Are you tired of teaching the same poems over and over again every year? Want to breathe life into your poetry repertoire? Check out this poem about a dragon!
This poem about a dragon tells the tale of a child’s journey to discover a dragon’s egg, which ends in an unexpected way. After the poem, you’ll find activity ideas you can easily print and teach!
Keep reading for A Poem About a Dragon your students won’t soon forget!
Need help with Test Prep? Check out this FREE Pack of 3 Test Prep Activities to help students achieve success on standardized tests!
A Poem About a Dragon
by Kristin Menke
I think I found a dragon’s egg.
I found it by the lake.
It’s pastel blue and pretty, too.
Quite oval and opaque.
I told my mom about the egg.
Revealed by simple luck.
She asked, “My dear, is it oval and blue?
If it is, it’s from a duck!”
Crushed, I headed to the barn
And couldn’t believe my sight!
I stumbled upon a dragon’s egg!
Bit small and pristine white!
I brought it to my mom and said,
“A dragon’s egg, I’m thinkin’”
She asked, “My dear, is it small and white?
If it is, it’s from a chicken!”
Determined, I climbed up a tree
And glimpsed with my delight
A green and speckled egg within
A nest warm, woven tight.
I told my mom about the tree,
Saw a dragon’s egg below.
She asked, “My dear, is it green and speckled?
If it is, it’s from a crow!”
Resolute, I journeyed on
And discovered a quiet stream.
When all at once I saw an egg
Like a ping-pong, round and cream.
I raced to my mom with the dragon’s egg
Careful not to let it curdle.
She asked, “My dear, is it round and cream?
If it is, it’s from a turtle!”
I kept trudging on until
I could not see too clear.
When my defeat just bubbled up
Into a single tear.
Now, I’m done lookin’ and told myself
To make my way back home.
Perhaps, I’ll search another day,
I’m too tired to the bone.
I reached the house and ate some food
And then bathed in some bubbles.
Afterwards Mom listened on
As I relayed my troubles.
She gave me a hug and kiss good night
And said, “You never know.
This day could turn from bad to good.
There’s still some time to go.”
I replied, “Okay” but knew
That the rest of this very night
Would end just like this dreadful day
No difference, dark or light
I slumped to my room, ready for bed
And spied something in the dim
A glass box stood on my nightstand
With sand and rocks within
And then to my surprise I saw
A giant lizard to the right
And to the left, a bunch of eggs
Most soft and chalky white.
Disappointed, I thought to myself,
“My mom tried her very best
To help me and encourage me
In my epic dragon’s egg quest.”
I tried to smile and thanked her
For the lizard, eggs, and crate
But it didn’t seem she understood
My chief mission of late.
With a mischievous grin only mothers can make,
Her eyebrows ziggin’ and zaggin’
She asked, “My dear, are the eggs soft and white?
Well, they’re from a bearded dragon!”
A sudden realization made my mouth
Create a big old “Oh!”
I leaped into my mother’s arms
Never wanting to let go.
I’m glad I found some dragon’s eggs
My mom helped in a sense
So when they hatch and crawl on out
A new quest will commence!
Get easy-to-teach activities and a lesson for this poem about a dragon!
5 Daring Activities for this Poem About a Dragon
1. Visualize Vocabulary
As a preview activity for this poem about a dragon, students can analyze teacher-selected or student-selected vocabulary words!
Look up definitions, synonyms, antonyms, and related words. And visualize each word with a detailed image!
Encourage students to share their images for their vocabulary words, as this process will get them ready to read this poem about a dragon!
VOCABULARY LIST: opaque, revealed, pristine, determined, glimpsed, speckled, woven, resolute, curdle, trudging, dreadful, dim, disappointed, epic, quest, mission, mischievous, realization, commence, etc.
2. Write 1-Sentence Summaries
I am a huge fan of summarizing. If students can read and summarize what they have read, they will usually do well on any standardized test that comes their way!
First, model how to complete a 1-Sentence Summary for the first stanza; help students locate evidence or THINK-ALOUD the process of using textual evidence to support the summary.
TEACHER EXAMPLE:
I think I found a dragon’s egg.
I found it by the lake.
It’s pastel blue and pretty, too.
Quite oval and opaque.
Ex. The speaker claims to have found a dragon’s egg and describes what it looks like.
Independent Work:
- Students can complete the activity independently, in groups, or in pairs.
- After finishing their summaries, you could have different groups, pairs, or individuals share their summaries.
3. Follow the Journey
So many fantasy stories and poems use a journey structure, and I am here for it!
This poem about a dragon describes major events with varied settings to help the audience figuratively become the narrator.
As students reread the poem, they can trace the places the speaker goes and use evidence to support their ideas! Visualization is another technique that can enhance the meaning and comprehension of this poem!
Students can complete the activity in groups, in pairs, or independently. Allow time for them to share their visuals and self-assess.
4. Answer Critical Thinking Questions
After students have read, be sure to assign critical thinking questions that they can answer in writing or during a class discussion.
To help with differentiation, offer questions to different students based on varying standards.
STRUCTURE
- How does the poem begin? What is the effect of the first two stanzas?
SYNONYMS
- Which words from the poem have the most similar meaning to the word “strong-minded?”
Check out every question with this easy-to-teach poetry pack!
5. Incorporate a Test Prep Quiz for this Poem About a Dragon
Unfortunately, we cannot forget that most of our students will take a reading comprehension test at the end of the year. To prepare your students in a fun and engaging way, you may want to include test prep questions throughout the year!
STRUCTURE QUESTION FOR THIS POEM ABOUT A DRAGON:
#1 How does the poem begin?
A. It introduces the speaker’s intention.
B. It describes the speaker’s past.
C. It conveys the speaker’s home.
D. It shows the speaker’s family.
You can also offer 5, 10, or 16 questions to assist your students in their test-taking skills as they read this poem about a dragon!
Need more fun ideas for teaching poetry? Click below!
POETRY TEST PREP BUNDLE
This Poetry Comprehension Reading Test Prep Lesson BUNDLE incorporates 72 test prep QUESTIONS and ANSWERS modeled after the various state standardized tests as well as engaging poetry analysis activities (for the poems “A Dragon’s Egg,” “My Shadow,” “Thanksgiving Day,” “I Saw the Moon One Time,” “A Frog Who Would Not Move,” and “At the Zoo”)!!
These Poetry Test Prep Lessons are helpful for 2nd, 3rd, and/or 4th graders who need assistance in preparing for reading tests and want to have FUN simultaneously!
Give yourself a breath of fresh air with this NO PREP curriculum that integrates test prep within teaching literature!
Do you need more fun lessons and activities to teach a poem about a dragon? Check out my store Kristin Menke-Integrated ELA Test Prep!
