Peter and Polly Series by Rose Lucia Peter and Polly by Rose Lucia    

Lesson 14: At the Blacksmith's Shop

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

Polly and Peter visit the blacksmith, show him the uncooked egg, and tell him about seeing black-eyed-Susans and goldenrod flowers. The blacksmith says the flowers are a sign of autumn. He points out another sign of autumn. A large group of swallows clusters around the telephone wires. The blacksmith tells Polly and Peter that every autumn, the swallows join together and migrate south for the winter. The blacksmith invites the children into his shop.

Vocabulary

Swallow: A fast-flying songbird with a forked tail and long pointed wings.
Migrate: Moving from one region or habitat to another, especially regularly according to the seasons.
Telephone Wire: A physical wire that enables people to talk on landline telephones and exchange data.

Concepts

In the story, Peter and Polly see birds join together in preparation to migrate south for the winter. Birds are animals that typically have beaks, feathers, and wings. Most birds can fly.

Facts about birds:

1. They are warm-blooded.
2. They have backbones.
3. They are not mammals.
4. They have feathers rather than scales, hair, or fur.
5. Baby birds are often called chicks. Chicks hatch from eggs rather than being born live.
6. Many female birds feed babies chewed up worms and insects.
7. Most birds fly. Some do not, such as ostriches and penguins.

Did you know birds do not have teeth? Instead, they have hard beaks. Beaks are used for getting food, eating, grooming feathers, fighting other animals, and feeding babies.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Narrate the Story

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

Activity 2: Migration

Objective:

Draw a swallow on a telephone wire. Pretend to be a swallow migrating south for the winter.

Materials:

Colored or plain pencils and paper.

Procedure:

• Examine the picture of the swallow below. Note how the swallow's tail forks at the bottom into two prongs.
• Sketch a swallow sitting on a telephone wire. Draw the swallow's eyes, beak, feet, feathers, and forked tail.
• Pretend to be a swallow on a telephone wire in autumn. It is chilly outside, so shiver with cold.
• Migrate south for the winter, flap your wings, and fly around your house. It is a very long way!
• When you arrive, bask in the warm sun of the sunny south.

Review

Question 1

What signs of autumn does the blacksmith mention to Peter and Polly?

1 / 4

Answer 1

The signs the blacksmith mentions are black-eyed-Susans, goldenrod flowers, and clustering swallows.

1 / 4

Question 2

Where do the swallows go in autumn? Why do they go there?

2 / 4

Answer 2

Swallows fly south so they can find enough food to eat during the cold, snowy winter.

2 / 4

Question 3

Do all birds fly? Name one bird that does not fly.

3 / 4

Answer 3

Not all birds fly. For example, penguins, emus, and ostriches do not fly.

3 / 4

Question 4

Are birds mammals? Why or why not?

4 / 4

Answer 4

Birds are not mammals. They have feathers, not hair or fur. Their babies hatch from eggs, rather than being born live. Females birds do not feed babies their milk.

4 / 4

❮ ❯

1. What signs of autumn does the blacksmith mention to Peter and Polly? The signs the blacksmith mentions are black-eyed-Susans, goldenrod flowers, and clustering swallows.
2. Where do the swallows go in autumn? Why do they go there? Swallows fly south so they can find enough food to eat during the cold, snowy winter.
3. Do all birds fly? Name one bird that does not fly. Not all birds fly. For example, penguins, emus, and ostriches do not fly.
4. Are birds mammals? Why or why not? Birds are not mammals. They have feathers, not hair or fur. Their babies hatch from eggs, rather than being born live. Females birds do not feed babies their milk.

References

'Bird.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.