Peering Up From Mud

• Before reading this poem, make sure students read this issue’s Mini Read, “This Frog Is See-Through!,” on pages 2-3. It introduces glass frogs and explains why their skin is transparent.
• Have students look at the image that accompanies the poem. Ask: What time of day is it? (nighttime) How do you know? (The moon and stars are out.) What do you think the frogs are doing? (Answers will vary; some may say they appear to be singing.)
• Ask a volunteer to read aloud the Up Close box for the class.

• Read the poem aloud, or play our Audio Read-Aloud for the class.
• Invite a student to do a second read of the poem. This time, pause for the class to discuss the questions next to the poem. (These questions are also included in the “Discussing the Poem” section that follows.)

• Based on the first stanza, how are the frogs in the poem different from the golden frogs? (compare and contrast) Whereas the golden frogs are “flashing their beauty,” the frogs in the poem can’t be seen.
• In line 4, the frog speaking in the poem says, “we’re not here.” Is this true? What does the next line tell you? Based on what you read in the Mini Read, what is going on? (interpreting text/making connections) No, this is not true. The frogs are here. They are just pretending not to be so they won’t be spotted and eaten. From the Mini Read, I learned that glass frogs have transparent skin, which helps them avoid being seen by predators.
• Based on lines 7-9, how might the way the frogs look affect the way they taste? Think about the words the poet uses to describe their look and taste. (imagery) The frogs are “transparent/invisible.” Just like they can’t be seen, they also can’t be tasted. They would “taste like clear air,” which tastes like nothing.
• In the second stanza, in what ways do the stars and moonlight change the frogs? How do you think this nighttime light makes them feel? (inference) The stars and moonlight pour through the frogs’ transparent skin and fill them with joy. The light makes them feel like singing.
• Why is the word sing repeated in the last six lines? (imagery) It is repeated to emphasize the frogs’ need to express themselves by singing. It also helps readers imagine what the frogs sound like—a chorus of voices in the moonlight.
• Based on this poem, are glass frogs diurnal (active during the day) or nocturnal (active at night)? (building knowledge) Glass frogs are nocturnal.

Distribute or assign the Poetry Kit (available in your Resources tab), in which students will be able to write their answers to the above questions and more. It is available to print or as an interactive slide deck that students can complete digitally.