R-Controlled Vowel Words Puzzles for Grade 1-2

R-Controlled Vowels word search, scramble and crossword puzzle

I made this r-controlled vowels puzzle set for my 1st and 2nd graders during our phonics unit. The kids could read short and long vowels but got confused when a vowel followed by R made a totally different sound, like in "car," "her," or "bird." So I put together a word search, a word scramble, and a crossword using words like car, star, farm, park, dark, her, fern, perch, verb, bird, dirt, shirt, circle, first, nurse, purse, turtle, turn, corn, horn, fork, storm, and morning. Nothing fancy — just puzzles to help the ar, er, ir, or, and ur sounds finally stick.

The PDF is four pages. Three puzzles plus one answer key page. The word search works well for quiet time after recess. The scramble gets them talking because they argue about whether "warm" has an r-controlled vowel. The crossword I use for partners with picture clues. I added a couple simple star, bird, and corn drawings but nothing too busy.

Works for 1st through 3rd grade. Print and go. Sometimes I have early finishers list one word for each r-controlled vowel sound on the back. The kids actually ask for these now.