3rd Grade, Language Arts Mary Ruebusch McCurdy School Click for Teacher Pages

Teacher Page Objective: The learner will use critical reading skills to read the poem, answer questions, and retell the poem. Activity: The students will read the poem and answer questions in their journals. Procedure: 1. Copy the poem or make a transparency. The next slide may be copied. 2. Click through slides and discuss.

The Land of Counterpane by Robert Louis Stevenson When I was sick and lay a-bed I had two pillows at my head, And all my toys beside me lay To keep me happy all the day. And sometimes for an hour or so I watched my leaden soldiers go, With different uniforms and drills, Among the bedclothes, through the hills; And sometimes sent my ships in fleets All up and down among the sheets; Or brought my trees and houses out, And planted cities all about. I was the giant great and still That sits upon the pillow-hill, And sees before him, dale and plain, The pleasant land of counterpane.

The Land of Counterpane by Robert Louis Stevenson When I was sick and lay a-bed I had two pillows at my head, And all my toys beside me lay To keep me happy all the day.

And sometimes for an hour or so I watched my leaden soldiers go, With different uniforms and drills, Among the bedclothes, through the hills;

And sometimes sent my ships in fleets All up and down among the sheets; Or brought my trees and houses out, And planted cities all about.

I was the giant great and still That sits upon the pillow-hill, And sees before him, dale and plain, The pleasant land of counterpane.

What is counterpane? What clues in the poem might help you to figure out what counterpane is? Next slide for the answer

Counterpane is the bed top. The clues were the words a-bed, and pillows. Sample Answer

Write in your journal. What were some of the things that the boy played with? Did he like to stay in bed? Use clues from the poem to help you decide. Next for sample answers

The boy in the poem played with toys. It mentions soldiers, trees, boats, and houses. He was happy because he played all day. He compared himself to a giant. Sample Answer

Think about, and share with a partner. Do you think this poem happened today or in the past? What clues helped you to decide? Click for a sample answer

Sample answer The poem happened in the past because children today do not play with lead soldiers. Children who are sick today would probably watch television. Do you agree or disagree?

In your journal, retell this poem. Click for a sample paragraph

This is a story about the life of the poet. He was frequently sick in childhood and stayed in bed. He kept himself busy by playing with his toys. He pretended to be a giant controlling all the little toys. The end