Poets of Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme Nature, Revelry, and Rhyme    

Lesson 14: Blue-Eyed Grass

by Mary Austin

Performer: SMG

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

• Read or listen to the poem.
• Review the synopsis.
• Study the vocabulary words.
• Read about the poet.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Discuss the review questions.

Synopsis

The poem describes the sights and sounds that signify the arrival of summer.

Vocabulary

Yarrow: A plant of the daisy family, with feathery leaves and heads of small white, yellow, or pink aromatic flowers.
Cattail: A tall, reedlike marsh plant with straplike leaves and a dark brown, velvety cylindrical head of numerous tiny flowers.
Linnet: A mainly brown and gray bird with a reddish breast and forehead.
Laden: Heavily loaded or weighed down.
Milkweed: A herbaceous American plant with milky sap.

Concepts

1. Mary Hunter Austin was born in 1868 in Carlinville, Illinois. See her picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Austin's birth state of Illinois (IL) on the map of the continental United States.

3. Austin had five siblings. After Austin graduated from college, her family moved to California to establish a homestead. The United States Homestead Act of 1862 offered 160 acres of land to any citizens willing to live on and farm the land for five years.
4. Austin wrote poems, plays, and novels over her lifetime. She also helped to establish two theaters.
5. Austin had a mountain named after her. Mount Mary Austin is in California.
6. Austin died in 1934 at the age of 66 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Title, the Poet's Name, and the Poem

• Each day this week, recite aloud the title of the poem, the name of the poet, and the poem.

Activity 2: Study the Poem Picture

• Study the poem picture, and describe how it relates to the poem.

Activity 3: Narrate the Poem

• After reading or listening to the poem, narrate the poem events aloud using your own words.

Activity 4: Color the Poem   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 16 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Activity 5: Sketch the Life Forms Mentioned in the Poem

One day this week, study the life forms below and sketch or color them. Label each with its name.

• Yarrow

• Cattails

• Linnet

• Milkweed

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?

1 / 6

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'Blue-Eyed Grass.'

1 / 6

Question 2

What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Blue-Eyed Grass?'

2 / 6

Answer 2

The name of the poet is Mary Austin.

2 / 6

Question 3

What happens in the poem?

3 / 6

Answer 3

The poem describes the sights and sounds that signify the arrival of summer.

3 / 6

Question 4

Where does the poem take place?

4 / 6

Answer 4

The poem takes place outside.

4 / 6

Question 5

Does the poem teach us anything?

5 / 6

Answer 5

The poem teaches us some of the sights and sounds of summer.

5 / 6

Question 6

Per the poem, what are the signs that summer has arrived?

6 / 6

Answer 6

The signs that summer has arrived include the appearance of blooming flowers such as blue-eyed grass and yarrow, plants such as cattails and milkweeds, and animals such as linnets, blackbirds, and bees.

6 / 6

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'Blue-Eyed Grass.'
2. What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Blue-Eyed Grass?' The name of the poet is Mary Austin.
3. What happens in the poem? The poem describes the sights and sounds that signify the arrival of summer.
4. Where does the poem take place? The poem takes place outside.
5. Does the poem teach us anything? The poem teaches us some of the sights and sounds of summer.
6. Per the poem, what are the signs that summer has arrived? The signs that summer has arrived include the appearance of blooming flowers such as blue-eyed grass and yarrow, plants such as cattails and milkweeds, and animals such as linnets, blackbirds, and bees.

References

'Mary Hunter Austin.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.