1 Which different animals are joining in the dance? 2 Who is providing the music? 3 Which adjectives are used to describe the following dancers? a) the mongoose b) the snake c) the mango 4 Explain the meaning of the line ‘Despite the weather’. 5 Read the first eight lines aloud, clapping on each beat. How many beats are there in each line? 6 Find two pairs of lines which rhyme with one another. 7 Max the Mongoose is described as looking ‘most spruce’. ‘Spruce’ means a) strange b) untidy c) smart d) impressive
8 Agouti and Frog are boogying ‘into a trance’. This means a) they are trying to dance better than the other animals. b) someone has cast a spell on them. c) they are not aware of what is happening around them. 9 Which word best describes the mood of this poem?
serious
humorous
sad
surprised
persuasive
10 What do you like best about the poem? Why?
Descriptive language
In this poem the poet uses interesting adjectives to describe the animals. The mongoose is spruce and the snake is slippery .
1 Match each creature on the left with a suitable adjective. Example: monkey è mischievous
monkey
frog
scaly
mischievous
fish
alligator
graceful delicate
cruel slimy
tortoise flamingo
agouti whale
furry
slow-moving
hummingbird
majestic
2 Choose four of the creatures and write your own sentences about them. Example: The mischievous monkey stole all the bananas.
• Comprehension: Explain that the mood of a poem is the way the poem makes us feel. • Journal: Students can complete a Reading response chart (page 172) about the poem in their journals.
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