State and Model the Objective
The children will turn rags and tags into flags as they recognize and produce words that rhyme with wag, such as rag, sag, lag, flag, and tag. 

Literacy Activities
Make flags with rags and tags

• Tape or staple a rag to a straw or stick.
• Call the flag a rag flag.
• Wag the rag like a flag.
• Repeat with a tag and call the new flag a tag flag.
• Ask the children which words they noticed rhymed with flag (e.g., rag, wag, tag).

Snag and wag a flag

• Place rag flags and tag flags in a bag.
• Tell the children to snag (grab or take) a flag out of the bag and wag the flag.
• Have the children say, "I can wag a rag flag." or "I can wag a tag flag."

Wag a flag game

• Read the Wag a Flag target text to the children.
• Make a flag by attaching the flag graphic (see below) to a straw or stick.
• Let the children take turns leading the group in acting out the text.
• Repeat the game, replacing the word flag with rag, tag, and bag.

More Practice
Read a rhyming text to the children

• Display the Wag a Flag target text large enough for children to easily see.
• Read the text to the children, pointing to each word in left to right sequence. 
• Allow the children to shadow read by repeating predictable phrases after you as you read the text again.
• Help the children determine which words in the text rhyme with wag ("Does flag rhyme with wag?).

Produce words that rhyme with wag

• Remind the children of the words they played with (rag, bag, tag, flag).
• Ask each child to think of a word that rhymes with wag (support as needed).  

Recognize rhyming words using pictures

• Lay out three pictures of words (see below), two that rhyme with wag (e.g., rag, bag) and one that does not (e.g., cat).
• Let the children help you identify the picture that does not rhyme with wag.
• Repeat with other sets of pictures:
  • tag, rock, wag
  • boat, flag, zigzag
  • rag, tag, flower
  • wag, girl, flag
  • zigzag, rag, cheese