Music Integration Lesson 1

Catherine Tremblay
Music 405
Dr. Ruth Gurgel
12:10 2:10

Rhyming words and Poetry
Catherine Tremblay, Kindergarten
Standards:
MU: Cr1.1.Ka With guidance, explore and experience music concepts such as beat and
melodic contour.
RF.K.2a Recognize and produce rhyming words.

Objectives:
1) Given a copy of the poem The Squirrel, students will highlight at least two pairs of
rhyming words on their copy, demonstrating their ability to locate rhyming words.
2) Students will create their own poem about their favorite animal that contains at least
one pair of rhyming words and demonstrate the rhythmic feature of poetry.
Materials:
-The poem The Squirrel found in My Little Book of Poems, a first golden book.
-Worksheet for writing your own poem
Steps in the Lesson:
Introduction:
-Begin the lesson by telling the class about how poetry has a rhythm and that some
poems use rhyming words.
-Ask the class to tell me some words that rhyme Ex: Hat Cat
Body:
1. Read through the poem The Squirrel to the class with a rhythm
2. Have the students get a feel for the rhythm of the poem. Have them clap their hands to
the beat of the poem
3. Read through the first stanza of the poem again
4. Ask them to identify the rhyming words in that stanza such as Hop and Top
5. Read the following stanzas in the same way, one at a time, identifying the rhyming
words.
6. Ask the class to now use clapping again for the beat of the poem but now emphasize the
rhyming words with their voices while we go back through the poem.
7. Introduce the assessment activity. Ask them who this poem was about (Squirrel).
Music Integration Lesson 1
Catherine Tremblay
Music 405
Dr. Ruth Gurgel
12:10 2:10

8. Hand them out worksheets where they will draw a picture of their favorite animal and
then will write a rhyming poem about it.
Closure: Have the students then share their poems about their favorite animal with their fellow
students. Have the student pick out the rhyming words that they recognize. This will reinforce
learning and provide closure to the lesson.

Assessment:
Assessment #1: Did students highlight at least two pairs of rhyming words on their copy of The
Squirrel?
Assessment #2: Did students create a poem about an animal that contained a pair of rhyming
words and could be recited with rhythm?
Adaptations/Extensions:
-If time allows, you could then gather the students poems and read them as a class with a
rhythm and pick out the rhyming words following the steps above.
-You could also have them instead of clapping to the rhythm, you could have them act out the
poem.
-This could also be a lesson on adjectives and have them read through the poem and circle
them on a worksheet.
Rationale: The students will learn about word sounds while expanding on their own creativity
and use of words in a more complex structure such as a poem.
Next Steps/Connections We would next learn about poems that do not have rhyming words and discuss
other types of poems such as Haikus. You could also work the use of mood into the lesson and discuss
how the students are feeling during this poem. Then, instead of having them write a poem like the
above lesson, you could have them draw a picture of the mood of the poem instead.





Music Integration Lesson 1
Catherine Tremblay
Music 405
Dr. Ruth Gurgel
12:10 2:10

DRAW YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL














POEM







Music Integration Lesson 1
Catherine Tremblay
Music 405
Dr. Ruth Gurgel
12:10 2:10

THE SQIRREL
WHISKY, FRISKY
HIPPITY HOP;
UP HE GOES
TO THE TREE TOP!

WHIRLY, TWIRLY,
ROUND AND ROUND,
DOWN HE SCAMPERS
TO THE GROUND.

FURLY, CURLY,
WHAT A TAIL!
TALL AS A FEATHER
BROAD AS A SNAIL!

WHERES HIS SUPPER?
IN THE SHELL,
SNAPPITY, CRACKITY,
OUT IT FELL.