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 Freddie Firefly

Freddie Firefly embarks on a daring adventure, encountering a spider, a lost caterpillar, and wise owls.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a magic forest with bright colors, there was a little bug named Freddie. Freddie was a firefly who glowed when it got dark. He liked to fly around and have fun.

One night, Freddie flew high into a big tree but got stuck in a spider’s web. The spider wanted to eat him! But Freddie wiggled free and flew away quickly.

Freddie met a sad little caterpillar who was lost. He helped it find home by lighting the way. They became good friends, and the caterpillar was happy again.

When Freddie got home, he told everyone about his trip. He learned to be brave and help others. The whole forest was filled with light and love because of Freddie’s glow and his big heart.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1magicSpecial, like something from a fairy tale
2colorsAll the different shades you see, like red, blue, or yellow
3bugA tiny creature with six legs that might crawl or hop
4glowedShined brightly in the dark
5flyMove through the air with wings
6spiderA creature with eight legs that makes webs
7wiggledMoved back and forth or twisted to get free
8caterpillarA small, long animal that will turn into a butterfly
9braveHaving courage, not being afraid
10heartThe part inside your chest that beats and shows you love

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. What does Freddie do when it gets dark?
3. What happened when Freddie flew into a spider’s web?
4. Who did Freddie help find home?
5. What did Freddie learn on his trip?
6. Why was the forest filled with light and love?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a magic forest with bright colors, there was a little bug named Freddie. Freddie was a firefly who (1)______ when it got dark. He (2)______ to fly around and have fun.

One (3)______, Freddie flew high into a big tree but got stuck in a spider’s web. The spider wanted to eat him! But Freddie (4)______ free and flew away quickly.

Freddie met a sad little caterpillar who was (5)______. He helped it find home by lighting the way. They became (6)______ friends, and the caterpillar was happy again.

When Freddie got home, he told everyone about his trip. He learned to be brave and help (7)______. The whole forest was filled with (8)______ and love because of Freddie’s glow and his big heart.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a firefly?
2. How would you feel if you were stuck in a spider’s web?
3. Do you like helping others? Why or why not?
4. What do you think Freddie learned from his trip?
5. How would you feel if you were lost like the caterpillar?
6. Do you think it’s important to be brave? Why or why not?
7. What do you think the forest looked like when it was filled with light and love?
8. How do you think Freddie’s glow made the caterpillar happy again?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. magic
2. colors
3. bug
4. glowed
5. fly
6. spider
7. wiggled
8. caterpillar
9. brave
10. heart

Meanings:
(A) Move through the air with wings
(B) Moved back and forth or twisted to get free
(C) Having courage, not being afraid
(D) A creature with eight legs that makes webs
(E) A small, long animal that will turn into a butterfly
(F) Shined brightly in the dark
(G) The part inside your chest that beats and shows you love
(H) All the different shades you see, like red, blue, or yellow
(I) Special, like something from a fairy tale
(J) A tiny creature with six legs that might crawl or hop
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the little bug in the story?
(a) Charlie
(b) Freddie
(c) Lily
(d) Max

2. What does Freddie do when it gets dark?
(a) He glows
(b) He sings
(c) He sleeps
(d) He hides

3. Where did Freddie get stuck?
(a) In a bird’s nest
(b) In a flower
(c) In a cave
(d) In a spider’s web

4. What did the spider want to do to Freddie?
(a) Play with him
(b) Help him
(c) Eat him
(d) Scare him

5. Who did Freddie help find home?
(a) A butterfly
(b) A caterpillar
(c) A squirrel
(d) A bird

6. How did Freddie help the caterpillar?
(a) By building a nest
(b) By singing a song
(c) By hiding with it
(d) By lighting the way

7. What did Freddie learn to be?
(a) Scared
(b) Lazy
(c) Brave
(d) Mean

8. What did the whole forest become because of Freddie’s glow and big heart?
(a) Filled with light and love
(b) Dark and scary
(c) Quiet and sad
(d) Busy and noisy

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Freddie met a happy caterpillar and hindered it from finding its way home.
2. Freddie kept his adventure a secret from everyone in the forest.
3. Freddie is a little bug who glows in the dark.
4. Freddie has a small heart and brings sadness to the forest.
5. Freddie learned to be selfish and ignore others.
6. Freddie’s glow made the whole forest bright and filled with love.
7. Freddie and the caterpillar became good friends.
8. Freddie got stuck in a spider’s web but managed to escape.
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. Who is the main character in the story?
Freddie is the main character in the story.

2. What does Freddie do when it gets dark?
Freddie glows when it gets dark.

3. What happened when Freddie flew into a spider’s web?
Freddie got stuck in the spider’s web but wiggled free and flew away quickly.

4. Who did Freddie help find home?
Freddie helped a sad little caterpillar find home.

5. What did Freddie learn on his trip?
Freddie learned to be brave and help others.

6. Why was the forest filled with light and love?
The forest was filled with light and love because of Freddie’s glow and his big heart.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) glowed
(2) liked
(3) night
(4) wiggled
(5) lost
(6) good
(7) others
(8) light
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. magic
Answer: (I) Special, like something from a fairy tale

2. colors
Answer: (H) All the different shades you see, like red, blue, or yellow

3. bug
Answer: (J) A tiny creature with six legs that might crawl or hop

4. glowed
Answer: (F) Shined brightly in the dark

5. fly
Answer: (A) Move through the air with wings

6. spider
Answer: (D) A creature with eight legs that makes webs

7. wiggled
Answer: (B) Moved back and forth or twisted to get free

8. caterpillar
Answer: (E) A small, long animal that will turn into a butterfly

9. brave
Answer: (C) Having courage, not being afraid

10. heart
Answer: (G) The part inside your chest that beats and shows you love
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the little bug in the story?
Answer: (b) Freddie

2. What does Freddie do when it gets dark?
Answer: (a) He glows

3. Where did Freddie get stuck?
Answer: (d) In a spider’s web

4. What did the spider want to do to Freddie?
Answer: (c) Eat him

5. Who did Freddie help find home?
Answer: (b) A caterpillar

6. How did Freddie help the caterpillar?
Answer: (d) By lighting the way

7. What did Freddie learn to be?
Answer: (c) Brave

8. What did the whole forest become because of Freddie’s glow and big heart?
Answer: (a) Filled with light and love
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Freddie met a happy caterpillar and hindered it from finding its way home. (Answer: False)
2. Freddie kept his adventure a secret from everyone in the forest. (Answer: False)
3. Freddie is a little bug who glows in the dark. (Answer: True)
4. Freddie has a small heart and brings sadness to the forest. (Answer: False)
5. Freddie learned to be selfish and ignore others. (Answer: False)
6. Freddie’s glow made the whole forest bright and filled with love. (Answer: True)
7. Freddie and the caterpillar became good friends. (Answer: True)
8. Freddie got stuck in a spider’s web but managed to escape. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

The Lazy Lion

Once upon a time, in a beautiful jungle, there lived a lion named Leo. Leo was the laziest lion in

Freddie the squirrel learns a valuable lesson about the true meaning of happiness and unity.

The Peacock Parade

Freddie the squirrel wanted to see pretty peacock colors, but naughty monkeys tricked him with a secret feather.

A little girl named Mia embarks on a magical adventure through the Candy Kingdom after awakening a Jelly Bean Tree.

The Jelly Bean Tree

Mia found a magical jelly bean tree that turned into a talking candy carriage, and they went on a yummy adventure together.

A jolly jellyfish named Finley gets lost in the deep sea but finds new friends along the way.

The Jolly Jellyfish

Finley the jellyfish got lost in the sea, but with the help of new friends, he found his way home.

Lily discovers a hidden door in the enchanted forest and befriends a sparkling fairy named Hazel.

The Fairy’s Secret

Lily found a secret door in the woods and met a fairy named Hazel. They danced with fairies and made the woods pretty again.

Feedback