|
|
Curriculum Suggestions |
|
Expand your students' cultural literacy by introducing them to these verses...
If bees stay at home, rain will soon come;
If they fly away, fine will be the day.
A swarm of bees in May
Is worth a load of hay;
A swarm of bees in June
Is worth a silver spoon;
A swarm of bees in July
Is not worth a fly.
Dear, dear, what can the matter be?
Three old women got up in an apple tree,
One stayed up, and one came down,
And the third got stung by a bumblebee!
At early morn the spiders spin,
And by and by the flies drop in;
And when they call, the spiders say,
Take off your things, and stay all day!
Good night,
Sleep tight,
Don't let
The bedbugs bite.
Fiddle-de-dee, fiddle-de-dee,
The fly shall marry the humble-bee.
They went to church, and married was she:
The fly has married the humble-bee.
God made the bees
And the bees make honey.
The miller's man does all the work,
But the miller makes the money.
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
There came a big spider,
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
If you wish to live and thrive,
Let the spider walk alive.
Incey wincey spider, climbed the water spout,
Down came the rain and washed poor spider out.
Out came the sunshine, dried up all the rain;
Incey wincey spider, climbed the spout again.
The Spider and the Fly
by Mary Howitt
"Will you walk into my parlor?" said the spider to the fly--
"'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy.
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair;
And I have many curious things to show you when you're there."
"Oh, no, no," said the little fly; "to ask me is in vain;
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."
"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you not rest upon my little bed?" said the spider to the fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin;
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
"Oh, no, no," said the little fly; "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"
Said the cunning spider to the fly--"Dear friend, what can I do
To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you?"
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you're pleased to say,
And bidding you good-morning now, I'll call another day."
The spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly fly would soon come back again;
So he wove a subtle web in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing--
"Come hither, hither, pretty fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple--there's a crest upon your head!
Your eyes are like the diamond bright but mine are dull as lead!"
Alas! alas! how very soon this silly little fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by.
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew;
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, her green and purple hue--
Thinking only of her crested head--poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning spider, and firmly held her fast!
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlor--but she ne'er came out again!
And now, dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly, flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed;
Unto an evil counselor close heart, and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale of the Spider and the Fly.
   |
          |
|