Bossy R Lesson Guide Teacher Facilitation Guide
Bossy R Lesson: ER Focus
Pacing: 20–25 Minutes
Focus: /er/ (as in fern )
Target Skill
Grapheme-phoneme mapping for er (/er/ as in her, fern, herd ).
Required Materials
Slides, Practice Mat, Standalone Decodable Passage, 3 colored sound chips per student.
Key Prerequisite
Short /e/ vowel mastery (pet, hem, bed ) and consonant blend decoding.
1
Phonemic Awareness Warm-Up (3 Mins)
No print • Auditory only
Build phoneme isolation and continuous blending for the vocalic /er/ phoneme before introducing print.
Teacher Script: "Listening ears on! Listen to these sounds and blend them: /h/ - /er/. What word?" (Students: "her!")
Practice Words: /f/ - /er/ - /n/ (fern) , /p/ - /er/ - /k/ (perk) , /h/ - /er/ - /d/ (herd) , /s/ - /t/ - /er/ - /n/ (stern) .
Mouth Cue: Notice how your mouth stays slightly open and your tongue pulls back for /er/! Do not separate into two sounds.
2
The Bossy R Rule: Short /e/ vs. /er/ (5 Mins)
Use Slide Deck: Slides 1–3
Demonstrate how adding 'r' directly after 'e' transforms the short vowel sound into /er/.
Teacher Script: "Normally, letter e says /e/ like in pet . But when Bossy r stands right behind it, it takes over! Together they make one sound: /er/ like in fern !"
Contrast Pair 1: hem → her
"/h/-/e/-/m/ changes to /h/-/er/. Feel your tongue tighten!"
Contrast Pair 2: pet → perk
"/p/-/e/-/t/ changes to /p/-/er/-/k/. 'er' works as one team!"
3
Elkonin Sound Mapping Routine (6 Mins)
Use Practice Mat: Page 1
Guide students through mapping phonemes to graphemes using chips and boxes.
Say & Tap: Teacher says "fern". Students repeat: "fern". Tap sounds: /f/ - /er/ - /n/ (3 sounds!).Push Chips: Push 1 chip for /f/, 1 chip for /er/, and 1 chip for /n/. Emphasize that er gets one box because it makes one sound .Spell & Write: Write letters in boxes: f in box 1, er together in box 2, n in box 3.Sweep & Read: Finger under the word, blend smoothly: "f - er - n ... fern!"
Bossy R Small Group Routine • ER Focus • Guide Page 1 of 2 Turn to Page 2 for Decodable Coaching & Error Correction →
Instructional Application
Connected Text & Error Correction
Steps: 4 through 6
Target: Transfer to Connected Reading
4
Decodable Reader Guided Reading (6 Mins)
Use Standalone Decodable Passage
Students read the dedicated decodable reader: "Fern and Her Big Herd" .
Pass 1: Detective Hunt
Students highlight every er word on the passage sheet before reading.
Pass 2: Whisper Read
Students whisper read independently while teacher listens and tallies individual decoding accuracy.
Pass 3: Fluent Choral
Group reads together with teacher modeling phrasing scoops and natural expression.
Real-Time Error Correction Prompts for ER
Observed Misreading Root Misconception Immediate Teacher Prompt Reads "fern" as "fen" Ignoring the bossy 'r' / reverting to short /e/. "Look right after the 'e'. Who is sitting there? Bossy R! What do 'e' and 'r' say together? /er/." Reads "herd" as "h-e-r-d" (choppy) Treating 'e' and 'r' as two separate sounds. "Glue 'e' and 'r' together! They make one team sound: /er/. Tap it: /h/ - /er/ - /d/ ... herd!" Reads "perk" as "park" Overgeneralizing previously learned /ar/. "Look at the vowel letter! That is an 'e', not an 'a'. 'er' says /er/ like in fern ."
5
Exit Ticket & Dictation Check (5 Mins)
Use Exit Ticket Material
Dictation Words to Call: 1. her • 2. fern • 3. herd • 4. perk
Sentence Dictation: "Fern saw her herd run fast."
Mastery Criteria: 3/4 words spelled correctly in sound boxes + 80% accuracy on rapid word reading probe.
Differentiation & Multi-Sensory Adaptations
For Readers Needing Extra Support: Use physical tactile sand trays or green felt "fern" cards. Practice physical "chin taps" for each phoneme. Keep visual anchor card (fern 🌱) directly above their work mat.
For Ready-to-Advance Readers: Use Page 2 of the Practice Mat for word ladders and sentence unscrambling, or explore 2-syllable words like letter and butter.
Bossy R Small Group Routine • ER Focus • Guide Page 2 of 2 Tier 2 Structured Phonics Intervention
Bossy R Deck Slides Small Group Phonics ER Sound Deck
Tier 2 Intervention
Meet Bossy R: The ER Team!
When the letter r sneaks behind e, they join together to say /er/!
er
/er/ like in fern 🌱
er
/er/ like in her 🙋♀️
Focus: Grapheme-Phoneme Connection Rule: 'e' and 'r' make one sound: /er/!
Minimal Pair Magic: Short /e/ vs. /er/
Watch Bossy R Change the Word!
Short /e/ Sound pet /p/ - /e/ - /t/
Bossy R /er/ Sound perk /p/ - /er/ - /k/
Short /e/ Sound hem /h/ - /e/ - /m/
Bossy R /er/ Sound her /h/ - /er/
Mouth Cue: Your mouth stays relaxed and open for /er/!
Tap & Blend: ER Words
/er/ like fern
h
er
her 🙋♀️
f
er
n
fern 🌱
p
er
ch
perch 🐦
Tap each sound dot, then slide across the whole word!
Tap & Blend: More ER Words
Continuous Blending
h
er
d
herd 🐄
st
er
n
stern 😠
g
er
m
germ 🦠
Remember: e + r glue together to make /er/!
Word Detective: Spot the ER Word!
Which one has Bossy R?
Pair 1
pet
perk ✨
perk has /er/!
Pair 2
herd 🐄
hen
herd has /er/!
Pair 3
step
stern 😠
stern has /er/!
Give two claps when you hear the er sound!
Sentence Scoops: Read with Fluency
Read in Chunks
Fern saw her pet ➜ sit on the perch.
The big herd ➜ ran past the green ferns.
The clerk felt stern ➜ when the cup fell.
Scoop words together so your reading sounds smooth and natural!
Super Reader Power Check!
Mission Accomplished
🌱 er = /er/
"When e meets r , they say /er/ like in fern and her!"
Bossy R Practice Mat Small Group Practice Mat
Bossy R Studio: ER Focus
Name:
Date:
er says /er/ as in fern 🌱 and her 🙋♀️
Letter e + Bossy r work together as one sound team !
1
Tap & Map Sound Boxes
Tap the dots • Write one sound per box
1. Word: her
2. Word: fern
3. Word: herd
4. Word: perch
2
Add Bossy R: Word Changer
Watch the short /e/ word change into a Bossy /er/ word. Write the new word on the line.
Short Vowel: hem
Add 'r' ➔ her
Short Vowel: pet
Add 'r' ➔ perk
Short Vowel: step
Add 'r' ➔ stern
3
Sound Sort: Short /e/ vs. Bossy /er/
Read the word bank, write each in the correct column
bed fern hen herd pet perk
e Short /e/ Words (like bed )
er Bossy /er/ Words (like fern )
Bossy R Practice Mat • ER Focus • Page 1 of 2 Turn page for Word Chaining & Fluency Grids →
Multi-Sensory Word Studio
Word Chaining & Rapid Grids
Focus: Accuracy & Repetition
4
Word Ladders: Change One Sound
Follow the clues to climb each ladder
Ladder A: Start with "hem"
1. Start word: hem
2. Change /m/ to Bossy R:
3. Add /d/ at the end:
Ladder B: Start with "pet"
1. Start word: pet
2. Add Bossy R to make /perk/:
3. Change /k/ to /ch/ (perch):
5
Roll & Read: Repetition Grid
Roll a die (or pick a row) and read smoothly
<table class="w-full text-xs border border-slate-200 rounded overflow-hidden"><tbody class="divide-y divide-slate-200 text-center font-mono"><tr class="bg-slate-50"><td class="p-2 font-bold text-emerald-700 bg-emerald-50 w-12 border-r border-slate-200 font-sans">Row 1</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">her</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">fern</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">perk</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">herd</td></tr><tr><td class="p-2 font-bold text-emerald-700 bg-emerald-50 w-12 border-r border-slate-200 font-sans">Row 2</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">perch</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">stern</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">germ</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">term</td></tr><tr class="bg-slate-50"><td class="p-2 font-bold text-emerald-700 bg-emerald-50 w-12 border-r border-slate-200 font-sans">Row 3</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">clerk</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">verb</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">Fern</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">her</td></tr><tr><td class="p-2 font-bold text-emerald-700 bg-emerald-50 w-12 border-r border-slate-200 font-sans">Row 4</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">herd</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">fern</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">stern</td><td class="p-2 font-bold text-slate-800">perch</td></tr></tbody></table>
Bossy R Exit Ticket Quick Check & Progress Monitoring
Bossy R Mastery Check: ER Focus
Target: /er/ Decoding & Encoding
Format: 1-on-1 or Small Group
Student Name:
Date:
Score: / 15
1
Tap & Spell: Word Dictation
Teacher says word • Student writes 1 sound per box
Word 1: (her) 2 sounds: /h/ - /er/
Word 2: (fern) 3 sounds: /f/ - /er/ - /n/
Word 3: (herd) 3 sounds: /h/ - /er/ - /d/
Word 4: (perk) 3 sounds: /p/ - /er/ - /k/
2
Sentence Dictation
Teacher dictates: "Fern saw her herd run fast."
Capital letter "Fern" (er) "her" (er) "herd" (er) Period
3
Rapid Word Reading Probe (1-on-1)
30-Second Timed or Untimed
Student reads aloud across the rows. Check (✓) for accurate decoding, dot (•) for error or hesitation.
her 1. [ ]
fern 2. [ ]
perk 3. [ ]
herd 4. [ ]
perch 5. [ ]
stern 6. [ ]
germ 7. [ ]
term 8. [ ]
clerk 9. [ ]
verb 10. [ ]
Teacher Diagnostic Summary & Next Action (ER Focus) Goal: ≥ 8/10 Words + ≥ 3/4 Dictation
● Mastered (8–10 words)
Accurate decoding & encoding of er. Ready to introduce and compare with ir and ur.
▲ Developing (5–7 words)
Occasional short /e/ substitution (e.g., "pen" for "fern"). Provide additional minimal pair sorting and sound box dictation.
■ Needs Intensive (0–4 words)
Difficulty blending vocalic /er/. Re-teach with continuous blending dots, tactile tracing, and the green fern anchor card.
Bossy R Quick Check Exit Ticket • ER Progress Monitoring Form Small Group Intervention Tier 2
Bossy R Decodable Passage Standalone Decodable Reader
Fern and Her Big Herd
Name:
Date:
er Target /er/ Sound Words
Fern her herd ferns perch perk
High-Frequency Review
was they there under saw
Read 3 Times:
1 ⭐️ 2 ⭐️ 3 ⭐️
Fern is a quick helper on the land. Every morning, Fern walks up the hill to check on her herd of cows.
Today, the herd stood resting under the tall, green ferns. A bright red bird sat up on a wooden perch above her herd. The bird sang a sweet tune that made Fern perk up and smile.
A stern gust of wind blew, but her cows stayed safe and calm. Fern gave her pet calf a soft pat. Then she ran back to her home with a happy grin.
Detective Challenge: Circle or highlight every word that has the er spelling pattern!
Total ER words found:
?
Comprehension & Word Check
1. Where was the herd resting in the morning?
2. What made Fern perk up and smile?
3. Write two words from the story with the /er/ sound:
Bossy R Boost • Standalone Decodable Reader • /er/ Pattern Tier 2 Structured Phonics Decodable Text
