Seuss Inspired Stanzas.

I make it a habit of subjecting my students to surprise activities based on my mood, or random bits of inspiration that strike me in the shower.  This morning was no different. In order to celebrate the birth of one of my favorite authors, I dug out my "Oh, The Places You'll Go" and my copy of "Sneetches", and hustled off to school.
In my History classes, it just so happened that we are finishing our study of the Holocaust and I had just enough foresight to save my lesson where we examine some of Dr. Seuss's political cartoons, published during WWII.  The kids always think it is so cool to see one of their favorite childhood authors reflected in the content we are studying. They find it fascinating that he did not begin his career with Cat in the Hat.
Then I read them Sneetches.  If you haven't had this experience, and you are a teacher, let me recommend to you that you read picture books aloud to your students, regardless of their age. While it may sound antithetical to 16 year olds, I promise you, THEY LOVE IT.  They smile, laugh, and respond as their five year old counterparts would. Their heads follow the book around the room, straining to see the vibrant pictures.

Theodor Geisel improved the day
and made a hundred people smile away.
(most assuredly more,
but that's all I can account for)

In my eighth grade English class, we discussed the various morals in the Dr. Seuss books that they were familiar with, and I proceeded to read them my two favorite stories (lest we forget it is all about me.)  While reading about Bixby and Bray, I decided I wanted them to try to create a short "Seuss Inspired Stanza". 
The guidelines were: it had to have a moral, it had to rhyme, and it had to include a few silly words, or sounds. The students asked if they could work in small groups, I agreed, and they were off. They were given only 15 minutes to complete the activity, and I think they rocked it!
Here are a few examples of their fabulocity...

Little Sally Doodledoo
told someone something that wasn't true
she told them about her five thousand shoes.
It went around the entire school,who knew it wasn't true,
because it was told by Little Sally Doodledoo.
It was a harmless story,
so she started talking about Lori,
who was hanging out with Torry,
that made Hillary mad
and then the whole story went bad.
Never tell a lie for what it might do,
just remember Little Sally Doodledoo,
and how she learned a thing or two.
~Kyle and Luisa

Lullest was a small door mouse
who lived in a small house
with a rock name Shameal
which obviously was not real
He talked with the rock everyday of his life
until he got bored with this eternal life.
He decided to leave his small house
to find a new friend, maybe a mouse.
As he stepped outside
he suddenly died.
SO live you life to the fullest
cuz you don't want to end up like Lullest.
~Lauren

One day I was walking and saw a giraffe
who wore such a sweater it would make one laugh
I'm quite fond of giraffes wearing sweaters
and also walruses that live in the Nethers
It's funny that walruses have nothing to do
with the story, so I'll talk about glue
it's sticky and useful and sometimes wasted
you use it for glueing and sometimes it's tasted.
~Jake and Terren
um, the moral of that one is completely unclear...but, it made me laugh.