Christopher Columbus Rhyming Words

This lesson consists of a Christopher Columbus poem in which the students have to fill in the blanks with rhyming words. I laminate the poster and I laminated the fill in words on index cards for use every year.

The students have to fill in the blanks with rhyming words- perfect for first graders!  I read the poem all the way through one time and I tell them to listen for the words that rhyme.  Then, I read two lines at a time and ask the students to fill in the rhyming word from the list that I have also put up on the board.

At the beginning of every lesson, I remind students how important it is for them to show respect to the speaker.  In first grade, we stress the importance of eye contact and speaking in complete sentences.  These are very important concepts for our students to learn, so as a teacher, I am constantly reminding them.

I then asked them to tell me what rhyming words are and we talked about examples of them.  Then I told them to listen for rhyming words as I read a poem to them.  I read the whole poem, "In 1492" to the students and then I asked them if they heard any rhyming words.  I introduced them to the words that are on index cards and I posted them on the board.  Then I displayed the poem on the board and I told them that they are going to have to fill in the rhyming word.  I read two lines at a time and I asked them to tell me what word goes in the blank.  The student who answered correctly got to come up to the board and stick the index card onto the right blank.  I then re-read the two sentences with the word filled in.  Then I told them that I was going to read the poem and they would read the filled-in word when I point to it.  I summarized what we had learned about Christopher Columbus when we were finished reading our poem.

COLUMBUS LESSON

ASK:  has anyone ever heard of Christopher Columbus?

• read scholastic news with students- do last page activity
• put poem up on board
• tell them that you are going to read them a poem and you want them to listen for words that rhyme
• introduce words on index cards
• read the poem all the way thru
• read every two lines leaving last word blank
• have them tell you what word goes in the blank
• have student stick word  to poem

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ACTIVITY                                

                                        IN 1492

 

In fourteen hundred ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.

He had three ships and left from Spain;
He sailed through sunshine, wind and rain.

He sailed by night; he sailed by day;
He used the stars to find his way.

A compass also helped him know
How to find the way to go.

Ninety sailors were on board;
Some men worked while others snored.

Then the workers went to sleep;
And others watched the ocean deep.

Day after day they looked for land;
They dreamed of trees and rocks and sand.

October 12 their dream came true,
You never saw a happier crew!

• index cards with the wods in the blanks
• Christopher Columbus poem
• tape

I do not always call on students that have their hands raised and the students in my classroom know this.  They know that they should at least attempt an answer.  I sometimes give my students a copy of this poem after we do it as a whole group.  I then let them fill it out themselves and I collect it to make sure that they were paying attention.