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

Lesson 15: Prairie-Dog Town

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

Peter Prairie-Dog builds an underground house in Prairie-Dog Town. His underground house is dark and quiet. To protect himself and his home, he stays still and upright like a stick when he sees anyone above ground.

Vocabulary

Prairie Dog: A gregarious ground squirrel that lives in interconnected burrows.
Cellar: A room below ground level in a house, typically one used for storing wine or coal.
Arch: A curved symmetrical structure spanning an opening and typically supporting the weight of a bridge, roof, or wall above it.
Mound: A rounded mass projecting above a surface.
Spark: A small fiery particle thrown off from a fire.

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 17 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 'Prairie-Dog Town.'

1 / 7

Question 2

What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Prairie-Dog Town?'

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

Peter Prairie-Dog builds an underground home in Prairie-Dog Town.

3 / 7

Question 4

Where does the poem take place?

4 / 7

Answer 4

The poem takes place outside at Prairie-Dog Town.

4 / 7

Question 5

Who are the characters in the poem?

5 / 7

Answer 5

The character is Peter Prairie-Dog.

5 / 7

Question 6

Does the poem teach us anything?

6 / 7

Answer 6

The poem teaches us that prairie dogs live in burrows under the ground. The often live together in large towns.

6 / 7

Question 7

What does Peter Prairie-Dog do when he sees anyone above ground?

7 / 7

Answer 7

When Peter Prairie-Dog sees anyone above ground, he stands still like a stick.'

7 / 7

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'Prairie-Dog Town.'
2. What is the name of the poet who wrote 'Prairie-Dog Town?' The name of the poet is Mary Austin.
3. What happens in the poem? Peter Prairie-Dog builds an underground home in Prairie-Dog Town.
4. Where does the poem take place? The poem takes place outside at Prairie-Dog Town.
5. Who are the characters in the poem? The character is Peter Prairie-Dog.
6. Does the poem teach us anything? The poem teaches us that prairie dogs live in burrows under the ground. The often live together in large towns.
7. What does Peter Prairie-Dog do when he sees anyone above ground? When Peter Prairie-Dog sees anyone above ground, he stands still like a stick.'

References

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