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Find the Star - er

Are you looking for a fun and engaging way to help your Year 1 and Year 2 students practise spelling the /er/ sound? Look no further than Find the Star—a free, interactive phonics game that turns reading practice into a playful group challenge.


This version of Find the Star focuses on helping children master the /er/ sound using the graphemes er, ir, and ur. With repeated practice and a little friendly competition, students develop stronger decoding skills, phonics knowledge, and

reading confidence.

 

How to Play Find the Star

Find the Star is perfect for small groups, literacy centres, or homeschool settings. Here’s how it works:

1. Prepare the Cards:

Write a selection of /er/ sound words on separate cards. Be sure to include a mix of words using:

  • er (e.g., her, fern, butter)

  • ir (e.g., bird, shirt, girl)

  • ur (e.g., fur, curl, turn)

Create one special “star” card to hide behind one of the word cards.

2. Set Up the Game:

Lay all the word cards face-up on the table or floor so students can clearly read each word. One student or the teacher hides the star card behind one of the word cards.

3. Play the Game:

Students take turns reading a word aloud. After reading the word, they lift the card to see if the star is hidden underneath.

  • If the star is found, that student wins the round!

  • If not, the next player takes a turn.

4. Repeat and Rotate:

Shuffle the word cards, hide the star behind a different card, and choose a new student to hide the star each round.

 

Why Use This Game?

This simple but effective activity brings a range of learning benefits:

  • Builds Phonics Fluency: Students practise reading words with the /er/ sound in various spelling patterns.

  • Encourages Phonics Rule Recognition: Use the game as a starting point to talk about why different graphemes make the same sound.

  • Boosts Social Skills: Turn-taking and peer interaction are naturally built into the game structure.

  • Supports Confidence: Success in reading and finding the star encourages positive associations with learning.

 

Teaching Tips

  • Differentiate Word Choices: Select words based on your students’ skill levels. Include simpler words (e.g., her, fur) and more challenging ones (e.g., whirl, nurture) as needed.

  • Make It Visual: Add small images to word cards or use colour coding to highlight different graphemes.

  • Pause and Reflect: After each round, discuss the spelling patterns. Why does "bird" use ir? What other words sound the same?

 

A Resource for Every Classroom

At Smart Boarding School, we believe that phonics learning should be both meaningful and fun. Find the Star offers the perfect blend of literacy skill-building and game-based excitement. Whether you're working in a classroom or at home, this free printable game is a great way to support your students’ phonics development.

 

Download for Free

Ready to help your students master the /er/ sound with er, ir, and ur? Click the button below to download the Find the Star game and make phonics practice a highlight of your literacy lessons.

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