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 Dinosaur Egg

Jack and Emma's lives are forever changed when they discover a tiny dinosaur in an enormous egg.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Jack and Emma found a big egg in the forest. They were very happy and thought about the dinosaur that would come out.

A little gnome named Grumbletwig saw the big egg and played a trick on them. When they looked at the egg the next day, it was empty!

Then they heard a “ROAR” and saw a tiny dinosaur outside. They laughed because it was very small. They named the dinosaur Biscuit and loved it a lot.

Jack, Emma, and Biscuit had many fun adventures together. They were best friends and learned that friendship is the best, no matter how big or small you are.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1dinosaurA big animal that lived a long, long time ago
2forestA place with lots of trees and plants
3gnomeA very small person from stories who lives in the ground
4trickSomething you do to make someone believe something that is not true
5roarA loud sound like a lion makes
6tinyVery, very small
7adventuresExciting things you do that are like a story
8friendshipWhen you care about someone and like to be with them
9emptyWhen something has nothing inside it
10laughedThe noise you make when something is funny

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Jack and Emma find in the forest?
2. How did they feel when they found the big egg?
3. Who played a trick on Jack and Emma?
4. What happened to the egg the next day?
5. What did they see and hear after the egg was empty?
6. What did they name the small dinosaur and how did they feel about it?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Jack and Emma found a big egg in the forest. They were very happy and thought about the dinosaur that would come out.

A (1)______ gnome (2)______ Grumbletwig saw the big egg and played a trick on them. When they looked at the egg the next day, it was (3)______!

Then they (4)______ a “ROAR” and saw a (5)______ dinosaur outside. They (6)______ because it was very small. They named the dinosaur Biscuit and loved it a lot.

Jack, Emma, and Biscuit had many fun (7)______ together. They were best (8)______ and learned that friendship is the best, no matter how big or small you are.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an egg?
2. How would you feel if you found a big egg in the forest?
3. Do you like dinosaurs? Why or why not?
4. How do you think Jack and Emma felt when they saw the egg was empty?
5. What would you name a dinosaur if you had one as a pet?
6. Have you ever played a trick on someone? How did it make you feel?
7. Do you think friendship is important? Why or why not?
8. What fun adventures would you have with a dinosaur as your friend?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. dinosaur
2. forest
3. gnome
4. trick
5. roar
6. tiny
7. adventures
8. friendship
9. empty
10. laughed

Meanings:
(A) A very small person from stories who lives in the ground
(B) A big animal that lived a long, long time ago
(C) A place with lots of trees and plants
(D) When you care about someone and like to be with them
(E) A loud sound like a lion makes
(F) Something you do to make someone believe something that is not true
(G) Exciting things you do that are like a story
(H) The noise you make when something is funny
(I) Very, very small
(J) When something has nothing inside it
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Who found the big egg in the forest?
(a) Sarah and Tom
(b) Lucy and Max
(c) Emily and Ethan
(d) Jack and Emma

2. What did the little gnome do to the big egg?
(a) Hid it in the forest
(b) Played a trick on it
(c) Painted it blue
(d) Made it disappear

3. What did Jack and Emma see outside after the egg was empty?
(a) A big elephant
(b) A tiny dinosaur
(c) A colorful bird
(d) A friendly dog

4. What did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit do together?
(a) Went to school
(b) Watched TV
(c) Had fun adventures
(d) Cleaned the house

5. What did they name the dinosaur?
(a) Cookie
(b) Cupcake
(c) Biscuit
(d) Pancake

6. What did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit learn about friendship?
(a) It is the best
(b) It is not important
(c) It is scary
(d) It is boring

7. Who is Grumbletwig?
(a) A big troll
(b) A friendly fairy
(c) A silly clown
(d) A little gnome

8. Where did they find the big egg?
(a) In the forest
(b) At the beach
(c) In their backyard
(d) At the park

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. They heard a loud “ROAR” and saw a tiny dinosaur outside.
2. Jack, Emma, and Biscuit had many boring adventures together and learned that friendship is unimportant, no matter how big or small you are.
3. A little gnome named Grumbletwig played a treat on them.
4. Jack and Emma found a big egg in the forest.
5. They thought a dinosaur would come out of the egg.
6. They named the dinosaur Biscuit and loved it a lot.
7. They cried because the dinosaur was very small.
8. The next day, the egg was full.
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 Jack and Emma find in the forest?
They found a big egg in the forest.

2. How did they feel when they found the big egg?
They were very happy when they found the big egg.

3. Who played a trick on Jack and Emma?
A little gnome named Grumbletwig played a trick on them.

4. What happened to the egg the next day?
The egg was empty the next day.

5. What did they see and hear after the egg was empty?
They saw a tiny dinosaur outside and heard it roar.

6. What did they name the small dinosaur and how did they feel about it?
They named the small dinosaur Biscuit and they loved it a lot.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) little
(2) named
(3) empty
(4) heard
(5) tiny
(6) laughed
(7) adventures
(8) friends
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. dinosaur
Answer: (B) A big animal that lived a long, long time ago

2. forest
Answer: (C) A place with lots of trees and plants

3. gnome
Answer: (A) A very small person from stories who lives in the ground

4. trick
Answer: (F) Something you do to make someone believe something that is not true

5. roar
Answer: (E) A loud sound like a lion makes

6. tiny
Answer: (I) Very, very small

7. adventures
Answer: (G) Exciting things you do that are like a story

8. friendship
Answer: (D) When you care about someone and like to be with them

9. empty
Answer: (J) When something has nothing inside it

10. laughed
Answer: (H) The noise you make when something is funny
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Who found the big egg in the forest?
Answer: (d) Jack and Emma

2. What did the little gnome do to the big egg?
Answer: (b) Played a trick on it

3. What did Jack and Emma see outside after the egg was empty?
Answer: (b) A tiny dinosaur

4. What did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit do together?
Answer: (c) Had fun adventures

5. What did they name the dinosaur?
Answer: (c) Biscuit

6. What did Jack, Emma, and Biscuit learn about friendship?
Answer: (a) It is the best

7. Who is Grumbletwig?
Answer: (d) A little gnome

8. Where did they find the big egg?
Answer: (a) In the forest
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. They heard a loud “ROAR” and saw a tiny dinosaur outside. (Answer: True)
2. Jack, Emma, and Biscuit had many boring adventures together and learned that friendship is unimportant, no matter how big or small you are. (Answer: False)
3. A little gnome named Grumbletwig played a treat on them. (Answer: False)
4. Jack and Emma found a big egg in the forest. (Answer: True)
5. They thought a dinosaur would come out of the egg. (Answer: True)
6. They named the dinosaur Biscuit and loved it a lot. (Answer: True)
7. They cried because the dinosaur was very small. (Answer: False)
8. The next day, the egg was full. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

In a small village nestled deep in a magical forest, a little girl named Lily discovers a talking teapot with the power to grant wishes.

The Talking Teapot

Lily found a talking teapot that could make wishes come true, and together they helped the village have lots of food and defeated a bad witch.

In the magical land of Sprinkleville, a mischievous gnome named Minty Mischief plots to steal all the cupcakes from the famous cupcake castle, but a young girl named Ella is determined to stop him and save the town from chaos.

The Cupcake Castle Caper

In a yummy town called Sprinkleville, a little gnome named Minty made salty cupcakes by mistake. Ella, a brave girl with a good nose, found Minty and helped him make delicious cupcakes again.

Stella the unicorn uses her magical rainbow to spread happiness and love to all creatures.

The Rainbow Bridge

Stella the unicorn loves making rainbows and goes on an adventure to win special magic dust.

The Giant Sheep

Once upon a time, there was a giant sheep who lived in a meadow. Every day, he would roam around

The Secret Forest

Once upon a time, there was a magical forest filled with wonders. It was a secret forest, hidden away from

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