listen to shel silverstein homework machine

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Shel Silverstein

The homework machine.

The Homework Machine, Oh, the Homework Machine, Most perfect contraption that's ever been seen. Just put in your homework, then drop in a dime, Snap on the switch, and in ten seconds' time, Your homework comes out, quick and clean as can be. Here it is— 'nine plus four?' and the answer is 'three.' Three? Oh me . . . I guess it's not as perfect As I thought it would be.

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• Poem Shel Silverstein
• 31 May 2024

The Homework Machine

The Homework Machine, Oh, the Homework Machine, Most perfect contraption that’s ever been seen. Just put in your homework, then drop in a dime, Snap on the switch, and in ten seconds’ time, Your homework comes out, quick and clean as can be. Here it is— ‘nine plus four?’ and the answer is ‘three.’ Three? Oh me . . . I guess it’s not as perfect As I thought it would be.

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Homework Machine (Album Version)

Writer: Sheldon Silverstein

Composer: Sheldon Silverstein

Shel Silverstein

The homework machine.

#AmericanWriters

Other works by Shel Silverstein...

Agatha Fry, she made a pie And Christopher John helped bake… Christopher John, he mowed the la… And Agatha Fry helped rake it Now, Zachary Zugg took out the ru…

Inside everybody’s nose There lives a shar-toothed snail. So if youi stick your finger in, He may bite off your nail. Stick it farther up inside,

He’s the Twistable Turnable Sque… Stretchable Foldable Man. He can crawl in your pocket or fit… Or screw himself into a twenty-vol… Or stretch himself up to the steep…

1 little monkey was goin’ 2 the store when he saw a banana 3 he’d never climbed be4. By 5 o’clock that evenin’

No– I did not take a nap – The nap– took– me off the bed and out the window far beyond the sea, to a land where sleepy heads

In the Grandville greyhound stati… Sittin’ on my suitcase goin’ quiet… All about you and then no feelin’… Uh every man in Grandville says h… Burn your ears if you could hear t…

Alimony alimony I work till my fi… Me oh my oh goodness sake I’m pay… She calls it alimony alimony yeah… Till one of these days you’re gonn… Pom pom I walk around ragged like…

The baby bat Screamed out in fright, 'Turn on the dark, I’m afraid of the light.'

I’ve discovered a way to stay frie… There’s really nothing to it. I simply tell you what to do And you do it!!

Someone ate the baby. It’s rather sad to say. Someone ate the baby So she won’t be out to play. We’ll never hear her whiney cry

Did you hear bout Stacy brown (no… He had every chick in town (no he… He had looks he had class do anyth… And everyone would shout at him wh… They said everybody got one (every…

I used to be a prancer a one-eyed song and dancer But eyes for true romance I didn’t even try I’d get’em and forget’em

If the world was crazy, you know w… A big slice of soup and a whole qu… A lemonade sandwich, and then I m… Some roasted ice cream or a bicycl… A nice notebook salad, an underwea…

‘I live in fear of the snow,’ said… 'Whenever it’s here, be sure I’ll… Oh, the pain and the cold, when one’s bearish and old. I live in fear of the snow.'

The morning sun touched lightly on The eyes of Lucy Jordan In her white suburban bedroom In a white suburban town, As she lay there ‘neath the covers…

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• Lyric / Narrative

The Homework Machine by Shel Silverstein

The Homework Machine, Oh, the Homework Machine, Most perfect contraption that’s ever been seen. Just put in your homework, then drop in a dime, Snap on the switch, and in ten seconds’ time, Your homework comes out, quick and clean as can be. Here it is— ‘nine plus four?’ and the answer is ‘three.’ Three? Oh me . . . I guess it’s not as perfect As I thought it would be.

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Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Homework machine by shel silverstein (1981): poems esl listening.

Homework Machine by Shel Silverstein (1981): poems

Video: https://youtu.be/SBUZPANINIU

Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/_5vcug7

Suggested Use:

Step 1: Look at the vocabulary. Check any words that you don’t know in your dictionary.

Step 2: Listen to the video. (Listen only.  Don’t look at the poem yet).

Step  3: Practice the vocabulary on Quizlet  

Step 4: Watch the video again.  This time look at the poem. Read and listen at the same time.

Step 5: Practice the vocabulary on Quizlet again  

Step 6: Listen one last time.  The last time, don’t look at the poem. 

The Homework Machine, oh the Homework Machine,

The most perfect contraption that’s ever been seen.

Just put in your homework, then drop in a dime,

Snap on the switch, and in ten seconds’ time,

Your homework comes out, quick and clean as can be.

Here it is—“nine plus four?” and the answer is “three.”

Oh dear me…

I guess it’s not as perfect

As I thought it would be.

Match the missing words to the blanks.  Then watch the video to check your answers

Homework Machine by Shel Silverstein

The most perfect contraption that’s ever been (1)_______________.

Snap on the switch, and in ten seconds’ (2)_______________,

Here it is—“nine plus four?” and the answer is “(3)_______________.”

As I thought it would (4)_______________.

The most perfect contraption that’s ever been (1) seen .

Snap on the switch, and in ten seconds’ (2) time ,

Here it is—“nine plus four?” and the answer is “(3) three .”

As I thought it would (4) be .

as can be - If someone or something is, for example, as happy as can be or as quiet as can be, they are extremely happy or extremely quiet.

contraption - a machine or object that looks strange or complicated

dear - used at the beginning of a letter, before the name of the person you are writing to:

dear me - A polite exclamation expressing surprise, distress, sympathy, etc:

Dear me, I forgot to mail it.

dime - a US or Canadian coin with a value of 10 cents

drop - LET FALL

to let something you are carrying fall to the ground:

She tripped and dropped the vase.

guess - to give an answer or opinion about something without having all the facts:

Can you guess how old he is?

homework - work that teachers give students to do at home:

Have you done your homework yet?

I guess - used when you think that something is probably true or likely:

I've known her for about 12 years, I guess.

machine - EQUIPMENT

a piece of equipment with moving parts that uses power to do a particular job:

Clothes are generally sewn by machine these days.

perfect - without fault, or as good as possible:

James is a perfect husband and father.

plus - added to:

Five plus three is eight.

quick - FAST

doing something fast or taking only a short time:

I tried to catch him but he was too quick for me.

snap - to suddenly move to a particular position, making a short, loud noise, or to make something do this:

She snapped the book shut.

switch - a small object that you push up or down with your finger to turn something electrical on or off:

You can adjust the heat using this switch here.

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Shel Silverstein

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The Homework Machine- Summary & Analysis

Table of Contents

About the Poem “The Homework Machine” 

Themes of The Homework Machine 

The themes of the poem “The Homework Machine” by Shel Silverstein are:

• The dangers of relying on technology ➤ The poem suggests that if we rely too much on technology to do our work for us, we may lose the ability to think for ourselves and learn.
• The importance of hard work ➤ The poem also suggests that there is no substitute for hard work. Even if we had a machine to do our homework for us, we would not really be learning anything.
• The importance of creativity and imagination ➤ The poem ends with the speaker imagining a world where everyone is the same and no one is creative. This suggests that creativity and imagination are essential for a fulfilling life.

“ The Homework Machine ” Poem by Shel Silverstein

The Homework Machine, Oh, the Homework Machine, Most perfect contraption that’s ever been seen. Just put in your homework, then drop in a dime, Snap on the switch, and in ten seconds’ time, Your homework comes out, quick and clean as can be. Here it is- ‘nine plus four?’ and the answer is ‘three.’ Three? Oh me . . . I guess it’s not as perfect As I thought it would be.

The Homework Machine Summary & Analysis

The Homework Machine by Shel Silverstein is a humorous and cautionary poem about the dangers of relying on machines to do your work for you.

The poem begins with the speaker describing the “Homework Machine” as the “most perfect contraption that’s ever been seen.” The speaker is excited about the machine because it can do your homework for you. All you have to do is put in your homework, drop in a dime, and snap on the switch. In ten seconds, your homework will be done, “quick and clean as can be.”

The speaker is eager to try out the machine, so they put in their math homework and drop in a dime. They snap on the switch, and in ten seconds, their homework is done. The speaker is thrilled. They can now spend their time doing other things, like playing or watching TV.

However, the speaker’s excitement is short-lived. When they look at their homework, they realize that the machine has given them the wrong answer to a math problem. The answer to “nine plus four” is three, which is obviously incorrect.

The speaker is disappointed and frustrated. They realize that the Homework Machine is not as perfect as they thought it was. They also realize that they need to learn to do their own homework, even if it is difficult.

The poem ends with the speaker realizing that they “guess it’s not as perfect / As I thought it would be.” This line is a reminder that we should not rely on machines to do everything for us. We need to learn how to think for ourselves and do things on our own.

FAQs from The Homework Machine

What is the story of the homework machine.

A kid finds a homework machine, but it gives them the wrong answer to a math problem, so they learn that it’s important to do their own work.

What is the central idea of the poem homework?

The central idea of the poem “The Homework Machine” is that it is important to learn to do your own work, even if it is difficult.

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Specializing in Birth, Life, Love. Documenting Your Story

Shel silverstein’s ‘homework machine’.

My Homework Machine, Ode to Shel Silverstein – July, 2015-May 2016

This is a photograph emulating a poem by Shel Silverstein’s, ‘Homework Machine’. I created this for my kids, avid fans of Mr. Silverstein. It took a year to get it all together, but it was worth it to give them this memory of how once when they were little, they were part of one of their favorite author’s creations.

We are fond of our books. Some books hold a special place in our hearts as we remember reading them as children, and others are newer books we joyously devour. Bedtime at our house consists of a ritualistic reading from our ever growing list of favorites. How about you and your crop of little people? Did you ever think of how much fun it would be to literally (pun intended) jump into one of your favorite books, or for your children to jump into one of theirs? We have, and the result is a very special offering to anyone who likes to play pretend. Does your child have a favorite book, that has held a place in their heart? Have they ever wished to be part of it? My little ones did and this was the book they chose, and the poem within! Homework Machine , a poem from ‘A Light in the Attic’, by Shel Silverstein. If you are not familiar with Mr. Silverstein’s works, you most likely were not a child of the 70/80’s like myself. You definitely need to know this poet of poets, a wonderful author who was exceptionally gifted at engaging children into his wacky world of meter, and aesthetic rhythm, where a long-haired boy could fly and if you weren’t careful the “Googies” might catch you.

Once upon a time, when they were very little, they loved a story so much…

The original Shel Silverstein poem, ‘ Homework Machine ‘

My ode to Shel Silverstein’s ‘Homework Machine’

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Math whizz.

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