1. Title of Unit – Rhyming Ducks!! Grade Level – Kindergarten
Leaner Analysis
Group of Learners:
This reading enjoyment unit was designed for a kindergarten class. The unit is designed to be taught at the end of year,
after an initial introduction to rhyming words. Therefore, the lesson is an extending/refining lesson rather than an
acquisition lesson.
Motivational Strategies
Students will be shown the book I’m a Duck!, by Teri Sloat, at the beginning of the lesson. Before a read-a-loud of the
book, the students will be asked if they like ducks. Then, students will be given the opportunity to share some of their
own personal duck stories. The media specialist will then tell the students that they will read a story about a duck today.
The media specialist will then explain that the students will have to listen carefully to find out what happens to their
new friend, the duck in the book.
Technology Resources
Students will participate in an online game to review their knowledge of rhyming words. Therefore, a computer with
internet access and an LCD projector will be needed. Also, these materials will be needed for students to review the last
page of the book. Also, a wiki with helpful websites was created for teachers.
Essential Questions
Overarching Questions Topical Questions
- How can I tell my story through the written word? - How can I organize my ideas before I write?
- How can I use information from the story to make - How can I tell if words rhyme?
predictions? - How should I start my sentences?
- How can my picture tell a story? - How should I end my sentences?
- What does my picture say about my duckling?
GPS Standards
ELAKR2 The student demonstrates the ability to identify and orally manipulate words and individual sounds
within those spoken words. The student
a. Identifies and produces rhyming words in response to an oral prompt and distinguishes rhyming and non-rhyming
words.
ELAKR6 The student gains meaning from orally presented text. The student
a. Listens to and reads a variety of literary (e.g., short stories, poems) and informational texts and materials to gain
knowledge and for pleasure.
b. Makes predictions from pictures and titles.
c. Asks and answers questions about essential narrative elements (e.g., beginning-middle-end, setting, characters,
problems, events, resolution) of a read-aloud text.
ELAKW1 The student begins to understand the principles of writing. The student
a. Writes or dictates to describe familiar persons, places, objects, or experiences.
b. Uses drawings, letters, and phonetically spelled words to create meaning.
c. Accurately prints name, all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet, and teacher-selected words.
d. Uses left-to-right pattern of writing.
e. Begins to use capitalization at the beginning of sentences and punctuation (periods and question marks) at the end
of sentences.
ELAKW2 The student begins to write in a variety of genres, including narrative, informational, persuasive,
and response to literature. The student writes a narrative that:
a. Involves one event.
b. Uses drawings, letters, and phonetically spelled words to describe a personal experience.
c. Begins to use organizational structures (beginning, middle, end).
d. May include describing words.

2. e. May include a sense of closure.
f. Includes oral or written prewriting to generate ideas (graphic organizers and pictures).
g. May include a draft developed from prewriting.
Knowledge and Skills
Knowledge Skills
Students will know: Students will be able to:
- What rhyming words are - Identify rhyming words
- To capitalize the first word of a sentence - Create rhymes
- To end a sentence with a period - Predict the next day of a duckling
- You write from left to right on the page - Write a narrative paragraph about their duckling
- Create a cluster diagram as pre-writing
Understandings
Students will understand that:
- Prewriting helps them organize their thoughts to write a paragraph
- They can tell their own story effectively through the written word
- Rhyming words can make stories fun and rhythmical
Big Ideas from Unit: Rhyming Words, Narrative Paragraphs, Predictions
Related Misconceptions: Words that end in the same letter always rhyme,
Learning Activities
Day One
1. Students will enter the media center and wills it down in the reading corner. The media specialist will be ask
them if they like ducks, and then give them the opportunity to share any “duck” stories they have. Students will
then be told that they are going to read I’m a Duck!, a story about a duck. The media specialist will then lead
them in a picture walk through the book, asking them to predict who the main characters are, what they think
will happen, and where the story is. The media specialist will also have them read the title and author’s name
for her. They will then be told they have to be very quiet and listen to the story to find out what happens to
their new friend, the duck!
2. The media specialist will read I’m a Duck! to the students. She will ask them what they notice about the story,
prompting them to say “rhyming words.” As she reads the different pages, she will encourage their participation
and ensure their comprehension by asking them questions. The following questions are some that will be asked
throughout the story:
- What words rhyme on this page?
- What is quacking at our duck?
- How many eggs did the duck lay?
- Since our duck has baby ducks now, he is now their _________?
Students will also participate by counting the number of eggs the duck laid aloud with the media specialist and
“quacking” at designated points in the story.
3. Students will be asked to choose one of the new 10 baby ducks and name it. They will take a seat at a table next
to the reading section and be asked to draw a picture of the duck they just named. They will be instructed to
write their duck’s name at the top of their picture.
Day Two
1. Students will be asked what happened in the book I’m a Duck! the day before. They will be asked what they
remember about the book, and the teacher will prompt them about the book until they say that it had rhyming
words.
2. The teacher will ask the students to give her some examples of rhyming words. Volunteers will be chosen to
share their examples.
3. Students will be told that the teacher will read the book aloud to them again, and this time they must stick out
their tongue every time that they hear a word that rhymes. Every time that they stick out their tongues, the
teacher will stop and will write the words that rhyme on separate index cards, which she will display on the

3. board in the front of the room. Students will complete this exercise.
4. After index cards have been created with all of the rhyming words on them, the teacher will mix up the words
and put them back on the board. Students will then be asked to go to the board in pairs and get two index cards
that rhyme. After everyone has index cards, the teacher will go around the room and have students read their
rhyming index cards aloud.
Day Three
1. The students will ask the students what they talked about yesterday with their duck story to prompt them to
say “rhyming words.” She will then ask for examples of words that rhyme, calling on different students than the
previous day to share examples.
2. Students will complete a quick review of rhyming words by completing the “rhyming poem” exercise at the
following website:
http://www.tvokids.com/framesets/play.html?game=71
Students will complete this review together as a class.
3. The teacher will return the duck pictures to the students from the first day of the lesson. They will be asked to
come up with a word that rhymes with their duck’s name. The teacher will circulate to check for understanding.
4. The students will then be shown a slide of the last page of the book I’m a Duck! The teacher will re-read the last
page, and the students will see the ten baby ducks in the pond with the daddy duck. Students will be asked to
decide which one is “their” duck.
5. Students will be asked to imagine what “their” duck did on the “next page of the book.” They will be asked to
pretend that they are that duck, and to write down what they did next. (Examples will be taken from the class
and shared…ex: Played with a frog, looked for some food, learned how to fly, etc.)
6. Students will be asked to draw a picture of what “their” duck did that day.
7. Students will be asked to write a sentence on the top of their picture that has their ducks name in it, and their
“rhyming word” for their ducks name.
Day Four
1. Students will be asked to write a paragraph under their picture about what their duck is doing in the picture.
Students should write at least five sentences. Before writing their paragraph, however, they will complete a
cluster diagram as pre-writing.
2. After writing their paragraph, students will be asked to choose three words in their paragraph and come up
with a rhyming word for each of those three words. They will circle the chosen words in their paragraph, and
write their rhyming words at the very bottom of their papers.
3. Finally, the students’ stories will be compiled into a book, which is “Part 2” of the book I’m a Duck!
Accommodations
Students who have a hard time with the assignment and need extra help or accommodations will be allowed to write
shorter paragraphs, and be given more one-on-one time with the para-pro. Students can also be given extra time to
complete their paragraphs, or work with partners.
Assessments
Formative and Summative Assessments will be used throughout the unit. Assessments are as follows:
Formative
- Students will be asked throughout the story to pick out rhyming words
- Students will be asked to match rhyming words using index cards
- Students will complete the rhyming words game online
- Students will create a cluster diagram as pre-writing for their narrative paragraphs
- Students will be asked to label a word that rhymes with their duckling’s name
- Students will be asked to write a sentence that contains their duckling’s name, and a word that rhymes with
his/her name
Summative
- Students will be asked to write and submit a narrative paragraph about “their” duckling.
- Students will be asked to create three pairs of rhyming words from the words in their narrative paragraphs

4. The following rubric will be used to assess the student’s narrative paragraphs and rhyming word sets:

5. Unsatisfactory
“U”
Satisfactory
“S”
Excellent
“S+”
Duckling’s Illustration
Incomplete Illustration;
Sloppy
Illustration is Neat, but
could be better
Excellent Illustration, very
neat and complete
Duckling’s Name &
Rhyming Word
Duckling not named and no
rhyming word provided
Duckling is named and
rhyming word attempted,
but doesn’t rhyme
Duckling name and
rhyming word are accurate
Paragraph is Logical
Paragraph cannot be
understood or followed
Paragraph is mainly logical,
but confusing at points
Paragraph is well-written
and easy to understand
Paragraph Length
Only one to two sentences
included with illustration
Three to four sentences
are included with
illustration
Five or more sentences are
included with illustration
Rhyming Word Sets
Only one rhyming word set
is provided
Only two rhyming word
sets are provided
Three or more rhyming

6. Resources
Online Rhyming Review Game
http://www.tvokids.com/framesets/play.html?game=71
Index Card Lesson ideas
http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/rhymetime.asp
Teacher’s Resources Pathfinder
http://readingenrichmentrhyming.pbworks.com/FrontPage