Are you looking for letter Uu activities to use with your preschooler or kindergartner? Maybe you’re a classroom teacher browsing for more ideas.
Research tells us that a direct, explicit approach to teaching the alphabet is more effective than indirect teaching. Enjoy the crafts, art ideas, and book list, but know that using a scripted routine like the one below is the most efficient way to teach letters and sounds. Make it your own!
How to introduce letter Uu
- Say words that begin with Uu: Say each word after me. (Emphasize the /ŭ/ at the beginning of each word as you say it.) Up. Us. Under. What sound do you hear at the beginning of each word? The sound is /ŭ/.
- Talk about what your mouth is doing as you say the sound: Look at what my mouth is doing as I say /ŭ/. Now you try. Put your hand between your teeth. Is your mouth open a lot or a little? Is it a quiet or noisy sound? (noisy)
- Introduce the letter on a flash card: (Hold up the letter U card in uppercase or lowercase.) This is the letter U. When we see this card, we say “U spells /ŭ/.” Your turn. (Students: “U spells /ŭ/.”)
How to practice writing uppercase letter U
- Sky-write the letter: To make the letter U, we start at the top. We pull down, around, and up. Watch me put my hand in the air and write a U in the sky. I start at the top, pull down, around, and up. Now you try. Put your finger up in the air. Start at the top, pull down, around, and up.
- Have students finger-write the letter: Make U by moving your finger on the table. Start at the top. Pull down, around, and up. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “U spells /ŭ/.”Remember to underline the U when you say /ŭ/. (Practice multiple times.)
How to practice writing lowercase letter u
- Sky-write the letter: To make the letter u, we start in the middle, pull down, around, up, and down. Watch me put my hand in the air and write a u in the sky. I start in the middle, pull down, around, up, and down. Now you try. Put your finger up in the air. Start in the middle, pull down, around, up, and down.
- Have students finger-write the letter: Make a u by moving your finger on the table. Start in the middle, pull down, around, up, and down. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “u spells /ŭ/.” Remember to underline the u when you say /ŭ/. (Practice multiple times.)
Other letter Uu activities
CraftsBook List
Fine Motor
Sensory Play
Math Connections
Free Printables
Little Letter U Book (songs and rhymes) U is for Umbrella (dot sticker page)More alphabet resources
- Alphabet picture cards from A-Z
- Beginning sound clip cards
- Beginning sound coloring pages
- Beginning sound match mats
- Letter hunt & find worksheets
Find the rest of the alphabet HERE.
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