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

Lesson 36: There Will Come Soft Rains

by Sara Teasdale

Performer: Librivox - Liam Neely

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 ponders the importance of humankind to the rain, the animals, the plants, and the passing seasons.

Vocabulary

Tremulous: Shaking or quivering slightly.
Whims: A sudden desire or change of mind, especially one that is unusual or unexplained.
Perished: Suffer complete ruin or destruction.
Utterly: Completely and without qualification; absolutely.
Scarcely: Only just; almost not.

Concepts

1. Sara Trevor Teasdale was born in 1884 in St. Louis, Missouri. See her picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Teasdale's birth state of Missouri (MO) on the map of the continental United States.

3. Teasdale had two brothers and a sister, who were much older than she. Her first spoken word was, 'pretty.' Her mother suggested that her love of pretty things is what inspired Teasdale to write poetry.
4. Teasdale eventually married, but the marriage ended in divorce after fifteen years. After her divorce, she devoted herself to her poetry.
5. Teasdale was frail and sickly for most of her life. After suffering from chronic pneumonia, Teasdale died in 1933 at the age of 48 in the Samoan Islands.

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 38 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for Second Grade.'

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?

1 / 6

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'There Will Come Soft Rains.'

1 / 6

Question 2

What is the name of the poet who wrote 'There Will Come Soft Rains?'

2 / 6

Answer 2

The name of the poet is Sara Teasdale.

2 / 6

Question 3

What happens in the poem?

3 / 6

Answer 3

The poem ponders the significance of mankind to the rain, the animals, the plants, and the passing seasons.

3 / 6

Question 4

Who are the characters in the poem?

4 / 6

Answer 4

The characters are the narrator, the rest of mankind, the plants, the animals, the seasons, and the rain.

4 / 6

Question 5

What scents does the poem describe?

5 / 6

Answer 5

The poem mentions the smell of the ground when the rains come.

5 / 6

Question 6

What sounds does the poem describe?

6 / 6

Answer 6

The poem describes the sounds of swallows circling, frogs singing at night, and robins whistling.

6 / 6

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'There Will Come Soft Rains.'
2. What is the name of the poet who wrote 'There Will Come Soft Rains?' The name of the poet is Sara Teasdale.
3. What happens in the poem? The poem ponders the significance of mankind to the rain, the animals, the plants, and the passing seasons.
4. Who are the characters in the poem? The characters are the narrator, the rest of mankind, the plants, the animals, the seasons, and the rain.
5. What scents does the poem describe? The poem mentions the smell of the ground when the rains come.
6. What sounds does the poem describe? The poem describes the sounds of swallows circling, frogs singing at night, and robins whistling.

References

'Sara Teasdale.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.