Literature Poetry: Rhyming Poems – Basic 2 English Lesson Note (First Term)

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Describe rhythm and rhyme
2. Create poems with rhythm
3. Dramatize rhymes and rhythm in poems by saying them aloud

Introduction

Poetry becomes musical and fun when words rhyme and have rhythm. Rhyming words sound alike, and rhythm gives poems a beat like music.

Content Development

What is Rhyme? Rhyme happens when words end with the same sound.

Examples of Rhyming Words:

• Cat and hat (both end with -at sound)
• Tree and bee (both end with -ee sound)
• Sun and run (both end with -un sound)
• Ball and tall (both end with -all sound)

Common Rhyme Patterns:

-at family: cat, bat, hat, mat, rat, sat, fat, pat -en family: pen, hen, ten, men, den, when
-ig family: big, pig, dig, fig, wig, jig -ay family: day, play, say, way, may, stay -ell family: bell, tell, well, sell, fell, yell

What is Rhythm? Rhythm is the beat or pattern in poetry, like the beat in music.

Feeling Rhythm:

• Clap hands while saying the poem
• Tap feet to the beat
• March to the rhythm
• Sway back and forth

Sample Rhyming Poem with Rhythm:

“My Happy Day” Clap-clap-clap-clap (rhythm pattern)

The sun shines bright, I like to run, (clap-clap-clap-clap) Playing games is so much fun. (clap-clap-clap-clap) I play with friends throughout the day, (clap-clap-clap-clap)
We laugh and sing in every way. (clap-clap-clap-clap)

Rhyming words: sun/run/fun, play/day/way

Creating Poems with Rhythm:

Step 1: Choose a topic Example: “My Pet Dog”

Step 2: Think of rhyming words

• Dog/frog, play/day, run/sun/fun

Step 3: Create rhythm pattern

• Simple pattern: ta-ta-ta-ta (four beats per line)

Step 4: Write your poem My little dog likes to play, He runs around most every day. In the sun we have such fun, My happy dog loves to run.

More Example Poems:

“Colors All Around” The sky is blue, so high above, (clap-clap-clap-clap) The grass is green, I really love. (clap-clap-clap-clap) Red roses growing in my bed, (clap-clap-clap-clap) Yellow sunshine overhead. (clap-clap-clap-clap)

“School Days” I go to school to learn and grow, (clap-clap-clap-clap) My teacher helps me always know. (clap-clap-clap-clap)
I read my books, I write with care, (clap-clap-clap-clap) Learning happens everywhere! (clap-clap-clap-clap)

Dramatizing Poems:

Voice Techniques:

• Loud and soft: Some lines loud, some lines soft
• Fast and slow: Change speed for effect
• Happy and sad: Match voice to feeling

Movement Techniques:

• March: For strong rhythm poems
• Sway: For gentle, quiet poems
• Clap: For happy, energetic poems
• Point: For poems about directions or places

Actions for “My Happy Day”:

• Line 1: Point up to sky, then run in place
• Line 2: Smile big, laugh
• Line 3: Pretend to play, spread arms wide for “day”
• Line 4: Clap and move around

Group Dramatization:

• Half the class says the poem
• Half the class does actions
• Switch roles
• Everyone claps the rhythm

Creating Your Own Rhyming Poem:

Template 1: ABAB pattern (1st and 3rd lines rhyme, 2nd and 4th lines rhyme) I like to _____ (A) Every single _____ (B) It makes me _____ (A) In every _____ (B)

Template 2: AABB pattern (1st and 2nd lines rhyme, 3rd and 4th lines rhyme) My favorite _____ is _____ (A) I think it’s really _____ (A) When I _____ I feel so _____ (B) It makes me want to _____ (B)

Rhyme Games:

Game 1: “Rhyme Time” Teacher says a word, students think of rhymes:

• Teacher: “Cat”
• Students: “Hat, bat, mat, sat, rat!”

Game 2: “Finish the Rhyme”

• Teacher: “I have a dog that likes to…”
• Students: “…run in the sun!”

Game 3: “Action Rhymes” Create rhymes with actions:

• “Jump and bump” (jumping motion)
• “Clap and tap” (clapping and tapping)

Exercise 3: Rhyming Poems

1. Find the rhyming words: “The cat sat on the mat, Wearing a big red hat. The sun was bright and fun, As the cat began to run.”

Rhyming pairs: _______ & _______, _______ & _______

1. Complete this rhyming poem: “I have a dog that likes to _______, He plays outside in the bright _______, When it’s time to go to _______,
   My dog curls up in his warm _______.”
2. Write your own 4-line rhyming poem about school: Line 1: _________________________________ Line 2: _________________________________ Line 3: _________________________________ Line 4: _________________________________

Exercise 4: Rhythm Practice

Clap the rhythm while saying this poem: “Big pig, little pig, dancing a jig, Red hen, brown hen, counting to ten!”

How many claps per line? _______