Poetry of Fables, Fairies, and Fauna Fables, Fairies, and Fauna    

Lesson 2: The Grasshopper and the Ant

by Jean de La Fontaine

Performer: Librivox - Rosslyn Carlyle


The Grasshopper, singing

All summer long,

Now found winter stinging,

And ceased in his song.

Not a morsel or crumb in his cupboard-

So he shivered, and ceased in his song.

Miss Ant was his neighbor;

To her he went:

"O, you're rich from labor,

And I've not a cent.

Lend me food, and I vow I'll return it,

Though at present I have not a cent."



The Ant's not a lender,

I must confess.

Her heart's far from tender

To one in distress.

So she said: "Pray, how passed you the summer,

That in winter you come to distress?"



"I sang through the summer,"

Grasshopper said.

"But now I am glummer

Because I've no bread."

"So you sang!" sneered the Ant. "That relieves me.

Now it's winter-go dance for your bread!"

story image

    Poetry of Fables, Fairies, and Fauna Fables, Fairies, and Fauna    

Lesson 2: The Grasshopper and the Ant

by Jean de La Fontaine

Performer: Librivox - Rosslyn Carlyle

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

  • Read or listen to the poem.
  • Review the synopsis.
  • Complete the enrichment activities.
  • Study the review questions.

Synopsis

A grasshopper sings all summer instead of saving food for winter and goes hungry.

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. Instructors may need to prompt children line-by-line.

Activity 2: Study the Poem's Pictures

  • Study the pictures and describe them in your own words.

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 5 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for First Grade.'

Activity 5: Act Out the Poem

  • Pretend to be the grasshopper singing away your summer days.
  • Next pretend to be the ant, working storing up food for winter.

Activity 6: Create Novel Artwork Based on the Poem

  • One day this week, create artwork showing a hard-working ant.
  • Use paints, crayons, pastels, Legos, blocks, or Play-Doh to create the artwork.

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?
1 / 5

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'The Grasshopper and the Ant.'
1 / 5

Question 2

What happens in the poem?
2 / 5

Answer 2

An ant works hard all summer storing food for the long, cold winter while a grasshopper does little to prepare and sings the summer days away. During winter, the grasshopper runs out of food and the ant tells him to go dance for his supper.
2 / 5

Question 3

Where does the poem take place?
3 / 5

Answer 3

The poem takes place mostly in the homes of the Grasshopper and the Ant.
3 / 5

Question 4

Who are the characters in the poem?
4 / 5

Answer 4

The grasshopper and the ant.
4 / 5

Question 5

Does the poem teach us anything?
5 / 5

Answer 5

To work hard and save for the tough times.
5 / 5

  1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'The Grasshopper and the Ant.'
  2. What happens in the poem? An ant works hard all summer storing food for the long, cold winter while a grasshopper does little to prepare and sings the summer days away. During winter, the grasshopper runs out of food and the ant tells him to go dance for his supper.
  3. Where does the poem take place? The poem takes place mostly in the homes of the Grasshopper and the Ant.
  4. Who are the characters in the poem? The grasshopper and the ant.
  5. Does the poem teach us anything? To work hard and save for the tough times.