Sift for a Gift

Objective

Recognize words that rhyme with gift (e.g., "Do gift and sift rhyme?") and produce rhyme words (e.g., "Think of a word that rhymes with gift.").

See Standards

Lesson Plan

Target Words:

swift
lift
gift
sift

Materials:

Gift graphics or small items wrapped up
Beans, rice, or sand
A large container
Sift for a Gift chant

Overview
The children will sift for objects as they recognize and produce words that rhyme with gift, such as swift, lift, and sift.

Literacy Activity

Hide real gifts (e.g., rings, stickers, lollipops) or gifts graphics in beans or rice.
Have the children take turns sifting through the container with their fingers for a gift while saying, “Sift for the gift” when they are looking, and, “Lift the gift” when they grab it from the pile.
After every child has a gift, say, “Now be swift and open your gift.” (If using graphics, have the children pretend to open the gift.)

More Practice

Write or display the Sift for a Gift chant on the board, and point to each word as you say it, repeating it at a moderate pace, slowly, and then quickly.
Using the text from the chant, help the children identify rhyming pairs (e.g., “Which two words rhyme? Sift and gift or lift and open?”).

Sift for a Gift chant

Sift the gift.

Lift the gift.

Be swift; open the gift.

SEEL At Home

Objective:
Recognize and produce words that rhyme with gift.

Materials:

Bucket or container
Beans, rice, or sand
Small gifts

Activity: Sift the Gift

Fill the bucket or container half full with something your child can sift through, and bury the small gifts inside.
Have your child sift through to find the buried items in the bucket.
As he or she sifts, say together the following chant:

Sift the gift.
Lift the gift.
Be swift; open the gift.