State and model the objective 
Tell the children that they will find bugs and give them hugs as they hear and say words that rhyme with bug, such as hug, rug, snug, and lug. 

Practice the skill within an activity 

Hug a bug

• Read Hug a Bug by Eileen Spinelli (optional).
• Scatter toy bugs or bug graphics (see below) in different areas around the room.
• Invite the children to listen for words in the activity that rhyme with bug , such as hug, lug, snug, and rug.
• Pretend the room is a forest and some bugs are lost in the forest who might be scared and need a hug, then have the children search around the room to find them.
• Have the children chant, "Bug, bug, bug. Where are you, bug?" as they search the room to find the bugs.
• Have the children say, "I found a bug! Hug bug!" as they find the lost bugs and then give the bugs a big hug.
• Continue until all the bugs are found and all the children have a chance to hug a bug.
• Have the children lug all the bugs to the rug graphic (see below) and get snug.
• Ask the children which words they heard in the activity that rhyme with bug (hug, lug, snug, rug), and encourage them to think of some more rhyming words, supporting as needed.

Apply the skill

Read a predictable, repetitive target text to the children to support print awareness (see text below). 

• Display the target text Meet My Bug large enough for the children to easily see. 
• Read the text to the children, pointing to each word in left to right sequence. 
• Read the text again and have the children point to each word in left to right sequence. 
• Allow the children to shadow read by repeating predictable phrases while you read the text again. 
• Ask the children which words in the text rhyme with bug. 

Practice rhyming 

• Produce words that rhyme with bug
  • Remind the children of the words they heard that rhyme with bug (lug, rug, slug, hug). 
  • Tell them you can think of other words that rhyme with bug (mug, tug, pug). 
  • Ask each child to think of a word that rhymes with bug. 
  • If a child doesn't respond in a few seconds, give him/her an option: 
    • "How about mug? Does mug rhyme with slug?" (Nod your head yes to let the child know that they rhyme) 
    • "Do hug and slug rhyme?" (Nod your head yes)
• Recognize rhyming words 
  • Have the children repeat a set of 2 words (e.g. bug, hug). 
  • Ask the children to put their thumbs up if the words rhyme and thumbs down if the words do not rhyme. 
  • Repeat with other sets of words: (e.g., snug, rug; plug, frog; tug, mug; chug, cat; dug, jug). 
  • If children do not respond correctly, repeat the 2 words, emphasizing the ending sounds of the words, nodding if they rhyme. 

Practice blending and segmenting sounds in words 

• March and say the sounds in words. 
  • Tell the children that they will practice saying words that rhyme with bug in fun ways.
  • Have the children march and say the beginning and ending sound of the word bug: 
    • Segment sounds: say /b/ (march right), say /ug/ (march left) 
    • Blend sounds: jump with both feet and say bug to blend the sounds into a word. 
    • Repeat with other words that rhyme with bug (e.g. slug, rug, hug, tug).