Phonics:

Onset/Rime
Presented By:
Kerry Ann Graziano
What is Phonics: Onset/Rime?
Phonics: Onset/Rime is a strategy that breaks apart words in a way which
makes them easier for readers to digest

It requires words to be broken into two pieces: the onset and the rime

Onset is the beginning phonological unit of sound in a word

c in cat

Rime is the string of letters following the onset; usually a vowel and a final
consonant
at in cat
When Can It Be Used?
Onset/Rime are present in most small words; so it is especially
beneficial for children learning how to read or with struggling readers

Use During:
Independent Reading
Reading Aloud
Writing/Spelling
Importance
Helps readers
Learn to break apart words
Recognize word patterns for easier reading and
increased fluency
Become familiar with word families
Become stronger readers and decoders
Become stronger writers and spellers
Objectives
Students will be able to

Name both onset and rime when taking apart words in

order to help them recognize patterns, thus making them
easier to read
Match word families based on the patterns presented in
rime
Stage 1: Activate Background Knowledge
Activate prior knowledge based on vocabulary and reading strategies
Do students tap out phoneme sounds?
Do they chunk words before reading them?

Define new knowledge:

Students will need to know the definition of both onset and rime
Make sure to explain that rime does not equal rhyme
Students will be provided with examples of both onset and rime
Stage 2: Discussing the Strategy
Introduce the students to the idea that recognizing onset/rime will make
reading easier for them
Why do we want to find onset/rime?

Make sure students can identify the terms

How would you define onset/rime?

Highlight onset/rime in words that the students already recognize

Where do you see onset/rime in the things you read or write?

Highlight how in word families, the onset changes but the rime stays the same
Stage 3: Modeling the Strategy
I do!

Show students how to break apart words into onset/rime on the board
How do we break words apart?
Why do we break words apart?
Consider using color-codes

cat = C AT

hat = H AT

mat = M AT
Helpful Videos
Highlight how word families have onset/rime:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j29g218R9Gc

Activity for we do:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIuS2L6yhFc&list=PLqk7ar-
NaBVtn5YN2MYC7aHkrqq9ru-Kw
Stage 4: Memorizing the Strategy
Remember you have to turn something on before you can use it; so onset comes
first

The rime comes at the end and is what makes word families rhyme

Consider this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MNETwHzwnE&index=3&list=PLS4MkK
plFPpk6dKQlVq63I8wgQCdupb1p
Stage 5: Supporting the Strategy
We do!

As a class, sort and identify onsets and rimes to make words

Review:
What is an onset?
What is a rime?
Consider focusing on one word family and only highlighting the onset so that students have a
clearer idea of the difference between onset/rime

Allow students to work together to mix and match flashcards of onsets and
rimes in order to create words
Flashcard Examples

m r t h s
at ug en et ap
Stage 6: Independent Performance
You do!

Students will be able to complete words by adding the onset

Students will independently be able to break apart a words

onset/rime
Draw a line between the onset and rime in words
c/at, m/at, h/at
Resources
http://www.abitlikethis.com/onset-rime-worksheets/

http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/onset_rime

http://www.teacherstakeout.com/2015/06/free-word-puzzles-using-onset-and-
rime.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYk8S1onW0Q