2nd grade
Bossy R Word Search
Ten ar, or, er, ir and ur words hidden across, down and diagonally down: shark, storm, shirt, nurse, fern and more.
Phonics worksheet · Bossy R and diphthongs
Sound Sort: /oy/ or /ow/?
Twelve longer words to read out loud and sort by sound: moist, choice and oyster, or crowd, pouch and sprout.
- Grade level
- 2nd grade
- Time
- About 15 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- R-controlled vowels, Diphthongs, Spelling one sound many ways
What kids do
“Read each word out loud. Does it say /oy/ like boy or /ow/ like cow? Write it in that column.”
Words on this sheet
crowdgrowlfrownspoilcouchpouchsproutchoicemoistahoyvoiceoyster
Teacher tip
Read each word out loud. Is it /oy/ like boy or /ow/ like cow?
How to use it
- Sort word cards by sound before writing.
- Point out that one sound can have several spellings, so kids need to remember which one.
- Say every word on the sheet together before kids start, stretching the sounds.
Watch for
er, ir and ur sound the same, so spelling them is about memory. Group words by spelling.
Talk about it
- Which spellings make the same sound?
- How did you figure out that word?
Take it further
Write a pirate story full of ar words.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More bossy r and diphthongs worksheets
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oi, oy, ou and ow Word Search
Ten words with oi, oy, ou, ow, au and aw hidden across, down and diagonally down: coin, toy, cloud, crown and straw.
2nd grade
Bossy R Bingo
Two different bingo cards with 16 ar, or, er, ir and ur words, plus the caller’s list. Play in pairs or as a class.
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Read and Draw: Bossy R
Four bossy R sentences to read and draw: a shark in a purple shirt, a bird on a fork and stars over a barn.
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