Burt's Hurt Hen

R-Controlled — UR 1st-2nd Phase 4
Burt's Hurt Hen
Burt's Hurt Hen, page 1
1Burt had a pet hen.
Burt's Hurt Hen, page 2
2The hen got hurt when she took a bad turn and fell.
Burt's Hurt Hen, page 3
3Burt felt a big urge to help his hen. He ran to his mom.
Burt's Hurt Hen, page 4
4“My hen is hurt!” he yelled. Burt’s mom called a pet nurse. The nurse came to help.
Burt's Hurt Hen, page 5
5She set her bag on the grass. “She will be ok,” the nurse said.
Burt's Hurt Hen, page 6
6The nurse was very kind with the small hen. She put a slick cloth on her leg.
Burt's Hurt Hen, page 7
7Burt gave the nurse a dime from his little purse.
Burt's Hurt Hen, page 8
8“Thank you for your help,” Burt said. The hen felt much better and gave a quick cluck.
Circle or highlight all the UR r-controlled words in the story above. How many did you find?

Comprehension Questions

After reading, ask these questions to check understanding:

  1. What happened to Burt’s hen when she took a bad turn?
  2. Who did Burt’s mom call to help the hen?
  3. What did Burt give the nurse from his purse?
Keep practicing
Practice R-Controlled — UR with 10 more free worksheets

Picture worksheets to read, match and spell these words, plus this story's word sort, phrasing cards and word search.

Get the R-Controlled — UR worksheets →
Burt's Hurt Hen printed mini-book cover Download Mini-Book
Full-color picture book • Print, cut & staple • No signup required
Read-aloud version (one page per sheet, for projecting)

Reader Details

Phonics Skill R-Controlled — UR
Grade Level 1st-2nd
Phase Phase 4

Target Words

fur blur slur spur burn curl hurt surf turn urge burst curve

Sight Words

the is a and to was it she he they said have with you are be
← Ron's Big Storm Ned's Red Patch →

About This Decodable Reader

“Burt's Hurt Hen” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 1st-2nd students practicing r-controlled — ur phonics patterns. This mini-book uses phonetically controlled vocabulary so beginning readers can successfully sound out nearly every word in the story, building confidence and reinforcing the specific phonics skills they're learning.

The free PDF is a full-color illustrated mini-book: a cover, eight picture pages with one or two lines of story text each, and a back page listing the r-controlled — ur words, high-frequency words, and discussion questions. Print the five sheets, cut each one in half along the dashed line, and staple — your child has a real little book to hold. A read-aloud version with one large page per sheet is also included for projecting to the whole class.

This reader is part of our collection of free decodable readers organized by phonics skill and aligned with the Science of Reading. For additional practice with r-controlled — ur patterns, try our r-controlled — ur phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.