The Poetry of Mother Goose Mother Goose    

Lesson 71: Sing a Song of Sixpence

Performer: Librivox - Allyson Hester

Directions

Study the poem for one week.

Over the week:

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

Synopsis

The king is served a pie of live blackbirds and counts his money, the queen eats bread and honey in the parlor, and the maid gets bitten on the nose by a blackbird.

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: Narrate the Poem

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

Activity 3: Color the Poem   

• Click the crayon above, and complete page 75 of 'Poetry Coloring Pages for Kindergarten.'

Activity 4: Act Out the Poem

As you recite the poem, pair it with the following hand motions.

Sing a song of sixpence, (Cup your mouth with your hands)

A pocket full of rye; (Pat your pocket)

Four-and-twenty blackbirds (Hold up two fingers on one hand, and four on the other)

Baked in a pie! (Hold your hands flat, parallel to the ground with the fingertips touching, like the top of a pie)

When the pie was opened (open your hands so they point toward the ceiling, like the pie being opened)

The birds began to sing; (Keeping fingers straight, making a talking motion with them)

Was not that a dainty dish

To set before the king? (Use hands to set an imaginary pie in front of you with a flourish)

The king was in his counting-house,

Counting out his money; (Pretend to count money with your hands)

The queen was in the parlor,

Eating bread and honey. (Bring pretend bread to your mouth and pretend to eat it)

The maid was in the garden,

Hanging out the clothes; (Pretend to fasten clothes to a clothesline)

When down came a blackbird (Swoop your hand around like a flying blackbird)

And snapped off her nose. (Gently touch your own nose or someone else's nose)

Review

Question 1

What is the title of the poem?

1 / 5

Answer 1

The title of the poem is 'Sing a Song of Sixpence.'

1 / 5

Question 2

What happens in the poem?

2 / 5

Answer 2

The king is served a pie of live blackbirds and counts his money, the queen eats bread and honey in the parlor, and the maid gets bitten on the nose by a blackbird.

2 / 5

Question 3

Where does the poem take place?

3 / 5

Answer 3

The poem takes place at the king's palace.

3 / 5

Question 4

Who are the characters in the poem?

4 / 5

Answer 4

The king, the queen, the maid, and the blackbirds.

4 / 5

Question 5

Describe the poem picture and how it relates to the poem.

5 / 5

Answer 5

It shows the king cut open his pie and the blackbirds come out and sing.

5 / 5

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1. What is the title of the poem? The title of the poem is 'Sing a Song of Sixpence.'
2. What happens in the poem? The king is served a pie of live blackbirds and counts his money, the queen eats bread and honey in the parlor, and the maid gets bitten on the nose by a blackbird.
3. Where does the poem take place? The poem takes place at the king's palace.
4. Who are the characters in the poem? The king, the queen, the maid, and the blackbirds.
5. Describe the poem picture and how it relates to the poem. It shows the king cut open his pie and the blackbirds come out and sing.