State the Objective

Tell the children that they will play a sun game and that they will read and write words that end with un, such as sun, run, fun, and bun.

Literacy Activities

Introduce target words

• Show the children the target words.
• Read the words with the children.

Play a sun game

• Read the Run to the Sun target text (see below) with the children.
• Divide children into small groups and give each group a game board (see below) and some sun picture cards (see below).
• Give each of the children a -un game piece (see below) and have them put their initials on it.
• Put the sun cards face down in a pile and have the children take turns drawing a sun card and following the directions (e.g., go 1 space, go 2 spaces).
• When a child lands on a space next to a letter, have the child read the word created by the letter and their -un piece (i.e., if a child lands next to an F, have the child say the word fun).
• When the children reach the sun at the end of the game, have them say, “A run to the sun is fun!”

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: run→ sun; sun→ bun; fun→ run
• Change the vowel: fun→ fin; run→ ran; bun→ bin
• Change the ending consonant: bun→ bud; sun→ sum; run→ rub

Write target words

• Draw a giant sun.
• Have the children pass the picture of the sun (see below) around.
• When a child gets the sun, have the child say a word that ends in un (e.g., sun, run, fun, bun).
• Let the children write their -un word inside the giant sun.