Positively Poetry: Part 6
Students will be learning about and writing limericks. Since limericks follow a strict rhyming pattern and word count, the students will work in partners to create their own limericks.
A lesson plan for grade 3 English Language Arts and Information Skills
About the authors
I have taught third grade at Cool Spring Elementary School, in the Iredell-Statesville School System, for eight years. I enjoy teaching this age and planning units with my colleagues. This lesson was designed in collaboration with Maribeth Warren, third grade teacher, and Pam Purifoy, Media Coordinator. I team-taught this lesson with Tricia Freeze, third grade teacher, to approximately 79 students.
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Related topics
- Learn more about English language arts.
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Learning outcomes
Students will enjoy composing their own limericks following the appropriate form. They will publish these limericks using a word processing program and share the limericks with the class.
Teacher planning
Time required for lesson
70 minutes
Materials/resources
- pencil and paper
- limericks for samples and form
Technology resources
- Computers with a word processing program such as Microsoft Works or Word for typing finished limericks
- Printer - to print finished products
- Multimedia projector or AverKey to introduce and provide examples of limericks
- Scanner (if you wish to scan pictures to illustrate limericks)
Pre-activities
Students will assess prior knowledge of limericks, which was introduced in Positively Poetry: Part 1. It would be helpful for students to have editing and basic word processing skills. A mini-lesson on rhyming words would also be beneficial.
Activities
- Teacher will begin by checking for prior knowledge of limericks and rhyming words (5 min.). The teacher will then show examples of limericks and discuss the specific forms of limericks using the websites listed below. (10 min.)
- After giving the examples of limericks and discussing their specific forms, brainstorm some easy names to rhyme.(5-10 min.)
- Have students work in partners to create limericks of their own being careful to follow the specific form. Students will need help making lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme, making 3 and 4 shorter and creating a funny or surprising line 5.
- Students will edit first drafts, correcting all spelling and punctuation. (5-10 min.)
- After the limericks have been approved by the teacher, the students will work together to type the limericks using a word processing program on the computer. Students will experiment with font styles and sizes. (20 min.) Students should remember to save work to a disk before printing to allow for any future changes.
- The students will then illustrate the limericks which will be scanned onto the computer. After printing the limericks and pictures, the students will share them using an author’s chair format. They will enjoy listening to this funny type of poetry. The students can evaluate the shared limericks by discussing the forms and the surprising fifth lines. (20 min.)!
Assessment
Poems should follow the limerick format: lines 1, 2, and 5 must rhyme while lines 3 & 4 are shorter. The fifth line should be surprising or funny. Poems should be graded on a rubric, but remember these limericks are for enjoyment and self-expression.
Supplemental information
- a rhyming dictionary (Scholastic) may be helpful or a list of easy to rhyme with names.
- any poetry book: I Can Write a Poem by Patricia Carratello
Related websites
This site contains examples of limericks.
http://thinks.com/words/
Comments
After students chose someone to write a limerick about, I had them brainstorm and list rhyming words to use later. I also had my students ask permission from other students to be able to use the other student’s name in the limericks. I ability grouped my partners to make the process be more successful and go more quickly. If you teach mainly high students, they could write limericks on their on. If you teach lower students, they could be given certain lines (ex. lines 1 & 2) and could make up the other lines.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Information Skills (2000)
Grade 3
- Goal 5: The learner will COMMUNICATE reading, listening, and viewing experiences.
- Objective 5.01: Respond to reading, listening, viewing experiences orally, artistically, dramatically, through various formats (e.g., print, multimedia).
Computer Technology Skills (2005)
Grade 3
- Goal 2: The learner will demonstrate knowledge and skills in the use of computer and other technologies.
- Objective 2.01: Select and use appropriate features and functions of hardware and software for class assignments. Strand - Societal/Ethical Issues
- Goal 3: The learner will use a variety of technologies to access, analyze, interpret, synthesize, apply, and communicate information.
- Objective 3.03: Use word processing as a tool to write, edit, and publish sentences, paragraphs, and stories. Strand - Keyboard Utilization/Word Processing/Desk Top Publishing
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 3
- Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
- Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing by:
- setting a purpose.
- previewing the text.
- making predictions.
- asking questions.
- locating information for specific purposes.
- making connections.
- using story structure and text organization to comprehend.
- Objective 2.03: Read a variety of texts, including:
- fiction (short stories, novels, fantasies, fairy tales, fables).
- nonfiction (biographies, letters, articles, procedures and instructions, charts, maps).
- poetry (proverbs, riddles, limericks, simple poems).
- drama (skits, plays).
- Objective 2.08: Listen actively by:
- facing the speaker.
- making eye contact.
- asking questions to clarify the message.
- asking questions to gain additional information and ideas.
- Objective 2.02: Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, or viewing by:
- Goal 3: The learner will make connections through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
- Objective 3.03: Use text and own experiences to verify facts, concepts, and ideas.
- Goal 4: The learner will apply strategies and skills to create oral, written, and visual texts.
- Objective 4.02: Use oral and written language to:
- present information in a sequenced, logical manner.
- discuss.
- sustain conversation on a topic.
- share information and ideas.
- recount or narrate.
- answer open-ended questions.
- report information on a topic.
- explain own learning.
- Objective 4.03: Share written and oral products in a variety of ways (e.g., author's chair, book making, publications, discussions, presentations).
- Objective 4.05: Identify (with assistance) the purpose, the audience, and the appropriate form for the oral or written task.
- Objective 4.07: Compose a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama selections using self-selected topics and forms (e.g., poems, simple narratives, short reports, learning logs, letters, notes, directions, instructions).
- Objective 4.08: Focus reflection and revision (with assistance) on target elements by:
- clarifying ideas.
- adding descriptive words and phrases.
- sequencing events and ideas.
- combining short, related sentences.
- strengthening word choice.
- Objective 4.10: Explore technology as a tool to create a written product.
- Objective 4.02: Use oral and written language to:
- Goal 5: The learner will apply grammar and language conventions to communicate effectively.
- Objective 5.01: Use correct capitalization (e.g., geographical place names, holidays, special events, titles) and punctuation (e.g., commas in greetings, dates, city and state; underlining book titles; periods after initials and abbreviated titles; apostrophes in contractions).
- Objective 5.06: Proofread own writing for spelling and correct most misspellings independently with reference to resources (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, word walls).
- Objective 5.07: Edit (with assistance) to use conventions of written language and format.
