State the Objective

Tell the children that they will look for nuts and that they will read and write words that end with ut, such as nut, hut, cut, but, and shut.

Literacy Activities

Introduce the target words

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

Put nuts in a hut

• Read The Nut Hut target text (see below) with the children.
• Read the Nuts to You! book, by Lois Ehlert, with the children (optional).
• Hide the -ut word cards (see below) and let the children look for them while singing the Find a Nut song (see below), which can be sung to the tune of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
• Let the children take turns reading the word cards.
  • If the word ends with ut, have the child put their word card in the paper hut (see below) while everyone says, “Put the ___ (e.g., cut, but, nut, shut) nut in the hut!”
  • If the word does not end with ut, have the child shut the hut while everyone chants, “Shut the hut!”

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: nut→ hut; nut→ but; hut→ cut
  • Change the vowel: but→ bat; hut→ hit; nut→ net
  • Change the ending consonant: but→ bun; cut→ cup; nut→ nun

Write sentences using target words and phrases

• Let the children write short sentences using target words.
  • We put a ____ (nut) in the ____ (hut).
  • We ____ (shut) the ____ (hut).
  • The squirrel likes to ____ (strut) into the ____ (hut).
  • The squirrel ate a ____ (nut) inside his ____ (hut).