State the Objective
Tell the children that they will find bugs and that they will read and write short-u words, such as bug, cup, mug, run, jug, yuck, and shut.

Literacy Activities
Introduce target words

• Show the children the short-u target words.
• Read the words with the children.

Catch a bug

• Let the children write a short-u target word (e.g., bug, cup, mug, run, jug, yuck, shut) on a picture of a bug (see below).
• Hide the bugs around the room and place a mug or cup at the front of the room.
• Have the children take turns finding a bug and reading the word written on the picture.
• Have the child place the bug picture inside the mug or cup.

Fill in missing words

• Have the children read the Bug in a Mug target text (see below).
• Let the children write short sentences using target words.
  • There was a bug in your ____ (mug).
  • The ____ (bug) got out of a jug.
  • I saw the bug ____ (run) up to the top of your cup.
  • ____ (Yuck)! A bug is in your ____ (cup).

Identify, blend, and manipulate sounds

• With word-building cards (see below), have the children make new words by changing a consonant or the vowel.
  • Change the beginning consonant(s): hug→ mug; shut→ but; run→ sun
  • Change the vowel: bug→ big; cup→ cap; pug→ pig
  • Change the ending consonant: cup→ cut; bug→ but; ran→ rat