Spelling Week 2
Short Vowels: o and u
- Spell words with short vowels o and u correctly
- Identify word meanings using context clues and definitions
- Apply spelling words correctly in sentences
- Demonstrate mastery on the weekly post-test
Pre-Test
Word Lists & Grading
Look, Say, Cover, Write
Defining Words
Match definitions
Fill-in sentences
Word Practice
Word Search
Teacher's Choice
Fun with Words
Find the Sum
Which Word Am I?
Post-Test
Spelling Test
Peer Grading
What are short vowels?
When a vowel makes a quick, clipped sound instead of saying its name, it's a short vowel. This week we focus on the short o sound (like in "lobster") and the short u sound (like in "skunk").
loss ¡ problem ¡ process
Sounds like "ah" â quick and open
skunk ¡ shuttle ¡ upper
Sounds like "uh" â short and punchy
Not all short vowel sounds are obvious!
Several words this week use vowel teams like au, aw, and ou to make sounds related to short o. Words like taught, bought, and brought all have the au/ou + ght pattern.
bought ¡ brought ¡ sought
taught ¡ swung
These all rhyme! The -ought and -aught endings sound identical.
bought vs. brought â bought = purchased something; brought = carried something to a place
sought vs. taught â sought = looked for something; taught = gave someone knowledge
Today's Plan
1. Take the spelling pre-test (listen carefully!)
2. Get your word list and grade your partner's test
3. Practice with Look, Say, Cover, Write
Kasey was hungry _____ she didn't eat lunch.
The old man was tall and had _____ shoulders.
He _____ the bat and hit a homerun.
Mrs. Greene _____ him how to play the piano.
Diamonds are _____ after for their beauty and value.
She _____ an apple pie to the family reunion.
Nate loves to eat _____ dipped in butter.
The company suffered a big _____.
She sipped her milkshake through a large red _____.
Mom _____ snacks for us to eat on our trip.
He was able to solve the math _____ on his own.
The dog showed off his tricks by placing his _____ in her hand.
The friends met at the _____ gym.
We rode a small _____ to the amusement park.
As it started to rain, I realized that I had left my _____ at home.
We celebrate Halloween on _____ 31st every year.
A _____ will spray a terrible smell when it feels threatened.
When people get older they start the aging _____.
There is a good restaurant on the _____ floor.
Brandon's _____ goal was to win the race.
â CHALLENGE WORD â
She was not _____ of how loud she was being in the library.
â CHALLENGE WORD â
Hot and cold are _____ of each other.
For the reason that; since. Because explains why something happens.
be · cause (short u in “be-”)
Having a large distance from side to side; wide. Can also mean covering a wide range.
broad (one syllable, short o sound)
Past tense of “swing.” Moved back and forth or in a curve through the air.
swung (one syllable, short u sound)
Past tense of “teach.” Gave someone knowledge or showed them how to do something.
taught (one syllable, au vowel team)
Past tense of “seek.” Looked for or searched for something.
sought (one syllable, ou vowel team)
Past tense of “bring.” Carried something to a place or caused something to happen.
brought (one syllable, ou vowel team)
A large shellfish with a hard shell, big claws, and a long body. It lives in the ocean.
lob · ster (short o in first syllable)
The act of losing something. It can mean losing a game, a thing, or something valuable.
loss (one syllable, short o sound)
A thin tube used for sipping drinks. Also, dried stalks of grain (like hay).
straw (one syllable, aw vowel team)
Past tense of “buy.” Purchased something; paid money for an item.
bought (one syllable, ou vowel team)
Something that is difficult to deal with or needs to be figured out. A question to be solved.
prob · lem (short o in first syllable)
An animal's foot that has pads and claws. Dogs, cats, and bears all have paws.
paw (one syllable, aw vowel team)
A tropical area of land with thick, dense forests and lots of plants and animals.
jun · gle (short u in first syllable)
A vehicle that goes back and forth between two places. Also, a spacecraft.
shut · tle (short u in first syllable)
A folding device held over your head to protect you from rain or sun.
um · brel · la (short u in first syllable)
The 10th month of the year. It has 31 days and is known for fall weather and Halloween.
Oc · to · ber (short o in second syllable)
A black-and-white animal known for spraying a terrible-smelling liquid when threatened.
skunk (one syllable, short u sound)
A series of steps or actions taken in order to create or achieve something.
proc · ess (short o in first syllable)
Higher in position; located above something else. The top part of something.
up · per (short u in first syllable)
Being the best or most extreme of its kind. Also means final or last.
ul · ti · mate (short u in first syllable)
Aware of and responding to one's surroundings. Also means being deliberate or intentional.
con · scious (short o in first syllable)
Completely different from something else. Also means located directly across from something.
op · po · site (short o in first syllable)
How to Practice
Use your Look, Say, Cover, Write worksheet to master each word.
Study the word carefully. Notice every letter.
Say the word out loud. Listen to each syllable.
Fold the paper to hide the word. Picture it in your mind.
Write the word from memory. Then check â did you get it right?
Today's Plan
1. Match words to definitions (Part A)
2. Complete sentences using words from the list (Part B)
3. Review answers together as a class
Teacher's Choice Menu
Pick from the activities below based on what the class needs:
Find all 20 words hidden in the grid
Calculate letter values for each word
Riddle game â guess the word from clues!
Strategy Guide
1. Start with the longest words first â they're easiest to spot (umbrella, October, ultimate)
2. Look for unusual letter combos like "ght" in bought, brought, sought, taught
3. Words can go across, down, or diagonal â check all directions!
4. Cross off each word in the word bank as you find it
Which 4 words in this week's list all end with the same 5 letters?
bought, brought, sought â they all end in -ought! (And taught ends in -aught, which sounds the same!)
How It Works
Every letter has a point value: Consonants = 10 points | Vowels = 5 points
Underline each consonant, circle each vowel, then add up the total!
b(10) + e(5) + c(10) + a(5) + u(5) + s(10) + e(5)
= 50 points
How many consonants? How many vowels?
s(10) + k(10) + u(5) + n(10) + k(10) = 45 points
broad
40 pts
3C(30) + 2V(10)
taught
50 pts
4C(40) + 2V(10)
umbrella
65 pts
5C(50) + 3V(15)
October
55 pts
4C(40) + 3V(15)
jungle
50 pts
4C(40) + 2V(10)
process
60 pts
5C(50) + 2V(10)
ultimate
65 pts
5C(50) + 3V(15)
lobster
60 pts
5C(50) + 2V(10)
Clue 1: I have 3 syllables
Clue 2: You use me when it rains
Clue 3: I fold up small but open wide
Clue 1: I rhyme with "bought" and "sought"
Clue 2: I'm the past tense of "bring"
Clue 3: You did this when you carried your lunch to school
Clue 1: I have a short "u" sound
Clue 2: I'm black and white
Clue 3: Stay far away â I smell TERRIBLE!
Clue 1: I'm a month of the year
Clue 2: Halloween happens during me
Clue 3: I start with a capital letter â always!
Clue 1: I mean "the very best" or "final"
Clue 2: I have 3 syllables
Clue 3: "The ___ frisbee game" is a popular sport
Clue 1: I live in the ocean
Clue 2: I have big claws and a hard shell
Clue 3: People eat me dipped in butter
I'm what a dog puts on your lap
I'm what you drink a milkshake through
Tarzan lives here with the monkeys
NASA uses me to send astronauts to space
Past tense of "swing"
Writing an essay is a _____ with many steps
Test Time!
1. Listen to each sentence carefully
2. Write the missing spelling word
3. When finished, trade papers and grade your partner's test
We were late to school _____ of a traffic jam.
James looked up and a _____ smile crossed his face.
The front door _____ open behind her.
Ben's dad _____ him how to mow the lawn.
The hikers _____ protection from the weather.
Max _____ a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch.
The _____ scurried across the ocean floor.
Julie seemed to be at a _____ for words.
The horse slept in a warm barn with plenty of _____ and oats.
She _____ all her new school supplies last weekend.
Flooding is a _____ for those that live by a river.
Paul found a big _____ print in the mud while hiking.
Monkeys live in the _____ .
The space _____ is scheduled to blast off tomorrow at noon.
Some people use an _____ to shade them from the sun.
The 10th month of the year is _____ , and it has 31 days.
Tara ran back in the house when she spotted a _____ in her front yard.
It took over two hours to _____ the data.
The muscles in his _____ back ached from working out.
Visiting the wreck of the Titanic is the _____ deep sea diving adventure.
â CHALLENGE WORD â
After the fall, he was barely _____ and had to rest for an hour.
â CHALLENGE WORD â
The teacher asked her to sit on the _____ side of the classroom.
For the reason that; since. Because explains why something happens.
be · cause (short u in “be-”)
Having a large distance from side to side; wide. Can also mean covering a wide range.
broad (one syllable, short o sound)
Past tense of “swing.” Moved back and forth or in a curve through the air.
swung (one syllable, short u sound)
Past tense of “teach.” Gave someone knowledge or showed them how to do something.
taught (one syllable, au vowel team)
Past tense of “seek.” Looked for or searched for something.
sought (one syllable, ou vowel team)
Past tense of “bring.” Carried something to a place or caused something to happen.
brought (one syllable, ou vowel team)
A large shellfish with a hard shell, big claws, and a long body. It lives in the ocean.
lob · ster (short o in first syllable)
The act of losing something. It can mean losing a game, a thing, or something valuable.
loss (one syllable, short o sound)
A thin tube used for sipping drinks. Also, dried stalks of grain (like hay).
straw (one syllable, aw vowel team)
Past tense of “buy.” Purchased something; paid money for an item.
bought (one syllable, ou vowel team)
Something that is difficult to deal with or needs to be figured out. A question to be solved.
prob · lem (short o in first syllable)
An animal's foot that has pads and claws. Dogs, cats, and bears all have paws.
paw (one syllable, aw vowel team)
A tropical area of land with thick, dense forests and lots of plants and animals.
jun · gle (short u in first syllable)
A vehicle that goes back and forth between two places. Also, a spacecraft.
shut · tle (short u in first syllable)
A folding device held over your head to protect you from rain or sun.
um · brel · la (short u in first syllable)
The 10th month of the year. It has 31 days and is known for fall weather and Halloween.
Oc · to · ber (short o in second syllable)
A black-and-white animal known for spraying a terrible-smelling liquid when threatened.
skunk (one syllable, short u sound)
A series of steps or actions taken in order to create or achieve something.
proc · ess (short o in first syllable)
Higher in position; located above something else. The top part of something.
up · per (short u in first syllable)
Being the best or most extreme of its kind. Also means final or last.
ul · ti · mate (short u in first syllable)
Aware of and responding to one's surroundings. Also means being deliberate or intentional.
con · scious (short o in first syllable)
Completely different from something else. Also means located directly across from something.
op · po · site (short o in first syllable)
Short Vowels o and u â Key Takeaways
Short o sounds like "ah" â found in words like loss, problem, and process
Short u sounds like "uh" â found in words like skunk, jungle, and shuttle
Vowel teams au, aw, ou create sounds related to short o â taught, paw, bought
The -ought/-aught family â bought, brought, sought, taught all follow the same pattern!
Last October, Ethan's class went on the ultimate field trip. They rode a small shuttle bus down a broad dirt road that led deep into a jungle-like forest near the river. Their teacher had taught them about the animals that live there, and Nalah sought to be the first one to spot something.
Neveah brought a notebook and colored pencils, and Evelyn's mom bought matching water bottles for the whole group. Because the trail was steep, Teyanna reminded everyone to be conscious of every step. Mikhal swung on a low branch and almost slipped, but it wasn't a big problem â he landed right on a pile of straw the rangers had spread along the path.
Halfway through the hike, Ishani spotted a skunk waddling in the opposite direction â lucky for them! Then Aaliyah found a muddy paw print pressed into the trail. Their guide said the process of tracking animals takes patience. Reyna discovered a lobster-shaped rock near the creek and everyone laughed. On the way home, it started to rain, and the only umbrella they had was on the upper shelf of the bus, so they all got soaked. It was a small loss â the trip was worth every drop!
Answer these in your head or share with a partner:
1. Which 3 words were the hardest for you this week?
2. Did your score improve from the pre-test to the post-test?
3. What strategy helped you the most â Look Say Cover Write, the definition matching, or the games?
Sentence starter: "The strategy that helped me most was ___ because ___."