My First Riddle Lesson Plan - KS1

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Preparation
Copy the examples of the riddles provided on this lesson plan as you will be showing them to the class later in the lesson.

Introduction
Each pupil writes the name of their favourite celebrity, person or animal in the middle of a sheet of paper and around this they note down adjectives which describe their chosen subject. Your pupils are welcome to help each other with the adjectives / descriptions.

Main Teaching Activity
Bring your class together and show them our riddle examples. Explain to the class that they will each be writing their own riddle later in the lesson. Next, write the name of your favourite person / celebrity on the board (choose someone the children will be familiar with). As a class discuss adjectives that describe your person. When you have 6 or 7 explain that using the ideas you've gathered your class now have to describe your person as if they were something else, such as a colour, an animal, an object, a food, a season, a feeling, a place etc. For example if your subject was Robbie Williams, suggested adjectives may be handsome, tall and a good singer. Ask for suggestions for other things that can be described with the same adjectives, such as a prince is handsome or a skyscraper is tall. Write the first 2 lines of the riddle and then as a class work together on the remaining lines.

Now the children are ready to have a go at writing their own riddle using the ideas they wrote down earlier in the introduction.

Plenary
This is a 5-10 minute activity. Where capable, ask the children to work in pairs to read their poem to their partner. Their partner is to provide feedback; something they like about the poem and a suggestion on how it could be improved. With younger children their poem can be worked on in small groups or with an adult's assistance. The poems can be given as a wet play activity or as homework. This activity can be extended to a further lesson by pupils redrafting their riddle and illustrating it.

Differentiation
More capable children can be given the challenge of writing a longer and more descriptive riddle. You can provide a subject such as an item or place rather than a person. You can suggest key words for them to use as well asking them to ensure their punctuation, spelling and grammar is correct.

Ask less able children to describe their favourite animal, they can work in pairs or small groups on a joint riddle. You can provide a list of adjectives for all the pupils, to encourage the use of varied language.

Notes
This activity is about an hour depending on class size, age and ability. The riddles can be as simple or as difficult as you'd like them to be. The activity is ideal for homework as well as a class activity. Riddles can be about anyone or anything. If you have a subject you are currently studying you'd prefer the children to write about spell out several words to do with the subject on the board.


Mystery Guest Riddle Examples

He is as funny as a clown,
He is as fast as roller skates,
He is as helpful as my dad,
He cooks better than a chef,
He is LJ, my brother.
Harris Brown, Y1
Sawtry Infant School, Huntingdon

He's as naughty as a gorilla,
He's as sweet as a peach,
He's as cheeky as a monkey,
He's as cuddly as a teddy bear,
He's as cute as a flower.
He is Sam, my cat.
Jonathan Alderman, Y2
Sawtry Infant School, Huntingdon

He is even faster than a cheetah,
He is as nice as a horse,
He is better than Santa Claus,
He is as cool as a cat,
He is as famous as the sun,
He is Steven Gerrard.
Jack Crabb, Y2
Sawtry Infant School, Huntingdon

It's as big as an elephant,
It's as scary as a dinosaur,
It's as dangerous as a bear,
It's as endangered as a white rhino,
It's as amazing as a Science museum.
It's a komodo dragon.
Charlie Spencer, Y2
Sawtry Infant School, Huntingdon

She is as sweet as a cat,
She's wonderful like a bird,
She is as careful as a mouse,
She's as bright as a monkey,
She is a popular as the queen bee,
She's a good singer like a robin,
She's fashionable like a model,
She is gorgeous like a flower
She is Hannah Montana.
Ella Louise Hutchinson, Y2
Sawtry Infant School, Huntingdon

She's as cool as an ice cream,
She's as cheeky as a monkey,
She's as fun as a slide,
She's a good listener like a teacher,
She's pretty as a robin,
She's as funny as a clown,
She's as beautiful as a flower.
She's Sammy-Lee, my friend.
Danica Bowkis, Y2
Sawtry Infant School, Huntingdon

She is as gorgeous as a puppy,
She is as fashionable as a doll,
She is as cute as a kitten,
She is as wonderful as a rainbow,
She is as sweet as sucky sweets,
She is as popular as a flower,
She is as bright as you,
She is as beautiful as a peacock.
She is Hannah Montana
Molly Berridge, Y2
Sawtry Infant School, Huntingdon