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

Lesson 7: The Raggedy Man Stanzas 1-4

by James Whitcomb Riley

Performer: Librivox - Janice Green

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 describes a farm worker that the boyish narrator calls 'The Raggedy Man.' The kind farm worker performs tasks around the narrator's childhood farm, such as feeding the animals, chopping wood, and working in the garden. The Raggedy Man also climbs trees, picks apples, and plays horsey with the children. 'The Raggedy Man' is based on a real person, a German worker hired by James Whitcomb Riley's father.

Vocabulary

Kindlin' (Kindling): Easily combustible small sticks or twigs used for starting a fire.
Spades: Dig up with a spade.
Spade: A tool with a sharp-edged, typically rectangular, metal blade and a long handle, used for digging earth.
Clumbed (Climbed): Go or come up a slope, incline, or staircase, especially by using the feet and sometimes the hands; ascend.
Shooked (Shook): Moved an object up and down or from side to side with rapid, forceful, jerky movements.
Rambo: A type of apple.
Orchurd (Orchard): A piece of land planted with fruit trees.
Corn Crib: A bin or ventilated building for storing ears of corn.
Beatin'est: Better than all others.
Wunst (Once): On one occasion or for one time only.
Skeered (Scared): Fearful; frightened.
Menced (Commenced): Begin; start.
Rared (Reared): Raise itself upright on its hind legs.
Nigh: Near; almost.

Concepts

1. James Whitcomb Riley was born in 1849 in Greenfield, Indiana. See his picture below.

2. Zoom in and find Riley's birth state of Indiana (IN - The Hoosier State) on the map of the continental United States.

3. Riley had five siblings. His mother taught him to read at home before sending him to school. He frequently got into trouble at school and did not like his teachers, which he later wrote about in his poems.
4. Riley wrote approximately 1000 poems during his lifetime and became famous by going on poetry tours across America.
5. Riley was known as the 'Hoosier poet.' A 'Hoosier' is a native or inhabitant of Indiana. Some of Riley's poems were written in a Hoosier dialect, including 'The Raggedy Man', 'Little Orphant Annie', and 'When the Frost is on the Punkin.'
6. Riley suffered from alcoholism and never married or had children. Riley died in 1916 at the age of 66 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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 9 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 'The Raggedy Man.'

1 / 6

Question 2

What is the name of the poet who wrote 'The Raggedy Man?'

2 / 6

Answer 2

The name of the poet is James Whitcomb Riley.

2 / 6

Question 3

What happens in the poem?

3 / 6

Answer 3

A kind farm worker performs tasks around a farm such as feeding the animals, chopping wood, and working in the garden. He also climbs trees, picks apples, and plays horsey with the children.

3 / 6

Question 4

Where does the poem take place?

4 / 6

Answer 4

The poem takes place outdoors at a farm.

4 / 6

Question 5

Who are the characters in the poem?

5 / 6

Answer 5

The characters are Raggedy Man, the boy narrator, Pa, Elizabeth Ann, the hired girl on the narrator's farm, and the hired man on The Smoot Farm.

5 / 6

Question 6

Does the poem teach us anything?

6 / 6

Answer 6

The poem reminds us to respect hard work and kindness.

6 / 6

❮ ❯

1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'The Raggedy Man.'
2. What is the name of the poet who wrote 'The Raggedy Man?' The name of the poet is James Whitcomb Riley.
3. What happens in the poem? A kind farm worker performs tasks around a farm such as feeding the animals, chopping wood, and working in the garden. He also climbs trees, picks apples, and plays horsey with the children.
4. Where does the poem take place? The poem takes place outdoors at a farm.
5. Who are the characters in the poem? The characters are Raggedy Man, the boy narrator, Pa, Elizabeth Ann, the hired girl on the narrator's farm, and the hired man on The Smoot Farm.
6. Does the poem teach us anything? The poem reminds us to respect hard work and kindness.

References

'James Whitcomb Riley.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'The Raggedy Man.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Rambo Apple.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.