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See all the people!" cried Polly. "I did not know that there were so many except at a circus."

"Father, where did you put Mary?" asked Peter.

"Over there by the fence. Here is a ticket for her. No one can take her without this ticket. She will wait for us."

"Let us go into that place," said Polly. "See all the people going in there."

"That is a place in which to eat," father said. "We do not wish to eat yet. Besides, we brought our food with us."

"Let us go to see the cattle," said mother.

Father took them to a large building. It was full of sheep. There were many different kinds.

"Farmer Brown has some of his sheep here," said father.

"Are his two pet lambs here?" asked Peter. "I mean the ones that came to our party on his piazza last summer. I hope that they will get a blue ribbon."

After they had seen the sheep, they went into the building where the cows were kept.

"Some of Tim's Jersey cows are here," said father. "Perhaps we can find them."

There were hundreds of cows. The children grew tired of looking at so many. At last they found Tim's Jersey cows standing side by side.

"Let us look at the horses now," said father. "Perhaps we can find the blacksmith's."

"Perhaps you can find a pony for us," said Peter. "I wish that you would try."

"Now," said father, "you have seen enough of the horses. There are the pigs left to see. Does anybody wish to look at the pigs?"

"Suppose you go alone," said mother. "The children and I will stay outside this building and wait for you. We are a little tired."

"Look for the little black pig! "Polly shouted.

Mother and Polly and Peter found a bench on which to sit.

Then mother said, "Now let us look for interesting things. You first, Polly. What do you see that is interesting?"

"All the automobiles standing over there. And all the wagons. And all the people."

"Yes," said mother. "There are hundreds of automobiles and wagons. Peter, what do you see?"

"All the people going into that place to eat. And all the people coming out."

"Oh, oh!" cried Polly. "Look, look! See the men leading the ponies, Peter!"

"Oh Polly!" cried Peter. "See the men leading the dogs! "

"Those dogs are going to race," said mother.

"Where, where? Let us go," said Polly.

"We will see them this afternoon, Polly," said mother." They do not race until then."

"Oh, I wish that we had brought Wag-wag," said Polly." I am sure that he could beat."

"Perhaps he could not," said mother. "Those dogs are trained to race. Wag-wag is not."

"Oh mother, mother!" cried Peter.

"There is a boy with some balloons! See them! See them! Red ones and white ones and blue ones. May we have some?"

"Yes, you may. Here is a dime for you, Peter. Here is a dime for you, Polly. Run and buy."

"Stop, stop" called Peter to the boy. "I will buy a red balloon."

"I will buy a blue one," said Polly. "Here is the money."

The boy untied a blue and a red balloon. He gave them to Polly and to Peter.

A crowd of people had gathered around him. Somebody pushed against him. He dropped Polly's money.

He stooped to pick it up. His bunch of balloons slipped from his hand. He jumped up and caught at them. But he only pushed them farther away.

Other people tried to get them. But the crowd was thick. People bumped against one another. Nobody caught the balloons. Up into the air they sailed.

The boy looked ready to cry. But he did not. He said, "Oh, dear! Oh, dear! I shall be punished for losing my balloons. I wish I could get them."

"It is too bad," said one man. "Perhaps we can help you. Here! Give me your cap.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," he said, "let us put into this boy's cap the money for his balloons. Then he will not be punished for losing them.

It is too nice a day for anybody to be punished. Now walk right up and help." And he dropped in a large piece of silver money.

Mrs. Howe gave Peter and Polly each five cents. They put the money into the cap. The man who passed the cap smiled at Polly.

Many, many people put money into the cap. The boy had enough to pay for his balloons.

Then the crowd went away. Polly and Peter watched the bunch of balloons up in the air.

At last Polly said to her mother, "That was a homely man who held the cap. But he looked handsome to me. I think that he is kind.

"You see I remember, 'Handsome is that handsome does.'"

Directions

Study the lesson for one week.

Over the week:

  • Read the story multiple times.
  • Review the synopsis.
  • Study the vocabulary words.
  • Learn the concepts.
  • Complete the enrichment activities.
  • Study the review questions.

Synopsis

The family arrives at the fair and looks at the livestock, including sheep, cows, and horses. Peter and Polly receive money from their mother to buy balloons from a boy. The boy accidentally releases his balloons into the sky. The boy is sad and worries he will be punished for losing the balloons. A man in the crowd suggests the crowd chip in to pay for the balloons. The people in the crowd put money in the boy's hat and pay for the lost balloons. Polly tells her mother that the man in the crowd may have looked homely at first, but the kind way he acted made him handsome.

Vocabulary

Livestock: Farm animals such as sheep, cows, and horses.
Piazza: A public square or marketplace.
Punished: A penalty or negative consequence.
Homely: Not good looking.
Handsome: Good looking.
Helium: A gas that is lighter than air.

Concepts

When the boy accidentally releases his balloons in the story, the balloons float up into the air. What makes balloons float?

Facts about balloons:

  1. If you blow air into a balloon with your mouth and tie it closed, the balloon will not float. It will fall to the ground because it contains air.
  2. If you fill a balloon with helium gas from a tank and tie it closed, the balloon will float.
  3. Helium is lighter than the air we breathe. Balloons filled with the lighter helium float in the heavier air.
  4. Hot air balloons also float, but are filled with air. Hot air balloons use a flame to heat the air inside the balloon. The hot air inside the balloon is lighter than the cold air outside the balloon, enabling it to float.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Narrate the Story

  • After reading or listening to the story, narrate the story events aloud using your own words.

Activity 2: Floating vs. Sinking

Objective:

Hypothesize and then test which items float and which items sink.

Materials:

Several objects that will not be ruined by water (silverware, plastic toys, plastic bottle caps, Legos, etc.). Instructors - help children select both items that float and items that sink.

Procedure:

  • Fill a sink or bathtub with water and gather up the water-resistant items.
  • Hypothesize (guess beforehand) which objects will float and which will sink.
  • Based on your hypotheses, divide the items into a 'float' group and a 'sink' group.
  • Drop each object into the water to test whether your hypotheses were correct.

Review

Question 1

Which animals do Peter and Polly see at the fair?
1 / 5

Answer 1

Peter and Polly see sheep, cows, and horses at the fair.
1 / 5

Question 2

What do Peter and Polly buy at the fair?
2 / 5

Answer 2

Peter and Polly buy balloons at the fair.
2 / 5

Question 3

Why is the boy scared when he loses his balloons?
3 / 5

Answer 3

The boy is afraid he will be punished for losing the balloons.
3 / 5

Question 4

How does the homely man help the scared boy?
4 / 5

Answer 4

The homely man enlists the crowd to buy the balloons.
4 / 5

Question 5

What does 'handsome is as handsome does' mean?
5 / 5

Answer 5

People are truly handsome because of their actions, not because of their looks.
5 / 5

  1. Which animals do Peter and Polly see at the fair? Peter and Polly see sheep, cows, and horses at the fair.
  2. What do Peter and Polly buy at the fair? Peter and Polly buy balloons at the fair.
  3. Why is the boy scared when he loses his balloons? The boy is afraid he will be punished for losing the balloons.
  4. How does the homely man help the scared boy? The homely man enlists the crowd to buy the balloons.
  5. What does 'handsome is as handsome does' mean? People are truly handsome because of their actions, not because of their looks.

References

  1. 'Hot air balloon.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.