The Poor Man and The Flask of Oil

The Poor Man and
The Flask of Oil

by Maude Barrows Dutton

Language Objective:
We will read and write about actions in the story to understand how they are connected.

Word Cloud

Describe what you see in this picture

Guiding Questions for Predictions

• Why do you think the man is staring at the flask of oil? What might it mean to him?

• How might the oil flask change the man’s life or his future?

• What could go wrong with his plans if he’s making them based on this one flask of oil?

• Why do you think he’s living in such a simple room? How might this influence his thoughts or dreams?

• If you were in his place, what would you do with a flask of oil as a gift?

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Predict what the story is about

Open Ended

Sentence Starters for Writing

• “The man seems to be thinking about…”

• “I predict that he might use the oil to…”

• “Perhaps he’s imagining that the oil will help him…”

• “One thing that could happen is…”

• “If I were in his place, I would feel… because…”

• “It seems like the flask of oil might represent…”

Labelling

Label the following picture with the correct words

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

flask

staff

merchant

sheep

lambs

Drag and Drop

a person who buys and sells things to make money ​

Placeholder

(verb) to look steadily at something with great interest ​

Placeholder

a large number of animals​ ​

Placeholder

​

(adjective). willing to obey​

Placeholder

(adj) to not do what someone tells you to do​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

merchant

gaze

flock

obedient

disobedient

staff

buy

Read the story

Multiple Choice

Why did the Merchant give the Poor Man a flask of oil?

• The Poor Man asked for it.

• The Merchant was a kind neighbor.

• The Poor Man paid for it.

• The Poor Man stole it.

Multiple Choice

Where did the Poor Man place the flask of oil?

• In the kitchen

• Under his bed

• On the top shelf

• Next to his window

Multiple Choice

What was the Poor Man doing one evening as he looked at the flask?

• He was planning to sell it.

• He was hiding it from the Merchant.

• He was giving it back to the Merchant.

• He was gazing at it and speaking half aloud.

Open Ended

Why do you think the Poor Man was so delighted by the flask of oil, and what might he be imagining as he gazes at it?"

Multiple Choice

What does the Poor Man first think about doing with the oil?

• Keeping it for himself

• Giving it to his neighbor

• Selling it to buy sheep

• Using it to cook food

Multiple Choice

What does the Poor Man imagine he will gain by buying sheep?

• A large house

• A family

• A farm

• A flock of sheep

Multiple Choice

According to the Poor Man, what will he be able to do once he has a flock?

• Marry a wife

• Move to a new home

• Buy more oil

• Become a merchant

Multiple Choice

How does the Poor Man imagine his future son will be?

• Quiet and polite

• Tall, strong, and obedient

• Small and weak

• Intelligent and brave

Multiple Choice

What happens when the Poor Man imagines punishing his son?

• He accidentally spills the oil on himself.

• He hits the shelf with the staff.

• He drops the staff on the floor.

• The bottle breaks on the ground.

Multiple Choice

PART A: What is the main theme of the story?

• Money often causes more problems than it solves.

• Strangers are capable of amazing acts of kindness.

• Looking too far ahead in the future can lead to disappointment.

• Thoughts of violence are never rewarded.

Multiple Choice

PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• "As the Merchant was a kind neighbor, he one day sent a flask of oil to the Poor Man." (Paragraph 1)

• "The Poor Man was delighted, and put it carefully away on the top shelf." (Paragraph 1)

• "'I should punish him thus!' and he swung the staff

• "'I wonder how much oil there is in that bottle. There is a large quantity. If I should sell it, I could buy five sheep.'"(Paragraph 2)

Reorder

Reorder the following events of the story.

• The Merchant, as a kind neighbor, gives the Poor Man a flask of oil as a gift.

• The Poor Man places the flask of oil carefully on the top shelf.

• The Poor Man begins to imagine his future wealth, starting with selling the oil to buy sheep.

• He dreams of having a family and a strong, obedient son.

• While imagining disciplining his son, he accidentally swings his staff and knocks the flask off the shelf, spilling the oil all over himself.

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Draw

Make a drawing about

a) illustrate the Poor Man standing in his simple home, gazing up at the flask of oil with a hopeful expression, showing his daydreaming moment.

b) the Poor Man with thought bubbles showing the oil turning into sheep, a flock, or a vision of a happy family, capturing his dreams and aspirations.

c) the Poor Man accidentally knocking the flask off the shelf, capturing his surprise and disappointment as the oil spills.

d) illustrate the Merchant gifting the Poor Man the flask of oil, emphasizing the kindness and neighborly act.

Audio Response

Read the story aloud.

Open Audio Recorder