Sing a Song of Sixpence
Reading Comprehension Activity

Author: Mother Goose

Many generations of English-speaking children have grown up on Mother Goose nursery rhymes. This classic is from a collection published in 1916. Students will read the poem and answer questions on the details and the vocabulary.

Topic(s): Fairy Tales & Fables. Skill(s): Summary, Context Clues. Genre(s): Poetry

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Passage

Sing a song of sixpence,
   A pocket full of rye;
Four-and-twenty blackbirds
   Baked in a pie!

When the pie was opened
   The birds began to sing;
Was not that a dainty dish
   To set before the king?

The king was in his counting-house,
   Counting out his money;
The queen was in the parlor,
   Eating bread and honey.

The maid was in the garden,
   Hanging out the clothes;
When down came a blackbird
   And snapped off her nose.

Comprehension Questions
Answers

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