Engaging Preschool Lesson Plan: Rhyming with "Once I Caught a Fish Alive" Fish Craft & Game

Dive into rhyming fun with this complete preschool lesson plan based on "Once I Caught a Fish Alive." Perfect for ages 4, this engaging activity teaches rhyming words, storytelling, and fine motor skills through a fun paper fish craft and an interactive magnetic fishing game. Get step-by-step instructions, learning objectives, and differentiation tips to create a memorable learning experience for your pre-k students or child at home.

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Lesson Plan: Fishy Fun with Rhymes!

Subject: Language Arts (Rhyme, Storytelling), Art, Fine Motor Skills

Grade Level: Preschool (Age 4)

Time Allotment: 30-45 minutes

Materials Needed:

  • Construction paper (blue, plus various other colors for fish)
  • Child-safe scissors
  • Glue stick
  • Crayons or markers
  • Googly eyes (optional, but highly recommended for fun!)
  • Metal paper clips (1 per fish)
  • A small stick or unsharpened pencil (for a fishing rod)
  • About 18 inches of string or yarn
  • A small magnet
  • A large bowl, small bin, or a blue piece of paper to serve as the "pond"

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to:

  • Recite the rhyme "Once I Caught a Fish Alive" with physical actions.
  • Identify the rhyming words in the poem ("alive/five", "ten/again").
  • Demonstrate fine motor skills by cutting, coloring, and gluing to create a paper fish.
  • Engage in an imaginative play activity that retells the story of the rhyme.

Lesson Activities & Procedure:

1. Introduction: The Wiggle and Giggle Warm-up (5 minutes)

  • Engage: Start by asking, "Can you show me how a fish swims?" Encourage wiggling hands and bodies. "What sound does a fish make when it goes in the water? Splash!"
  • Introduce the Rhyme: Say, "I know a fun poem about a wiggling fish. It has some silly rhyming words in it. Let's learn it together!"
  • Recite the Poem: Recite the poem once with lots of expression.
    One, two, three, four, five, (Hold up fingers as you count)
    Once I caught a fish alive. (Clap hands together like catching something)
    Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, (Hold up other fingers)
    Then I let it go again. (Open hands and wiggle fingers like a fish swimming away)
    Why did you let it go? (Shrug shoulders)
    Because it bit my finger so. (Gently pretend to bite your pinky finger)
    Which finger did it bite? (Hold up hands, looking puzzled)
    This little finger on the right. (Wiggle your right pinky finger)

2. Activity 1: Rhyme Time Detectives (5-10 minutes)

  • We Do: Say the rhyme together a second time, performing the actions.
  • Focus on Rhyme: Say, "Let's be rhyme detectives! Some words in our poem sound the same at the end. Listen: 'a-LIVE' and 'f-IVE'. Do they sound the same?" Emphasize the ending sound. "Yes! Let's clap when we say them. One, two, three, four, FIVE (clap), Once I caught a fish ALIVE (clap)."
  • Practice: Do the same for "TEN" and "a-GAIN". This simple, physical action helps solidify the concept of rhyme.

3. Activity 2: Craft a Fishy Friend (10-15 minutes)

  • You Do: Say, "Now you get to make the fish from our poem! What color will your fish be?"
  • Instructions:
    1. Draw a simple fish shape on a piece of colored paper, or let the student draw their own.
    2. Help the student practice their scissor skills by cutting out the fish shape. (Provide assistance as needed, or use a pre-cut shape for students still developing this skill).
    3. Decorate the fish with markers or crayons. Add stripes, spots, and a happy fish face!
    4. Glue on a googly eye.
    5. Crucial step: Attach a metal paper clip near the fish's mouth. This will allow the magnet to "catch" it.

4. Activity 3: Let's Go Fishing! (10 minutes)

  • Prepare the Game: While the fish's glue dries, create the fishing rod. Tie one end of the string to the stick/pencil and the other end to the magnet. Place the blue paper or the bowl (the "pond") on the floor and put the paper fish inside.
  • Play and Apply: Give the student the fishing rod. Say, "Okay, let's catch that fish alive!"
    • As the student dangles the magnet over the pond to "catch" the fish with the paper clip, recite the first line together: "One, two, three, four, five, Once I caught a fish alive!"
    • When they catch it, celebrate! Then, continue the rhyme: "Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, Then I let it go again!" Have them lift the fish up and then drop it back in the pond.
    • Repeat the game several times, encouraging the student to say the rhyme along with you. This turns the rhyme from a passive poem into an active, story-driven game.

Differentiation & Inclusivity:

  • For Extra Support: Pre-cut the fish shape. Focus on the sensory experience of the rhyme and the actions. Guide the student's hand when using the fishing rod if they have trouble with coordination. The main goal is participation and fun.
  • For an Extra Challenge: Create several fish. Write the numbers 1-10 on them. Challenge the student to catch the fish in numerical order. Ask the student to think of another word that rhymes with "ten" (like "pen" or "hen").

Assessment (Informal Observation):

  • Was the student able to join in reciting the rhyme and performing the actions?
  • Did the student show understanding of the rhyming pairs when prompted (e.g., by clapping)?
  • Did the student participate eagerly in the craft and fishing game?
  • Observe fine motor control during cutting, coloring, and the fishing activity.

Wrap-up / Closure (2-3 minutes):

  • Recite the rhyme one final time together with all the actions.
  • Ask, "Which part was more fun, making the fish or catching the fish?"
  • Let the student "free play" with the fishing game for a few more minutes if interest remains high.
  • Display their fishy friend craft in a prominent place.