Limerick activity to teach students how to create a funny limerick to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
St. Patrick’s Day is often associated with limericks, a style of poetry popularized by Edward Lear in the 19th century. Teachers can effortlessly introduce this style of poetry to celebrate the Irish holiday of St. Patrick’s Day.
What is a Limerick?
Limerick is a short, humorous poem, originating in Ireland. Limericks consist of five lines with a specific rhyme and rhythm pattern.
Limerick Rhyme Pattern
- Lines 1,2,5: Last word rhymes with each other, 7-10 syllables for each line. Lines 1,2,and 5 are called rhyming words A.
- Lines 3,4: Last word rhymes with each other, 5-7 syllables for each line. Lines 3, 4 are called rhyming words B.
- Limerick Rhyming Pattern: AABBA
Limerick Rhythm Pattern
- A Lines: da Dum da da Dum da da Dum
- B Lines: da Dum da da Dum
- da: unstressed syllables
- Dum: stressed syllables
Limerick Lesson Plan
Introduction
Read a limerick each morning for a week to introduce this new style of poetry. There are an assortment of kid friendly limericks on the Internet; as well your school library or local library will have a good selection.
Teacher Guided
Write a limerick on chart paper and ask students questions on the pattern of the limerick. Teacher can highlight or underline the rhyming words and place a number below each syllable. In addition, the teacher prompts students with questions about the rhythm pattern.
Limerick Sample
Jill
There was an old lady named Jill
Who felt quite sick and had a chill
She had some tea and shortbread
But it did not help her head
So she had a rest with help from a pill
The above limerick sample illustrates lines 1,3,5 last word rhyme together (Jill, chill, pill) and lines 2,4 last word rhyme (head, shortbread). As well, lines 1, 3, 5 have 7-10 syllables and lines 2, 4 have 5-7 syllables.
Shared Limerick Activity
Students and the teacher write a limerick together as a class. It is best to have a skeleton structure for the limerick. Skeleton structure has some of the words for the limerick already in place.
Guided Limerick Activity
Teacher chooses a limerick and omits the last words for the 2nd,4th, and 5th line. Students will be replacing the word by rhyming the last word in line 1 for line 2 and 5. As well, rhyme the last word in line 3 for the word in line 4. Have students do a few of these exercises.
Next, the teacher can begin a limerick and students must finish it or he can build a skeleton and students must finish it.
Limerick Structure
1st Line: Identify the subject: Pick a name of a person or place.
There was once a guy named Lou
2nd Line: Describe the subject: Make a list of words that rhyme with Lou, use an online or print rhyming dictionary.
Lou: flu, Sue, shoe, blew, bamboo, undo, two, shrew, zoo, you, Peru, outgrew
Who did not like the New York Zoo
3rd Line: Add a detail to make the story interesting.
He was most scared of rats
4th Line: Continue with the detail and the last word rhymes with the 3rd last line.
Since they were the size of tomcats
5th Line: Conclusion
So he ran over them with his skidoo
The complete limerick would look like this:
Lou
There was once a guy named Lou
Who did not like the New York Zoo
He was most scared of rats
Since they were the size of tomcats
So he ran over them with his skidoo
Independent Activity
Students create their own limericks following the limerick guidelines. Students will write their limericks on a piece of paper and decorate with funny illustrations. Students will read their limericks throughout the day on St. Patrick’s Day.
Limerick Tips
- Use a rhyming dictionary to gather numerous rhymes for the limerick.
- Play around with different rhymes.
- Clap the syllables as you orally say the limerick.
- Visualize the actions in the limerick to assist with the next line.
- Be silly and funny.
