Runny Babbit

A Billy Sook?

Shel Silverstein has always been known to me as poet who creates memorable works through the use of fun language and absurd topics. His collection of poetry Runny Babbit is a must have for the classroom. It indulges students in a creative way to craft poems. The reversal of letters also allows for a series tongue-twisted tales that will bring smiles to the faces of the audience.

Websites

• This lesson plan offered by Scholastic may be particularly helpful to the teacher who is interested in this book and many other works by Silverstein.
• Shel's website is really interactive and can be great to show your students in the classroom. It grants them the opportunity to find other books written by the same author, learn about his life, and even play fun games!

Vocabulary

We find that the for the most part the vocabulary included in Silverstein's poems is fairly simple. As a teacher you may instead speak briefly about poetry and the different genres of poetry. Perhaps addressing terms that are related and helping students to understanding that the type of writing within Runny Babbit is non-traditional.

Reading Activities

Before Reading

Before looking at Runny Babbit have students look at an excerpt from the text. An example that is often chosen by teachers is:

Way down in the green woods
Where the animals all play,
They do things and they say things
In a different sort of way—
Instead of sayin’ “purple hat.”
They all say “hurple pat.”
Instead of sayin’ “feed the cat.”
They just say “ceed the fat.”
So if you say, “Let’s bead a rook.
That’s billy as can se,
You’re talkin’ Runny Babbit talk,
Just like mim and he.(p.4 & 5).

After everyone has read through the example on their own ask your students what they find odd about this text? Discuss how Silverstein has reversed the first letter in some words to make the language unfamiliar. Together you may also wish to translate the excerpt and create your own formula for the way in which the poet comes up with such silly words.

During Reading

Assign each of your students a particular poem within the collection. Have them look at the poem as it is written by Shel Silverstein but also provide them with a copy of the poem as it may be written in "real language". Also provide them with a timer. As they read each poem have them time themselves. Which poem did they read faster? Was that poem easier to comprehend? Why is this? After the activity is completed have students shared their conclusions.

After Reading

Have the students create their own Runny Babbit poem. In doing so they will be practicing their understanding of this mixed up language and will also be creating their own poems. They can also create their own character and relate the story to something they want to do or something they have already experienced in their lives.