Exploring Short U Word Families with a Panda Cub!

English Language Arts Grades Kindergarten 7:24 Video
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Lesson Description

Join a playful panda cub as we learn to read words from the 'ub,' 'ug,' 'um,' 'un,' and 'ut' word families! We'll sound out words, blend them together, and have fun with reading.

Video Resource

Short U Word Families - Learning to Read for Kids!

Miacademy Learning Channel

Duration: 7:24
Watch on YouTube

Key Concepts

  • Short 'u' sound
  • Word families (ub, ug, um, un, ut)
  • Blending sounds to read words

Learning Objectives

  • Students will be able to identify the short 'u' sound.
  • Students will be able to recognize and read words belonging to the 'ub,' 'ug,' 'um,' 'un,' and 'ut' word families.
  • Students will be able to blend individual sounds to form CVC words with the short 'u' sound.

Educator Instructions

  • Introduction (5 mins)
    Begin by introducing the panda cub and explaining that today we're going to read words with the short 'u' sound, just like in the video. Review the vowels and consonants as mentioned in the video. Recap blending sounds to make words.
  • Exploring the 'ub' Family (5 mins)
    Watch the section of the video focusing on 'ub' words. As a class, say the word 'ub' out loud, emphasizing the short 'u' sound. Write the letters 'ub' on the board. Then, as a class, write the words tub, sub, and cub, sounding them out.
  • Exploring the 'ug' Family (5 mins)
    Watch the section of the video focusing on 'ug' words. As a class, say the word 'ug' out loud, emphasizing the short 'u' sound. Write the letters 'ug' on the board. Then, as a class, write the words bug, hug, and rug, sounding them out.
  • Exploring the 'um' Family (5 mins)
    Watch the section of the video focusing on 'um' words. As a class, say the word 'um' out loud, emphasizing the short 'u' sound. Write the letters 'um' on the board. Then, as a class, write the words gum, hum, and mum, sounding them out.
  • Exploring the 'un' Family (5 mins)
    Watch the section of the video focusing on 'un' words. As a class, say the word 'un' out loud, emphasizing the short 'u' sound. Write the letters 'un' on the board. Then, as a class, write the words run, sun, and fun, sounding them out.
  • Exploring the 'ut' Family (5 mins)
    Watch the section of the video focusing on 'ut' words. As a class, say the word 'ut' out loud, emphasizing the short 'u' sound. Write the letters 'ut' on the board. Then, as a class, write the words hut, nut, and cut, sounding them out.
  • Word Family Sort (10 mins)
    Provide students with index cards. Say a short U word aloud, or show it on the board. Ask students to write that word on the card and then, as a class, decide which word family it belongs to. Place the card in the correct column on the board (ub, ug, um, un, ut).
  • Conclusion (5 mins)
    Review all the word families learned. Recap the panda cub's activities and the words associated with them. Encourage students to find more short 'u' words in books at home.

Interactive Exercises

  • Sound it Out
    Show a picture of a CVC word with the short 'u' sound (e.g., a picture of a 'bug'). Ask students to say each sound individually (b-u-g) and then blend them together to say the word.
  • Word Family Matching
    Create cards with pictures and corresponding words from the 'ub,' 'ug,' 'um,' 'un,' and 'ut' families. Have students match the pictures to the correct words.

Discussion Questions

  • What sound does the letter 'u' make in these words?
  • Can you think of other words that rhyme with 'sun'?
  • What is your favorite thing to do for fun?

Skills Developed

  • Phonological awareness
  • Decoding skills
  • Vocabulary building
  • Active Listening

Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which word belongs to the 'un' family?

Correct Answer: Run

Question 2:

Which word belongs to the 'ug' family?

Correct Answer: Hug

Question 3:

Which word belongs to the 'ub' family?

Correct Answer: Tub

Question 4:

Which word belongs to the 'um' family?

Correct Answer: Gum

Question 5:

Which word belongs to the 'ut' family?

Correct Answer: Nut

Question 6:

What sound does the letter 'u' make in the word 'sun'?

Correct Answer: Short U

Question 7:

The panda cub likes to have ______.

Correct Answer: Fun

Question 8:

What is something you can eat?

Correct Answer: Nut

Question 9:

Which of these is a place to live?

Correct Answer: Hut

Question 10:

Which of these can you wash?

Correct Answer: Tub

Fill in the Blank Questions

Question 1:

The panda is a ____.

Correct Answer: cub

Question 2:

The opposite of sadness is having ____.

Correct Answer: fun

Question 3:

The opposite of winter is the ____.

Correct Answer: sun

Question 4:

You can give someone a ____.

Correct Answer: hug

Question 5:

An insect is a ____.

Correct Answer: bug

Question 6:

You wash in a ____.

Correct Answer: tub

Question 7:

You sleep on a ____.

Correct Answer: rug

Question 8:

Monkeys eat a ____.

Correct Answer: nut

Question 9:

When you hurt yourself, you get a ____.

Correct Answer: cut

Question 10:

You chew ____.

Correct Answer: gum

Educational Standards

K.2.PWS.3:Students will produce the sounds for short and long vowels and the most common sound for consonants (e.g., a = /ă/ & /ā/, f = /f/, s = /s/, x = /ks/). K.2.PWS.4:Students will blend letter sounds to decode simple Vowel/Consonant (VC) and Consonant/Vowel/Consonant (CVC) words (e.g., VC words = at, in, up; CVC words = pat, hen, lot). K.2.PA.6:Students will blend phonemes to form one-syllable spoken words with 2-4 phonemes (e.g., /f/ /l/ /a/ /t/= flat). K.2.F.3:Students will begin to develop a sight word vocabulary by decoding and reading regularly- and irregularly-spelled words in isolation and context with increasing automaticity.

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