Name:
Date:
Grade: 2
Classical Memory Verse
Don't rob the birds of their eggs, boys,
It is cruel, and heartless, and wrong;
But remember, by breaking an egg, boys,
We may lose a bird with a song.
It is cruel, and heartless, and wrong;
But remember, by breaking an egg, boys,
We may lose a bird with a song.
Poetic Focus: Rhythm & rhyme • Commas in direct address (boys) • Moral stewardship of nature.
1
Poetic Meaning & Moral Inquiry
Read the poem aloud twice. Notice its musical rhythm, then answer each question.
1. Moral Rule: What action does the poet urge children not to do?
2. Moral Words: Name the three words that describe taking eggs:
3. Cause & Effect: What wonderful living gift is lost when an egg is broken?
2
Poetic Craft, Rhyme & Vocabulary
Examine the rhyme scheme and word choices used in the four lines.
A. Rhyme Scheme Detective: Which word in line 4 rhymes with wrong in line 2?
The word wrong rhymes with:
B. Vocabulary Meaning: The word heartless in the poem means:
[ ] Full of love and cheer [ ] Unkind and without pity [ ] Quick and fast
C. Repeated Direct Address: Which word is repeated at the end of lines 1 and 3?
Repeated word set off by a comma:
3
Stanza Copying & Memory Practice
Copy lines 3 and 4 accurately onto the guidelines below. Commit all four lines to memory for recitation.
Line 3:
Line 4:
4
Why Songbirds Bless Our World
In one thoughtful sentence, describe how birds bring happiness, music, and beauty to our mornings.
Reflection: