Lesson Focus
* Rhythm and music priming to support literacy development

Standards
* Identify and produce rhyming words.
* Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words.
* Read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
* Describe how specific music concepts are used to support a specific purpose in music.
* Demonstrate how interests, knowledge, and skills relate to personal choices and intent when creating, performing, and responding to music.
* Listen to, analyze, and describe music
* Understand music in relation to history and culture

Content and Language Objectives
* Students will be able to identify rhyming words in poems and songs
* Students will be able to orally produce rhymes by manipulating word families and phonemes
* Students will be able to recite short rhythmic poems with expression

Resources and Materials
* Nursery rhymes/poems with rhymes
* Rhythm instruments (e.g. drums, shakers, rhythm sticks)
* Audio/video of rhyming songs

Vocabulary
* Rhythm
* Beat
* Rhyme
* Word Family
* Phoneme
* Blend
* Syllable
* Chant
* Nursery Rhyme
* Expression

Assessment
* Observe students’ ability to identify rhymes in poems/songs, generate oral rhymes, and recite rhymes with proper rhythm/expression

Lesson Introduction (10 minutes)
* Lead students in clapping/tapping rhythms to familiar songs
* Discuss how rhythm and beat make songs fun and engaging
* Explain that hearing/feeling rhythms can help our brains get ready to read
* Rhyming words have similar rhythm patterns at the end

Lesson Core (25 minutes)
* Read a nursery rhyme, exaggerating rhymes (e.g., Chairs on Strike)
* Have students identify rhyming pairs
* Model replacing words to create new rhymes
* Play rhythmic song videos, having students clap/move to the beat
* Pause to identify rhymes and brainstorm new rhyming words
* In pairs, have students create new rhyming lines to extend poems
* Give students drums/shakers
* Recite rhymes, having them keep the beat
* Randomly call on students to continue lines with new rhymes

Lesson Conclusion (10 minutes)
* Have students share favorite rhymes and rhythms
* Discuss how focusing on rhymes and rhythms can make reading fun

Reflection
* Engagement/Enjoyment: Start by asking students what did you enjoy most about the rhythm and rhyming activities? What made them fun? How did clapping rhythms, using instruments, and moving to the beat help you pay attention?
* Skill Development: Then, ask students what did you notice about the patterns in rhyming words? How did focusing on rhymes help with reading? Was it easy or difficult to come up with new rhyming words during partner/individual practice?
* Connections to Literacy: Next, ask students do you think doing more activities that combine music and reading would help make you a better reader? Why?
* Cross-Curricular Potential: Finally, ask students how could we use rhythms, rhymes, and music in other lessons or subjects?