Limericks- to- Go

Limericks are supposed to be funny and to be remembered. This lesson allows students to learn the ancient art of writing funny poems. Students will also need to illustrate their poems.


The Laughing Limerick
The limerick is a form of "light" or amusing verse. It has a definite form with a specific rhythm (beat) and rhyme arrangement.

Rhythm:

Here is how the lines should go:

1. ta-TUM ta-ta-TUM ta-ta-TUM

2. ta-TUM ta-ta-TUM ta-ta-TUM

3. ta-ta-TUM ta-ta-TUM

4. ta-ta-TUM ta-ta-TUM

5. ta-TUM ta-ta-TUM ta-ta-TUM

You can change this slightly by adding on an extra syllable to the beginning or end of any line, but this is about all the freedom you are allowed.



Rhyme:

The three long lines (1,2, & 5) must rhyme

The two short lines (3 & 4) must rhyme

******

Hints and Suggestions that might help you.

Most (but not all) limericks begin with the phrase

"There once was a __________ from ________."

or

"There was a ________ _____________ from _________."

You don't have to use this beginning, but it is an easy one. In the first blank spot you can put "lady" ("young lady") or "fellow" ("old fellow") or whatever. In the second blank you can put the name of a town or school or any word that tells where the subject is from. It can be a real place on an imaginary one.

Generally it works well to follow this pattern.

Line 1: Tell who it is you are talking about and where he is from

Line 2: Tell something about the person or describe him in some way

Line 3 & 4: Build up or demonstrate whatever peculiarity you have mentioned in line 2

Line 5: Round off the Limerick with an unexpected and funny conclusion, based on whatever you talked about in the first four lines.




Here is a sample for a limerick:

















Sir Nimble's a dog from Downeast
A really most curious beast
Sheltie for a mom,
His dad's Papillon
And though small, he's not scared in the least!

This Nimble's a foxy young fellow
He's quick and he's cunning and mellow
He explores all he spies
With his shoe-button eyes
Even you, before saying his "Hello."

Little Nimble just loves to play ball!
He'll come prancing the first time you call
Like the wind he will run
And he has the most fun!
Doesn't matter at all that he's small!

Our Nimble is sometimes called 'Squirrel-Proof'
He roars like a dragon, in real truth
When he spies gray intruders
Hurls insults, and ruder
And frightens them all to the roof

Site for Examples and Ideas for Limericks

Tehran Demonstrations

Bloody Hand

click here to see more of the story

TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Supporters of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his main political rival attended demonstrations at separate locations in Tehran on Tuesday amid continuing unrest and street protests over last week's presidential election.
With pro-Ahmadinejad crowds gathering at Vali Asr Square in central Tehran, Mir Hossein Moussavi urged his own supporters to cancel their plans to rally at the square following mass protests a day earlier in which seven people were reportedly killed.
Instead, his supporters gathered at a different location in Tehran, according to video footage of the rally.
The location could not be confirmed because of the restrictions imposed on foreign media Tuesday by the Iranian government.
Reporters from international news outlets, including CNN, have been relegated to broadcast from their hotel rooms and offices only. (Full story)
Moussavi's call came as the country's powerful Guardian Council announced a partial vote recount, an apparent U-turn after the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei endorsed ultraconservative Ahmadinejad's win.
Iran's Guardian Council met with the three opposition candidates -- Moussavi, Mehdi Karrubi and Mohsen Rezaie -- and asked them to specify the areas where they wanted a recount, a council spokesman told the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

First Post

Ok, I had forgotten I had created a blog from when my grandson was born at Christmastime. I really didn't wish to mess with that one, so I wanted to create another blogspot. Maybe I can learn a bit more from actual instruction on how to do this and make my former blogspot look a bit better because currently I don't like the way it looks.

The actual process of creating the blog is not difficult. Figuring out what to write is the difficult part. Since this is my first post on this blog, I will try not to ramble aimlessly. Mr. Wakeman said he taught EDM 310, I took that class in undergrad. I don't remember doing much in the way of computer/internet work stuff. Of course, that was.... quite a while ago. Would rather not say just how long. I think Dr. Daugenbaugh (sp) taught it at that time. Now he is in a photography class I am taking on Monday nights! Ha, ha go figure. He is also the only male in the class of about twenty-something people.

Now for my next trick will be to post and to link and to stuff all with one hand tied behind my back! Ta-da!