There was an old woman who swallowed a fly!

I am a huge fan of poetry.  When I was considering different poems to include in this blog, I couldn't pass up the temptation to add this classic rhyme to the list.  "There was an old woman who swallowed a fly!" is one of my favorite stories to tell/sing to children.  The rhyme makes it easy to remember and retell, typical characteristic of quality folklore. This is the story of a woman who eventually dies because she swallows a fly.  

It's not the fly that actually kills her, it's all the other animals and insects that she swallows to catch the thing she swallowed before.  

What I like about this particular version from other tellings of this tale, is that the book is really big!  Too big to fit on a shelf.  It's taller and wider than most books.  It makes it easy to use in the classroom to ensure that all the children are able to see the pages easily.  I also love that the illustrations give the reader a clue to what animal will be eaten next.  

On this page it shows that the "Old Woman" just ate the bird, but you see the cat at the bottom who is about to be eaten to catch the bird.  Each page of the story does this "foreshadowing" to help the young reader prepare for the next page.   I also love that the drawings are colorful, bright, and fun!  It makes the book exciting.  

Reader Response Questions: 
1. Do you think this story could actually happen?
2. At the very start of the story, after she swallowed the fly, the author says that the old woman may die.  What did you think about that statement at the start of the story verses the end of the story?
3. What could the old woman have done differently to stay alive?

Motivational Activity:
We all make mistakes.  Think of a time when you have made a mistake.  Have you made the situation worse by trying to resolve it the wrong way?  Write about some things you, or someone you know, may be struggling with and some easier solutions that you hadn't considered before.  

Reference
Straw, W. (2007). There was an old woman who swallowed a fly! 
           Australia: Brolly Books.