Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

Complete lesson plans, including stories, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

The Giant Sheep

Once upon a time, there was a giant sheep who lived in a meadow. Every day, he would roam around the meadow, eating grass and enjoying the sunshine.

One day, the giant sheep noticed a family of rabbits playing nearby. He was so excited to meet them! He ran over to say hello, but the rabbits were scared and ran away. The giant sheep felt so sad. He wanted to make friends, but he was just too big. This made his life very difficult in many ways, every day. In particular, he often felt lonely.

The giant sheep was very kind, though. He decided to make the meadow a better place for the animals. He used his big legs to build a playground with slides, swings and even a pond for the animals to swim in. All the animals in the meadow were so excited! 

The giant sheep soon became the happiest animal in the meadow. He made lots of friends and was always playing with the other animals. He was the happiest sheep in the world! And also the biggest!

The End

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Vocabulary

1. Giant (adjective): Very large and impressive.
2. Meadow (noun): A large open area of grassy land.
3. Roam (verb): To move around in an area without a clear purpose.
4. Family (noun): A group of people related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
5. Scared (adjective): Feeling fear or anxiety.
6. Playground (noun): An outdoor area with play equipment for children.
7. Slide (noun): A flat, steep surface used for sliding down.
8. Swing (noun): A seat suspended from ropes or chains, used for recreation.
9. Pond (noun): A small body of still water, usually smaller than a lake.
10. Happiest (adjective): Feeling the most joy and contentment.

Comprehension Questions

1. What did the giant sheep do every day?
2. What happened when the giant sheep tried to meet the family of rabbits?
3. What did the giant sheep do to make the meadow a better place?
4. What kind of playground did the giant sheep build?
5. What did the other animals in the meadow think of the giant sheep’s playground?
6. How did the giant sheep feel after making the playground?
7. Who was the happiest animal in the meadow?
8. What kind of activities did the giant sheep do with his friends in the meadow?

Gap Fill Questions

1. The giant sheep lived in a _________.
2. Every day, the giant sheep would eat ________ and enjoy the sunshine.
3. The family of rabbits were scared and ran ________.
4. The giant sheep wanted to make the meadow a better place for the animals, so he built a __________.
5. The playground had ________, ________ and a pond for the animals to swim in.
6. After the giant sheep built the playground, he became the __________ animal in the meadow.
7. The giant sheep made lots of ________ and was always playing with the other animals.
8. The giant sheep was the __________ sheep in the world!
9. The giant sheep enjoyed _________ with the other animals in the meadow.
10. The giant sheep was the _________ animal in the meadow.

Conversation Questions

1. What other kinds of mythical creatures have you heard of?
2. What would you do if you encountered a giant sheep?
3. Do you believe in the existence of mythical creatures?
4. What do you think would be the most interesting mythical creature to encounter?
5. How do you think the giant sheep story might have come to be?
6. What do you think the purpose of mythical creatures is?
7. What do you think would happen if a giant sheep were to exist today?
8. Are there any other stories you’ve heard with similar elements to the giant sheep story?
9. What other types of stories do you enjoy hearing?
10. What do you think would be the most challenging thing about encountering a giant sheep?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Every day, he would roam around the meadow, eating grass and enjoying the sunshine.
2. The rabbits were scared and ran away.
3. He used his big legs to build a playground with slides, swings and even a pond for the animals to swim in.
4. He built a playground with slides, swings and even a pond for the animals to swim in.
5. All the animals in the meadow were so excited!
6. He was the happiest sheep in the world!
7. The giant sheep was the happiest animal in the meadow.
8. He was always playing with the other animals.

Gap Fill Question Answers:

1. The giant sheep lived in a meadow.
2. Every day, the giant sheep would eat grass and enjoy the sunshine.
3. The family of rabbits were scared and ran away.
4. The giant sheep wanted to make the meadow a better place for the animals, so he built a playground.
5. The playground had slides, swings and a pond for the animals to swim in.
6. After the giant sheep built the playground, he became the happiest animal in the meadow.
7. The giant sheep made lots of friends and was always playing with the other animals.
8. The giant sheep was the happiest sheep in the world!
9. The giant sheep enjoyed playing with the other animals in the meadow.
10. The giant sheep was the happiest animal in the meadow.

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A determined cat named Fluffy builds a flying contraption and learns the importance of seeking guidance.

Fluffy’s Fantastic Flight

Fluffy the cat wanted to fly, so he made a flying thing, but got lost in the sky. Thankfully, friendly birds helped him come back down safely.

A unique tiger with tangerine stripes leads his animal friends on a quest for a magical fruit, only to discover that true magic lies in friendship and laughter.

The Tale of the Tangerine Tiger

The Tangerine Tiger and his friends went on an adventure to find a special fruit that gives superpowers, but they realized that having fun and being friends is even better.

Duncan, The Cheeky Monkey

Once upon a time, deep in the lush jungle of the Amazon rainforest, there lived a mischievous little monkey named

A little girl named Lily saves her town from darkness by convincing mischievous squirrels to return stolen sunflowers.

The Day the Sun Forgot to Rise

Once upon a time, there was a town that got scared when the sun didn’t come up. A brave girl named Lily found squirrels taking sunflowers, and she told them to put them back. The people in the town planted the flowers again and sang to make the sun come back. They learned that being hopeful is important, and the sun always came up after that day.

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