SPECIAL VOWEL PHONEME CARDS:

These cards can be run off on oak tag and laminated for durability. There are r-controlled vowel patterns and other special "w" and "l" sounds. They can be run off on the front and back so you can hang them around the room and each side can be seen. You can also cut them out onto sheets of paper and use them to label things around your classroom.

Examples of some R-controlled vowel words you could use to make your own cards are: car jar scar star

bird girl her herd

stir shirt birth

curl curb turkey

You could also change the words every so often and use different ones so your students will become familiar with the other sounds also.

An example would be to use some L-controlled vowel cards.

Ex. milk

Resource:

Title: R-Controlled Pictures

Use the rhyme below for the lesson:

A teacher found a hurt bird lying in the dirt. She helped the bird get better, and soon it was back to digging in the dirt for spiders and worms.

Create a poster with the rhyme on it and also make a copy of it for each student. Will also need a picture of each /r/ word from the rhyme (if possible).

Read the rhyme together as a class. Have the students identify words with the "r" sound in them. Write each word on the board (or highlight them on your poster). Next, explain that the r-controlled e, i, and u make the /r/ sound. Next, hold up a picture of one of the r-controlled words from the rhyme. Have the students identify the picture and then find the word in the rhyme. Have the students then find the word on their copy of the rhyme and circle the /r/ and the vowel which it controls. Continue with each word until all /r/ controlled vowel words in the rhyme are found.

Resource:

Title: Bossy R is Bossy

Have six students come up to the front of the room. They each get a card with a letter on it. Have the student with the R, boss the vowel children around, telling them to go over here or there. Finally have the bossy R tell the vowel that they must make a special sound when they are in front of R. A says are, as in car. E says er as in ladder. I says ir as in fir. O says or as in more. U says ur as in fur.

After the students get to visually see R boss the vowels around they can fold a piece of paper into thirds, and label them ar, or, and er, ir, ur. As the teacher says words, and shows picture cards the students will write the words in the correct column. This activity can be modified for the Bossy L and Bossy W.

Resource:

Title: Introducing the r-controlled e, i, u

Idea: Write the r-controlled e, i, and u on the board. Explain that the r-controlled e, i, and u make the /r/ sound. Write the word purse on the board while holding up the purse picture card. Ask a volunteer to come up and underline the letters that make the /r/ sound. Pronounce the word slowly by pointing to it and sounding out each letter. Next, have children sound out the word with you. Write the word shirt on the board. Stress the /r/ sound and point out that the /r/ sound is represented by the er, ir, or ur in the word. Make sure children hear the sounds that precede and follow the er, ir, or ur. Keep adding more words each time the activity is done.

Title: Flipping R Controlled Vowels

Idea: Have the students make five equal columns on a piece of paper. Label "ar", "er", "ir", "ur", and "or". Make a list of words with R controlled vowels on the board. Have the children pair up and work together or individually to put the words in their correct column. You can make it a game to see who can get the most right or who can get done the fastest.