"Elephant" poem: Read the poem below. Write it on a chart. Have the children highlight all the "circus" and "elephant" words and the words that rhyme. They can also illustrate the poem.
Elephant By Sharon MacDonald
When you go to the circus
You're likely to see
An elephant covered
In his dress finery!
What a sight to the eyes ,
The elephant, grand.
You hear the crowd gasp
When he steps up on his stand.
If I were the elephant--
In such a tight place--
I'd loudly protest
About the extremely small space.
When you go to the zoo
You'll have a surprise.
The elephant has nothing
To cover his hide.
No finery, no hat,
No fancy dress clothes!
Just a mountain of gray
From his tail to his nose.
The elephant just stands there.
He sometimes might sway
As he circles his trunk
Over piles of fresh hay.
Where will I go
When I'm bigger than you?
To the circus, of course,
It's too quiet at the zoo!
