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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Moving with Hey Diddle Diddle

In this kindergarten lesson, students use the nursery rhyme "Hey Diddle Diddle" to discuss basic facts about the moon and to perform a series of basic movements.

A lesson plan for grade K English Language Arts and Healthful Living

By Lisa Wright

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Mother Goose in use: Rhymes that teach
This collection of kindergarten lesson plans uses classic nursery rhymes to teach curriculum objectives in math, English language arts, science, and healthful living.
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Learn more

  • StarChild facts about the moon This page from NASA's StarChild website explains basic facts about the moon in language appropriate for young students.

Related pages

  • Jumping with Jack Be Nimble: In this kindergarten lesson plan, students use the nursery rhyme "Jack Be Nimble" to practice locomotor skills and sorting objects.
  • Learning about animals with Three Blind Mice: In this kindergarten lesson plan, students listen to the nursery rhyme "Three Blind Mice." They compare mice to other animals based on their size and think of foods that begin with different letters of the alphabet.
  • Developing number sense with Baa Baa Black Sheep: In this kindergarten lesson, students will use the nursery rhyme "Baa Baa Black Sheep" to practice non-locomotor skills by acting out the rhyme, and will develop number sense by participating in a number-matching activity.

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Learning outcomes

  • Students will practice reading by reciting a familiar nursery rhyme while following the text.
  • Students will perform a series of basic movements.
  • Students will consider how cows are useful to people and will discuss basic facts about the moon.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

40 minutes

Materials needed

  • Plastic spoons
  • Yellow plates — one for each student
  • Cow plastic toys — one for each student or cow shapes cut out of construction paper
  • Recording of “Hey Diddle Diddle” from nursery rhyme CD, such as 100 Songs for Kids or text version from nursery rhyme book
  • Nursery Rhyme Flip Chart or large chart paper with the nursery rhyme “Hey Diddle Diddle” written on it
  • Optional: nursery rhyme felt board, available from the Felt Source website
  • Moo Who? by Margie Palatini and Keith Graves

Pre-activities

  • If you’re using paper cow shapes instead of toys, cut them out before the lesson.
  • If you’re not using a flip chart, write the nursery rhyme on chart paper for students to see.

Activities

  1. Anticipatory set: Ask students, “What do people get from cows?”
  2. Listen to the song “Hey Diddle Diddle” on the nursery rhyme CD or read the rhyme to the students.
  3. Give each student a cow toy (or paper cutout) and plate. (The plate will stand in for the moon.)
  4. Have the students recite the rhyme from the chart. If you’re using a felt board, add pieces as necessary. Have the students do the following while reciting the rhyme:
    • Imitate the fiddle on their shoulder.
    • Laugh when the little dog does.
    • Have the cow jump over the moon.
    • Walk the plate and spoon away at the end.

    Alternatively, you may give half of the students a plate, the other half a spoon. Have each plate find a spoon partner and walk away in pairs.

  5. Read the book Moo Who?
  6. Conclude the lesson by asking the students the following questions:
    • When do you see the moon?
    • What different shapes can the moon be?
    • What does the moon do?

Assessment

Assess by students’ movements while reciting the nursery rhyme and by responses to concluding questions about the moon.

Extension

You may extend the lesson by serving cheese as a snack. Discuss where cheese comes from.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 1: The learner will develop and apply enabling strategies to read and write.
    • Objective 1.02: Develop phonemic awareness and knowledge of alphabetic principle:
      • demonstrate understanding that spoken language is a sequence of identifiable speech sounds.
      • demonstrate understanding that the sequence of letters in the written word represents the sequence of sounds in the spoken word.
      • demonstrate understanding of the sounds of letters and understanding that words begin and end alike (onsets and rimes).

Healthful Living Education (2006)

Kindergarten

  • Goal 6: The learner will demonstrate competency in a variety of movement forms and proficiency in a few to gain competence towards lifetime physical activities (NASPE Standard 1).
    • Objective 6.01: Demonstrate non-locomotor movements using different parts of the body.

  • Common Core State Standards

    • English Language Arts (2010)

      • Reading: Foundational Skills

        • K.RFS.2 Demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds (phonemes). K.RFS.2.1 Recognize and produce rhyming words. K.RFS.2.2 Count, pronounce, blend, and segment syllables in spoken words. K.RFS.2.3 Blend and segment onsets and rimes of single-syllable...