Lesson Plan:
Reading Rhyming Words

1. Students will learn that rhyming words sound the same at the end.
2. Students will learn to recognize rhyming words by how they sound.

Materials
Use a book such as Oh, A-Hunting We Will Go by John M. Langstaff or sing the song without a book or recorded music. Langstaff's book has delightful pictures and notation for piano and guitar accompaniment.

Procedure

1. Enjoy reading the book and singing the song, "Oh, A-hunting We Will Go." Then put the book aside.
2. Ask for pairs of rhyming words in the story (or song).
3. Print these pairs on the board. Printing them on large cards or a chart is also good. This way, show only one pair at a time.
4. Sing the song again. Point to the rhyming words as the children sing these words.
5. Ask children to add their own rhymes.
6. Have the child print his or her pair of words on the board (card or chart) before singing the child's verse. If some children want to say the words but they do not want to print them, I suggest printing them for the child. Keep fun in the activity.

Some children offered these pairs.
We'll catch a flea, and put it on a knee, and then we'll let it go.
We'll catch a bee, and put it in a tree, and then we'll let it go.
We'll catch some glasses, and put them in molasses, and then we'll let them go.
We'll catch a broom, and put it in a room, and then we'll let it go.
We'll catch a goose, and put it in a caboose, and then we'll let it go.
We'll catch a rat, and put it on a cat, and then we'll let it go.
We'll catch a clock, and put it on a dock, and then we'll let it go.
We'll catch a goat, and put it in a coat, and then we'll let it go.

You can use this sample worksheet. If children don't use these words, make your own worksheet using their words as a follow-up activity the next day. Notice that there are two pairs of words with the same ending sounds. It is all right to match flea and tree rather than bee and tree. On this worksheet, we are just looking for the rhyme not for the context from the song. This relates to test validity (how well a test measures what it claims to measure).

Especially in ESL classes, point out the selection of on or in as it is appropriate. Point out correct pronouns; e. g. glasses - let them go, flea - let it go.

Enrichment
Have children draw pictures of some of the pairs of words. Be sure they also write the rhyming words under the pictures. Word recognition in print is the main object. Some children might draw several pictures and make a small book. Less artistic children might find pictures to cut and paste. See Literacy and Making Books for details about making your own books.