Poetry

Connect Early Childhood Experiences to Create Fun Silly Poems

To introduce meter, lines, verses/stanzas, I would use the book Peter, Peter, Pizza Eater, by Bruce Lansky. I would read the book aloud and we would compare and contrast the silly rhymes in this book to originals of Mary Had a Little Lamb, Humpty Dumpty (my personal favorite), and many more. We would select a few favorites and discuss the pattern. I would model on the white board using different colors to underline and label the pattern such as AABB or ABAB, CDCD, and so on. Next I would have the whole class respond to what they think the next pattern would be and have volunteers come up to label them. Students would then create their own silly nursery rhyme following the pattern or meter of the original. They would apply what they have learned from the lesson on meter and stanzas to create works of their while working through the writing process. We could then publish a class book of our own silly nursery rhymes and students could read theirs aloud. Students could identify the meter or clap it out as they listen. Additional Resources could include: Mary Had a Little Jam, by Bruce Lansky and a drama/play, Little Red Writing Hood.

Lansky, B. (2016). Mary had a little jam: and other silly rhymes: expanded with twice as many rhymes.  

Minnetonka, MN: Meadowbrook Press.

Lansky, B. (2007). Peter, Peter, pizza eater: and other silly nursery rhymes. New York: Scholastic.