Here's an easy way for your students to practice being a poet. Each of these Newfangled Yankee Doodle Poems is missing a word or two. Can your students figure out what they are? For a hint, look at the second line of each poem. The missing word or words must rhyme with the last word in the second line. Good luck.

If this activity is too easy for your students, let them try our complete-the-last-line version of these poems. Once your student have become pros at Newfangled Yankee Doodle poems, let them try writing their own then entering our Yankee Doodle contest!

1. Yankee Doodle went to town
riding on a chicken.
He went into a restaurant
and came out finger .

2. Yankee Doodle went to town
riding on a monkey.
He had to take a shower quick,
because he smelled so .

3. Yankee Doodle went to town
riding on a rooster.
His saddle wasn't high enough,
so now he's got a .

4. Yankee Doodle flew through space
riding on a rocket.
He landed on the moon and brought
some cheese home in his .

5. Yankee Doodle went to town
with his favorite blankey.
Every time he had to sneeze
he used it as a .

6. Yankee Doodle went to France
with his golden Visa.
But he could not afford to buy
Da Vinci's Mona .

7. Mrs. Doodle went to town
riding on a 'gator.
She didn't feed the 'gator
so the hungry 'gator .

Stumped? Figured them all out? Click here to see the answers.

#1, #2, #7 copyright 1996 by Bruce Lansky, reprinted from My Dog Ate My Homework, published by Meadowbrook Press; # 5 & #6 © 1999 by Bruce Lansky, reprinted from If Pigs Could Fly…and Other Deep Thoughts, published by Meadowbrook Press; #3 © 1999 by Bruce Lansky, reprinted from Mary Had a Little Jam, published by Meadowbrook Press; #4 © 1993 by Robert Scotellaro, reprinted from Mary Had a Little Jam, published by Meadowbrook Press.

 

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