English lesson plan · Kindergarten (Reception and Year 1 in England) · 30 minutes
Rhyming words
Phonics & Sight Words
CCSS RF.K.2.AEngland: Reception Phonics
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Rhyming words.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: no earlier skill in the map; start from what students know.
Leads to: Word families: swap the first sound; Poems: rhyme, rhythm and repeated lines
Materials: Sound cards and picture cards, Magnetic letters, Mini whiteboards, Mini whiteboards, A short model text on the board, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval: three short questions students should already manage. Answers on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which word rhymes with "bag"? (bin / fat / but / rag) → ragPrompt: Rhyming words sound the same at the end.
- Three of these words rhyme: jog, fog, dog, mop. Which word does NOT rhyme? (jog / fog / dog / mop) → mopPrompt: Say each word and listen to how it ends.
- Write a word that rhymes with "pet". Change only the first letter. → netPrompt: Keep the ending "-et".
Hook · 3 min
- Hide picture cards in a bag and ask children to say the first sound of each one they pull out.
- Share the objective: Rhyming words. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Which word rhymes with "bin"?
- Step 1: "bin" ends in "-in".
- Step 2: "fin" also ends in "-in", so they rhyme.
- Step 3: So the answer is: fin
- Answer: fin
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Which word rhymes with "jig"? (hip / zip / pig / sip) → pigPrompt: Rhyming words sound the same at the end.
- Three of these words rhyme: dip, wag, rag, tag. Which word does NOT rhyme? (dip / wag / rag / tag) → dipPrompt: Say each word and listen to how it ends.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Write a word that rhymes with "ran". Change only the first letter. → canPrompt: Keep the ending "-an".
- Three of these words rhyme: wag, mad, pad, had. Which word does NOT rhyme? (wag / mad / pad / had) → wagPrompt: Say each word and listen to how it ends.
Watch out for
- Adding an extra "uh" to sounds ("buh" instead of a clean b).
- Reading the letters one by one but not blending them into a word.
Support and stretch
Support
- Use concrete materials: sound cards and picture cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Word families: swap the first sound; Poems: rhyme, rhythm and repeated lines.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/english/kindergarten.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder