Poetry of Fables, Fairies, and Fauna Fables, Fairies, and Fauna    

Lesson 26: Dreaming

by William Allingham

Performer: Librivox - Rosslyn Carlyle

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

• Read or listen to the poem.
• Review the synopsis.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

The poem first describes a dream slipping down from the sky to slide under the eyelids of a little boy and then relates the fantastical dream experienced by boy.

Vocabulary

Royal: Having the status of a king or queen or a member of their family.
Feast: A large meal, typically one in celebration of something.
Lofty: Very high.
Tower: A tall narrow building.
Ape: A large primate that lacks a tail, including the gorilla, chimpanzees, orangutan, and gibbons.
Gambol: Run or jump about playfully.
Ceaseless: Never stopping, constant.
Cellar: A room below ground level in a house.

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. Instructors may need to prompt children line-by-line.

Activity 2: Study the Poem's Companion Painting

• Study the painting below, and describe it in your own words.

Find the following in the companion painting:

• Sleeping Woman
• Dream Bringer (pictured as a lady in gauzy blue)
• Dream (of a man and woman embracing)
• Dog
• Bed
• Chair
• Stool
• Window
• Flowers
• Pillow
• Red, White, and Brown Dress

Activity 3: Narrate the Poem

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

Activity 4: Color the Poem   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 29 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for First Grade.'

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?

1 / 4

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'Dreaming.'

1 / 4

Question 2

What happens in the poem?

2 / 4

Answer 2

A dream slips down from the sky to be experienced by a little boy named Fred.

2 / 4

Question 3

Who are the characters in the poem?

3 / 4

Answer 3

The narrator and little Fred.

3 / 4

Question 4

Does the poem teach us anything?

4 / 4

Answer 4

The poem sparks our imaginations.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'Dreaming.'
2. What happens in the poem? A dream slips down from the sky to be experienced by a little boy named Fred.
3. Who are the characters in the poem? The narrator and little Fred.
4. Does the poem teach us anything? The poem sparks our imaginations.