The seagull
Passage Activities:

Words: 101-200

Skills: Character Traits Rhythm & Rhyme Story Elements

Grades: 1st 2nd 3rd

Topics: Humor

Genres: Poetry

Lexile Range: —

Lexile Measure: —

CCSS: Reading: Literature

Themes: —

The Seagull

by Elizabeth Trach

A trip to the beach means seeing a seagull or two, but look out! These birds can be tricky, and they're always hungry. Students will read the poem and answer questions about character traits, the rhyme, and other story elements. 

Reading Comprehension Passage

The Seagull

by Elizabeth Trach
The seagull lives along the shore
And flies above the ocean's roar.
His body gleams in gray and white
Against the sky when he takes flight.

The seagull doesn't chirp or tweet
when yet he finds a yummy treat.
Instead, he makes a lonely cry
that echoes out across the sky.

The seagull skims the sea for fish,
(It's probably his favorite dish).
But when the children come to play
The seagull has a special day.

For when the children have a snack
That's when the seagull cries, "Attack!"
And dives to grab what food he can
Directly from an open hand.

So when you picnic at the beach
Keep all your lunch snacks out of reach,
Or you may lose your chance to eat
When seagull steals your special treat!

Passage Only

Register Free

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Where do seagulls live?



2. What do seagulls look like?



3. Why does the seagull like the days that children come to play?



4. Give two examples of two words that rhyme.



Register Free

Vocabulary List

Vocabulary List

Each of the vocabulary words below are used in the reading passage. As you read the passage, pay attention to context clues that suggest the word’s meaning.

  1. shore
  2. gleams
  3. skims
  4. yummy
  5. echoes
  6. directly

Context Clues

Context Clues

Using context clues from the sentences in the passage, underline the correct meaning of the word in boldface.


1) “The seagull lives along the shore…”


a. path of shells      b. forest’s edge      c. ocean’s edge     d. mountains


2) “His body gleams in gray and white…”


a. shines     b. hides     c. flies      d. grows fur


3) “The seagull skims the sea for fish,”


a. swims under     b. travels on     c. splashes in     d. circles around


4) “…when yet he finds a yummy treat.


a. expired     b. fishy     c. dirty     d. tasty


5) “Instead, he makes a lonely cry that echoes out across the sky.”


a. makes clouds     b. repeats     c. disappears     d. grows louder


6) “…And dives to grab what food he can directly from an open hand.”


a. straight     b. immediately     c. especially     d. except for