Do you know what makes a joke a joke? Let’s take a look!
What’s in a Joke?
Illustration by Eefje Kuijl
Do you know what makes a joke a joke? Let's take a look!
Have you ever told a joke? Was it about a chicken crossing a road? Or did it start with the words “Knock, knock”?
Have you ever told a joke? Was it about a chicken? Did it start with "Knock, knock?"
Laughing Is Good for You
No matter what kind of joke you tell, the goal of all jokes is the same. The goal is to make people laugh.
It feels good to laugh. Scientists have even found out that laughing is good for you! So a really hilarious joke can help keep you healthy.
The goal of all jokes is the same. The goal is to make people laugh.
It feels good to laugh. Scientists have found that laughing is good for you! A funny joke can help keep you healthy.
Parts of a Joke
A joke has two main parts. The first is the setup. This sets up the idea of the joke. The setup isn’t the funny part, but it gets you ready for what comes next. The second part of a joke is the punch line. The punch line is where a surprise happens. The joke takes a really quick turn that you didn’t expect. That surprise turn is what makes you laugh!
A joke has two main parts. The first part is the setup. This sets up the idea of the joke. The setup isn't the funny part. It gets you ready for a what comes next.
The second part of a joke is the punch line. The punchline is the surprise. That surprise is what makes you laugh!
Be a Joke Detective
Here are three jokes. We point out the setup and the punch line in the first one. Can you find them in the next two? On your own paper, write down the different setups and punch lines.
Here are three jokes. We point out the setup and the punch line in the first one. Can you find them in the next two? On your own paper, write down the different setups and punch lines.
Joke 1
Joke 1
Q: What do you call a bear with no teeth?
(The setup gives you an idea of where the joke is going and how it will turn out.)
A: A gummy bear!
(You don’t expect the punch line. When you hear ‘‘gummy bear,’’ you think of a sweet treat, not a real bear with no teeth!)
Q: What do you call a bear with no teeth?
(The setup gives you an idea of where the joke is going and how it will turn out.)
A: A gummy bear!
(You don’t expect the punch line. When you hear ‘‘gummy bear,’’ you think of a sweet treat, not a real bear with no teeth!)
Joke 2
Joke 2
Did you hear the one about the bird that flew south for the winter?
No.
It might’ve gone over your head.
Did you hear the one about the bird that flew south for the winter?
No.
It might’ve gone over your head.
Joke 3
Joke 3
Q: What kind of shoes does a spy wear?
A: Sneakers!
Q: What kind of shoes does a spy wear?
A: Sneakers!
How to Tell a Joke
It takes a lot of work to be funny. Here are three ways you can be good at telling jokes!
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1) Get your timing right.
A big part of telling jokes is getting the timing right. You have to give people time to think about what you are saying.
If you talk too slowly, people might get bored of the joke. If you talk too quickly, your joke might go by too fast and people will be confused. And if people are confused, they won’t laugh.
You have to get your timing right when you are telling a joke. You have to give people time to think about what you are saying.
People might get bored if you talk too slowly. People might be confused if you talk too quickly. If people are confused, they won't laugh.
2) Practice
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People whose job is to tell jokes are called comedians. How do they get their timing right?
They PRACTICE! They tell their jokes many times before they go up on a stage. This gets them ready to tell jokes that get big laughs from the people watching them in the audience.
Comedians are people tell jokes as their job. How do they get their timing right?
They PRACTICE! They tell their jokes many times before they go on stage. This gets them ready to tell jokes.
3) Be confident.
You have to be confident when you tell a joke. If you are too nervous, it’s hard to be funny.
So shake your nerves away and enjoy yourself. If you have fun while you’re telling your jokes, then people listening will have fun too!
You have to be confident when you tell a joke. It's hard to be funny if you are nervous.
So shake your nerves away. Enjoy yourself. If you have fun, then people listening will have fun too!
Do you want to tell a joke and share it with an audience?
About the Article
Social Studies Focus
Culture
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
1. BEFORE READING
Show “The Big Question” Video (10 minutes)
Watch “The Big Question: What Makes Something Funny?” (This video also goes with other stories in this month’s Storyworks 2.)
Preview Vocabulary (5 minutes)
Preview the Article and Set a Purpose for Reading (15 minutes)
2. READ THE PAIRED TEXTS (15-30 MINUTES)
3. AFTER READING
Assessment Quiz (10 minutes)
Parts of Speech: A Silly Day at School (15 minutes)
ELA Focus: Vocabulary (20 minutes)
Enrich the Learning: Paired Text Opportunities (time amount varies)
Making text-to-text connections builds knowledge and comprehension. We layer Storyworks 2 with many ways for your students to make connections.
Pairable Texts “What Is Dav Pilkey’s Superpower?” (pages 6-11), “A Laugh From Old Mrs. Wilson (pages 13-17), and “My Teacher Calls Me Sweetie Cakes” (page 32)
IN-CLASS AND REMOTE LEARNING IDEAS: TELL A JOKE!
Our “Tell a Joke” printable walks children through the steps of telling a joke. After reading the paired texts, pass out the skills page. It’s time to tell some jokes!
1. Joke Time, LIVE: Either in person or during a synchronous, virtual class session, have kids tell a joke to the class. They’ll get real live laughs, and it’s a great way to build classroom community and have fun!
2. Record a Joke: Have students ask their caregiver to record them telling a joke. Then they can upload it to the learning management system of your choice and everyone can watch their classmates tell a joke. It’s a great way to feel connected and to help quieter students who might be too shy to tell a joke live.
Make Nosey Laugh! (15 minutes)
