The Snow-Bird

Frank Dempster Sherman

When all the ground with snow is white

The merry snow-bird comes,
And hops about with great delight
To find the scattered crumbs.

How glad he seems to get to eat

A piece of cake or bread!
He wears no shoes upon his feet,
nor hat upon his head.

But happiest is he, I know,

Because no cage with bars
Keeps him from walking on the snow
And printing it with stars.

#3369 Develop Reading Fluency Using Poetry Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
 The Snow-Bird

Objectives
Students will determine the main idea of the poem.

Materials
a cloze copy of the poem
a highlighter and a pencil for each student

Before Reading
Open with a discussion on the change of seasons, particularly the change from fall to winter.
What stays the same during each season? What changes? What adjustments do people make
when winter comes? What adjustments do wild animals make? Birds? (Some migrate and fly
south while others stay in the north.) How do birds that stay north survive? (They grow thicker
coats, just like dogs and cats do.) What kind of food is available for them? (They change from a
diet of live bugs to a menu of seeds, berries, and hibernating insects.) Where do they find their
food? How can we help the birds that stay north? Name some birds you have seen here in the
winter.

During Reading
1. While reading the poem, have students think about the main idea the author suggests.
2. Then review the concept that synonyms are words with similar meanings. Give a few examples.
Ask the students to write a synonym above each of the following words in the poem: merry,
hops, find, glad, happiest, walking, and printing. Verify. Re-read the poem, using the synonyms
instead of the original words. Does the poem still make sense?

After Reading
For discussion: Where does this story take place? What is a Snow-Bird? How do you know the
Snow-Birds in the poem are happy? Highlight the details that show this. What is the main idea
the author is suggesting? (The main reason the birds are happy is because they are free.) What
does the author mean when he says the birds print the snow with stars?

Reading Support
After the initial lesson, reread the poem chorally several times over the course of the day. At the end of
the day, after the last choral reading, ask for individual volunteers to read the poem to the class by
themselves.

Teacher Created Resources, Inc. #3369 Develop Reading Fluency Using Poetry
 Cloze Activity

The Snow-Bird
Frank Dempster Sherman

When all the ground with snow is white

The merry snow-bird comes,

And hops about with great delight

To find the scattered ______________ .

How glad he seems to get to eat

A piece of cake or bread!

He wears no shoes upon his feet,

nor hat upon his ______________ .

But happiest is he, I know,

Because no cage with bars

Keeps him from walking on the snow

And printing it with ______________ .

#3369 Develop Reading Fluency Using Poetry Teacher Created Resources, Inc.
 Student Activity

The Snow-Bird

Directions: Fill in the chart below, comparing the life of birds living in a cage to those
that are free.

BIRDS IN A CAGE BIRDS THAT ARE FREE

Birds in a cage are happy when . . . Birds that are free are happy when . . .

Birds in a cage are not happy when . . . Birds that are free are not happy when . . .

Birds in a cage are in danger when . . . Birds that are free are in danger when . . .

Teacher Created Resources, Inc. #3369 Develop Reading Fluency Using Poetry