64. Making Riddles
Reading edition
Oral Exercise. Make believe that you are one of the performers or one of the animals in a circus. Tell your classmates two facts about yourself: (1) what you look like and (2) what you do. But do not tell what you are. Thus, you might say:
I look just like you, but I spend much of my time in a cage. No, I am not a monkey. It is my business to be in a cage. Lions are afraid of me, and I am afraid of them, but you can see us side by side in the same circus cage in every parade. What am I?
Or you might say:
My face is pale, and my clothes are white. I look like a very foolish, sad, and solemn person. Everybody laughs at me. I don't mind it. It is my business to look silly. If I did not look silly, I should lose my place in the circus. What am I?
Your classmates will try to guess what you are.
Group Exercise. 1. Some of the riddles may now be written on the board. Then the class will try to make them better. The teacher will write each improved riddle beside the one from which it was made.
2. When everybody in the class has made a riddle, and all the riddles have been guessed, you and the other pupils will enjoy having a circus parade. In this circus parade the whole class marches around the room and up and down the aisles. Each pupil plays, as he did in making the riddles, that he is one of the performers or one of the animals in a circus. Each without speaking tries to show what performer or animal he is. For example, if you are a circus horse, show it by prancing about, but do not lose your place in the parade. If you are an elephant, show it by your walk. You might use a piece of rope or cloth for an elephant's trunk. If you are a horseback rider, show it by talking to your horse in low tones and by holding him in line. If you are a clown, show it by acting as clowns do.[76] If you are a musician, play your instrument as you march.
Perhaps the teacher will let the parade pass into the hall, so that the piano may be played as the class marches.