Under the Umbrella

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Objective

Associate the letter U with the short /u/ sound as in under, umbrella, and until.

See Standards

Lesson Plan

Target Words:

under
umbrella
us
uncle

Materials:

Umbrella or umbrella graphic
String
Picture cards
Clothespins or paperclips
Word cards
Under the Umbrella target text

Overview
The children will put pictures of words that start with U under an umbrella and make a list of words spelled with U, such as umbrella, under, us, and uncle.

Literacy Activities
Put pictures under an umbrella

Attach a string to the underside of an open umbrella or to a picture of an umbrella, and put clothespins or paperclips along the string.
Place the picture cards around the room.
Tell the children to look at each picture and decide if each picture starts with the short /u/ sound like umbrella.
- When a child finds a word or picture beginning with U, have him or her say, “I found an ___.”
- If a child mistakenly identifies a picture that does not start with the short /uh/ sound, ask the child if the word starts with U like /u/, /u/, umbrella (support as needed).
Repeat the activity using word cards.
Have the children circle the letter U in each word as they read the written words (support as needed).

More Practice
Read target words in a text

Read the Under the Umbrella target text together as a class.
Read the text again, fading support.
Have the children underline the words that start with the /u/ sound.
Have the children circle the letter U at the beginning of the words they underlined.
Have the children practice writing the letter in the air while they continue to produce the short /u/ sound.

Practice writing the target letter

Have the children draw a picture of an umbrella or give them a picture of an umbrella, then have them write the letter U under the umbrella.
Have the children draw pictures of words that start with the /u/ sound under the umbrella, such as umbrella, upside down, us, uncle.

Under the Umbrella

If you are not under the umbrella, you might get wet.
If you get wet, you might get upset.
If you get upset, you might be unhappy.
If you are unhappy, you might want to go upstairs to tell your uncle.
If you tell your uncle, he might understand.
Your uncle might say, “Get under the umbrella!”

SEEL At Home

Objective

Associate the letter U with the short /u/ sound as in umbrella, under, and upstairs.

Materials

Umbrella
String
Picture cards
Clothespins or paperclips

Activity: Under the Umbrella

Attach a string to the underside of an open umbrella or to a picture of an umbrella, and put clothespins or paperclips along the string.
Take turns choosing a picture, and ask, "Can ___ go under the umbrella?" for each picture.
- If the picture begins with the letter U, have your child respond, "Yes, ___ can go under the umbrella" and attach the picture to the string under the umbrella.
- If the picture does not begin with the letter U, have your child respond, "No, ___ cannot go under the umbrella," and set the picture aside.
When all of the pictures that start with the /u/ sound are under the umbrella say, "What about us? Do we fit under the umbrella?"
Stand under the umbrella and say "Look at us under the umbrella!"
Help your child draw an umbrella, and then help your child write the letter U and draw pictures of words beginning with the letter U under the umbrella.
Repeat the activity as desired.