Learn to write using more interesting language. Learn to break up the mundane, overused patterns. Create a lipogram to help improve your skills.
Spark your thinking!
1. Set up your language arts mini spark recording page: #23: LIPoGRAM LESSON
2. A lipogram is a piece of writing that leaves out a particular letter or letters, on purpose! The word comes from the Ancient Greek leipográmmatos, which means “leaving out a letter”. While writing a lipogram from scratch is certainly one option, this mini spark will have you rewriting passages/poems that are provided for you. Write the definition of Lippgram on your recording page.
3. Something as simple as Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star can stretch you to create vivid writing if you have to remove ‘E’ or ‘A’ (or ‘E’ AND ‘A’), while retaining the rhyme and line length and rhythm. Watch this video to have this explained further. Write the challenge on your recording sheet.
4. Take this poem and rewrite it on your recording sheet. Choose “E” or “A” to leave out or both “E” and “A” which is more advanced.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
5. When you are done, scroll way to the bottom of this post to see the sample that Mr. Byrdseed wrote.
6. Look over this poem
7. Here’s an incredible lipogram example. It’s “Mary Had A Little Lamb” written by A. Ross Eckler without using B, F, G, J, K, O, Q, U, V, W, X, Y, or Z. Read it several times an on your recording page write about what you noticed, liked, or didn’t like about the rewrite.
Maria had a little sheep,
As pale as rime its hair,
And all the places Maria came
The sheep did tail her there;
In Maria’s class it came at last
(A sheep can’t enter there).
It made the children clap their hands;
A sheep in class, that’s rare!
8. Choose one of these classic poems to rewrite without the letter E. Record it on your recording page.
The Cat and the Fiddle
Hey diddle diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed to see such sport,
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Hickory, dickory, dock
Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
And down he run,
Hickory, dickory, dock.
The Wise Old Owl
There was an old owl who lived in an oak;
The more he heard, the less he spoke.
The less he spoke, the more he heard,
Why aren’t we like that wise old bird?
9. Share your language arts mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.
Lesson adapted from https://www.byrdseed.com/lipograms/
Example: Here’s my lipogram example that doesn’t use ‘E’ or ‘A’.
Orbit, orbit, tiny moon.
How I wish you’d visit soon.
‘Round my world you did go.
Tonight? Tonight? I do not know.