Introduction
Have you ever read a poem that made you laugh with its silly sounds or strange situations and characters that never quite seem to make sense? That is the beauty of nonsense poetry! This web quest will take you on a journey into the wonderfully wacky and bizarre world where the rules of reality are happily broken for comedic effects! Get ready to explore how poets use their language and imagination to create laughter through absurdity.
Task
Your task is to become a professional in nonsense poetry! You will explore and investigate key characteristics of this poetry style by looking at famous examples and how the poetic devices used in these poems contribute to the humor. Ultimately, you will write 2-4 sentences on what you have learned about humorous poetry.
Process
Follow these steps to complete the quest!
- Step 1: Define Nonsense poetry.
- What does nonsense poetry mean to you? Feel free to use any additional resources to help you create a definition.
- Step 2: Masters of Meaningless
- Explore the works of one of the most famous authors who uses nonsense poetry (Dr. Seuss and Lewis Carroll are great authors to explore nonsense poetry with)
- After looking at some of their works, identify 1-2 nonsenseical elements present in one of the poems you read.
- Explore the works of one of the most famous authors who uses nonsense poetry (Dr. Seuss and Lewis Carroll are great authors to explore nonsense poetry with)
- Step 3: Tools of the Trade - Poetic Devices in Nonsense
- Consider how the poet uses specific devices to enhance the humor of their works. For the poem(s) you read in step 2, identify 2 poetic devices used and explain how they contribute to the poem's overall humorous tone.
- Step 4: Put it all together
- Now it's time to show off what you know! Write 2-4 sentences summarizing your definition, an example of nonsensical poetry, and the poetic devices used to enhance the humor of the poem.
Evaluation
Your paragraph will be evaluated based on the following criteria...
- Understanding of nonsense - accuracy and clarity of the definition and explanation of what nonsense poetry is
- Identification/Examples - Are you able to identify and provide an explanation of how poetic devices are used in either Dr. Suess's or Lewis Carroll's work
- Analysis of Poetic Devices - Can you properly identify and provide meaningful insight into how poetic devices contribute to the humor and nonsense
Conclusion
CONGRATULATIONS! By completing this web quest, you have delved into the depths of nonsense poetry and gained a deeper understanding of how language can be manipulated to create joy and laughter. You've seen how authors like Carroll and Seuss have crafted such hilarious works that remain timeless through their use of nonsensical language. Now go on and appreciate the wonderful world of whimsical words!