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A First Reader

Chapter 8: THE BIRDS AND THE LEAVES
By Frank E. Spaulding
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Children & Young Adult ReadingTeaching & Education

About This Book

Aimed at beginning readers, this book pairs short rhymes, dramatizations, and illustrated readings about nature and childhood life with systematic phonics drills to build sight vocabulary and decoding skills. Lessons emphasize concrete, lively scenes—birds, flowers, wind, snow, play, and simple seasonal episodes—using language suited to a child's point of view. Early sight words introduced in a primer are expanded through engaging repetition and comparison exercises that teach children to observe sounds and letters, gain independent word‑mastery, and read aloud with accuracy and expression. A teacher's guide complements the graded sequence and suggested classroom activities.

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THE BIRDS AND THE LEAVES

An old oak tree grew in the meadow.
Two birds made a nest in it.
Soon there were three little birds there.
They could not fly; they could not sing.
But the old birds loved the little ones.
The little leaves looked into the nest.
They saw the little birds.
The leaves said, “Come and play.”
The little birds said, “Peep! peep!”
They wanted to go with the leaves.
They wanted to fly from their nest.
But they could not fly.
Up blew the wind one day.
“Come, little leaves,” said he.
“Come over the meadows with me.”
The leaves flew away with the wind.
They played in the meadow all day.
The old oak tree said, “Come to me, little leaves.”
But they did not come.
“Come! come! come!” said the little birds.
“We want to play with you.”
But the leaves could not come.
They were asleep in the meadow.
Come, little birds,
Stop your play.
Snow is coming down,
You must hide away.
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