being taught their letters and sounds, they
learn and retain more when instruction is applied to meaningful situations. Hence, the
goal of this series is to reinforce beginning letter sounds through exciting, hands-on
activities that encompass all areas of your curious preschooler’s world.

Within this series, you will find a unique variety of learning opportunities for each letter
of the alphabet. Each book contains a suggested reading list as well as stimulating
activities in seven different categories: Letters and Sounds, Handwriting, Math, Science,
Social Studies, Crafts, and Simply Fun (this section includes ideas for dramatic play,
cooking, and games). All of the activities are designed to use items you would normally
have around your home or pages printed from your home computer.

As you begin to dive into the categories, you will see that there are usually 2-5
activities for each area. Do not feel that you have to do every activity. The activities
are designed to meet different learning styles and introduce different skills. Some
activities may not appeal to your child. Pick what best meets the needs and interests of
your child as well as your time schedule. The activities can be completed in any order,
and many could be used in learning centers or workboxes as well as adapted to include
older and younger siblings.

The highlights of this series are the mini lapbooks and mini pockets designed to showcase
each letter of the alphabet. Each book in this series comes with all the directions and
templates you will need for creating this adorable learning tool and keepsake.
Although Exploring Letters in My World was designed with preschoolers in mind, it can
easily be used with any emerging or young reader. As your preschooler continues in
their education, these activities can offer fun ways to reinforce basic concepts.

We highly recommend using the website www.starfall.com in conjunction with this book
series. This is a free website devoted to helping children learn how to read. The “ABCs”
section of the website would make a great addition to your preschool curriculum.
(Please note, Starfall.com is an independent site and is not associated with Teacher
Book Bag.)

You’ve come to a very exciting destination on the road of educating your child - setting
the groundwork for reading! The path is winding with big stops along the way! Take
time to enjoy the excitement that your child will feel as they master each letter sound in
preparation for even bigger accomplishments. You’ve begun the reading journey- hold
on tight because you’ll reach your destination before you know it!

Wishing you many blessings,

Liz Coombs
JoEllen Hurst
 Table of Contents
Suggested Reading List ............................................................................................................... 5
Letter ‘A’ Mini Lapbook
Instructions and Templates (Introduction).............................................................................6
o Directions for Creating a Mini Lapbook .................................................................... 7
o Directions for Creating a Mini Pocket........................................................................ 8
o Suggested Lapbook Layout (with photos).............................................................. 10
Creating Your Lapbook (Directions)................................................................................... 11
o Lapbook Cover .............................................................................................................. 13
o Letter ‘A’ Poem.............................................................................................................. 14
o Letter ‘A’ Word Cards ............................................................................................... 15
o Color Flip Book: Red..................................................................................................... 18
o Letter ‘A’ Bible Verse................................................................................................... 19
o Letter ‘A’ Sign Language ............................................................................................ 20

Letter ‘A’ Additional Activities

Letters and Sounds (Directions) ..........................................................................................22
o My Letter ‘A’ Book .....................................................................................................24
o ‘A’ Pictures Worksheet................................................................................................ 27
Handwriting (Directions) ........................................................................................................ 28
o Letter ‘A’ Formation ..................................................................................................... 29
Math (Directions) ................................................................................................................... 30
o Apple Order ................................................................................................................... 32
o Ten Apples Up On Top! .............................................................................................. 33
Science (Directions)................................................................................................................ 34
o Animal Sort ...................................................................................................................... 35
o Parts of an Apple Tree................................................................................................ 38
Social Studies (Directions)..................................................................................................... 39
o I Know My Address........................................................................................................ 40
Crafts (Directions) ................................................................................................................. 41
o Astronaut Kid .................................................................................................................. 42
Simply Fun (Directions) .......................................................................................................... 43
 Suggested Reading List

** Please Note: This is a simple listing of books that relate to the letter ‘A’. Be sure to
check out each book to see if it is a good match for your child. Also, keep in mind that
your library will have additional books related to ‘A’ topics that may be of interest to
your child.

The Adventures of Abby Alligator (Alpha Tales) by Maria Fleming

Ten Apples Up on Top by Theo Lesig

If You Were an Astronaut by Dinah L. Moche

Apple Farmer Annie by Monica Wellington

Alligator Boy by Cynthia Rylant

Snip Snap: What’s That? by Mara Bergman

Looking for an organized way to store each of your mini lapbooks? See the
tip on page 9 for a creative solution!
 Please Note:
The mini pocket is optional and is
not necessary for the creation
of the mini lapbook. It is simply
a way to store additional
materials as your child learns
about the letter A.

Looking for an organized way to store each of your mini lap pockets? See
the tip on page 9 for a creative solution!
Attach your lapbook to a notebook using DUCT TAPE!
A special thank you to Shannon Ratcliffe of Canada for her
idea of using duct tape to insert a lapbook into a notebook.
As you look at the pictures of the lapbook, you will notice a
hole-punched strip of duct tape on the left side of the
lapbook. The tape allows the lapbook to be easily inserted
into a notebook for quick reference and easy storage. To
learn how to add duct tape to your pockets and lapbooks,
please visit this page on Shannon’s blog:
http://littlehomeschoolonthehill.com/2008/03/19/new-use-
for-duct-tape/. She offers step by step directions with
pictures. 
 Suggested Layout for Mini Lapbook

Lapbook Cover Inside Top of Lapbook Inside Top and Bottom of

Lapbook

Lapbook Attached to Pocket Sign Language Activity-

Inside a 7 x 9 inch Binder Glued to Back of Pocket
 Creating Your Lapbook
Listed below are the directions and templates you will need to create your Letter ‘A’
Mini Lapbook.

1. Lapbook Cover
The cover of your mini lapbook is actually a fun craft for you and your child to do
together. As your child turns their letter ‘A’ into an angel, they will have practice
with coloring, cutting, and gluing.
To begin, print the ‘A’ is for Angel template. Cut out each of the pieces for your
child. Using the picture as an example, have your child assemble and glue their angel
onto the cover of their mini lapbook. Please note that the heart should be cut in
half on the center line to form the wings. Encourage your child to add color to their
angel. For added fun, let your child cut and glue on yarn for hair and place wiggly
eyes onto the face.
2. Letter ‘A’ Poem
Print the poem “Alan the Astronaut” and glue it into your lapbook. This poem is
meant to be shared aloud with your child to help them see and recognize the ‘A’
letter sounds. Encourage your child to find and circle/highlight all of the capital and
lowercase ‘A’s in the poem. Talk about the different sounds that ‘A’ can make.
3. Letter ‘A’ Word Cards
A very simple way to help children learn to recognize the letter ‘A’ and the sounds it
makes is to associate it to familiar words. Print the Letter ‘A’ Word Cards onto
cardstock. Cut out each of the cards and share them with your child. Talk to your
child about the different sounds the beginning ‘A’ makes in the words.

Print the Letter ‘A’ Words pocket onto cardstock. To make the pocket, cut on the
dotted lines and fold on the gray lines. The horizontal gray lines are all folded in
toward the pocket. The vertical gray lines are folded in an accordion style (first line
toward the pocket, second line away, third line toward). Glue the pocket to your
lapbook. You can now store your Letter ‘A’ Word Cards in your pocket.
4. Color Flip Book: Red
This simple flip book will help you practice the color red with your child. Print the Red
Flip Book template page. On this page, you will find the flip book template as well
as some objects in your child’s world that are usually red. Have your child color the
objects and then paste them into their flip book. As an alternative, you could have
your child identify red objects from a magazine and paste those into their flip book.
5. Letter ‘A’ Bible Verse
Help your child learn and practice a Bible verse with each new letter learned! Print
the Letter ‘A’ Bible Verse template. When cutting out the letter ‘A’, be sure not to
cut on the center area that joins the ‘A’ to the box. Once cut, fold the ‘A’ and the
box so that the ‘A’ is on top of the box. Cut and glue the Bible verse (or write
another of your choice on the blank box) and glue it to the flap under the ‘A’.
6. Letter ‘A’ Sign Language
Use this simple printable sheet to help your child learn the appropriate sign for the
letter ‘A’. Print the Letter ‘A’ Sign Language template and cut it out along the solid
lines. If you are creating just the lapbook, glue the sign language template to the
back of your lapbook. If you are adding the pocket to the back of your lapbook,
you will glue the sign language template to the back of your pocket.
A is for Angel
Lapbook Cover
 Alan the Astronaut

After a long ride in the rocket,

Alan arrived on the moon.
He met an ape and an alligator
Who asked, “Are you going home
soon?”
Letter ‘A’ Word Cards
Letter ‘A’ Word Cards
Letter ‘A’ Word Cards Pocket
Red Flip Book
Letter ‘A’ Bible Verse

Cut this out as one

piece. Do not cut the
center area that joins the
‘A’ to the box.
Letter ‘A’ Sign Language
1. Sharing Books
Choose a couple books from the Suggested Reading List to share
with your child as you learn about the letter ‘A’.
2. Word Cards
Display and discuss the words on the ‘Aa’ Word Cards (from the
lapbook).
3. ‘A’ Hunt
Go on an ‘A’ hunt! Hide the ‘Aa’ Word Cards around your home.
Depending on the interests of your child, you can make the hiding
places as simple or as tricky as you want. Have your child find all
the ‘A’ words that they can. When they find the cards, have them
bring them back to you and share the ‘A’ words together! For
added fun, play again and set a timer to see how many words they
can find in a specified time period.
4. My Letter ‘A’ Book
Print and assemble the My Letter ‘A’ Book by cutting apart the
pages and stapling them together. (You can choose whether to mix
the short ‘A’ and long ‘A’ sound pages or separate them.) This
book contains all of the words from the Word Cards in a
predictable reader format. Your child will enjoy feeling like a “big
kid” as they “read” the pages of this book. (Please note, while your
child may not actually be reading the words, they are learning basic
pre-reading skills such as text/picture correspondence, left to right
tracking, and recognizing that letters form words and words form
sentences.) We encourage you to read this book with your child
multiple times during your study of the Letter ‘A’.
5. ‘A’ Pictures Worksheet
Print the ‘A’ Pictures worksheet. Assist your child in identifying each
picture. Emphasize the beginning sound of each picture. Have
your child circle all the words that begin with ‘A’.
6. “If I Were an Astronaut”
Encourage your child to finish this statement: “If I were an
astronaut, I would . . .” Depending on the age of the child, you may
have to prompt (start their thinking) with an example or two of your
own.
1. Letter A Formation
Print and cut out the large letter ‘A’. Cut out strips of aluminum
foil and let your child build the letter A by laying the strips on the
letter ‘A’. Use this to practice the correct strokes for writing the
letter ‘A’.
2. Apple Jacks® A
Using the large letter ‘A’ from the above activity, let your child
decorate the letter by gluing on Apple Jacks® cereal.
3. Jumbo Floor Letter
Create a large letter ‘A’ with masking tape on the floor. Give your
child an apple and let them roll the apple on the ‘A’ in the same
way as if they were writing the ‘A’.
1. Apple Order
Print and cut the Apple Order page. Label the apples 1-10 (or
continue to 12). Have your child put the numbers in order from
1 to 10 and then from 10 to 1. For an added challenge, present
only the numbers 1, 3, 4, and 8. Challenge your child to find the
missing numbers and place them in the right order.

2. Hide and Seek Apple

This is a great game to reinforce your child’s listening skills as well
as number awareness. Have your child cover their eyes as you
hide an apple in a place where your child can’t easily find it. Give
your child specific verbal directions to find the apple. For instance
you may say:
“Walk 3 steps forward.”
“Turn left toward the couch.”
“Walk 4 steps forward.”
“Look under the cushion.”
Begin by giving your child one direction at a time, allowing them
time to complete the action before moving on to the next. As
your child gets better at following the verbal clues, begin giving
them multiple directions at one time like “Walk 3 steps forward
and turn toward the couch.”
3. Ten Apples Up on Top!
After reading this book with your child, have them practice putting
the numbers 1-10 in the correct order. Print and cut out the 10
numbered apples. Using a large sheet of paper (or two regular
sheets taped together) turned lengthwise, have your child draw a
picture of their head at the bottom. Then give your child the 10
apples and a glue stick. Have them glue the apples on top of
their head in the correct order from 1-10.
Apple Order
1. Animal Sort
Let your child practice their classification skills with this fun game.
Print and cut out the animal picture cards. You will also need to
print the three background scenes – ocean, safari, and farm. Have
your child place each of the animals on their appropriate
background.
2. All About Ants
Many young children are fascinated by ants! Look for ants in
sidewalk cracks, under rocks, and in dirt. If available, let your child
use a magnifying glass to closely examine the ants. Visit
http://www.pestworldforkids.org/ants.html and
http://www.infowest.com/life/antbody.htm to learn more about
different kinds of ants and the anatomy of an ant.
3. Parts of an Apple Tree
Review the beginning sound of apple with your child. Then discuss
how apples grow on apple trees. If possible, observe a real apple
tree outside. Talk about the different parts of an apple tree and
what those parts do:
Apple Tree Parts and Their Jobs
The roots hold the tree in the ground and absorb water and nutrients from the
ground. The trunk supports the tree and carries water and nutrients to the rest
of the tree. The branches hold the leaves and apples, and carry water and
nutrients to the leaves and apples. The leaves absorb sunlight which gives the
tree energy to grow. The apple is the part of the tree we eat. It also contains
seeds for new apple trees.

Print the Parts of an Apple Tree page. Assist your child in cutting
out the labels and gluing them in the correct boxes.
Animal Sort Cards
Animal Sort Backgrounds
Animal Sort Backgrounds
1. Alabama and Arkansas
Show your child a map of the United States. Talk to them about
how the United States is made up of 50 different states. Help
your child find Alabama and Arkansas on the map. Talk about the
states’ locations. Use the following website to share interesting
facts about the states with your child. http://www.50states.com
2. I Know My Address!
Explain to your child the importance of knowing their address.
Share how every address is unique and tells exactly where someone
lives. Just like with their phone number, be sure to talk about with
whom we do and do not share our address. Share with your child
their street address as well as the city and state where they live.
You could even point the location out on a map. This is something
that will take repeated exposure and practice to memorize. For an
added extension, print the house template and write your address
below the house. Have your child decorate the house to look like
their home or a home they would like to live in. Hang it up for a
reminder and way to practice their address!
3. If You Were an Astronaut
Share the book If You Were an Astronaut with your child and then
let them spend the next hour pretending to be an astronaut. Have
them dress the part by wearing a white t-shirt, boots, and a helmet
(you could also make your own helmet from aluminum foil). Hang
pictures of the moon and other planets for your little astronaut to
travel to. Help your child create their own rocket ship using chairs
and a little imagination! Be sure to practice “walking” on the moon!
(See the “Crafts” section for an idea for making moon boots.)
1. Astronaut Kid
Materials:
Astronaut template
Small picture of your child’s face
Glue
Print and cut out the astronaut template. For added durability,
print this template onto cardstock. Cut out a picture of your child’s
face and glue it onto the astronaut’s helmet. Let your child
decorate their astronaut suit. Hang this on your learning wall to
remember that ‘A’ is for astronaut.
2. Apple Tree Painting
On a sheet of white paper, have your child paint a brown tree
trunk. Next have them paint their hand green and make a
handprint at the top of the trunk to symbolize the branches and
leaves of a tree. Using red paint, have your child paint apples onto
their apple tree. Encourage them to add more details to their
painting like clouds, grass, birds, etc.
3. Moon Boots for your Astronaut
For this activity, you will need two sponges which are larger than
your child’s feet. Cut openings in the sponges for your child to fit
their feet snugly inside. Your child now has moon boots for his
space adventures!
1. Amazing Acrobat
Let your child be an amazing acrobat! Help them with fun stunts
like somersaults, cartwheels, head stands, bridges, and other
acrobatic feats. Be sure to tie this into the acrobats they would
meet at a circus. You could even encourage them to put on their
very own acrobatic show for the family!
2. Make Astronaut Food
Here’s a quick and easy treat to make that will help your child
understand what it would be like to eat if they were an astronaut.
Mix cup of instant pudding and  cup of milk in a small plastic
baggie. Have your child knead the bag until all the powder is gone
and a smooth texture has formed. Snip the corner of the bag and
let your child suck out the yummy treat.
3. Ants on a Log
Create this yummy and healthy snack with your child. Have them
spread peanut butter on a celery stick and place raisins on top to
represent ants. Enjoy your treat!
4. ‘A’ Food Tasting Party
There are many foods that begin with the letter ‘A’: apples,
applesauce, apple butter, acorn squash, American cheese,
avocados, apricots, and more. Purchase some of these foods for
your child to sample.