Poetry and Research
The purpose of this lesson is to explore a topic in which you are interested and learn to transform facts about that topic
into different forms of poetry: limerick, cinquain, and free verse.
1. Preparation:
a. Choose a topic in which you are interested. Make it rather narrow, like “Manatees” instead of
“Oceans.” (I chose manatees)
b. Research your topic by going to sites on the Internet that are reliable, like National Geographic or
Scientific American.
c. On each of your 20 cards, write a word or phrase that is specifically related to your topic.
Example: My word cards were: graceful gliders, Everglades, mermaid, dugong, sea-cow, solitary,
mammal, herbivore, fishing nets, boat propellers injure, coastal rivers, hunted for hides, tails propel,
submerge 15 minutes, baby born underwater, burst swimmer, 3 species, waters grasses and algae,
voracious eaters, 8-13 feet
2. Use your cards to do the following 3 tasks:
Write a limerick about your topic.
A limerick is “a humorous, five-lined poem that originated in Ireland.
 Rhyme Pattern: Lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme; Lines 3 and 4 rhyme.” (AABBA rhyme scheme).
 Rhythm Pattern: The first, second, and fifth lines all have this rhythm pattern: da DUM da da DUM da da DUM
(notice there are 3 DUMS or beats). Say, “There once was a fellow named Tim” out loud. Now say, “da DUM da
da DUM da da DUM” out loud. Notice that both have the same rhythm. The third and fourth lines have a
different rhythm pattern: da DUM da da DUM (notice there are 2 DUMS or beats). Say, “He fell off the dock” out
loud. Now say “da DUM da da DUM” out loud. Notice that both have the same rhythm.
Here is a very famous limerick. Notice both the rhyme and rhythm patterns.
There was an old man from Peru, (A)
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (3 DUMS)
Who dreamed he was eating his shoe. (A)
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (3 DUMS)
He awoke in the night (B)
da DUM da da DUM (2 DUMS)
With a terrible fright, (B)
da da DUM da da DUM (2 DUMS)
And found out that it was quite true. (A)
da DUM da da DUM da da DUM (3 DUMS)
When you write a limerick, make sure that it has the same AABBA rhyme pattern. Make sure it also has the same 3
DUMS, 3 DUMS, 2 DUMS, 2 DUMS, 3 DUMS rhythm pattern, too. To be sure, recite the poem, substituting “da” for all
unaccented or unstressed syllables and “DUM” for all accented or stressed syllables, as I have done above. If your poem
doesn’t have a similar rhythm pattern, then you need to make some adjustments.
Example:
There once was a dugong named Molly
Who swam in the shallows of Bali
Her tail was so strong
It pushed her along
“I’m really a sea cow, by golly.”
Write a cinquain about your topic.
A cinquain is a five-lined poem in the following form:
Line 1- noun- usually 2 syllables
Line 2- describes noun- usually 4 syllables
Line 3- states action- usually 6 syllables
Line 4- expresses a feeling- usually 8 syllables
Line 5- synonym of Line 1- usually 2 or 3 syllables
Example:
Manatee
Scarred by man’s boats
Gently living, harmless
Never wanted endangerment
Dugong
Write a free verse about your topic.
Free verse doesn’t rhyme, doesn’t have a form, and expresses the poet’s feelings in choice, explicit words. Of course,
you will need to add other words so your poem makes sense.
Example:
Gracefully I glide through the Everglades
Mermaid, dugong, manatee
Whatever you call me
Keep your flesh-mangling propellers
Your gas smelling waters
Your baby-killing pollution
Off my back
Gentle giant, caring mother, sea-cow
Whatever you call me
Keep helping me survive
Type your 3 poems, print them out and turn them in.
Scoring:
20 note cardsLimerickCinquainFree versePresentation-
2 points apiece
15 points: follows AABBA rhyme scheme, rhythm pattern, uses research cards
15 points: follows line pattern, syllable pattern, uses research cards
15 points: clearly thoughtful, uses research cards, makes a point
15 points: spelling, capitalization, format
Total score: 100 points