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

Lesson 31: The Bird

by William Allingham

Performer: Librivox - Lynne Thompson

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

A child tries to convince a bird to become her pet. The odd verses (1, 3, ...) are the child's arguments and the even verses are the bird's replies. In the end, the bird prefers freedom in the wild to a pampered life in a cage, for the 'forest cannot be held within a silver dish.'

Vocabulary

Silken: Made of silk.
Velvet: A closely woven fabric of silk, cotton, or nylon, that has a thick short pile on one side.
Satin: A smooth, glossy fabric, typically of silk.
Ivy: A woody evergreen Eurasian climbing plant, typically having shiny, dark green five-pointed leaves.
Dawn: The first appearance of light in the sky before sunrise.
Amber: A hard translucent fossilized resin produced by extinct coniferous trees of the Tertiary period, typically yellowish in color.
Jet: A hard black semiprecious variety of lignite, capable of being carved and highly polished.
Fret: To be constantly or visibly worried or anxious.

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.
• When you read the poem, read in both the little girl's voice and the birdie's voice to distinguish between the characters.

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:

• Girl
• Bird
• Book
• Hat
• Dress
• Tights
• Flowers
• Grass
• Path
• Gate
• Bench

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 34 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 'The Bird.'

1 / 4

Question 2

What happens in the poem?

2 / 4

Answer 2

A child tries to convince a bird to become her pet, but the bird refuses, preferring the freedom of living in the wild.

2 / 4

Question 3

Who are the characters in the poem?

3 / 4

Answer 3

The child and the bird.

3 / 4

Question 4

Does the poem teach us anything?

4 / 4

Answer 4

To many, freedom is more valuable than riches.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'The Bird.'
2. What happens in the poem? A child tries to convince a bird to become her pet, but the bird refuses, preferring the freedom of living in the wild.
3. Who are the characters in the poem? The child and the bird.
4. Does the poem teach us anything? To many, freedom is more valuable than riches.