ShortGarden Detectives · Case 14
The Cup That Jumped
Short U · Level 2
Short U with blends, digraphs, and the -ump family
Before reading
Open the case file
Hear the focus words
Read and investigate
The Cup That Jumped
Natural read-along narration · AmeliaPress Read with Amelia, or choose a sentence to begin.
A cup on the garden table gave a jump every few minutes. Gus set it flat, but it jumped again. There was no bug under it and no string on it. Pip heard a soft hum below the table.
The team bent down and found a water pump beside one table leg. Each time the pump started, the pipe gave a small bump. The bump shook the table and made the light cup hop. Gus put a soft rubber pad under the pump.
The hum became quiet, and the table stopped shaking. The cup did not jump again. Pip filled it with punch. The team had solved the jumping-cup case without a spill.
Check the evidence
Can you solve the case?
Choose the answer that is supported by the story.
What really happened?
Vibration from the water pump shook the table. A rubber pad absorbed the bumps.
For adults
Use evidence, not guesses
Ask the learner to point to the sentence that proves each answer. If decoding is effortful, reread one paragraph at a time. A fluent second reading is more valuable than rushing to the next story.