Overview
The children will hug things that end in -ug and read and write words that end with -ug, such as bug, mug, jug, rug, and hug. 

Literacy Activities

• Read Hug a Bug by Eileen Spinelli (optional). 
• Show the children the graphics and help them read the words on the graphics.
• Place the -ug graphics around the room for the children to see. 
• Have the children take turns reading a word card and finding the graphic that matches it.
• When a child finds a matching graphic, have the children cheer “Ug, ug, ug! Now give the ___ a hug!” 
• Repeat the activity as many times as desired. 

More Practice
Identify, blend and manipulate sounds 

• Let the children make a target word (e.g. bug) from letter cards and then let them make different words by changing either of the consonants or the vowel. 
  • Change the beginning sound(s): bug → jug; mug → rug; jug → hug
  • Change the vowel sound: jug → jog; bug → bag; jug → jig 
  • Change the ending sound(s): rug → run; bug → bus; mug → mud 

Read target words in a text 

• Have the children underline the words that end in -ug in the target text Meet My Bug.
• Read the text to the children. 
• Engage the children in reading the text simultaneously with you. 
• Read the text again, fading support. 
• Variation: Have the children act out the text using their thumb as a pretend bug and a tissue as a pretend rug. 

Write about the activity using target words and phrases 

• Read words from a flip-book.
  • Write one letter or letter blend on each page of a stack of sticky notes (e.g., b, j, m, r) and staple the sticky notes on the left side of a 3x5 index card. 
  • Write the -ug word ending on the index card to the right of the sticky notes. 
  • Have the children say the beginning sound from the sticky note followed by the -ug sound from the index card, and then blend the two sounds to read the word. 
• Help the children write a simple sentence using the words from the flip-book (e.g., I found a bug on the rug).