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Little Heron Learns to Wait worksheet preview

Worksheet

Little Heron Learns to Wait

Read an original fable about a hungry young heron, put the events in order and tell the moral of the fable.

Grade 2ELAInteractive · Printable

Aligned toRL.2.2

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What’s included

  • Single worksheet
  • Auto-graded online
  • 1 Common Core standard
  • Printable answer key
  • 9 questions
  • Classroom-ready

Details

Format
Interactive · Printable
Grade
Grade 2
Subject
ELA
Question types
Fill in the blank, Multiple choice, Circle the answer, Sorting, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

  • Students recount the events of a fable in order.
  • Students tell the moral of a fable and support it with details.

How to use

Read the fable together and talk about what Little Heron tries first, next and last. Then let students answer the questions and explain the moral in their own words.

Curriculum

Common Core standard covered

RL.2.2

Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and tell the central message, lesson, or moral.

Preview

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Name Date

Little Heron Learns to Wait

Retell a fable and find its moral.

Read the fable

A fable is a short story that teaches a lesson, called a moral. Read this fable.

Little Heron Learns to Wait

1Little Heron lived at the edge of a quiet marsh with Grandmother Heron. He had long legs and a sharp beak. But Little Heron was always hungry, because he could not catch a single fish.

2Every morning, Little Heron stomped into the water. He ran after the silver fish, splashing as he went. But the fish saw him coming and darted away.

3Grandmother Heron watched from the reeds. "Stand as still as a reed and wait," she said. "The fish will come to you." Little Heron shook his head. "Waiting is too slow," he said. He flapped his wings and splashed even harder. But the fish swam away.

4By afternoon, Little Heron was tired, and his stomach growled. At last, he tried Grandmother's way. He stood very still in the shallow water and waited. Soon a fish swam right past his feet. Snap! Little Heron caught it.

5The next morning, his little cousin Pim came stomping into the marsh. Little Heron smiled. "Stand as still as a reed," he told her. "Then wait for the fish."

Retell the fable

Look back at the fable to answer each question.

1.
What is Little Heron's problem at the beginning of the fable?
  • A. He cannot find his way back to the marsh.
  • B. He is hungry but cannot catch a fish.
  • C. He is afraid to step into the cold water.
  • D. His wings are too small for him to fly.
2.
Put the events in order. Write 1, 2, 3 or 4 on each line.

  Little Heron catches a fish.
  Little Heron runs after the silver fish.
  Little Heron tells Pim how to fish.
  Grandmother Heron gives Little Heron advice.

3.
Read paragraph 3 again. Underline the sentence that tells what Grandmother Heron tells Little Heron to do.

Grandmother Heron watched from the reeds."Stand as still as a reed and wait," she said."The fish will come to you."Little Heron shook his head."Waiting is too slow," he said.He flapped his wings and splashed even harder.But the fish swam away.

4.
Why do the fish dart away in paragraph 2?
  • A. The water is too cold for them.
  • B. Grandmother Heron scares them.
  • C. They see Little Heron coming.
  • D. A storm blows across the marsh.
5.
Write the missing word. Copy it from paragraph 4.

Little Heron stood very still in the   water and waited.

Find the moral

Think about what Little Heron tries and what he learns.

6.
Did each thing help Little Heron catch a fish? Sort what he tried.
running after the fishflapping his wingsstanding very stillsplashing even harderwaiting for a fish to come close
Helped him catch a fishDid not help
7.
How does Little Heron change by the end of the fable?
  • A. He learns to wait, and he teaches Pim to wait.
  • B. He learns to fly far, and he leaves the marsh.
  • C. He learns to run fast, and he wins a race.
  • D. He learns to swim, and he dives for fish.
8.
What is the moral of this fable?
  • A. Hurrying helps you get things done faster.
  • B. Herons catch more fish in the afternoon.
  • C. Young birds should stay out of deep water.
  • D. Patience can help you get what you need.
9.
How does the end of the fable show that Little Heron learned the moral? Use details from the fable.

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