The Two Long U Sounds

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The Two Long U Sounds

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.B

Basics on the topic The Two Long U Sounds

Hop in and come for a ride with Dee and Kala as they learn all about the two long U sounds!

Transcript The Two Long U Sounds

Dee and Kala decided to go out for a drive, but it didn't go as planned. Now they are most definitely lost. "I think it’s time to make an /oo/’ turn.” “I beg your pardon, but don't you mean a u-turn?” Let's help Dee and Kala sort this out by learning about "The TWO Long U Sounds." You might already know that the letters A, E, I, O, and U are called vowels. Vowels are a special set of letters in the alphabet, and every syllable must have at least one! Most of the time, vowels make one long sound and one short sound. But U is a little different from the others because instead of having just one long vowel sound, it has two! Let's use two keywords to hear the different long U sounds. Say unicorn; now, say tulip. Did you notice how the U in unicorn makes a /yoo/ sound, but the U in tulip sounds like /oo/? Depending on the word, the long U sound can change. U can say /yoo/ as in uniform or human. But, U can also say /oo/ as in student, and truth. Let’s practice sorting these words into the two long U sounds /yoo/ and /oo/! Which long U sound do we hear in the word: ruby? We hear the /oo/ sound in ruby! Which long U sound do we hear in the word: music? We hear the /yoo/ sound in music! Let's try one more! Which long U sound do we hear in the word: cupid? We hear the /yoo/ sound in cupid! But, either way, both long /yoo/ and /oo/ sounds go with the letter U! While Dee and Kala sort out the directions, let's remember! Today we learned about the TWO long U sounds. Unlike the other vowels, the vowel U makes two long sounds: /yoo/ and /oo/. U, unicorn, /yoo/; U, tulip, /oo/ "Dee, once we get back, I think we should stick to hiking." "You know it, or should I say /oo/ know it?"

The Two Long U Sounds exercise

Would you like to apply the knowledge you’ve learned? You can review and practice it with the tasks for the video The Two Long U Sounds.

Fill in the missing words.

Hints

Remember, the vowel u says /oo/ and /yoo/.

There is one vowel that makes two long sounds.

Solution

Most of the time, vowels make one long sound, and one short sound.
The vowel u is different. Instead of having one long vowel sound, it has two.
Which word has the long "u" sound /oo/?

Hints

Say each word out loud. Do you hear the sound /oo/ or /yoo/? Kala is looking for the sound /oo/!

Solution

It's Kala's student that has the long u sound! The word student says /oo/.
Which word has the long "u" sound /yoo/.

Hints

Say each word out loud. Which word has the /yoo/ sound?

The words are fruit, June, broom, and unicorn. Which word has the long "u" that says /yoo/?

Solution

Uniform has the long "u" that says /yoo/!
The other words (fruit, June, broom) all have the long "u" that says /oo/.
Which "u" sound does the word have?

Hints

The first word is human. Do you hear /oo/ or /yoo/ in human?

The second word is tulip. Do you hear /oo/ or /yoo/ in tulip?

Solution

The word human makes the /yoo/ sound.
The word tulip makes the /oo/ sound.
The word universe makes the /yoo/ sound.
Which vowel has two long sounds?

Hints

This is the vowel Kala and Dee have been learning about.

This vowel has two sounds: /oo/ and /yoo/.

Solution

Most of the time, vowels make one long sound, and one short sound. The vowel u is different, because it has two long vowel sounds: /oo/ and /yoo/.
Which long "u" sound?

Hints

Say the words out loud. Which long u sound do you hear? Do you hear /oo/ as in ruby? Or the /yoo/ sound as in music?

The pictures show perfume, volume, mute, menu, moon, hoop, and food.

Solution

/yoo/: Perfume, Volume, Mute, Menu. These words all say /yoo/ when pronouncing the long u sound.
/oo/: Moon, Hoop, and Food. These words all say /oo/ when pronouncing the long u sound.