Jane's Purple Fern

R-Controlled — ER 1st-2nd Phase 4
Jane's Purple Fern

Jane had a big fern. Its green stem did not perk up. “It needs water,” said her mother. Jane got a big pot from under the sink. She filled it with water. But the pot was too much for her to hold up! Her big sister, Kim, saw her. “I can help you with that,” said Kim. Together, they carried the super big pot of water over to the fern. Jane held one side and her sister held the other. After they gave it a drink, the fern looked better. “Thank you, sister,” Jane whispered to Kim.

Circle or highlight all the ER r-controlled words in the story above. How many did you find?
2-page PDF: story + coloring page • No signup required
Jane's Purple Fern coloring page illustration
Coloring page included in PDF

Reader Details

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

Target Words

her fern herd jerk perk term perm verb herb after river never

Sight Words

the is a and to was it she he they said have with you are be
← Pam's Farm Cart Beth's Thirsty Bird →

About This Decodable Reader

“Jane's Purple Fern” is a free printable decodable reader designed for 1st-2nd students practicing r-controlled — er 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 2-page PDF includes the reading passage on page one and a coloring page illustration on page two. Print both pages, staple together, and your child has an instant mini-book. The coloring activity reinforces story comprehension and makes reading practice feel like a fun activity rather than homework.

This reader is part of our collection of 50 free decodable readers organized by phonics skill and aligned with the Science of Reading. For additional practice with r-controlled — er patterns, try our r-controlled — er phonics worksheets which include word sorts, phrasing practice cards, and rapid naming charts.