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 Adventures of Clara Cloud

Clara the cloud discovers her purpose in bringing joy and rain to the world.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once upon a time, there was a happy little cloud named Clara. She liked to play tricks and find new things. One day, Clara saw a rainbow for the first time and wanted to see where it ended.

Clara flew down to where people live. She turned into cotton candy because she wanted to see the streets. But a little girl ate some of her! The cloud became a fog to hide.

When she was hiding, Clara heard children singing and playing music in a park. She made a happy sound to join them. The kids danced and smiled.

Clara learned that she liked making people happy. She turned back into a cloud and made it rain. The rain helped plants grow and cleaned the streets. People were happy and said thank you. Clara kept going on adventures, always trying to make others happy.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1tricksFun things you do to make someone laugh or to surprise them
2rainbowColors in the sky that look like a big, curved line
3cotton candyA sweet, fluffy treat that looks like soft clouds
4fogA thick cloud close to the ground that makes it hard to see
5singingUsing your voice to make pretty sounds, like in songs
6musicSounds made by instruments or voices that you can listen to and enjoy
7dancedMoving your body to the rhythm of songs
8adventuresGoing to new places and discovering new things
9plantsThings that grow in dirt, like flowers or trees
10cleanedMaking something nice and shiny by removing dirt

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What was the name of the cloud in the story?
2. What did Clara turn into when she wanted to see the streets?
3. What happened when the little girl ate some of Clara?
4. What did Clara hear when she was hiding?
5. What did Clara do to make people happy?
6. What did Clara like to do on her adventures?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, there was a happy little cloud named (1)______. She liked to play (2)______ and find new things. One day, Clara saw a rainbow for the first time and wanted to see where it ended.

Clara flew down to where people (3)______. She turned into (4)______ candy because she wanted to see the streets. But a little girl ate some of her! The cloud became a fog to hide.

When she was hiding, Clara heard children singing and playing music in a park. She made a happy sound to join them. The (5)______ (6)______ and smiled.

Clara learned that she liked making people happy. She turned back into a cloud and (7)______ it rain. The rain helped (8)______ grow and cleaned the streets. People were happy and said thank you. Clara kept going on adventures, always trying to make others happy.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a cloud?
2. How would you feel if you saw a rainbow for the first time?
3. Do you like playing tricks? Why or why not?
4. What is cotton candy?
5. How would you feel if someone ate part of you?
6. Do you like singing and playing music? Why or why not?
7. Do you think rain is important? Why or why not?
8. How would you feel if you could make people happy?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. tricks
2. rainbow
3. cotton candy
4. fog
5. singing
6. music
7. danced
8. adventures
9. plants
10. cleaned

Meanings:
(A) Things that grow in dirt, like flowers or trees
(B) Using your voice to make pretty sounds, like in songs
(C) Sounds made by instruments or voices that you can listen to and enjoy
(D) Making something nice and shiny by removing dirt
(E) A sweet, fluffy treat that looks like soft clouds
(F) Moving your body to the rhythm of songs
(G) Fun things you do to make someone laugh or to surprise them
(H) Colors in the sky that look like a big, curved line
(I) Going to new places and discovering new things
(J) A thick cloud close to the ground that makes it hard to see
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the happy little cloud?
(a) Lily
(b) Emily
(c) Sophie
(d) Clara

2. What did Clara turn into when she wanted to see the streets?
(a) Cotton candy
(b) Ice cream
(c) Pizza
(d) Chocolate

3. What happened when a little girl ate some of Clara?
(a) Clara turned into a rainbow
(b) Clara turned into a fog
(c) Clara turned into a tree
(d) Clara turned into a bird

4. What did Clara hear when she was hiding?
(a) Children singing and playing music
(b) Dogs barking and cats meowing
(c) Cars honking and people talking
(d) Birds chirping and wind blowing

5. What did Clara do to make people happy?
(a) Made it snow
(b) Made it sunny
(c) Made it rain
(d) Made it windy

6. What did the rain do for the plants and streets?
(a) Made plants shrink and dirty the streets
(b) Helped plants grow and cleaned the streets
(c) Made plants disappear and flood the streets
(d) Made plants wilt and block the streets

7. How did people feel when Clara made it rain?
(a) Sad
(b) Angry
(c) Happy
(d) Scared

8. What did Clara like to do on her adventures?
(a) Make others sad
(b) Make others angry
(c) Make others scared
(d) Make others happy

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Clara turned into cotton candy, but a little girl ate some of her!
2. The rain helped plants grow and cleaned the streets, making people very happy.
3. Clara continued going on adventures, always trying to make others sad.
4. Clara discovered that she loved making people sad, so she turned back into a cloud and made it sunny.
5. One day, Clara saw a gloomy sky and wanted to find where it ended.
6. Clara is a happy cloud who loves to play tricks and explore new things.
7. To hide, Clara turned into a fog and listened to children singing and playing music in a park.
8. Clara joined the children and made them sad with her sad sounds.
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 the name of the cloud in the story?
Clara.

2. What did Clara turn into when she wanted to see the streets?
Cotton candy.

3. What happened when the little girl ate some of Clara?
Clara turned into a fog to hide.

4. What did Clara hear when she was hiding?
Children singing and playing music in a park.

5. What did Clara do to make people happy?
She made it rain, which helped plants grow and cleaned the streets.

6. What did Clara like to do on her adventures?
Clara liked to play tricks and find new things.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) Clara
(2) tricks
(3) live
(4) cotton
(5) kids
(6) danced
(7) made
(8) plants
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. tricks
Answer: (G) Fun things you do to make someone laugh or to surprise them

2. rainbow
Answer: (H) Colors in the sky that look like a big, curved line

3. cotton candy
Answer: (E) A sweet, fluffy treat that looks like soft clouds

4. fog
Answer: (J) A thick cloud close to the ground that makes it hard to see

5. singing
Answer: (B) Using your voice to make pretty sounds, like in songs

6. music
Answer: (C) Sounds made by instruments or voices that you can listen to and enjoy

7. danced
Answer: (F) Moving your body to the rhythm of songs

8. adventures
Answer: (I) Going to new places and discovering new things

9. plants
Answer: (A) Things that grow in dirt, like flowers or trees

10. cleaned
Answer: (D) Making something nice and shiny by removing dirt
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the happy little cloud?
Answer: (d) Clara

2. What did Clara turn into when she wanted to see the streets?
Answer: (a) Cotton candy

3. What happened when a little girl ate some of Clara?
Answer: (b) Clara turned into a fog

4. What did Clara hear when she was hiding?
Answer: (a) Children singing and playing music

5. What did Clara do to make people happy?
Answer: (c) Made it rain

6. What did the rain do for the plants and streets?
Answer: (b) Helped plants grow and cleaned the streets

7. How did people feel when Clara made it rain?
Answer: (c) Happy

8. What did Clara like to do on her adventures?
Answer: (d) Make others happy
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Clara turned into cotton candy, but a little girl ate some of her! (Answer: True)
2. The rain helped plants grow and cleaned the streets, making people very happy. (Answer: True)
3. Clara continued going on adventures, always trying to make others sad. (Answer: False)
4. Clara discovered that she loved making people sad, so she turned back into a cloud and made it sunny. (Answer: False)
5. One day, Clara saw a gloomy sky and wanted to find where it ended. (Answer: False)
6. Clara is a happy cloud who loves to play tricks and explore new things. (Answer: True)
7. To hide, Clara turned into a fog and listened to children singing and playing music in a park. (Answer: True)
8. Clara joined the children and made them sad with her sad sounds. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A young girl named Emily discovers a tree that produces rainbow-colored raspberries, bringing joy to her village.

The Remarkable Raspberry Rain

Emily found a magical tree with colorful raspberries that made it rain fruit, but the colors started to fade until she discovered that laughter could bring the magic back.

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.

Bobo the mischievous monkey and Toots the colorful toucan befriend a group of squirrels and discover a magical singing waterfall in the Jade Jungle, ultimately learning the power of friendship and laughter.

The Journey to the Jade Jungle

Bobo the monkey went on an adventure in the jungle with his friend Toots the bird. They met a special raccoon and made lots of new friends.

Four friends embark on a magical adventure, only to discover that the real treasure is their friendship.

The Four Leaf Clover Quest

Four friends named Lily, Max, Oliver, and Sophie went on an adventure to find a magic clover, but they learned that friendship is the best treasure of all.

Feedback