Spring Word Sort: Schwa Vowel Sounds #1

Support your students’ reading development with this spring-themed word sort! Designed for first, second, and third graders, this fun coloring activity helps learners practice recognizing and decoding words with and without the "schwa" sound, a common but often overlooked vowel sound in the English language. The "schwa" sound is a weak, unstressed vowel sound that is pronounced when the mouth is almost closed. It typically makes a relaxed short u or short i sound, such as in the words honey, ago, and cover, and it can be spelled with any vowel.

In this engaging, spring-themed phonics worksheet, learners are asked to color the words with a "schwa" sound yellow, and the words that do not have a "schwa" sound blue. By sorting words with and without the "schwa" sound, students will practice a key reading skill that will help them decode longer words more easily and improve their spelling skills. 

The first in a series of three, this phonics worksheet can be used to support students' ability to decode words with differing vowel sounds, supporting accurate and fluent reading. Be sure to check out Spring Word Sort: Schwa Vowel Sounds #2 and Spring Word Sort: Schwa Vowel Sounds #3 for more practice!