- glue
- pictures of objects that don’t rhyme with up (4)
- pictures each of a cup and a pup (2)
- square box
- tape
- white paper
MA Standards:
Foundational Skills/RF.PK.MA.1.d: Recognize and name some uppercase letters of the alphabet and the lowercase letters in one’s own name.Foundational Skills/RF.PK.MA.2.a: With guidance and support, recognize and produce rhyming words (e.g., identify words that rhyme with /cat/ such as /bat/ and /sat/).
Head Start Outcomes:
Literacy Knowledge/Phonological Awareness: Identifies and discriminates between sounds and phonemes in language, such as attention to beginning and ending sounds of words and recognition that different words begin or end with the same sound.
Literacy Knowledge/Alphabet Knowledge: Recognizes that the letters of the alphabet are a special category of visual graphics that can be individually named.
Approaches to Learning/Cooperation: Joins in cooperative play with others and invites others to play.
PreK Learning Guidelines:
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 14: Recognize and supply rhythm and rhyme in poetry.
English Language Arts/Reading and Literature 7: Develop familiarity with the forms of alphabet letters, awareness of print, and letter forms.
Word Play: "Up" Rhyming Cube
© Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Early Education and Care (Jennifer Waddell photographer). All rights reserved.
ELA Focus Skills: Phonological Awareness, Speaking and Listening, Vocabulary
Educator Prep: Cover a square box with paper. On two sides glue a picture of a pup and on two sides glue a picture of a cup. On the remaining two sides glue a picture of objects that don’t rhyme with the word up.
Tell children they will be listening for words that rhyme with the word up.
- Show children the cube and how each side has a picture on it. Explain that they will roll the cube and name the picture that faces up.
- Tell children that as they name the picture, you want them to listen for whether the word rhymes with up. If the name of the picture rhymes with the word up, children are to make the motion of going up the ramp as they say the word.
- Demonstrate how to roll the cube. Say, I rolled a picture of a cup. Then, as you show the motion of going up the ramp, say, Cup rhymes with up! Play until every child has had a chance to roll the cube.
Adaptation: For groups with older children, you can have them find rhyme words for the pictures that do not rhyme with up.