Year 3 · English · Literature
Poems and patterns
Reading and performing poems, noticing rhyme, repetition and rhythm, and writing simple patterned poems.
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These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to UK year groups by age (Year 1 is the year a child turns 6 in England). They are not mapped to the National Curriculum in England or the curricula of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, so check them against your own plans.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Read and perform short poems with expression.
- Notice rhyme, repetition and rhythm in poems.
- Write a simple patterned poem.
Success looks like
- I can find words that rhyme in a poem.
- I can find words or lines that are repeated.
- I can write my own poem that follows a pattern.
The big idea
Poems are made to be read aloud. They use sound patterns that make them fun to say and easy to remember. Three important patterns are rhyme, repetition and rhythm.
Rhyme is when words have the same ending sound. Read this poem:
- A cat in a hat / Sat on a mat. / A frog on a log / Met a small dog.
'Cat', 'hat' and 'mat' rhyme. 'Frog', 'log' and 'dog' rhyme. The slashes show where each new line starts.
Repetition is when words or lines are used again. Read this poem:
- Rain, rain on the roof, / Tap, tap, tap. / Rain, rain on the window, / Pat, pat, pat. / Rain, rain in the puddles, / Splash, splash, splash!
'Rain, rain' is repeated at the start of every second line, and each sound word is said three times. Repetition gives the poem a strong pattern that makes it easy to join in. Rhythm is the beat. Clap as you read 'Tap, tap, tap' and you can feel it.
A patterned poem is easy to write. Choose a pattern and repeat it with new ideas, for example: 'I like… / I like… / I like… / But most of all I love…'.
Worked examples
Finding rhyming words
Find the rhyming words in the cat and frog poem.
- Read the poem aloud and listen to the ends of the words.
- 'cat', 'hat' and 'mat' all end with 'at'.
- 'frog', 'log' and 'dog' all end with 'og'.
Answer: cat, hat, mat; frog, log, dog.
Finding repetition
What is repeated in the rain poem?
- Look at the start of the lines: 'Rain, rain' appears three times.
- Look at the sound lines: each sound word is said three times (tap, tap, tap).
Answer: 'Rain, rain' and each sound word are repeated.
Writing a patterned poem
Write a poem using the pattern 'I like… / But most of all I love…'.
- Brainstorm things you like: crunchy apples, muddy puddles, bedtime stories.
- Write one per line, starting with 'I like'.
- Finish with your favourite: 'But most of all I love my dog.'
- Read it aloud with expression.
Answer: I like crunchy apples. / I like muddy puddles. / I like bedtime stories. / But most of all I love my dog.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
In the rain poem, which words are repeated at the start of every second line?
Rain, rain — 'Rain, rain' starts the first, third and fifth lines.
In the cat and frog poem, which word rhymes with 'log'?
frog — 'Frog' and 'log' both end with 'og'.
Which group of words all rhyme?
cat, hat, mat — 'Cat', 'hat' and 'mat' all end with 'at'.
What is repetition in a poem?
using the same word or line again — Repetition means using a word, phrase or line more than once.
In the rain poem, what sound does the rain make on the roof?
Tap — 'Rain, rain on the roof, / Tap, tap, tap.'
How many times is 'tap' written in the line 'Tap, tap, tap.'? Type a number.
3 — Tap, tap, tap: three times.
Type a word that rhymes with 'cat' and starts with b.
bat — b + at = bat.
How many beats (syllables) are in the word 'puddles'? Type a number.
2 — pud – dles: 2 beats.
Watch out for
- Thinking every poem must rhyme. Many poems use repetition or rhythm instead of rhyme.
- Thinking words rhyme because they start with the same letter ('hat' and 'hen'). Rhyme is about the ending sound.
- Reading a poem in a flat voice. Poems are meant to be performed with expression, rhythm and pauses.
Tips for parents
- Read a poem aloud several times over a week. Your child will soon join in with the repeated parts.
- Tap or clap the beat together while reading.
- Write your child's poem out neatly and display it, or let them perform it for the family.
Go further
- Add a new verse to the rain poem, such as 'Rain, rain on the umbrella, / Drip, drip, drip.'
- Write a 'five senses' patterned poem: 'I see… / I hear… / I smell… / I taste… / I feel…'.
- Make up actions for each line of a poem and perform it.
About 30 minutes
You'll need
- The two poems below written on paper or a whiteboard
- A pencil and paper for writing a poem
- Percussion such as a pot and spoon for tapping the beat (optional)
Key words
- poem
- A piece of writing set out in lines that often uses rhyme, rhythm and interesting sounds.
- rhyme
- Words with the same ending sound, such as 'cat' and 'mat'.
- repetition
- Using the same word, phrase or line more than once.
- rhythm
- The beat of a poem, which you can clap or tap along to.
- line
- One row of words in a poem.
Still tricky?
For parents
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Book a free assessmentRelated literature lessons
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