Blacky the Crow
Blacky the Crow, originally published in 1922, is a charming story about the adventures of Blacky, a clever and curious crow who lives in the Green Forest. Known for his mischievous nature and sharp intelligence, Blacky often finds himself in trouble due to his pranks and his insatiable curiosity.
The story follows Blacky as he interacts with other animals in the forest and meadows, such as Peter Rabbit, Sammy Jay, and Farmer Brown’s boy. Blacky is constantly exploring and trying to outsmart those around him, but his tricks and boldness sometimes lead to unexpected challenges.
This story is full of fun and surprises, and it teaches us about the animals in the forest and the importance of thinking about others.
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Introduction
Introduce Blacky the Crow
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Visit the Blacky the Crow Character Page to learn about crows before reading: discover where crows live, what they eat, and how they interact with nature. See photos and watch videos to provide a backdrop to the story.
Character Prediction
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Provide a silhouette or drawing of a crow and ask students to write adjectives describing what they imagine Blacky’s personality might be. Encourage students to make predictions about Blacky based on their knowledge of real crows.
Discussion
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What does this story teach us about being kind and fair to others?
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What are some real-life habits of crows that make them clever, like Blacky?
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Do you think Blacky is a good friend to the other animals? Why or why not?
Arts & Crafts
Crow Pinecone Craft
Materials: Large dry pinecone, black acrylic paint, googly eyes, yellow and black construction paper or felt, glue, scissors
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Paint the pinecone black and let dry.
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Glue on googly eyes near the top of the pinecone.
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Cut a small triangle from the paper or felt to use as a beak and glue on just below the eyes.
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Cut two wing shapes and a tail from the black paper and glue onto the sides and back.
Crow Mobile
Materials: Black construction paper, crow silhouette, string, hole puncher, stick or embroidery hoop, scissors
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Cut-out a variety of crow silhouettes from construction paper.
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Punch a hole in the top of each crow and tie a string through the hole and attach to a stick or embroidery hoop. Make strings various lengths for the mobile.
Science Exploration
Crow and the Pitcher Science Experiment
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Listen to Aesop's Fable "The Crow and the Pitcher."
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Do this science experiment to recreate to the cleverness of the crow in the story.
Bird Beak Adaptation Study
Materials: Tweezers, spoons, tongs, straws, small food items (seeds, gummy worms, cereal)
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Compare how different bird beaks work by using various tools to pick up food. Tweezers can represent a sharp beak, a spoon can represent a scoop-shaped beak, and tongs can mimic a crow’s strong, versatile beak.
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Research how different bird species’ beaks are adapted for their specific diets.
Science-Related Questions
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Bird Adaptations: How do crows like Blacky use their beaks and feet to find food and survive? Can you compare their beaks to those of other birds, like ducks or woodpeckers?
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Crow Intelligence: Crows are known to be very smart birds. What are some ways Blacky the Crow shows intelligence in the story? Can you think of real-life examples of how crows use problem-solving skills?
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Ecosystem Role: Crows are scavengers, which means they help clean up the environment by eating leftover food and dead animals. Why is this important for nature? What might happen if scavengers like crows didn’t exist?
Building Character
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Encourage observation skills (Observation, Ch. 1)
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How to teach your child to stand up for themselves (Assertiveness/Self-Control, Ch. 5)
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Helping kids resist temptation (Willpower/Self-Control, Ch. 12)
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Lessons for teaching safety (Carefulness, Ch. 18)
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Bible lesson to teach about stealing (Contentment, Ch.31)
Character/Moral Questions
- Blacky the Crow is sometimes seen as sneaky or mischievous. Why is honesty important in friendships and communities? How does being truthful help build trust?
- Blacky is a very clever bird. How can using intelligence and creativity help us solve problems in real life? Can you think of a time when you used smart thinking to overcome a challenge?
- Do you think Blacky the Crow always makes good choices in how he treats other animals? How can we show kindness to others, even when we might not get something in return?
- If you saw someone being treated unfairly, what would you do? How can we be brave like Blacky but use our courage to help others instead of causing trouble?
