Hello, fellow poetry enthusiasts and creative educators! Kenn Nesbitt here, and today I’m excited to share with you one of my favorite classroom activities that never fails to get kids giggling and engaged with poetry: Poetry Mad Libs!
What are Poetry Mad Libs?
Just like the classic Mad Libs game, Poetry Mad Libs involve taking a well-known poem and removing key words, replacing them with blank spaces. Students then fill in these blanks with their own words, often resulting in hilarious and unexpected new versions of familiar verses.
Why Poetry Mad Libs?
This activity is a fantastic way to:
- Introduce children to classic poems in a fun, low-pressure way
- Teach parts of speech in a practical, engaging context
- Encourage creativity and wordplay
- Demonstrate how word choice affects meaning in poetry
- Create a fun, collaborative classroom atmosphere
How to Create Poetry Mad Libs
1. Choose a well-known children’s poem such as one of the Classic poems on Poetry4kids.
2. Remove key words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs) and replace them with blanks.
3. Label each blank with the appropriate part of speech.
4. Have students fill in the blanks without seeing the original poem.
5. Read aloud both the original and the new “Mad Lib” versions.
Let’s try it out with some beloved children’s poems!
Example 1: “The Owl and the Pussycat” by Edward Lear
Original first stanza:
The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
Mad Lib version:
The (noun) and the (noun) went to (place)
In a (adjective) (color) (noun),
They took some (food), and plenty of (plural noun),
Wrapped up in a (number)-pound (noun).
Example 2: “The Crocodile” by Lewis Carroll
Original first stanza:
How doth the little crocodile
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the Nile
On every golden scale!
Mad Lib version:
How doth the (adjective) (animal)
Improve his (adjective) (body part),
And pour the (plural noun) of the (place)
On every (adjective) (noun)!
Example 3: “Sick” by Shel Silverstein
Original first few lines:
“I cannot go to school today,”
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
“I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.”
Mad Lib version:
“I cannot go to (place) today,”
Said little (name) (name) (name).
“I have the (plural noun) and the (plural noun),
A (noun), a (noun) and (color) (plural noun).”
Tips for Success
- Choose poems with vivid, concrete language that’s easy to replace.
- Start with shorter poems for younger students and work up to longer ones.
- Encourage silly and creative answers – the funnier, the better!
- After the activity, discuss how the new words changed the poem’s meaning or mood.
- Consider having students illustrate their Mad Lib versions for extra fun.
This activity never fails to fill the room with laughter. There’s something magical about giving kids permission to be silly with words that ignites their love for language. Imagine a class turning “The Owl and the Pussycat” into “The Banana and the Toaster” who sailed in a “stinky purple bathtub” and you’ll get an idea of how much fun this activity can be.
Poetry Mad Libs are a fantastic way to inject fun into your poetry lessons while sneakily teaching important language concepts. It’s a reminder that poetry doesn’t have to be serious all the time—sometimes, the best way to appreciate the beauty of carefully chosen words is to replace them with delightfully absurd alternatives!
So, dear teachers and poetry lovers, I encourage you to give Poetry Mad Libs a try in your classrooms or at home. You’ll be amazed at the creativity it unleashes and the joy it brings to poetry exploration. Happy Mad Libbing!
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