Adapted from the poem by Bruce Lansky in My Dog Ate My Homework, published by Meadowbrook Press.

Summary: A child debates eating fish with his grandmother.

Presentation Suggestions: Let your students read or perform the poem in class. Tell them to act out the different lines while they read them.

Props: A plastic fish would be a great prop but if one is not available the poem can be performed without it.

Delivery: The lines of the poem should be read with poetic rhythm. For more information on poetic rhythm and how to perform poetry in your classroom, please read the Performing Poetry section of our site.

Characters:
Narrator
Frederick
Grandmother

Ish!

Narrator:

When Frederick's grandmother
served him some fish,
young Frederick turned up his nose
and said:

Frederick:

Ish!

Grandmother:

Okay,

Narrator:

said his grandma,

Grandmother:

I'll give you some ish,

Narrator:

as she scraped out some earwax
right into a dish.

She brushed in some dandruff

that fell from her head,
and some fingernail clippings
from her husband, Ed.

She sniffed at the mixture
and started to sneeze.
Her eyes watered up;
she got weak in the knees.

Grandmother:

Okay,

Narrator:

said Fred's grandma,

Grandmother:

now eat up this ish.

Frederick:

No way,

Narrator:

said young Frederick,

Frederick:

I'd rather have fish.

THE END!

© 1996 by Bruce Lansky. Adapted from the poem "Ish!" from My Dog Ate My Homework, published by Meadowbrook Press. This classroom theater play version of "Ish!" is © 1999 by Meadowbrook Press.

Click the cover for more information or to buy the book.

Permission is given for individual school classes to perform this play and to make as many copies of the play as are needed for the students' use. All other reproduction and performance is prohibited under penalty of law. For use of this play outside individual classes, please contact info@meadowbrookpress.com for permission.

Click here to learm more about Bruce Lansky.