1. Lesson Objectives You will understand what a Limerick is.
You will recognize that limericks are humorous.
You will understand and apply rhyme and syllable pattern.
You will write a limerick for the given writing frame.

2. Humor & Poetry
Developed by
Ivan Seneviratne

3. Limericks
Limericks are always light-hearted, humorous poems of five lines. This type of poetry came from Limerick, Ireland. A limerick is like a clever joke, holding the listeners' attention and then surprising them with the clever twist or turn in the punch line.

4. Pandora! Pandora! Pandora!
Oh my love, My heart is yearning, My mouth is dry, My soul is burning. You are in Tunisia, I am here. Remember me and shed a tear. Come back tanned, brown and healthy. You’re lucky that your dad is wealthy

5. Nonsense of Edward Lear
This type of poem was first documented in England in 1989.
Edward Lear ( ) popularized the limerick although when he was writing these “nonsense” poems in 1845 and later 1872, they were not yet called limericks.

6. How to Write Limericks
There are five lines in a limerick that rhyme on a “a-a-b-b-a” scheme. The “a” lines must all rhyme with each other and have nine syllables. The “b” lines must rhyme with each other and have only six syllables.
A flea and a fly in a flue A
Were caught, so what could they do? A
Said the fly, "Let us flee.” B
"Let us fly," said the flea. B
So they flew through a flaw in the flue. A

7. Tips for Writing Limericks
The First Line
Starts with the introduction of a character, or identifies the location of an event or both. Used to identify a characteristic, an occupation, or some other feature of the character. Set up for the final line. End with a bang!
The Second Line
The Next Two Lines
The Last Line

8. Bringing together of unrelated things
Humour in Poetry
Humor in poetry can arise from a number of sources.
Surprise
Exaggeration
Bringing together of unrelated things
Rhythm & Rhyme

9. There once was a very small mouse
Who lived in a very small house,
The ocean’s spray
Washed it away,
All that was left was her blouse!
There was an old man of Madrid
Who ate sixty-five eggs - yes, he did!
When they asked, “Are you faint?”
He replied, “No, I ain’t -
But I don’t feel as well as I did!”

10. You will create a limerick similar to this one…
There once was a man from Beijing. All his life he hoped to be King. So he put on a crown, Which quickly fell down. That small silly man from Beijing.

11. Your Turn!!!
Fill in the blanks and create your own Limerick. There once was a _____ from ______. All the while she/he hoped ________. So she/he ______________________, And ___________________________, That _________ from _____________.

12. Acknowledgments Sources - http://www.schoollink.org
Images -
This presentation is developed by Ivan Seneviratne © 2007, purely for personal use.