Limericks Ms. De La O

What is a Limerick? Instructional Strategy A five-line poem written with one couplet and one triplet. The rhyme pattern is a a b b a with lines 1, 2 and 5 containing 7-10 beats and rhyming, and lines 3 and 4 having 5-7 beats and rhyming. Limericks are meant to be funny. The last line of a good limerick contains the punch line.

Form of Writing Limericks are silly poems that have five lines with the rhyme scheme of a, a, b, b, a. All of the lines that have “a” will all have the same number of syllables. All of the lines that have “b” will all have the same number of syllables.

Prewriting: Instruction Prewriting is the getting ready to write stage. Step 1: Choose a topic. __________ Step 2. Choose a form of writing: Limerick Step 3: Choose your audience. Step 4: Purpose for writing: ________

Example St. Patrick’s Day Limerick There once was a shamrock named Shawn, Whose leaves first unfurled in the dawn, He was easily seen, With his bright leaves of green, Right up ‘til the day he was gone.

Published Example There was an old man from Peru, (A) who dreamed he was eating his shoe. (A) He awoke in the night (B) with a terrible fright, (B) and found out that it was quite true. (A)

Practice Activity 5 steps to writing a Limerick 1.Pick a boy or girl ’ s name that has one syllable. (ex. Jack, Ben, Ann, Kim) “ There once was a young girl named Kim. ” 2. Make a list of words that rhyme with the last word in the first line. (ex. him, Tim, limb,gem)

Practice Activity Continued … 3. Write the second line using one of the rhyming words. “ Who had a crush on the boy Tim. ” (notice that the last words in the first two lines rhyme)

Practice Activity Continued … 4. Now think of an interesting story. What could happen to a girl who has a crush on a boy? Here is what might happen in the third and fourth lines: “ They would play everyday ” “ And one day he would say, ” (Notice that “ everyday ” and “ say ” the last words in the third and fourth lines, both rhyme.)

Practice Activity Continued … 5. Now you need to go back to the list of “ A ” rhyming words to find one that can end the poem. Here ’ s an example: “ She was the only one for him. ”

Practice Activity Continued … Here is the poem we just wrote: “ There once was a young girl named Kim, Who had a crush on the boy Tim, They would play everyday, And one day he would say, She was the only one for him. ”