Snowflakes Northeast Edition | Reader 2 |  Lesson 1 | Class 2                                          

1. Where Go the Boats?

Start Off

Do you like playing in the paddle pool? What games can you play in the water?

Dark brown is the river,

Golden is the sand.

It flows along forever

With trees on either hand.

Green leaves a-floating, Castles of the foam,

Boats of mine a-boating- Where will all come home?

On goes the river

And out past the mill,


Away down the valley, 

Away down the hill.

Away down the river,

A hundred miles or more, Other little children

Shall bring my boats ashore.



My Word Chest

  • flows: moves freely and smoothly
  • forever: always, with no end
  • either hand: both sides
  • floating: resting on the surface of the river
  • foam: white bubbles that form on water
  • boating: (here) traveling on water
  • mill: a building, usually by a river, where grain is ground into flour
  • valley: a low area between hills
  • ashore: on the river bank


Read and Learn

dark  golden  river  sand  castles  mill  valley  hill 

 mine more  other flows hundred floating boating



Comprehension

A.  Answer the following questions.

1. Who do you think is saying the poem?

2. Give a description of the river.

3. Where does the child see castles?



4. What is the child doing at the river?

5. What are some places the river goes past?

6. What does the child think will happen to his boats?


  1. Who do you think is saying the poem?

    • The poem is likely being said by a child who is imagining and observing the journey of his boats along the river.

  2. Give a description of the river.

    • The river is described as dark brown with golden sand. It flows forever with trees on both sides, suggesting a continuous and scenic journey.

  3. Where does the child see castles?

    • The child sees castles in the foam, which are the white bubbles that form on the surface of the river water.

  4. What is the child doing at the river?

    • The child is setting boats to float on the river and watching them travel downstream.

  5. What are some places the river goes past?

    • The river goes past a mill, down the valley, down the hill, and continues away down the river for a hundred miles or more.

  6. What does the child think will happen to his boats?

    • The child thinks that other little children will eventually bring his boats ashore, implying that the boats will be found and retrieved by someone else further down the river.



Short Answer

  1. Who do you think is saying the poem?

    • A child.

  2. Give a description of the river.

    • Dark brown, golden sand, flows forever, trees on both sides.

  3. Where does the child see castles?

    • In the foam on the river.

  4. What is the child doing at the river?

    • Floating boats.

  5. What are some places the river goes past?

    • Past the mill, down the valley, down the hill.

  6. What does the child think will happen to his boats?

    • Other children will bring them ashore.





B. Discuss these questions.

1. What do the colors the poet mentions in stanzas 1 and 2 tell you about the place where the child is playing?

2. The poet uses the word 'away' several times in the last two stanzas. Why does he do so?


  1. What do the colors the poet mentions in stanzas 1 and 2 tell you about the place where the child is playing?

    • The colors "dark brown" for the river and "golden" for the sand suggest a natural and serene environment. The dark brown river indicates perhaps a muddy or deep river, typical of a countryside or forest setting. The golden sand evokes a warm, sunny atmosphere, suggesting that the place is inviting and pleasant. The imagery of green leaves and foam adds to the richness and vitality of the scene, making it a vibrant and lively place for a child to play.

  2. The poet uses the word 'away' several times in the last two stanzas. Why does he do so?

    • The repeated use of the word "away" emphasizes the river's continuous journey and the sense of distance and adventure. It conveys the idea that the boats are traveling far from the child's sight, adding to the sense of mystery and wonder about where they will end up. This repetition also creates a rhythmic flow that mirrors the endless movement of the river, enhancing the poem's musical quality.


Short Discuss 

  1. What do the colors the poet mentions in stanzas 1 and 2 tell you about the place where the child is playing?

    • The colors suggest a natural, serene environment with a dark brown river and golden sand, indicating a warm and inviting place.

  2. The poet uses the word 'away' several times in the last two stanzas. Why does he do so?

    • The repetition of "away" emphasizes the continuous journey of the river and the boats, highlighting the sense of adventure and distance.




Words and Sounds

There are several pairs of rhyming words in the poem. Here is one: sand - hand.

1. Identify all the pairs of rhyming words in the poem and write them down. 

2. Add one more word to each set of rhyming words from the poem. Remember, not all words which rhyme have the same spelling at the end.

 E.g. sand, hand, band (similar spellings)

fly, tie, bye (different spellings)


Rhyming Pairs in the Poem

  1. sand - hand
  2. foam - home
  3. mill - hill
  4. more - ashore

Adding One More Word to Each Set

  1. sand - hand - band
  2. foam - home - dome
  3. mill - hill - still
  4. more - ashore - store

Revised Sets of Rhyming Words

  1. sand, hand, band
  2. foam, home, dome
  3. mill, hill, still
  4. more, ashore, store




Word Building

1. Read the naming words given below and sort them under the different heads.

bed    book   boy    city    frog    girl    man   pencil    penguin    table    tiger   valley   village   woman  mountain owl

Animals    People     Places    Things


Animals

  • frog
  • penguin
  • tiger
  • owl

People

  • boy
  • girl
  • man
  • woman

Places

  • city
  • valley
  • village
  • mountain

Things

  • bed
  • book
  • pencil
  • table





Here are some descriptions from the poem:

The river is dark brown.

The leaves are green.

The sand is golden.



2. Look at this picture. Describe at least eight things you can see. Remember to use colours as in the sentences given above.


                                            Creative Corner

What activities could you do if you went for a holiday near a lake? 

Write three or four sentences. You may use the words given in the box.

boating    fishing    swim    picnic    watch      birds  go for walks


Begin  like this:

We went for a holiday by a lake. Every morning we walked around

the lake.

Ans...

We went for a holiday by a lake. Every morning we walked around the lake, enjoying the serene views and the sounds of nature. During the afternoons, we went boating, exploring the shimmering waters and discovering hidden coves. In the evenings, we often had picnics by the shore, watching the sun set over the tranquil expanse of the lake while listening to the soothing melodies of birdsong.


Short Ans.

We went for a holiday by a lake. Every morning, we walked around the lake. Afternoons were for boating, and evenings for picnics by the shore, watching birds and the sunset.