Many of my first grade friends are now moving onto more advanced phonics concepts.  They can blend CVC words, know blend and digraphs, and are now ready to move onto working with r-controlled vowels.  How exciting! I just love first grade.  Most enter first grade knowing their letters and sounds and then 9 short months later, leave with chapter books in their hands.  It’s really quite amazing.  To address r-controlled vowels, I made a few little activities which can be used in your centers or for small group instruction.  The first activity is the sorting penguins activity.  Students read the word on the penguins and then place the penguin on the correct corresponding arctic scene.  There are 60 colorful penguins!