OECS Logo
Powered by AI
HomeCurriculumCommunitiesResourcesHelp
  1. Home
  2. 📚Curriculum
  3. 1️⃣Grade 1
  4. 🎯Activities
  5. 📝Language Arts
  6. Alphabet-adventure

OECS Curriculum

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Curriculum Framework is designed to provide a comprehensive, student-centered approach to education across member states.

Quick Links

  • Curriculum Overview
  • Teacher Resources
  • Lesson Planner
  • About OECS
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Contact

OECS Commission

Morne Fortune

P.O. Box 179

Castries, Saint Lucia

Email: pearl@oecs.int

Tel: +1 758-455-6327

Subscribe to Newsletter

Stay updated with the latest curriculum resources and teaching strategies.

© 2026 Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. All rights reserved.

    Alphabet Adventure

    An exciting multi-sensory phonics activity that helps students learn letter names, sounds, and formations through engaging games, songs, and hands-on exploration.

    Activity Overview

    Alphabet Adventure transforms letter learning into an exciting journey! Students explore letters through multiple senses - seeing, hearing, touching, and moving. This activity uses Caribbean cultural elements like local foods, animals, and places to make letter-sound connections meaningful and memorable. Each "adventure" focuses on a letter or letter group, building phonemic awareness and letter recognition in a fun, engaging way.

    ABC

    Learning Outcomes

    • Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters
    • Associate letters with their corresponding sounds
    • Form letters correctly using proper stroke sequence
    • Connect letters to familiar words from Caribbean context
    • Develop phonemic awareness through letter-sound activities
    • Build vocabulary using letter-themed words
    • Strengthen fine motor skills through letter formation practice

    Curriculum Connections

    ELO 1: Learners will listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences.

    • SCO 1.1: Discover and explore language through play
    • SCO 1.2: Use language to express ideas and feelings

    ELO 4: Learners will demonstrate an understanding of sounds and symbols.

    • SCO 4.1: Demonstrate phonological awareness
    • SCO 4.2: Recognize and use letter-sound relationships
    • SCO 4.3: Apply knowledge of letter patterns

    Implementation Steps

    1Letter Introduction (5 minutes)

    • Display the focus letter(s) prominently - uppercase and lowercase
    • Say the letter name clearly and have students repeat
    • Make the letter sound and have students echo
    • Share the "adventure word" - a Caribbean-connected word starting with the letter
    • Examples: A - Ackee, B - Beach, C - Coconut, M - Mango, P - Pelican

    2Letter Song or Chant (5 minutes)

    • Sing a letter song with actions (use familiar Caribbean tunes)
    • Create a class chant: "A says /a/, /a/, ackee! B says /b/, /b/, beach!"
    • Include body movements - trace letter in the air
    • Use rhythm instruments like shak-shak or tapping
    • Repeat until students join confidently

    3Multi-Sensory Exploration (10-15 minutes)

    • Tactile station: Form letters in sand, salt, or playdough
    • Visual station: Find letter in magazines, books, environmental print
    • Auditory station: Listen for words that begin with the sound
    • Movement station: Walk the letter shape on the floor
    • Rotate students through stations or choose 2-3 for focus

    4Letter Formation Practice (10 minutes)

    • Model correct letter formation on whiteboard or chart
    • Talk through the strokes: "Start at the top, pull down..."
    • Students trace in the air, on desks, on partner's back
    • Practice on individual whiteboards or paper
    • Provide immediate feedback on formation

    5Letter Hunt Game (10 minutes)

    • Hide letter cards around the classroom
    • Students search for the focus letter (and decoy letters)
    • When found, say the letter name and sound
    • Share a word that begins with the letter
    • Celebrate discoveries with the letter chant

    Activity Variations

    Alphabet Soup

    Fill a container with letter manipulatives. Students "fish" out letters and identify name and sound.

    Letter Collage

    Create a class collage for each letter using pictures cut from magazines of things that start with that sound.

    Human Letters

    Groups of students use their bodies to form letters on the floor. Take photos for a class alphabet book.

    Caribbean Alphabet Book

    Create a class book with each page featuring a letter and Caribbean word: A is for Ackee, B is for Breadfruit...

    Differentiation Strategies

    For Students Who Excel

    • Introduce letter combinations and blends
    • Write simple words with the focus letter
    • Create their own letter rhymes or songs
    • Become "Letter Leaders" to help classmates

    For Students Who Need Support

    • Focus on fewer letters at a time
    • Provide more tactile practice opportunities
    • Use hand-over-hand guidance for formation
    • Pair with letter formation tracing sheets
    • Offer additional one-on-one practice time

    Language Considerations

    • Connect to Home Language sounds when appropriate
    • Use culturally familiar words for examples
    • Allow students to share words from home
    • Be aware of sound differences between languages

    Assessment Checklist

    Letter Recognition

    • Excellent: Names all taught letters instantly
    • Good: Names most letters with minimal hesitation
    • Developing: Names some letters, needs prompts
    • Beginning: Recognizes few letters, needs support

    Letter-Sound Knowledge

    • Excellent: Produces correct sounds for all letters
    • Good: Correct sounds for most letters
    • Developing: Some correct sounds, confusion on similar
    • Beginning: Needs support connecting letters to sounds

    Letter Formation

    • Excellent: Forms letters correctly and legibly
    • Good: Most letters formed correctly
    • Developing: Some reversals or incorrect strokes
    • Beginning: Needs modeling and support

    Materials and Preparation Tips

    Essential Materials

    • Alphabet chart (uppercase and lowercase)
    • Letter cards and manipulatives
    • Sand or salt trays for tactile practice
    • Individual whiteboards and markers
    • Caribbean alphabet picture cards
    • Rhythm instruments (shak-shak, drums)

    Caribbean Adventure Words

    • A - Ackee, Avocado, Agouti
    • B - Beach, Breadfruit, Banana
    • C - Coconut, Calypso, Carnival
    • M - Mango, Market, Mountain
    • P - Pelican, Papaya, Piton
    • S - Sea, Starfish, Soufriere