I'll have to be honest and tell you that I dread this week every year. It's the week that kicks off the standard, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4 Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song. The reason it bothers me so much is because unlike the other standards, this is really at least 4 standards shoved into one. It's almost as if they had these standards left over and said let's shove them all together as to not bring too many standards to the table for 2nd grade. It is challenging standard for students because it can be very abstract. After much research and years of practice, I have it down to full proof lessons. We start very simple and fun by playing rhyming games. Then I model finding rhyming words in a poem. We discuss how rhyming words add fun and give the reader a picture in their mind. The students simply have to write this as their response for the day. I extend the day further by reading a ton of rhyming poetry in transitions. During writing the students will choose rhyming words to write a poem with. If they have a hard time I allow them to use the rhyming cards from the game that we played.
On day 2 we tackle syllables and how they add rhythm to a piece. I model with a familiar poem like Jack and Jill and the students tap it out. Throughout the day I will read more poems with rhythm. Students will extend their learning by writing poetry with rhythm. The poems that they write will go into a poetry book each day.
On day 3 we put days 1 and 2 together. This time I read Little Bo Peep and we talk about the added fun of having rhythm and rhyme together. I draw my visualization of the poem out for the students. The students will of course respond in their notebook. Breaking the standard apart and having them respond each day makes it easier for them and then I have proof in their journal that they mastered that portion of the standard. We will of course extend our learning every day this week by writing poetry.
Day 4 is probably the easiest of the days because we have tackled word meaning all year. The students will read differentiated text with a partner circling words that give them a picture in their head. When they are done discussing the text with their partner and finding the unknown words, they will draw a picture of the poem in a cat outline and cut it out. They know they are responsible for illustrating each word that is circled.
On the last day we tackled repeated words together. The students will use the guiding question - How do the repeated words add to the rhyme? They will have to illustrate the text as well. Once the week is over students have a firm grasp of the standard and we will continue to point out rhythm, rhyme and meaning as we read text for the rest of the year.
All of the poems and materials from the week can be found by clicking on the picture below.
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