Rhyme Time

Overview

Rhyme Time is an interactive activity that helps Grade 2 students develop phonological awareness through engaging rhyming games, Caribbean nursery rhymes, and creative word play. Students will learn to identify rhyming words, generate their own rhymes, and appreciate the rhythm and patterns in language. This activity incorporates local Caribbean songs and chants to make learning culturally relevant and enjoyable.

Learning Objectives

• Identify words that rhyme (same ending sounds)
• Generate rhyming words independently
• Recognize rhyming patterns in songs, poems, and chants
• Develop phonological awareness through auditory discrimination
• Appreciate Caribbean oral traditions and language patterns
• Build vocabulary through word families

Materials Needed

• Rhyming word picture cards (cat/hat, sun/fun, etc.)
• Caribbean nursery rhyme posters or chart paper
• Audio recordings of local songs and chants
• Shak-shak or other simple percussion instruments
• Whiteboard or chart paper for word lists
• Rhyming hopscotch mat or floor markers

Preparation

1. Select 3-4 Caribbean nursery rhymes or local songs with clear rhyming patterns
2. Prepare rhyming picture cards (at least 10 matching pairs)
3. Create a word family chart with common patterns (-at, -an, -op, -un)
4. Set up a hopscotch rhyme game area if space allows
5. Practice the rhymes yourself to model rhythm and expression

Activity Steps

1. Warm-Up Song (5 minutes):
   • Begin with a familiar Caribbean rhyme or chant (e.g., "Brown Girl in the Ring")
   • Clap or use shak-shak to emphasize the rhythm
   • Ask students to identify words that sound the same at the end
2. Rhyme Detective Game (8 minutes):
   • Display pairs of picture cards (some that rhyme, some that don't)
   • Students give thumbs up for rhymes, thumbs down for non-rhymes
   • For correct matches, have students say both words aloud
   • Discuss why words rhyme (same ending sounds)
3. Rhyme Time Challenge (7 minutes):
   • Teacher says a word, students think of rhyming words
   • Use Caribbean context words: beach/teach, sun/fun, sea/me, fish/dish
   • Record rhyming words on chart paper by word family
   • Celebrate creative/nonsense rhymes too!
4. Rhyme Hopscotch (5 minutes):
   • Students hop on squares while saying rhyming words
   • Each square has a word - hop to matching rhymes only
   • Class calls out "Rhyme Time!" when correct match is made

Caribbean Rhymes to Use

Differentiation

Assessment

Observe and note students' abilities to:

• Correctly identify pairs of rhyming words
• Generate at least 2-3 rhymes for a given word
• Recognize rhyming patterns in songs and poems
• Participate enthusiastically in rhyming games
• Apply rhyming knowledge to new words

Extensions

• Create a class book of illustrated rhyming words
• Record students performing Caribbean rhymes for a digital portfolio
• Have students teach a rhyme from their home or family
• Connect to writing by composing simple rhyming couplets
• Create rhyming word walls organized by word family
• Invite grandparents to share traditional rhymes and songs