This year at Newminster Middle School we are hoping to support Comic Relief by
creating and selling a book of limericks in aid of the charity. We are therefore
encouraging all of our students to write and illustrate (if possible) a humorous limerick
and the funniest examples will be included in the book.

A limerick is a humorous poem consisting of five lines. The first, second, and fifth lines
must have seven to ten syllables while rhyming and having the same verbal rhythm.
The third and fourth lines should only have five to seven syllables; they too must
rhyme with each other and have the same rhythm.
Edward Lear, a famous British poet, and writer of literary nonsense, is widely
considered the father of the limerick. He didn’t write the first limerick — the first
limericks came about in the early 1700s and are often preserved in folk songs — but
he popularised the form.

There was an Old Man with a beard
Who said, “It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!”

This link will take you to the google doc to help students write their limerick. Students
also have access to this through their Google Classroom.

Students can send a typed limerick or a photo of their written and illustrated limerick
to either their class teacher or Ms Jones ([email protected]) before
Friday 12th March for a chance to have their work appear in the book.

If you would be interested in purchasing a copy/copies of the NMS Limerick Book in
aid of Comic Relief please complete the response form by clicking here no later than
9am on Friday 5th March 2021. The price to pre order this book is £5.50 however the
actual cost of producing the book is £4 (if we receive 200 plus orders or more) and all proceeds will go to Comic Relief. We can only proceed with producing the book if we
receive enough pre-orders. Once this has been confirmed payment can be made via
the School Gateway (www.schoolgateway.com) .

Many thanks for your support and we look forward to reading the students’ limericks
and producing a book containing work from our school community to make us all smile.