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

Lesson 13: The Sandhill Crane

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

When the frogs and fishes hear the sandhill crane coming, they hide to save their lives.

Vocabulary

Crane: A tall, long-legged, long-necked bird.
Weir: A low dam built across a river to raise the level of water upstream or regulate its flow.
Tules: Large, grasslike water plants that are abundant in marshy areas of California.
Scuttle: Run hurriedly or furtively with short quick steps.

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 15 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?

1 / 7

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'The Sandhill Crane.'

1 / 7

Question 2

What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Hunting Weather?'

2 / 7

Answer 2

The name of the poet is Mary Austin.

2 / 7

Question 3

What happens in the poem?

3 / 7

Answer 3

The poem describes how frogs and fishes scramble out of sight when the sandhill crane approaches.

3 / 7

Question 4

Where does the poem take place?

4 / 7

Answer 4

The poem takes place outdoors near water.

4 / 7

Question 5

Who are the characters in the poem?

5 / 7

Answer 5

The characters are the sandhill crane, frogs, and fishes.

5 / 7

Question 6

Does the poem teach us anything?

6 / 7

Answer 6

The poem teaches us that there are predators and prey in life.

6 / 7

Question 7

Why do the frogs and fishes hide from the sandhill crane?

7 / 7

Answer 7

The frogs and fishes are afraid they will be eaten by the sandhill crane.

7 / 7

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'The Sandhill Crane.'
2. What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Hunting Weather?' The name of the poet is Mary Austin.
3. What happens in the poem? The poem describes how frogs and fishes scramble out of sight when the sandhill crane approaches.
4. Where does the poem take place? The poem takes place outdoors near water.
5. Who are the characters in the poem? The characters are the sandhill crane, frogs, and fishes.
6. Does the poem teach us anything? The poem teaches us that there are predators and prey in life.
7. Why do the frogs and fishes hide from the sandhill crane? The frogs and fishes are afraid they will be eaten by the sandhill crane.

References

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