English teachers teach poetry. Kids hate poetry. Riddles are in poetic form. Kids love riddles. So riddles are a way to teach kids poetry.

Well, perhaps that's a little harsh: some kids love poetry and some hate riddles. Riddles written as poems are different than most poems in that there is a puzzle to solve. It turns a simple poem into a game.

The following is an outline of a lecture given to a seventh grade Language Arts students about riddles and poetry.

• Sample riddle. Show them an easy riddle and have the class solve it.
• Why does one write poetry?
• Solve another riddle.
• Who can be a poet? (For fun, hand out "poetic licenses")
• Solve another riddle.
• Tolkein Talk. Show riddles from The Hobbit.
• Discuss forms of verse (limerick, haiku, sonnet, etc.)
• Limericks, including some sample riddle limericks.
• Haiku and haiku riddles.
• More about rhythm.
• Samples of anapestic meters.
• Riddles written in anapestic feet.
• Conclusion: poetry can be fun!