GRADES PreK–1

20 Favorite Nursery Rhymes That Build Phonemic Awareness and

Inspire a Love of Reading

INCLUDESEngaging

Lessons andInstant

Activities!

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Design by Josué Castilleja and Jason RobinsonIllustration by Maxie Chambliss

Activities by Pamela ChankoProduced by Blaze Inc.

ISBN: 0-439-51382-0

Copyright © 2003 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

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S C H O L A S T I C

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Humpty DumptyHumpty Dumpty sat on a wall,

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the king’s horses

And all the king’s men

Couldn’t put Humpty together again!

TRY THIS!l Can you find two words in the poem that end with the spelling pattern -all? What other words end in -all?l Can you find another word with a short /a/ sound in the middle, as in sat? How many other short /a/ words can you think of? l What could Humpty Dumpty sit on instead of a wall? How about a chair? Can you make up a new verse in which Humpty Dumpty sits on something else?

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Little Jack HornerLittle Jack Horner

Sat in a corner,

Eating a Christmas pie.

He put in his thumb,

And pulled out a plum,

And said, “What a good boy am I!”

Try This!l What word in the poem rhymes with plum? Which letter is silent in that word?l Can you find the word that rhymes with Jack’s last name? Which letter is different in this word?l Can you say the rhyme, substituting the word Christmas with your favorite holiday? What surprise would you like to find in your special holiday pie?

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Little Boy BlueLittle Boy Blue, come blow your horn.

The sheep’s in the meadow,

The cow’s in the corn.

Where’s the boy who looks after the sheep?

He’s under a haystack, fast asleep.

Will you wake him? No, not I!

For if I do, he’s sure to cry.

Try This!l Can you find the words in the poem that begins with bl-? How many other bl- words can you think of? (block, bloom, blob, black)l What words end in -eep? Can you think of any other words that end in the word family -eep? How about -orn?l Can you read the rhyme again, substituting the word blue with your favorite color?

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Little Bo PeepLittle Bo Peep

Has lost her sheep,

And doesn’t know where to find them.

Leave them alone,

And they’ll come home,

Wagging their tails behind them.

Try This!l How many words can you find that have the long /e/ sound, as in sheep? Can you think of any other long /e/ words?l What words in the poem begin with th-? What sound do the letters th- make in those words?l What else could Little Bo Peep lose? Can you change her name so that it rhymes with what she lost? (Such as, “Little Bo Jean has lost her bean!”)

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Try This!lCan you find the two words that have the /oo/ sound in the middle? How many other words can you think of that have the /oo/ sound?lWhat word in the poem rhymes with diddle? Can you think of other words that rhyme with diddle? (middle, riddle, little)lWhat is your favorite musical instrument? Can you say the first two lines, substituting the word fiddle with your instrument, and diddle with a

word that rhymes with your instrument? (Such as, “Hey diddle fum/The cat and the drum”)

Hey Diddle DiddleHey diddle diddle,

The cat and the fiddle,

The cow jumped over the moon.

The little dog laughed

To see such fun,

And the dish ran away with the spoon.

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TRY THIS!l What word in the poem rhymes with man? Can you think of any other words in the word family -an?l Can you find the letter in the poem whose name rhymes with me? What other letters of the alphabet rhyme with that letter (T)?l What is the first letter in your name? Can you say the rhyme using that letter and your name? (Such as, “Mark it with a B and put it in the oven for Bobby and me!”)

Pat-a-CakePat-a-cake, pat-a-cake,

Baker’s man,

Bake me a cake as fast as you can.

Pat it and prick it

And mark it with a T.

Put it in the oven

For Tommy and me. Nur

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TRY THIS!l Can you find the word in the poem that rhymes with hat? How many other words can you think of that end with -at?l What sound does the word bone begin with? What other words in the poem begin with b? Can you think of any other b words? l Can you think of a new rhyme to end this verse? (Such as, “She went to the butcher’s to buy him a chop, and when she came back, he was spinning a _____!” )

Old Mother HubbardOld Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard,

To give her poor dog a bone.

But when she got there, the cupboard was bare,

And so the poor dog had none.

She went to the baker’s to buy him some bread,

And when she got back, the poor dog was fed.

She went to the hatter’s to buy him a hat,

And when she came back…

He was feeding the cat!

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TRY THIS!l Can you find two words that end in the word family -ock? How many other words can you think of that end in -ock?l How many words in the rhyme begin with d? Can you think of any other words that begin with d?l Can you say the rhyme with a different number than “one”? What might the mouse do if the clock struck two?

Hickory Dickory DockHickory, dickory, dock,

The mouse ran up the clock.

The clock struck one,

The mouse ran down,

Hickory, dickory, dock!

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TRY THIS!l Can you find another word in the poem that begins with br- as in broth? How many other words can you think of that begin with br-?l What two words begin with the /sh/ sound? Can you think of any other words that begin with sh-? How about wh-?l Can you think of another item of clothing in which the old woman might live? How might the rhyme change if the old woman lived in a hat?

The Old WomanWho Lived in a ShoeThere was an old woman Who lived in a shoe.She had so many children,She didn’t know what to do.

She gave them some brothAlong with some bread,Then hugged them all soundly And sent them to bed.

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TRY THIS!l How many words in the poem rhyme with sky? Can you think of any other rhymes for sky?l Which word in the rhyme begins with st-? Can you make a list of words that begin with st-? (stop, stove, stir, stamp)l What shape is a diamond? Can you draw one in the air? Can you say the rhyme substituting the word diamond with a different shape?

Twinkle, TwinkleTwinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high,Like a diamond in the sky.

In the dark blue sky you keep,Often through my curtains peep,For you never shut your eye,Till the sun is in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,How I wonder what you are!

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TRY THIS!l Can you tell which letters make the /o/ sound in snow and go? How are they different?l What word in the poem starts with with sn-? Can you think of any other words that start with that sound? (snap, snack, snow, snort)l Can you make up a new rhyme using your name and your favorite animal? Where else might your animal follow you?

Mary Had a Little LambMary had a little lamb,Its fleece was white as snow. And everywhere that Mary went, The lamb was sure to go.

It followed her to school one day,Which was against the rules. It made the children laugh and playTo see a lamb at school.

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TRY THIS!l What word in the poem rhymes with spout? Can you find another word in the poem with the /ou/ sound? (down, out)l Can you find two words that begin with sp-? How many other words can you think of that begin with sp-? (spin, spy, spill, spot)l What is your favorite kind of bug? Can you read the rhyme aloud again, substituting the word spider with the name of your bug?

Itsy Bitsy SpiderThe itsy bitsy spiderClimbed up the water spout.Down came the rainAnd washed the spider out.Out came the sunAnd dried up all the rain.And the itsy bitsy spiderClimbed up the spout again. N

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TRY THIS!l How many words can you find with the long /i/ sound, as in five? Can you think of any other long /i/ words?l How are the words bite and right alike? How are they different?l Can you say the last line of the poem and hold up your right pinky finger? Which finger would you hold up if we changed the line to “This little finger on the left”?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5One, two, three, four, five,

Once I caught a fish alive.

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten,

Then I let it go again.

Why did you let it go?

Because it bit my finger so.

Which finger did it bite?

This little finger on the right!

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TRY THIS!l What sound does the letter c make in the words curds and came? Can you think of any other words that begin with the same sound and the letter c?l Can you find the word that rhymes with Miss Muffet’s name? l What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Can you make up a new verse about yourself and this food? What animal might frighten you away?

Little Miss MuffetLittle Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet

Eating her curds and whey

Along came a spider

And sat down beside her

And frightened Miss Muffet away!

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TRY THIS!l What word ends with the same sounds as buns? (sons) How are these two words different?l How many words can you think of that rhyme with hot?l How much is one penny plus two pennies? Can you say the rhyme using different number combinations?

Hot Cross BunsHot cross buns, Hot cross buns, One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns. If your daughters don’t like ’em, Give ’em to your sons. One a penny, two a penny,Hot cross buns.

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TRY THIS!l What word rhymes with wool? Can you think of a word that ends in the same sound that means the opposite of push?l Can you name a color other than black that begins with bl-?l What animal sounds can you make? Can you say the rhyme with a different animal and the sound it makes? Try a different color, too! (Such as, “Cheep, cheep, yellow chicks”)

Baa Baa, Black SheepBaa, baa, black sheep,

Have you any wool?

Yes, sir, yes, sir,

Three bags full:

One for the master

And one for the dame

And one for the little boy

Who lives down the lane.

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TRY THIS!l What word begins with cr- ? Can you think of any other words that begin with cr-?l What words end in -ile? Can you think of any other words that end in the word family -ile?l What would you buy if you found some money? Can you make up a silly crooked poem about yourself?

The Crooked ManThere was a crooked manAnd he walked a crooked mile. He found a crooked sixpenceAgainst a crooked stile.He bought a crooked cat, Which caught a crooked mouse.And they all lived togetherIn a crooked little house. N

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TRY THIS!l What other word in the poem has the short /i/ sound, as in piggy? Can you think of any other short /i/ words?l Can you find the words that begin with w-? How many other words can you think of that begin with w-?l What might happen if the first little piggy went to the playground instead? Can you think of something different for each little piggy to do?

This Little PiggyThis little piggy went to market,

This little piggy stayed home.

This little piggy had roast beef,

This little piggy had none.

And this little piggy cried “Wee, wee, wee!”

All the way home.

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A Song of SixpenceSing a song of sixpence,A pocket full of rye;Four and twenty blackbirdsBaked in a pie.

When the pie was opened,The birds began to sing;Wasn’t that a dainty dish To set before the king?

TRY THIS!l Which words end in -ing? Can you think of any other words that end in the word family -ing?l How are the words pie and rye alike? How are they different? l Can you think of some other silly things to bake in a pie? Can you make up a new rhyme about your special pie?

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Old King ColeOld King Cole was a merry old soul,

And a merry old soul was he;

He called for his pipe,

And he called for his bowl,

And he called for his fiddlers three.

TRY THIS!l What word rhymes with the king’s name? Can you think of any other words that rhyme with Cole and soul?l How many words can you find that have the long /e/ sound, as in three? Can you think of any other long /e/ words?l What would you do if you were a king? What special things might you call for? Can you make up a new rhyme about them?

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Nursery rhymes provide a perfect way to introduce phonics to young children. “Little Bo Peep,” “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”… these verses havea comforting, singsong quality that have made them the favorites of childrenfor generations. The rhythmic, playful text of nursery rhymes make them anatural vehicle for exploring letters, sounds, spelling patterns, and of course,rhyme! In addition, these rhymes are cultural “touchstones” that will buildkids’ cultural literacy. Whether the children you teach are familiar withthese classics or are experiencing them for the first time, they are sure to bedelighted by their timeless charm. Mother Goose can help you make phonicsfun—and motivate children to become life-long lovers of reading.

Teaching Phonics With Nursery Rhymes

_____________________________________________Using the Flip Chart

The large print and colorful illustrations make the Nursery Rhyme Flip

Chart a perfect focus for circle time, morning meeting, or story time. You

can share the rhymes with the whole class or in small groups. You might

choose a “rhyme of the day” or “rhyme of the week.” You may wish to use

a Big Book stand to present the rhymes, and a pointer to track the print

as you read and point out particular words, letters, or spelling patterns.

As you present each rhyme, invite children to describe the illustration

and predict what it might be about. Then read the rhyme aloud. When

children are familiar with the rhyme, invite them to join in and read along.

Teaching TipsBeneath each rhyme, you will find quick and easy questions to enhance

children’s phonics and literacy learning. In addition to these instant

suggestions, you might try the following ideas:

• Cloze Activities: Once children are familiar with a rhyme, try

placing a sticky note over the second word of a rhyming pair. When you

come to that point in the rhyme, pause and invite children to supply the

rhyming word. You might also try covering up parts of words to teach

word families and beginning and ending sounds.

• Choral Reading: When you have read a rhyme several times with

children, invite them to participate in a choral reading. Use your hand or

a pointer to track the print and encourage children to read the rhyme

aloud as a group.

• Round Robin Reading: After children have participated in a

choral reading of a rhyme, they might enjoy reading it aloud round-robin

style. Sit children in a circle and invite them to take turns reading one

line at a time. Read the rhyme several times, until each child has had a

chance to read a line.

Extension Activities Art: Invite children to create their own illustrations for favorite nursery

rhymes. You can post children’s work on a Nursery Rhyme Bulletin Board, or

bind the pages together to create a class book.

Dramatic Play: Invite children to create costumes and put on a Nursery

Rhyme Play. Children can take on roles of various characters and animals. You

might even invite family members or another class to see the performance.

Cooking: Many of the rhymes are ideal for cooking connections. For example,

you might make a batch of cupcakes for “Pat-a-Cake” and have each child use

frosting to “mark” one with the initial letter of his or her name. You might

make a pie for “Sing a Song of Sixpence,” or even try baking “Hot Cross Buns!”

Writing: Try using the nursery rhymes as writing prompts. Children can

make up their own versions of the rhymes, or continue a favorite character’s

adventures. For example, where did Mary and her lamb go next? What

happened after Little Bo Peep found her sheep?

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

You can use the nursery rhymes to introduce and reinforce

punctuation. As you read, point out periods, commas, question marks,

and exclamation points. Discuss what these symbols mean and how

they might change the reading of the rhyme. For example, how does an

exclamation point affect the reader’s inflection?

How is it different from a period?

TIP

Some nursery rhymes have vocabulary that will be unfamiliar to

children. Even a child who knows “Little Miss Muffet” by heart may

not know the meanings of the words tuffet or curds and whey. To

enhance children’s enjoyment and understanding, discuss new

vocabulary before you read. Children will enjoy “Hot Cross Buns” even

more when they know they are reading about a yummy treat!

TIP

• Variations: Many of these nursery rhymes are ideal for creating

variations. Invite children to create personalized versions by substituting

their own names (“Susie Had a Little Lamb”) and silly verses by

substituting names of places, animals, colors, numbers, and so on

(“Baa Baa Black Dinosaur,” “Little Boy Purple”). Write children’s

substitutions on sticky notes and place them on top of the original words.

Then invite children to read the new rhyme with you.

• Hand Motions: Children may already be familiar with hand and

finger motions for some of these rhymes, such as “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”

and “This Little Piggy.” Invite them to do any movements they know,

and to make up new ones. For example, they might pretend to bake

and pat cakes for “Pat-a-Cake,” or hold up different numbers of fingers

for “One, Two, Three, Four, Five.” You might choose a different “leader”

each day, and invite him or her to invent hand motions for the rest of the

group to follow.

• Songs and Chants: Many of these nursery rhymes have

traditional melodies. Invite children to sing the rhyme instead of reading

it. If children are not familiar with the traditional tune, invite them to

create an original melody!

ISBN: 0-439-51382-0 Produced by Blaze Inc.; activities by Pamela Chanko; illustrations by Maxie Chambliss; design by Josué Castilleja and Jason Robinson. Copyright © 2003 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved.

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