State the Objective

Tell the children that they will play with chicks and sticks as they recognize and produce words that rhyme with stick, such as pick, chick, quick, and lick.

Literacy Activities

Introduce target words

• Show the children the target words: pick, stick, lick, chick, quick.
• Explain to the children that words that rhyme have the same ending sounds.
• Point out the two different meanings of stick.

Pick up chicks with sticks

• Scatter the picture cards (see below) on the floor and give each child two craft sticks. 
• Invite the children to pick up a stick and a chick picture using two sticks.
• Have the children say which items they picked up and then put them in a basket (e.g., “I picked up a chick with two sticks” or “I picked up a stick!”). 
• Make comments such as “Quick! Pick up a chick!” and “Did you pick up a chick with a stick?”

Stick chicks on sticks

• Give each child a chick, a craft stick, and a piece of tape or glue.
• Let the children tape or glue a chick or a stick (see below) to their craft stick.
• Have the children place a chick or stick  label (see below) on their stick; point out that the words have the same ending sounds.
• Let the children create a chant about the activity using words that rhyme with ick (e.g., Chick on a stick! Stick on a stick!)
• March around the room while saying the chant.

Recognize rhyming words

Ask the children to hold their sticks up if two words rhyme (e.g., pick and stick, lick and chick, quick and sick, brick and tick) and put their sticks down if the words do not rhyme (e.g.,click and boat).