Decodable Books for UFLI Foundations Lesson 77: ar /ar/
We’re passionate about ensuring literacy is accessible to every child, as it is essential for a happy, successful life. These decodable books follow UFLI Lesson 77, the start of the r controlled vowels, where ar says /ar/. Children read ar words like arc, ark, car, star and farm in short stories they can sound out on their own.
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Anansi and Seven Bashes
Anansi the spider has a fine round belly, and he loves to eat. When word spreads of seven feasts happening on the same day in seven far-off villages, Anansi refuses to pick just one. He stands where the paths part and thinks hard: what if he could dine at every single bash? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘far’, ‘hard’, ‘smart’, ‘start’, ‘yard’.
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Monkey Catches a Culprit
Monkey wakes up craving his favourite breakfast, but every last banana has vanished from his treehouse. He grills a bee and a snake, stomps around in a huff, and finally spots a telltale trail leading far across the yard to a rabbit’s garden. Could the culprit be closer than Monkey thinks? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘hard’, ‘dark’, ‘backyard’, ‘garden’, ‘yard’.
What Is My Grand Gift?
Ned wants a birthday gift, but The Book insists he make it himself. First he must cut wheat, and it’s hard work under The Book’s picky eye - what could they possibly be building? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘hard’, ‘smart’, ‘farmland’, ‘start’, ‘party’.
Stop That Golem!
Jack is checking crops on the farm when a huge bang shakes the ground. Down the hill stands a towering iron golem, holding a tiny red flower, marching the same sad ring in the grass. It’s stuck, and it needs to reach the far-off town where people could really use its help, so how can one boy get something that heavy to move? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘far’, ‘hard’, ‘marches’, ‘smart’, ‘dart’.
Tip and Fig Think Big!
Tip and Fig Pig are almost home when a huge dark shadow blocks the sun. Fig Pig grabs his blade, but is a sword any match for something that big and far away? Brat Cat, armed and ready, has a plan of her own, but will it be enough to make the dragon back down? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘far’, ‘dark’, ‘armed’, ‘sparks’, ‘hard’.
The Big Honk
Jack is in a funk, and nothing seems fun anymore. When his friends drag him far into a bamboo forest, they spot a large, sharp-eyed shape hiding in the plants. Could this grumpy day be about to change? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘far’, ’large’, ‘starts’, ‘march’, ‘sharp’.
Fish Dart Off
A big thing lurks in the dark lake, and the fishermen’s nets keep coming back empty. When Opiyo sneaks aboard his dad’s craft for a night fishing trip, they end up far from the bank with a broken paddle, just as the lake starts to hum. What is hiding beneath the water, and what will it take to calm it? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘dark’, ‘far’, ’embark’, ‘starts’, ‘harmed’.
Entito and the Hard Land
Entito climbs the ridge each dry morning to search the sky for rain, and one day she finds a hurt hornbill chick lost in the dust. As the cattle grow weaker and the elders debate a long trek for water, Entito cares for the tiny bird and starts to wonder if it might be a sign. What will she do when a strange dark cloud settles over the mountain? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘dark’, ‘hard’, ‘starts’, ‘sharp’, ‘harsh’.
Skel and a Bright Squid
Skel the skeleton spots a poster for the village art show, open to anyone, and something tingles in his bony fingers. He needs a muse, something magnificent, so he wanders past flowers and clouds until a sparkling squid stares back at him from the lake. What starts as a spark of an idea turns into a dash to the market for snacks that just might change everything. Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘spark’, ‘market’, ‘smart’, ‘darts’, and ‘start’.
The Umbrella Hunt
Dot never goes anywhere without her big red umbrella, even into the bath. So when it goes missing right as the rain starts pouring, what will she do? Dot marches into the wet park anyway, asking a squirrel on a branch, a frog by the pond, and a mouse by the path if they’ve seen her umbrella, but will anyone help her find it? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘marches’, ‘park’, ‘darts’, ‘hard’, ‘yard’.
Look Out, Ned!
Ned loves picking flowers outside the castle walls on a sunny day, sure that nothing bad ever happens in the daylight. But something green and hissing is hiding closer than he thinks, and one loud bang sends him running home for a hard kit and a sharp blade instead of a bow. Will Ned figure out the smart way to stay far from danger before he lands in another crater? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘far’, ‘dark’, ‘sharp’, ‘smart’, ‘yard’.
Get Off, Hen!
Dr. Can Do has a big problem: his furnace is almost out of fuel, and he’s got a smart plan to fix it for good with a brand new machine. But a determined little hen keeps pecking at his parts, no matter how hard he tries to keep her out. Will he ever finish his machine? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘hard’, ‘yard’, ‘start’, ‘parts’, ‘farmyard’.
Bones in the Dark!
Ned is lost in the dark woods, and it’s about to get worse. When an arrow whizzes past his arm, he realises he’s not alone out there. Will he be smart enough to face what’s hiding among the trees? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘dark’, ‘far’, ‘sharp’, ‘hard’, ‘smart’.
Olkiama Barks in Dark
It is dark, and Olkiama the hyena has one great ambition: eating the cattle in the camp. Aisha, just eight and keeping watch alone for the first time, sits at the gate with a lamp, a rod, and a line of pebbles, listening hard as something big creeps closer in the shadows. Will she outsmart him before he gets in? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘dark’, ‘far’, ‘sharp’, ‘smart’, ‘snarls’.
There Are Ants!
A girl spots ants marching in a long line across her yard. They ignore her dog and won’t stop at roller skates or candy, still hungry for more. What is this ant army really looking for? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘march’, ‘bar’, ‘yard’, ‘dart’, ‘hardy’.
The Big Chomp!
A girl finally gets to walk to Grandad’s all by herself, no running allowed. But then a sharp bark echoes from around the corner, and she takes off the wrong way down the path with her heart pounding. Will she survive the scariest, yappiest danger she’s ever imagined? Created to align with the UFLI Foundations scope and sequence (Lesson 77: ar /ar/), this book practises words like ‘far’, ‘dark’, ‘sharp’, ‘hard’, ‘yard’.
Decodable Books Created to Align with the UFLI Foundations Scope and Sequence
Frequently Asked Questions
What does bossy r mean in ar words?
Bossy r is a friendly name for an r-controlled vowel: when r follows a vowel, it changes the vowel’s sound so it is neither short nor long. In cat the a is short, but in cart the r pulls it into the /ar/ sound. Many teachers use the phrase because children easily remember that the r is in charge of the vowel before it.
What are some good ar words for early readers?
Useful ar words for early readers include car, jar, star, far, park, dark, farm, barn, yarn, card, shark and smart. Longer words like garden, market and carpet use the same pattern in their first syllable, so they make good practice once short words feel easy. Grouping rhymes, such as car, jar and star, gives children a quick win.
How do you teach r-controlled vowels explicitly?
Show the letters, say the sound, and then have children read and write words that use it. Contrast pairs work well, such as cat and cart, had and hard, or ham and harm, because children hear exactly what the r changes. A meta-analysis by Ehri et al. (2001) found that systematic phonics instruction helps children learn to read, and short daily contrasts fit that approach.
When do children learn r-controlled vowels?
Many phonics sequences teach r-controlled vowels near the end of first grade or in second grade, after short vowels, silent e and some longer words. In UFLI Foundations this group begins with UFLI Lesson 77, and the ar decodable books on this page give children stories for that first pattern. Some titles are free to read online, and our article on decodable books explains why each story sticks to taught patterns.
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