← All lessons

Lesson 82

er, ir, ur, w + or /er/

ER, IR, UR, and W+OR can spell /er/

The graphemes ER, IR, and UR are reviewed in this lesson. For additional instruction and word lists for each concept, see Lessons 80 and 81.

Today's plan

about 15 min
  1. Step 1Warm up our ears (blend & segment)2 min
  2. Steps 2 & 3Look & Say / Listen & Spell4 min
  3. Step 4Blending drill3 min
  4. Step 5New concept + read/spell6 min
Step 1

Warm Up Our Ears

Say the sounds; students blend them into a word. Then say a word; students break it apart.

Blend it (teacher says sounds → you say word)

/f/ · /er/ · /m/firm
/sh/ · /er/ · /t/shirt
/w/ · /er/ · /k/work

Break it (I say word → you say sounds)

Steps 2 & 3

Flashcard Drills

Full-screen cards for the class. Tap a card to check the answer, or press Hear the words to hear the example words read aloud.

Step 4

Blending Drill

Change one part at a time and read the new word.

Initial

m t p sw

st sp

Middle

a

i

Final

r rt tch dge d sh es

+

Step 5

New Concept

Today we review ER, IR, and UR, and learn that OR after W also spells /er/.

Highlighted words are the ones to show and practice reading — tap one to hear it.

We have been learning that when we put the /r/ sound after a vowel, it completely changes the way the vowel sounds. It makes what we call an 'r-controlled' vowel. The /er/ sound is an r-controlled vowel sound. ER is the most common spelling of the /er/ sound.

er /er/

ER can come in the middle of a word, such as and . ER can also come at the end of a word, such as and .

ir /er/

IR can also be used to spell the /er/ sound. IR can come in the middle of a word, such as and . IR can also come at the end of a word, such as and .

ur /er/

UR can also be used to spell the /er/ sound. UR can come in the middle of a word, such as and . UR can come at the beginning of a word, such as and . UR can also come at the end of a word, such as and .

w + or /er/

We know the grapheme OR. Usually, OR spells /or/. Sometimes, OR can spell the /er/ sound just like ER, IR, and UR spell /er/. OR spells /er/ in words that start with W. The OR /er/ sound can come in the middle of a word, such as and . When we see OR after W we say /er/. When we hear /er/ after W we spell it OR.

How our mouth moves

For the /er/ sound, we're combining an /ŭ/ sound with an /r/ sound to say /er/. We begin with our lips pulled forward for the /ŭ/ part, but then our tongue pulls back and the sides of the tongue are raised up for the /r/ part of the sound. Your voice is on. Listen: /er/. The /er/ sound is a continuous sound that can be stretched out. Watch me /er/. You try /er/.

Sound wall

Add 'w + or' under /er/ (with 'er', 'ir', 'ur').

Open the digital sound wall →