In a weird place, everything was flipped. People walked on their hands, houses were upside down, and the sky was below them. People wore hats on their feet and shoes on their heads because that’s just how things were.

A girl named Lily loved to explore this odd world. One day, in a park, she found trees growing downward. “How strange!” she thought. Lily climbed one of the trees to see where it went.

Climbing the tree, Lily saw a forest where animals lived above her and a rabbit with a watch. She laughed seeing a fish swim in the air. Everything was the wrong way up, and nothing was normal.

Lily then found some sad people who couldn’t get home because their maps were backward. She showed them how to read the maps the other way around. They were so happy and thanked Lily for her smart help.

Because of Lily, the upside-down land changed. People made doors on rooftops and clothes for walking on hands. They learned that being different was good. Lily showed everyone that it’s fun to see things differently and that the best adventures might be where everything is topsy-turvy.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was strange about the place that Lily explored?
2. Why did people wear their hats on their feet and shoes on their heads?
3. Where did Lily find the trees that grew downward?
4. What did Lily see when she climbed the tree?
5. Why were the sad people unable to get home?
6. How did Lily help the sad people?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a weird place, everything was flipped. People walked on their hands, houses were upside down, and the sky was below them. People wore hats on their (1)______ and (2)______ on their heads because that’s just how things were.

A girl named (3)______ loved to explore this odd world. One day, in a park, she found (4)______s growing downward. “How (5)______!” she thought. Lily (6)______ one of the trees to see where it went.

Climbing the tree, Lily saw a forest where animals lived above her and a rabbit with a watch. She laughed seeing a fish swim in the air. Everything was the wrong way up, and nothing was (7)______.

Lily then found some sad (8)______ who couldn’t get home because their maps were backward. She showed them how to read the maps the other way around. They were so happy and (9)______ Lily for her smart help.

Because of Lily, the upside-down (10)______ changed. People made doors on rooftops and clothes for walking on hands. They learned that being different was good. Lily (11)______ everyone that it’s fun to see (12)______ differently and that the best adventures might be where everything is topsy-turvy.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a map? Why do you think the people in the story needed a map to get home?
2. How would you feel if you lived in a place where everything was upside down? Why or why not?
3. Do you like to explore new places? Why or why not?
4. What is something strange or different that you have seen before? How did it make you feel?
5. How do you think the people in the story felt when Lily helped them read the maps? Why do you think they were happy?
6. Do you think it’s important to be different? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever had an adventure where everything was topsy-turvy? Can you tell us about it?
8. Why do you think Lily showed everyone that it’s fun to see things differently?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. explore
2. strange
3. downward
4. normal
5. backward
6. smart
7. upside-down
8. rooftops
9. adventures
10. topsy-turvy
11. flipped
12. odd

Meanings:
(A) Not usual or common; weird
(B) The opposite direction to the correct one
(C) Very clever or intelligent
(D) Turned over to the other side
(E) The top parts of houses
(F) Different from what is normal or expected
(G) All mixed up or confused
(H) To look around and discover new places
(I) Usual or expected
(J) Turned over; the opposite way up
(K) Going towards the ground
(L) Exciting experiences that might involve some risk
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Lily find in the park?
(a) Flowers growing sideways
(b) Trees growing downward
(c) Grass growing upside down
(d) Rocks floating in the air

2. How did Lily feel when she saw the upside-down world?
(a) Scared
(b) Bored
(c) Strange
(d) Angry

3. What did Lily find in the forest?
(a) Animals living above her
(b) Animals living below her
(c) Animals living on the ground
(d) No animals at all

4. What was the rabbit holding?
(a) A carrot
(b) A book
(c) A watch
(d) A hat

5. What did Lily show the sad people?
(a) How to draw pictures
(b) How to read the maps the other way around
(c) How to play a game
(d) How to dance

6. How did the sad people feel after Lily helped them?
(a) Happy
(b) Angry
(c) Sad
(d) Confused

7. What did people in the upside-down land learn from Lily?
(a) That being different was bad
(b) That being the same was good
(c) That being the same was bad
(d) That being different was good

8. What did Lily teach everyone in the upside-down land?
(a) That it’s boring to see things differently
(b) That it’s scary to see things differently
(c) That it’s sad to see things differently
(d) That it’s fun to see things differently

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. In this strange world, people walk on their hands and wear hats on their feet.
2. Lily loves exploring this odd world and finding new things.
3. One day, Lily discovers trees that grow upward in a park.
4. Lily comes across some happy people who are lost because their maps are accurate.
5. Lily sees a rabbit with a watch and a fish swimming in the air, which she finds hilarious.
6. Lily helps these people by showing them how to read the maps the other way around, making them very grateful.
7. The houses in this world are right side up, with the sky above them.
8. Climbing one of these trees, Lily enters a desert where animals live below her.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this story in two sentences. Here are some hints:
Who are the main characters?
What happens in the story?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What was strange about the place that Lily explored?
Everything was flipped or upside down. People walked on their hands, houses were upside down, and the sky was below them.

2. Why did people wear their hats on their feet and shoes on their heads?
People wore their hats on their feet and shoes on their heads because that’s just how things were in the upside-down land.

3. Where did Lily find the trees that grew downward?
Lily found the trees that grew downward in a park.

4. What did Lily see when she climbed the tree?
When Lily climbed the tree, she saw a forest where animals lived above her and she saw a rabbit with a watch. She also saw a fish swimming in the air.

5. Why were the sad people unable to get home?
The sad people were unable to get home because their maps were backward and they couldn’t read them.

6. How did Lily help the sad people?
Lily helped the sad people by showing them how to read the maps the other way around, so they could find their way home.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) feet
(2) shoes
(3) Lily
(4) tree
(5) strange
(6) climbed
(7) normal
(8) people
(9) thanked
(10) land
(11) showed
(12) things
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. explore
Answer: (H) To look around and discover new places

2. strange
Answer: (A) Not usual or common; weird

3. downward
Answer: (K) Going towards the ground

4. normal
Answer: (I) Usual or expected

5. backward
Answer: (B) The opposite direction to the correct one

6. smart
Answer: (C) Very clever or intelligent

7. upside-down
Answer: (J) Turned over; the opposite way up

8. rooftops
Answer: (E) The top parts of houses

9. adventures
Answer: (L) Exciting experiences that might involve some risk

10. topsy-turvy
Answer: (G) All mixed up or confused

11. flipped
Answer: (D) Turned over to the other side

12. odd
Answer: (F) Different from what is normal or expected
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Lily find in the park?
Answer: (b) Trees growing downward

2. How did Lily feel when she saw the upside-down world?
Answer: (c) Strange

3. What did Lily find in the forest?
Answer: (a) Animals living above her

4. What was the rabbit holding?
Answer: (c) A watch

5. What did Lily show the sad people?
Answer: (b) How to read the maps the other way around

6. How did the sad people feel after Lily helped them?
Answer: (a) Happy

7. What did people in the upside-down land learn from Lily?
Answer: (d) That being different was good

8. What did Lily teach everyone in the upside-down land?
Answer: (d) That it’s fun to see things differently
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. In this strange world, people walk on their hands and wear hats on their feet. (Answer: True)
2. Lily loves exploring this odd world and finding new things. (Answer: True)
3. One day, Lily discovers trees that grow upward in a park. (Answer: False)
4. Lily comes across some happy people who are lost because their maps are accurate. (Answer: False)
5. Lily sees a rabbit with a watch and a fish swimming in the air, which she finds hilarious. (Answer: True)
6. Lily helps these people by showing them how to read the maps the other way around, making them very grateful. (Answer: True)
7. The houses in this world are right side up, with the sky above them. (Answer: False)
8. Climbing one of these trees, Lily enters a desert where animals live below her. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧