Lesson 19: Poetry, Vowel Contrast & R-Controlled I

SPELLING & PHONICS STANDARD: RF.2.3 / RF.3.3 • POETRY, VOWEL CONTRAST & R-CONTROLLED I STUDENT WORKSHEET

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Poetry & Phonics Study: Mark Short & Long a and i (ă, ā, ĭ, ī). Discover the r-controlled sound of i in 'birds'.

VOWEL CONTRAST & R-CONTROLLED

1. Copy the following carefully. • 2. Put the proper mark over each i or a:

Transcribe each poetic line, then mark a breve ( ˘ ) over short a, i or a macron ( ¯ ) over long a, i:

Selection 1 • Scottish Bard Robert Burns

The wild birds sang, the wildwood rang.

Selection 2 • Lyric Poem Richard Le Gallienne

The sun is weary, for he ran

So far and fast to-day;

The birds are weary, for who sang

So many songs as they?

Selection 3 • Moral Couplet Proverb

Whatever you are, be kind;

Be gentle in manner and mind.

3. Phonological Discovery Question (Directive 3):

Examine the selections above to identify the special sound of the letter i:

🔍 “Find a word in which i has some other sound than the long sound or the short sound.”

Target Word:

Phonetic Sound:

💡 Phonics & Spelling Rules to Remember

📌 1. Long ī in 'Wild' & 'Kind'

In words like wild, wildwood, kind, mind, the vowel i represents the long sound /aɪ/ before consonant clusters -ld and -nd.

📌 2. Short ă & ĭ in Closed Syllables

In closed syllables, vowel a makes short /æ/ (sang, rang, ran, fast) and i makes short /ɪ/ (is, in). Marked with a breve: ă, ĭ.

📌 3. R-Controlled Sound of i ('ir')

In birds, vowel i is neither short nor long; followed by r, it forms the vocalic r-controlled sound /ɜːr/ (as in bird, girl, sir).