The Lazy Frog: NCERT Class 5 English Poem (Marigold Unit 5)

etmantra5 Apr 20217 min read

Children laugh at Fred, the frog who is too lazy to do anything at all. The poem is a light, humorous way to talk about helping at home and being kind to others.

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From the NCERT English book Marigold for Class 5, unit 5. NCERT’s newer Class 5 book is Santoor, but many schools still teach Marigold.

Watch: The Lazy Frog

Play the video three or four times. The first time, just listen. Then point at the pictures, and from the third time, say the lines along with the video. Short, repeated listening is how CALP builds a child’s English.

What your child learns

Words about laziness: lazy, lolls, shirk
Saying what someone does or does not do: 'He does not move'
Rhyming words: frog and log, way and say, by and eye
Talking about helping at home

What the poem is about

Fred is a very lazy frog. He lies about on a log all day and always manages to avoid doing any work. When his poor old mother calls him to come in and help, he does not move even two inches. He prefers to pretend he cannot hear her.

He lies in a silent heap and stays asleep whenever it suits him. Even when a lady frog hops past, he does not get up to greet her or help her on her way. He does not even open one eye. The poem makes fun of laziness and gently shows that it is not a good habit.

New words, with Hindi meanings

lazy: not wanting to work or do anything (हिंदी: आलसी)
lolls: lies or sits in a loose, lazy way (हिंदी: पसरा रहता है)
log: a thick piece of a fallen tree (हिंदी: लकड़ी का लट्ठा)
shirk: to avoid doing work that you should do (हिंदी: काम से जी चुराना)
bother: to take the trouble to do something (हिंदी: ज़हमत उठाना)
hard of hearing: not able to hear well (हिंदी: ऊँचा सुनने वाला)
heap: a pile, or a body lying in a lump (हिंदी: ढेर)
ashamed: feeling bad about something wrong (हिंदी: शर्मिंदा)

Talk about it

Ask these aloud after reading or watching. Let your child answer in English if they can, or mix in their home language. Both help.

What is the frog's name, and where does he spend the whole day?
What does Fred do when his mother calls him to help?
What does Fred do when a lady frog hops past?
How do you help your family at home?

Answers for parents

His name is Fred, and he lolls on a log all day.
He does not move even two inches. He acts as if he cannot hear her.
Nothing at all. He does not get up to greet or help her, and he does not even open one eye.
For example: I lay the plates for dinner and water the plants.

Grammar corner: Saying what someone does and does not do

To talk about a habit, we use the action word with -s for one person or animal: Fred lolls, Fred lies. To say the opposite, we use 'does not' and the plain action word: he does not move.

My mother wakes up early every day.
Our cat does not like the rain.
Rohan helps his father, but his brother does not help at all.

Practice at home

Fill in the blank: Fred lies on a ___ all day.
Change to 'does not': Fred helps his mother.
Choose the meaning of 'shirk': to work hard / to avoid work / to jump high

Answers: 1. log · 2. Fred does not help his mother. · 3. to avoid work

Try this

Act out the poem. One child plays lazy Fred lying on a “log” (a mat or bed), another plays his mother calling for help, and another is the lady frog hopping by. Then act it again, but this time Fred is a helpful frog. Talk about which Fred was nicer to have around.

Tip for parents

Ask in Hindi, “फ्रेड कैसा मेंढक है? वह माँ की मदद क्यों नहीं करता?” Let your child answer in Hindi, then give the English: lazy is आलसी. Then ask your child to say one English sentence about how they help at home, and praise it, even if a Hindi word slips in.

Questions parents ask

What is the moral of The Lazy Frog?

The poem makes fun of laziness. Fred will not help his mother or greet anyone, and the poem shows this is not a good way to be.

Which words rhyme in The Lazy Frog?

'Frog' rhymes with 'log', 'way' rhymes with 'say', and 'by' rhymes with 'eye'.

Which NCERT book is The Lazy Frog from?

The Lazy Frog is Unit 5 of Marigold, NCERT's older English book for Class 5. The newer NCERT English books are Mridang for Class 1–2 and Santoor for Class 3–5.

Learn every Class 5 chapter with CALP

Every chapter of Santoor, NCERT’s new book, with notes in English and Hindi, say-it-aloud practice with a score, grammar, speaking and writing practice. ₹1,299 for the whole year.

See the free lessons and enrol →