You will learn
- Name sounds they hear around them.
- Tell what made a sound.
- Tell whether a sound is loud or soft.
- Tell if two sounds are the same or different.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Sounds are all around us.
- Close your eyes and listen.
- Say what made the sound.
- Tell if it is loud or soft, same or different.
Words to know
something you hear
a big sound
a quiet sound
not different
1. Discover: Listening walk
Ama and Kofi go on a listening walk. They hear a bell, a bird and a car horn. “The bell is ringing!” says Ama. “The bird is singing,” says Kofi. They cannot see them, but they know what they are.
Think: Which sounds can you hear right now?
2. Understand: Sounds all around
Idea 1: Everything makes a sound
Birds sing. Rain drips. A drum goes boom. We use our ears to hear sounds. Listening to sounds is the first step to listening to words.
Idea 2: Loud and soft
A drum can be loud. A whisper is soft. We can tell the difference by listening.
Idea 3: Same and different
Two clapping sounds can be the same. A clap and a bell are different.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Name the sound
You hear “meow”.
- Listen.
- Think what makes this sound.
Answer: A cat
Example 2 (We do it together): Loud or soft?
A whisper and a drum.
- Listen to the whisper.
- Listen to the drum.
Answer: The whisper is soft. The drum is loud.
Example 3 (You try): Same or different?
Two claps, then a bell.
Show the steps and answer
- Compare the two claps.
- Compare a clap with a bell.
Answer: The two claps are the same. A clap and a bell are different.
Did you know?
Many animals can hear sounds that humans cannot hear.
Why this matters
Hearing small differences in sounds helps you hear the sounds in words, which helps you read and spell.
4. Explore: Guess the sound
Play “Guess the sound”.
- A leader hides behind a screen or a book.
- The leader makes a sound with a safe object, such as a clap, a pencil tap or a bell.
- Listeners close their eyes and guess.
- Swap roles.
Think about it: what did you notice?
You can know a sound without seeing it. Careful ears are important for reading.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- I hear a ___.
- It sounds ___.
- This sound is ___ than that sound.
- These two sounds are the ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. What makes the sound “woof”?
A dog
Question 2. Is a drum loud or soft?
Loud
Question 3. Are a clap and a clap the same or different?
The same
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- What do you use to hear?
- Which sound is loud: a drum or a whisper?
- Which animal says “moo”?
- Are two claps the same or different?
- Name a sound you hear at school.
Level 2: Grow
- Name three sounds you hear at home.
- Is a bird’s song loud or soft?
- A clap and a bell: same or different?
Level 3: Stretch
- Close your eyes and listen for one minute. List the sounds.
- Why do we listen to sounds before reading?
- Ayo says a whisper is louder than a drum. Is he right?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: English in everyday life
On the way to school, name three sounds you hear.
Show a sample answer
I hear a car horn, a bird and people talking.
Another one. Make a sound with a safe object. Ask a friend to guess it.
Show a sample answer
I tap a pencil on the desk. My friend says, “A pencil!”
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Close your eyes and listen first.
Fix: Compare two sounds and say which is quieter.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name sounds around me.
- I can tell what made a sound.
- I can tell loud from soft.
- I can tell same from different.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Sounds are all around us.
- We hear with our ears.
- Sounds can be loud or soft.
- Sounds can be the same or different.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Listening to words and sentences. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name two sounds you can hear at school. [2 marks]
- What do we use to hear? [1 mark]
- Which is louder: a drum or a whisper? [1 mark]
- Are a clap and a bell the same or different? Explain. [2 marks]
- Why is listening to sounds a good first step for reading? [3 marks]
Total: 9 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- any two sounds [1] [1]
- ears [1]
- a drum [1]
- different [1]; they sound different [1]
- we hear differences [1]; words are made of sounds [1]; helps us read and spell [1]
Score guide: 8 to 9 = secure. 6 to 7 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- We hear with our ___.
- A drum is ___ (loud/soft).
- A whisper is ___ (loud/soft).
- Which animal says “meow”?
- Two claps are the ___ (same/different).
- A clap and a bell are ___.
- Name a sound at home.
- True or false: we can know a sound without seeing it.
- Make a sound and ask a friend to guess it.
- Draw something that makes a sound.
Homework
Take a five-minute listening walk at home. List five sounds you hear.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. We hear with our ___. | ears | 1 |
| 2. A drum is ___ (loud/soft). | loud | 1 |
| 3. A whisper is ___ (loud/soft). | soft | 1 |
| 4. Which animal says “meow”? | a cat | 1 |
| 5. Two claps are the ___ (same/different). | same | 1 |
| 6. A clap and a bell are ___. | different | 1 |
| 7. Name a sound at home. | any home sound | 1 |
| 8. True or false: we can know a sound without seeing it. | true | 1 |
| 9. Make a sound and ask a friend to guess it. | a guessable sound | 1 |
| 10. Draw something that makes a sound. | a suitable drawing | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 ears; 2 a drum; 3 a cow; 4 the same; 5 for example: a bell. Level 2: 1 for example: a pot, a radio, a door; 2 soft; 3 different. Level 3: 1 a list of sounds heard; 2 it trains our ears for the sounds in words; 3 no, a drum is louder.
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name sounds they hear around them | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Tell what made a sound | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Tell whether a sound is loud or soft | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Tell if two sounds are the same or different | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: Guessing before listening. Close your eyes and listen first.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use real objects and let learners touch and make the sounds.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns to tune their ears to sounds around them, the first step toward hearing the sounds in words. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Go on a listening walk.
- Play “Guess the sound”.
- Ask: what do you hear?
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name sounds they hear around them; tell what made a sound; tell whether a sound is loud or soft; tell if two sounds are the same or different.
Prerequisite knowledge. None.
Materials. Chart paper or board, pencils, picture or word cards, a reading book if available. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Write the key words and examples on the board or on cards before the lesson.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Take a short listening walk or listen quietly in class.
Explanation (10 min). Teach loud, soft, same and different with real sounds.
Guided activity (10 min). Play Guess the sound.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners complete the practice and share their list of sounds.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What do you hear? What made it? Is it loud or soft? Same or different?
Teacher explanation notes. Move from the spoken word to pictures and then to print. Read aloud often, point to the words, and let learners hear and say before they read and write.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and fewer sounds. Extension. Make a rhythm of two different sounds and ask a friend to copy it.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. Guessing before listening. Close your eyes and listen first.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 9-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use real objects and let learners touch and make the sounds. Enrichment. Make a sound story with three different sounds. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, Cambridge Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Official standards for this topic area. Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (official site): Grade 1 » Reading: Foundational Skills. These pages list the standards that cover this topic area; read them alongside the lesson.
Research used to shape this lesson. Common Core RF.1.2 (phonological awareness) and SL.1.2; IES What Works Clearinghouse practice guide Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade (teach students to recognise the sounds of speech); Cambridge Primary English Stage 1 (listening). These sources informed the lesson.