Day 10 SoL Story Challenge: Knock Knock Who's There?

Join hundreds of students and teachers as we challenge ourselves to write a story from our own lives every day for the month of March!

Yesterday, Little L. was telling knock knock jokes non stop all day long. Breakfast…lunch… dinner.. bed time… all day long. I guess she was just in a knock knock mood. She's in that stage where she totally gets the knock knock jokes that I tell to her--but her own jokes don't really make sense. Personally, I think that's what makes her jokes funny.  Here's a little "slice" of her jokes:

I, personally, love knock knock jokes. The cornier, the better. I've never understood how some people just don't like them! They're hilarious to me!

Here are some of my favorites that I tell to Little L. all the time:

Knock knock…
Who's there?
Lettuce.
Lettuce who?
Lettuce in, it's cold out here!

Knock knock…
Who's there?
Boo!
Boo who?
Don't cry, it's only a joke!

Knock knock…
Who's there?
Banana.
Banana who?
Banana.
Banana who?
Banana.
Banana who?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you glad I didn't say banana again?

And my all time favorite:

Knock knock…
Who's there?
The interrupting cow.
The interrup---
MOO!

Jokes are great for vocabulary and language. Kids have to infer to get the meaning, sometimes by reading between the lines, sometimes by interpreting the meaning of an expression or idiom. And yes…puns! (Again, I just don't understand how puns are not funny). Puns are great-- homophones that kids have to figure out in context in order for it to make sense. What a great way to study words!

Also, humor can engage kids who might otherwise not be interested in reading or writing. That kid who sits all through reading workshop, staring at the pages of some chapter book that she picked just because her friends were reading it? Help her out. Find a funny book together and bring her reading life back to life.

My colleague, Colleen Cruz, not long ago tweeted this great idea for the classroom library:

No, funny books may not always be great "literature," and no, a steady diet of Captain Underpants and nothing else is not exactly what I envision for a well-rounded reader (sorry Dav Pilkey…). But there's nothing better than laughing out lout to help you fall in love with reading. I think we can all agree on that. 

In the comments, leave your favorite knock knock joke. Tell a joke today or read a funny book. Enjoy!