One of K.J.’s favorite things about his teacher last year was that Mr. D had a joke each day for his students. It gave the children something to anticipate and put a smile on their faces. Telling jokes and riddles is good for oral language, but jokes also develop vocabulary and creative thinking.
How could you use riddles?
Write a riddle on the board each morning. Read over the riddle at morning meeting. Ask the children to smile if they “get” it. Encourage students to “think out loud” and explain the joke.
*You could also let the children discuss the joke with a partner.
Have a “joke” show and tell. Ask each student to have their parents help them learn a joke at home. Use a play microphone to let them stand up and perform their joke for their classmates.
Make riddle books for the students by folding paper in half and stapling. After reading the riddle each day, have them draw or write the answer in their books. Discuss their answers.
How about a class book? Write a riddle at the top of an 8½” x 11” sheet of paper . Tape a rectangular piece of construction paper 5” x 6” under the riddle as shown. Let children draw or write the answer to the riddle under the flap. Put the pages together to make a class book.
Here are a few school jokes that I found at http://jokes-for-kids.com/index.html.Who is your best friend at school?
Your princi-pal.
Why was 6 afraid of 7?
Because 7 8 9!
What is the only class you can plant a flower in?
A kindergarten!
What flies around the school at night?
The alpha-bat!
Why don’t you see giraffes in elementary school?
Because they are all in high school!