Rhyme and Sound Swap

Overview

Students listen to and join a short rhyming chant, then orally change one sound in simple words to make new words. They practise turn-taking, clear speaking and active listening while connecting rhyme and rhythm with phoneme manipulation.

Learning intentions

• Students will join in a repeated chant using an appropriate speaking voice.
• Students will identify words that rhyme.
• Students will orally substitute an initial or final sound to make a new one-syllable word.
• Students will take turns, listen carefully and respond to a partner.

Success criteria

• I can join in with the repeated words and rhythm.
• I can tell when two words rhyme.
• I can change one sound to make a new word.
• I can listen, wait for my turn and speak clearly.

Curriculum links

• English — interaction skills, including turn-taking, active listening, responding and contributing ideas.
• English — repetition, rhyme and rhythm in simple poems, chants and songs.
• English — orally adding, deleting or substituting phonemes in one-syllable words.
• English — using short vowels, consonant blends and digraphs to write and blend words.

Lesson structure (16 minutes)

1. 0–3 min · Hook: join the chant. Open the opening question and chant slides and ask, “Which words sound the same at the end?” Perform the chant twice, using the same repeated line and a steady clap:

“Can you see the cat in a hat? Can you see the cat in a hat? The cat sat flat—just like that!”

Students listen first, then join in on the repeated line, clapping the rhythm and noticing the rhyming words.

2. 3–5 min · Notice rhyme and rhythm. Use the rhyme-and-rhythm discussion slide to display cat, hat, sat and ask students to repeat them slowly, listening to the word endings. Students turn to a partner and say which words rhyme, then share one answer using the sentence stem, “___ rhymes with ___.”

3. 5–8 min · Teacher modelling: swap a sound. Display the sound-swap modelling slides. Say “cat”, stretch the sounds /c/ /a/ /t/, and model changing the final sound: “Change /t/ to /p/. What is the new word?” Repeat with cat → cap, sat → sap, hat → ham, and pin → pan where appropriate for the class’s current phonics knowledge. Students repeat each word, orally segment the sounds and show a thumb up when they hear a real new word.

4. 8–12 min · Partner sound-swap game. Distribute the partner sound-swap practice sheet and keep the partner-game instruction slide visible. In pairs, Partner A says the first word and gives the instruction, “Change the ___ sound to ___.” Partner B says the new word, then both check it together before swapping roles. Students complete four oral examples and record the new word only after saying it aloud. Remind students to take turns, face the speaker and ask, “Can you say it again?” if needed.

5. 12–14 min · Share and respond. Show the share-back prompt slide and invite two or three pairs to share one sound swap. Students listen without interrupting and respond with, “I agree because…” or “I heard you change the ___ sound.” Briefly clarify that only one sound changed.

6. 14–16 min · Exit check and chant reprise. Use the final challenge and recap slide. Say, “Change the /m/ in map to /t/.” Students whisper the answer to a partner, then say “tap” together. Finish by repeating the chant once, with students supplying the rhyming words when the teacher pauses.

Resources

• the complete rhyme and sound-swap slide deck
• the partner sound-swap practice sheet
• Whiteboard and marker
• Pencils
• Optional counters for marking each sound
• Teacher list of suitable one-syllable words

Assessment

• Listen during the chant and partner talk for participation, turn-taking, clear speech and active listening.
• Check whether students can identify rhyming words and orally substitute one initial, medial or final phoneme without adding extra sounds.
• Collect the worksheet or record observations for four focus students; use the final map → tap challenge as a quick exit check.

Differentiation

• Support students with counters, visual mouth modelling, slower pronunciation and continuous teacher prompting: “Say the word. Stretch it. Which sound will change?”
• Provide sentence starters: “___ rhymes with ___” and “I changed the ___ sound to make ___.” Pair students thoughtfully and rehearse orally before writing.
• For EAL learners, use clear gestures, repeated modelling and pictures alongside spoken words; accept oral responses before written recording.
• Extend confident students by asking them to change a medial sound, such as pin → pen or pen → pan, or to create a new rhyming word for cat.