A Basketful of Birds

How are stanza one (lines1–4) and stanza two (lines 5–8) alike?

• All the lines are complete sentences.

• Both stanzas have dialogue.

• All the lines rhyme in the stanzas.

• The stanzas have the same number of lines.

The reader can determine that the speaker —

• cares about animals

• is the only child in her family

• enjoys staying indoors

• is learning to ride a bike

The poem is written from the point of view of the —

• baby robins

• brother

• dad

• speaker

Which words from the poem use descriptive language?

• planned to ride my bike (line 1)

• baby robins hatched (line 9)

• bake a loaf of bread (line 12)

• fluffy feathers covered their flapping wings (line 15)

By the end of the poem, the speaker feels —

• fearful

• grateful

• sad

• surprised

Read line 4 of the poem . . . The author uses figurative language in this line to show —

• where the eggs are found

• what the eggs look like

• how many eggs are in the nest

• why the eggs are in the basket

Which line from the poem tells the theme?

• I did not want to bother my little guests, (line 5)

• I told him, “I will be your helper and your crew!” (line 8)

• Plink, plink. My fingers made those silent keys sing. (line 18)

• “You helped me learn to build and bake and play a melody.” (line 22)

Which detail from the poem supports the idea that baby birds experience

changes after they hatch from eggs?

• Baby birds often hatch inside baskets attached to bicycles.

• Baby birds leave their nests many weeks after they hatch.

• Baby birds have no feathers when they first hatch.

• Baby birds stay more than a week inside their eggs before they hatch.

How is stanza three (lines 9–13) like stanza four (lines 14–18)? Use evidence

from the text to support your answer.

Why does the poet use the words “A week later” (line 9), “Soon” (line 14), and

“At last” (line 19)? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.