In the busy village of Pebblebrook, something strange happened one sunny morning. The villagers woke up and found the park full of colorful stones. The gray stones were now painted with bright colors and fun designs. There were stones shaped like smiling suns, silly monkeys, and even a dragon that looked like Mr. Hootington, the village owl. Everyone wondered who had done it.

The villagers tried to guess who the artist was. Mrs. Baker said, “It must be the squirrels! They are always up to something!” Benny, the village squirrel, quickly said he didn’t do it. “I’m too busy with my nut collection for winter!” he squeaked, making everyone laugh.

Three friends—Tom, Zadie, and Marco—decided to find out who painted the stones. They brought a magnifying glass and a basket of sandwiches in case they got hungry. They asked everyone in town if they had seen anything strange, even asking the chickens, but got no answers.

Just when they were about to give up, they found a hidden alley behind the library. There, they found Miss Ethel, the shy town artist, painting a giant stone to look like a colorful watermelon. She jumped in surprise when Marco shouted, “What a cool painting!” and paint splashed everywhere.

Miss Ethel explained that she painted the stones to make the villagers happy. She wanted to start an art festival. Tom, Zadie, and Marco loved the idea and decided to call it Pebblefest. The villagers loved the idea too. That Saturday, Pebblebrook had its first Pebblefest, with music, laughter, and art. Miss Ethel’s colorful stones made everyone happy, and since then, the festival became a yearly tradition to celebrate creativity.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

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📖 Vocabulary:

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did the villagers find in the park one sunny morning?
2. Who were the three friends that wanted to find out who painted the stones?
3. What did Miss Ethel paint on the giant stone when Marco found her?
4. Why did Miss Ethel paint the colorful stones?
5. What did Tom, Zadie, and Marco decide to call the art festival?
6. How did the villagers feel about the Pebblefest?
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🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In the busy village of Pebblebrook, something strange happened one sunny (1)______. The villagers (2)______ up and found the park full of colorful stones. The gray stones were now painted with bright colors and fun designs. There were stones shaped like smiling suns, silly monkeys, and even a dragon that looked like Mr. Hootington, the village owl. Everyone (3)______ who had done it.

The villagers tried to guess who the artist was. Mrs. Baker said, “It must be the squirrels! They are always up to something!” Benny, the village squirrel, quickly said he didn’t do it. “I’m too busy with my nut collection for winter!” he squeaked, making everyone laugh.

Three friends—Tom, Zadie, and Marco—decided to find out who painted the stones. They brought a (4)______ glass and a basket of (5)______ in (6)______ they got hungry. They asked everyone in town if they had seen anything strange, even asking the chickens, but got no answers.

Just when they were about to give up, they found a hidden alley behind the library. There, they found Miss Ethel, the shy town (7)______, painting a giant stone to look like a (8)______ watermelon. She jumped in surprise when Marco shouted, “What a (9)______ painting!” and paint splashed everywhere.

Miss Ethel explained that she painted the stones to make the villagers happy. She wanted to start an art (10)______. Tom, Zadie, and Marco loved the idea and decided to (11)______ it Pebblefest. The villagers loved the idea too. That Saturday, Pebblebrook had its first Pebblefest, with music, laughter, and art. Miss Ethel’s colorful stones made everyone happy, and since then, the festival became a yearly (12)______ to celebrate creativity.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is your favorite color? Why do you like it?

2. How would you feel if you found colorful stones in your park?

3. Do you think art is important in our lives? Why or why not?

4. Have you ever painted or drawn something? What was it?

5. What is a fun festival you have been to? What did you like about it?

6. How would you feel if you saw someone painting in your neighborhood?

7. Do you like to help organize events like a festival? Why or why not?

8. What do you think makes people happy? Can you give an example?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. villagers
2. colorful
3. designs
4. artist
5. magnifying glass
6. alley
7. festival
8. tradition
9. creativity
10. collection
11. explained
12. celebrate

Meanings:
(A) Told someone about something so they understand
(B) A tool that makes small things look bigger
(C) Having many bright colors
(D) A person who makes art
(E) A narrow street or path between buildings
(F) Patterns or pictures made on something
(G) Using imagination to make new things
(H) To do something special for an important event
(I) A big event with fun activities
(J) Something people do regularly every year
(K) People who live in a village
(L) A group of similar things kept together
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🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did the villagers find in the park one sunny morning?
(a) A new playground
(b) A fountain
(c) Colorful stones
(d) A statue

2. Who did Mrs. Baker think was responsible for painting the stones?
(a) The squirrels
(b) The chickens
(c) The cats
(d) The dogs

3. What did Benny, the village squirrel, say he was busy with?
(a) Painting stones
(b) Playing with friends
(c) Chasing birds
(d) His nut collection

4. Who were the three friends trying to find out who painted the stones?
(a) Tom, Zadie, and Marco
(b) Benny, Mrs. Baker, and Miss Ethel
(c) The chickens, the cats, and the dogs
(d) The villagers, the owls, and the squirrels

5. Where did the friends find Miss Ethel painting?
(a) In the park
(b) At the town square
(c) In her house
(d) Behind the library

6. What was Miss Ethel painting the giant stone to look like?
(a) A smiling sun
(b) A colorful watermelon
(c) A silly monkey
(d) A dragon

7. What did Tom, Zadie, and Marco decide to call the art festival?
(a) Stone Festival
(b) Pebblefest
(c) Art in the Park
(d) Colorful Day

8. How did the villagers feel about the idea of Pebblefest?
(a) They were confused
(b) They didn’t care
(c) They loved it
(d) They were angry

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. They brought a telescope and cookies with them while searching for clues.
2. The friends discovered Miss Ethel, the outgoing town artist, painting a tiny stone behind the library.
3. The village of Pebblebrook woke up one morning to find their park filled with plain stones.
4. Benny, the village squirrel, claimed he didn’t paint the stones because he was busy collecting nuts for winter.
5. Miss Ethel painted the stones to make the villagers happy and wanted to start an art festival called Pebblefest.
6. The first Pebbleday took place that Saturday and became a monthly tradition in Pebblebrook.
7. Three friends named Tom, Zadie, and Marco decided to investigate the mystery of the painted stones.
8. The stones were painted with bright colors and fun designs, including smiling suns and silly monkeys.
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 did the villagers find in the park one sunny morning?
The villagers found colorful stones that were painted with bright colors and fun designs.

2. Who were the three friends that wanted to find out who painted the stones?
The three friends were Tom, Zadie, and Marco.

3. What did Miss Ethel paint on the giant stone when Marco found her?
Miss Ethel painted the giant stone to look like a colorful watermelon.

4. Why did Miss Ethel paint the colorful stones?
Miss Ethel painted the colorful stones to make the villagers happy and to start an art festival.

5. What did Tom, Zadie, and Marco decide to call the art festival?
They decided to call the art festival Pebblefest.

6. How did the villagers feel about the Pebblefest?
The villagers loved the Pebblefest and felt happy about it.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) morning
(2) woke
(3) wondered
(4) magnifying
(5) sandwiches
(6) case
(7) artist
(8) colorful
(9) cool
(10) festival
(11) call
(12) tradition
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. villagers
Answer: (K) People who live in a village

2. colorful
Answer: (C) Having many bright colors

3. designs
Answer: (F) Patterns or pictures made on something

4. artist
Answer: (D) A person who makes art

5. magnifying glass
Answer: (B) A tool that makes small things look bigger

6. alley
Answer: (E) A narrow street or path between buildings

7. festival
Answer: (I) A big event with fun activities

8. tradition
Answer: (J) Something people do regularly every year

9. creativity
Answer: (G) Using imagination to make new things

10. collection
Answer: (L) A group of similar things kept together

11. explained
Answer: (A) Told someone about something so they understand

12. celebrate
Answer: (H) To do something special for an important event
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did the villagers find in the park one sunny morning?
Answer: (c) Colorful stones

2. Who did Mrs. Baker think was responsible for painting the stones?
Answer: (a) The squirrels

3. What did Benny, the village squirrel, say he was busy with?
Answer: (d) His nut collection

4. Who were the three friends trying to find out who painted the stones?
Answer: (a) Tom, Zadie, and Marco

5. Where did the friends find Miss Ethel painting?
Answer: (d) Behind the library

6. What was Miss Ethel painting the giant stone to look like?
Answer: (b) A colorful watermelon

7. What did Tom, Zadie, and Marco decide to call the art festival?
Answer: (b) Pebblefest

8. How did the villagers feel about the idea of Pebblefest?
Answer: (c) They loved it
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. They brought a telescope and cookies with them while searching for clues. (Answer: False)
2. The friends discovered Miss Ethel, the outgoing town artist, painting a tiny stone behind the library. (Answer: False)
3. The village of Pebblebrook woke up one morning to find their park filled with plain stones. (Answer: False)
4. Benny, the village squirrel, claimed he didn’t paint the stones because he was busy collecting nuts for winter. (Answer: True)
5. Miss Ethel painted the stones to make the villagers happy and wanted to start an art festival called Pebblefest. (Answer: True)
6. The first Pebbleday took place that Saturday and became a monthly tradition in Pebblebrook. (Answer: False)
7. Three friends named Tom, Zadie, and Marco decided to investigate the mystery of the painted stones. (Answer: True)
8. The stones were painted with bright colors and fun designs, including smiling suns and silly monkeys. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧