Speech Work: Rhythm – Identification of the Appropriate Rhythm in a Given Poem

Subject: English Language

Class: JSS 2

Term: Second Term

Week: 5

Age: 11 – 13 years

Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioral Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Define rhythm in speech and poetry.
2. Identify rhythmic patterns in spoken English and poetry.
3. Recognize and practice stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem.
4. Demonstrate correct pronunciation and rhythm in poetry reading.
5. Apply rhythm to enhance their spoken English and reading skills.

Keywords

• Rhythm
• Stress
• Syllables
• Meter
• Poetic feet
• Iambic
• Trochaic

Set Induction

The teacher writes a short poem on the board and reads it aloud, emphasizing stressed and unstressed syllables:

“The sun is high, the sky is blue,
The birds are singing just for you.”

The teacher then asks students to clap along with the beats of the poem to identify its rhythm.

Entry Behavior

Students have prior knowledge of word stress and pronunciation.

Learning Resources and Materials

• Audio recordings of rhythmic poems
• Printed copies of short poems
• Clapping and tapping exercises
• Flashcards showing stressed and unstressed syllables

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge

The teacher reminds students that rhythm is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in speech and poetry, which they previously studied in word stress.

Embedded Core Skills

• Listening skills
• Speaking skills
• Phonetic awareness

Learning Materials

• Lagos State Scheme of Work
• English Dictionary
• Poetry textbooks

Reference Books

• Lagos State Scheme of Work for English Language
• JSS 2 English Language Textbook
• Poetry for Beginners by John Foster

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Lesson Presentation

Step 1: Definition and Explanation of Rhythm

Teacher’s Activity:

• Defines rhythm as the pattern of beats or stressed and unstressed syllables in speech and poetry.
• Explains that English is a stress-timed language, meaning some syllables are stressed while others are not.
• Gives examples of rhythmic phrases:
  • “The wind is strong, the night is long.”
  • “I love to sing and dance and play.”

Learners’ Activity:

• Listen and repeat the phrases, emphasizing the strong and weak beats.
• Clap along with the rhythm.

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Step 2: Identifying Rhythm in Poetry

Teacher’s Activity:

• Introduces common rhythmic patterns in poetry:

Type of Rhythm	Pattern	Example
Iambic	da-DUM (unstressed-stressed)	To-day I walk a mile or two.
Trochaic	DUM-da (stressed-unstressed)	Running fast to reach the gate.
Anapestic	da-da-DUM	In the night, in the dark, there’s a sound in the park.
Dactylic	DUM-da-da	Beautiful scenery covers the town.

• Reads out each example and asks students to identify the pattern.

Learners’ Activity:

• Listen and repeat the lines while clapping the rhythm.
• Identify the stressed and unstressed syllables in a poem.

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Step 3: Practicing Rhythm with a Poem

Teacher’s Activity:

• Provides students with a short poem and asks them to underline the stressed syllables.

Example Poem:
“The moon is bright, the stars do shine,
The trees will dance in perfect time.”

• Leads a choral reading, helping students to maintain the correct rhythm.

Learners’ Activity:

• Read the poem aloud, emphasizing the stressed syllables.
• Work in pairs to identify the rhythm pattern in another short poem.

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Step 4: Application in Daily Speech

Teacher’s Activity:

• Explains that rhythm is important in everyday spoken English.
• Gives examples of rhythmic speech in sentences:
  • “What a lovely day it is!” (natural speech rhythm)
  • “Where are you going today?” (rising and falling rhythm)
• Encourages students to practice reading with natural rhythm.

Learners’ Activity:

• Read common sentences with rhythm in pairs.
• Practice reading their own sentences with stress and rhythm.

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Evaluation

Choose the correct rhythm pattern for the following phrases:

1. “The wind is cold, the sky is clear.”
   a) Iambic
   b) Trochaic

2. “In the morning, birds are singing.”
   a) Anapestic
   b) Dactylic

3. “Come and see the shining moon.”
   a) Iambic
   b) Trochaic

4. “Underneath the starry sky.”
   a) Anapestic
   b) Iambic

5. “Softly falls the evening light.”
   a) Trochaic
   b) Dactylic

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Class Activity Discussion (FAQs and Answers)

1. What is rhythm?
   Rhythm is the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in speech and poetry.

2. Why is rhythm important?
   It makes speech and poetry flow smoothly and sound more natural.

3. What are stressed and unstressed syllables?

   • Stressed syllables are pronounced stronger.
   • Unstressed syllables are pronounced softer.

4. What are some common rhythmic patterns?

   • Iambic (da-DUM) → To-day I walk a mile or two.
   • Trochaic (DUM-da) → Running fast to reach the gate.

5. How can I practice rhythm?

   • Read poetry aloud.
   • Clap or tap along with the beats.
   • Listen to native English speakers.

6. Can rhythm be found in everyday speech?
   Yes! English sentences have natural rhythm based on stressed syllables.

7. How does rhythm help in pronunciation?
   It helps speakers to sound natural and fluent.

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Assessment (Evaluation Questions)

1. Define rhythm in speech and poetry.
2. Identify the stressed and unstressed syllables in:
   • “The sun will rise and shine today.”
   • “Dancing in the moonlit night.”
3. Differentiate between iambic and trochaic rhythm.
4. Write a four-line poem with a rhythmic pattern.
5. Read the following sentence aloud and identify its rhythm pattern:
   • “The morning light is shining bright.”

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Conclusion

The teacher marks students’ work, provides feedback, and emphasizes the importance of rhythm in speech and poetry for better pronunciation and fluency.

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