Hurt no living thing:
Ladybird, nor butterfly,
Nor moth with dusty wing,
Nor cricket chirping cheerily,
Nor grasshopper so light of leap,
Nor dancing gnat, nor beetle fat,
Nor harmless worms that creep.
Sing-song: A Nursery Rhyme Book (1876) | Christina G. Rossetti (1830–1894)
Suggestions
- Copy the poem on Drawing and Writing Paper.
- Illustrate your copy.
- What is the thought behind the poem?
- Why did the author choose the title, “Hurt No Living Thing”?
- Memorize the poem to recite later.
- See how many of the creatures listed you can find this summer (see resources below for more ideas).
- Create an author page for Rossetti.
- Spend time with the author. Read more from Sing-song (see below).
Additional Resources
Sing-song by Rossetti
Makes a wonderful first poetry book.
Drawing & Writing Notebooking Paper {Free Download}
For copying the poem.
Free Nature Studies: Ant Workers Part 1
Covers ladybirds (ladybugs).
Free Nature Studies: Butterflies & Moths
Butterflies live very short lives, progressing from egg, to caterpillar, to chrysalis, to butterfly. Unit resources.
Free Nature Studies: Busy Plowmen (Earthworms)
Earthworms are tireless workers who prepare the soil so that plants can grow. Unit resources.
Author Notebooking Paper
Create an author page for Christina Rossetti.
More from Rossetti in our Online Poetry Anthology:
Rossetti, Christina G.: “Boats Sail on the Rivers”
Boats sail on the rivers, And ships sail on the seas; ~ Poetry study.
Rossetti, Christina G.: “Who Has Seen the Wind”
Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you:…. Poetry study.
