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Basic 3 · English Language

Composing Rhymes, Spelling Patterns, Writing Letters and Titles

In this topic you will compose rhymes and tongue-twisters, use letter-sound patterns, capitalise titles and summarise a story.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Compose and recite short rhymes and tongue-twisters
  • Use letter-sound relationships to spell
  • Capitalise titles of books and stories
  • Summarise a short story

What you already know

  • Songs and initials

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Lesson 1

Strand
Oral Language
Sub-strand
Rhymes
Indicator
B3.1.2.1.1 – Compose short rhymes and tongue- twisters and recite them

Introduction

You can make your own rhymes and tongue-twisters. All you need are rhyming words and words that start with the same sound.

Composing Rhymes and Tongue-Twisters

My rhyme: "I have a goat, it wears a coat, it sails a boat, and eats oat!"

My tongue-twister: "Big brown birds bring bread to Bimbilla."

Tip: For a tongue-twister, use many words that start with the same sound.

A funny goat wearing a coat sailing a boat
Figure 1: My funny rhyme Draw a picture for your own rhyme.Illustration: Sirbus

New words

compose
To make up something new.
rhyme
Words with the same ending sound.
tongue-twister
A sentence hard to say quickly.

Summary

  • We compose rhymes using words that sound alike.
  • Tongue-twisters use many words with the same first sound.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. Which word rhymes with "goat"?

    • A. coat
    • B. cat
    • C. gate
    • D. got
    Show answer
    Answer: coatBoth end in -oat.

  2. 2. Tongue-twisters use many words starting with the same sound.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueThat makes them tricky.

  3. 3. To make up something new is to ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: composeThat is composing.

  4. 4. Compose a two-line rhyme.

    Show answer
    Answer: E.g. "I see a bee, up in a tree."Lines should end with rhyming words.

Lesson 2

Strand
Reading
Sub-strand
Phonics
Indicator
B3.2.2.1.1 – Understand the relationship between spelling of words and sounds of speech

Introduction

Knowing the sounds of letters helps us spell words correctly.

More Spelling Patterns

Patterns
PatternSoundWords
sh/sh/ship, shop
ch/ch/chair, lunch
ighlong "i"night, light
oo/oo/moon, food

New words

letter-sound
The sound a letter or letters make.
pattern
Letters that go together.
represent
To stand for.

Summary

  • Letter patterns represent sounds.
  • Use patterns to spell words correctly.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. Which pattern spells the sound in "moon"?

    • A. oo
    • B. ee
    • C. igh
    • D. ch
    Show answer
    Answer: oom-oo-n.

  2. 2. "igh" makes the long "i" sound.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueAs in "night".

  3. 3. The sun gives us l____. (long "i" with igh)

    Show answer
    Answer: lightl-igh-t.

  4. 4. Write two words with "sh".

    Show answer
    Answer: E.g. ship, shop, fish.sh makes /sh/.

Lesson 3

Strand
Writing
Sub-strand
Writing Letters
Indicator
B3.4.3.1.1 – Use letter-sound relationships to represent most letters in words correctly

Introduction

Spell words by listening for each sound and writing the matching letters.

Spelling by Sounds

  1. Say the word slowly: "f-r-o-g".
  2. Write a letter for each sound.
  3. Check the word.
Practice
SayWrite
s-t-o-pstop
c-l-a-pclap
d-r-u-mdrum

New words

stretch
To say a word slowly.
check
To look for mistakes.
sound out
To say each sound.

Summary

  • Say the word slowly and write each sound.
  • Check your spelling.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. s-t-o-p spells…

    • A. stop
    • B. spot
    • C. post
    • D. pots
    Show answer
    Answer: stopWrite the sounds in order.

  2. 2. We should say a word slowly to spell it.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueIt helps hear each sound.

  3. 3. c-l-a-p spells ______

    Show answer
    Answer: clapWrite the sounds in order.

  4. 4. Sound out and write the word for a musical instrument you beat.

    Show answer
    Answer: drumd-r-u-m.

Lesson 4

Strand
Grammar Usage
Sub-strand
Using Capitalization
Indicator
B3.5.1.1.2 – Demonstrate the ability to capitalize titles of texts

Introduction

The important words in a title begin with capital letters.

Capitalising Titles

Titles
WrongCorrect
the lion and the mouseThe Lion and the Mouse
my first day at schoolMy First Day at School
ananse and the pot of wisdomAnanse and the Pot of Wisdom

Tip: Always capitalise the first word. Small words like "and", "the", "at" in the middle stay small.

New words

title
The name of a book, story or poem.
capitalise
To start with a capital letter.
important word
A main word in a title.

Summary

  • Capitalise the first word and important words in a title.
  • Small middle words like "and" and "the" stay small.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. Which title is correct?

    • A. The Lion and the Mouse
    • B. the lion and the mouse
    • C. THE lion AND mouse
    • D. The lion and The Mouse
    Show answer
    Answer: The Lion and the MouseImportant words capitalised.

  2. 2. The first word of a title is capitalised.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueAlways.

  3. 3. The name of a book is its ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: titleThat is a title.

  4. 4. Capitalise this title: "the brave little goat"

    Show answer
    Answer: The Brave Little GoatCapitalise main words.

Lesson 5

Strand
Extensive Reading
Sub-strand
Reading
Indicator
B3.6.1.1.1 – Read a variety of age and level- appropriate books and summarize them

Introduction

Today we read and summarise a story about a football match.

Reading and Summarising

"Kwesi's team was losing 1–0. In the last five minutes, Kwesi passed the ball to Yaw, who scored. Then Kwesi scored the winning goal. The team carried Kwesi on their shoulders and sang happily."

Summary: Kwesi's team came from behind to win the match 2–1.

A team carrying a boy on their shoulders after winning
Figure 2: The winning goal Draw a happy moment from a game.Illustration: Sirbus

New words

losing
Behind in a game.
winning goal
The goal that wins the match.
celebrate
To show happiness about something.

Summary

  • Kwesi's team scored two late goals.
  • They won 2–1 and celebrated.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. Who scored the winning goal?

    • A. Kwesi
    • B. Yaw
    • C. The goalkeeper
    • D. Nobody
    Show answer
    Answer: KwesiThe story says so.

  2. 2. The team was losing at first.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueThey were behind 1–0.

  3. 3. The final score was ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: 2–1They came back to win.

  4. 4. Write a one-sentence summary of the story.

    Show answer
    Answer: Kwesi's team came from behind to win 2–1.Main points only.

Homework

  1. Compose a rhyme of four lines and recite it to your family.