There are many approaches to take when teaching lifelong, valuable spelling lessons. Learning how to spell a word at an early age can be a precursor to success. To set your little learners up for success, consider breaking the alphabet apart and introducing new words, letter by letter. Below, you'll find some of the best words that start with A for kids as well as a few activities to show students learning can be fun.
Words That Start With A For Kids
Preschool/Kindergarten: A-Word List
The excitement and joy over A words for kids begins in preschool. This is where the seeds are planted for a lifelong love of learning. Here are a few words to kickstart the journey:
ago - before now or in the past
an - one; any one; one sort of something
am - a verb used with the word "I" as the first person singular version of the verb "be"
and - also; in addition to
are - plural, present tense of the verb "to be"
as - the same amount; used to show comparison
ask - to request the answer to a question
at - to show the position of something
Below, you'll find the first of many letter A activities. Print out this Trace the Letter worksheet!
1st Grade: A-Word List
By the time little learners reach the first grade, it's time to up the ante on their A words list. Here are a few words to continue the journey:
across - on the other side or from the other side
adult - someone fully mature, generally over the age of 18
age - the number of years someone has been alive
album - a bound book with blank pages for mountain pictures, etc.
alike - having similarities
along - to adhere or stand by; to be next to
angry - feeling or showing strong discontent or resentment
anybody - any person
April - the fourth month of the year
aunt - the sister of a parent
To help students learn each of these words, consider creating a worksheet where they can match the word to the picture. This list of Elementary School Most Commonly Misspelled Words is a perfect resource for that exercise.
2nd Grade: A-Word List
The second grade is a nice time to introduce new sounds and blends, such as "ph." Kick things off with these A words:
aboard - being on or inside a vehicle, ship, or airplane
afloat - something that stays on the surface of the water
actor - a person who performs in a film, television show, or on stage
agree - to have the same opinions or views
alphabet - a system of letters from a language
although - regardless of the fact
amount - how much you have
apply - something that is relevant or applicable to something else
arrow - a slender, straight weapon shot from a bow; a symbol for indicating direction
artist - a person who creates paintings, sculpture, pieces of writing, music, dance or a variety of other types of creative products
This is also a nice time to help students improve their spelling. Common spelling errors include omission and sound-based mistakes. Read on to learn how to nip those in the bud at an early age!
3rd Grade: A-Word List
One of the best words in this list is "ancient." You'll enjoy teaching that "ch" sound in the center of the word. Along with that new challenge, add these words to the rotation for third-graders:
ability - a special talent or skill
absorb - to soak up
accuse - to say another person is at fault for something
active - a person, thing, or idea which is moving
adopt - to willingly take someone into a relationship, especially a child
advice - a recommendation provided to serve as a guide to handle a situation
ancient - an era that existed a very long time ago
Arctic - anything associated with the North Pole region
attract - to draw in
avoid - to keep something from coming near you
Below, you'll find a colorful spinner to print out. You'll announce a word and then, based on where the spinner lands, students can either define it, spell it, offer a synonym, provide an antonym, act it out, use it in a sentence, or draw a picture.
4th Grade: A-Word List
Double letters are one of the challenges students may face at this level. Even as adults, we sometimes wonder if "accurate" has two Cs or Rs. This is a nice opportunity to set fourth grade students up for success:
accurate - free from any errors
address - a written or verbal statement
agony - extreme upset or sadness
ancestor - a person from whom someone is descended from
aroma - a smell or scent
arrest - to take a person into custody for legal purposes
assist - to give help
assume - to formulate or verbalize an idea with no evidence
attempt - an effort made to accomplish something
awkward - a situation which is uncomfortable
A fun way to encourage students to remember important vocabulary words is to ask them to draw one of the words. Give them some "free draw" time to select one of their vocabulary words on a sheet of paper.
All that's required is paper, a pencil, and some crayons or markers. Then, you can staple their artwork to a piece of construction paper. For this list, "ancestor" might be a nice option. They can draw their grandparents or someone else in their family.
5th Grade: A-Word List
Hopefully, the love of reading has been well-established in your students by now. There's no better way to learn how to spell. In the meantime, enjoy teaching new spelling concepts with these A words for fifth graders and above:
abandon - to leave something behind
access - to approach or enter something
accommodate - to provide a place to stay
accomplish - to finish or complete something
achievement - something accomplished through great effort
adhere - to stick to something
agony - exhibiting extreme upset or sadness
altitude - the height of things above the earth's surface
anxious - someone who feels uneasy or nervous
apprehensive - a person who is upset or worried about a future event
arrogant - someone who is full of self-importance
avalanche - a massive quantity of snow that comes down suddenly
A great classroom activity here is one that will keep the students active and engaged. Write all of your vocabulary words on individual flashcards. Then, ask students to act out each of the words pulled. For this activity, they could easily act out aroma or avalanche. Feel free to give them access to any props that may be required and, perhaps, you'll even create a word bank on the board so students have words to choose from.
A-Words for Ages
A words abound. And, with the right coaching, we can set our students up for success in no time at all. Developing a love of learning as early as preschool is a tremendous key for success. To continue making your spelling lessons fun, check out these Free Spelling Printables. There, you'll also enjoy several tips for teaching spelling!
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