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 Rainbow Fish’s Journey

A fish named Rainbow learns the importance of sharing its unique beauty with others.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In the big blue sea, there was a fish named Rainbow. Rainbow had shiny scales with many colors. All the other fish liked to look at Rainbow’s bright scales.

One day, Rainbow was swimming alone. Rainbow asked a small fish, “Why is no one with me?” The small fish said, “You never share your shiny scales. They think you don’t want to share.”

Rainbow wanted to make things right, so it went to find a wise octopus. On the way, Rainbow met a big whale and a little crab. They showed Rainbow many new things.

When Rainbow found the octopus, the octopus gave it a magic pearl to make more shiny scales. Rainbow shared the scales with all the fish. They were happy and learned that sharing makes everyone beautiful together.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1RainbowThe colors you see in the sky after it rains
2scalesThe little hard pieces that cover a fish
3swimmingMoving in water like a fish does
4octopusA sea animal with eight long arms
5whaleA very big fish that lives in the sea
6crabA small sea animal with a hard shell and pinchers
7magicSpecial and not real, like in fairy tales
8pearlA small round thing that comes from inside a shell in the sea
9sharedWhen you let others have some of what you have
10beautifulVery pretty or nice to look at

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Rainbow’s scales look like?
2. Who did Rainbow ask why no one was with them?
3. What did the small fish say about Rainbow’s shiny scales?
4. Who did Rainbow meet on the way to find the octopus?
5. What did the octopus give Rainbow?
6. What did the fish learn about sharing?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In the big blue sea, there was a fish (1)______ Rainbow. Rainbow had shiny (2)______ with many colors. All the other fish liked to look at Rainbow’s bright scales.

One day, Rainbow was swimming alone. Rainbow asked a small (3)______, “Why is no one with me?” The small fish (4)______, “You never share your shiny scales. They think you don’t want to share.”

Rainbow wanted to make (5)______ right, so it went to find a wise octopus. On the way, Rainbow met a big (6)______ and a little crab. They showed Rainbow many new things.

When Rainbow found the octopus, the octopus (7)______ it a magic pearl to make more shiny scales. Rainbow shared the scales with all the fish. They were (8)______ and learned that sharing makes everyone beautiful together.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a fish?
2. How would you feel if you had shiny scales with many colors?
3. Do you like sharing things with others? Why or why not?
4. What do you think the small fish meant when it said Rainbow didn’t want to share?
5. How do you think Rainbow felt when it was swimming alone?
6. What is an octopus? Have you ever seen one?
7. How do you think the other fish felt when Rainbow shared its shiny scales with them?
8. Do you think sharing is important? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. Rainbow
2. scales
3. swimming
4. octopus
5. whale
6. crab
7. magic
8. pearl
9. shared
10. beautiful

Meanings:
(A) When you let others have some of what you have
(B) A sea animal with eight long arms
(C) Moving in water like a fish does
(D) A very big fish that lives in the sea
(E) A small sea animal with a hard shell and pinchers
(F) The little hard pieces that cover a fish
(G) Special and not real, like in fairy tales
(H) The colors you see in the sky after it rains
(I) A small round thing that comes from inside a shell in the sea
(J) Very pretty or nice to look at
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the fish in the story?
(a) Sunshine
(b) Sparkle
(c) Rainbow
(d) Star

2. Why did the other fish not want to swim with Rainbow?
(a) Rainbow was too fast
(b) Rainbow didn’t share its shiny scales
(c) Rainbow was too big
(d) Rainbow didn’t like the other fish

3. Who did Rainbow meet on the way to find the octopus?
(a) A small fish and a big shark
(b) A friendly dolphin and a tiny shrimp
(c) A colorful seahorse and a fast turtle
(d) A big whale and a little crab

4. What did the octopus give to Rainbow?
(a) A magic pearl
(b) A shiny rock
(c) A golden crown
(d) A big shell

5. What did Rainbow do with the shiny scales?
(a) Kept them all for itself
(b) Shared them with all the fish
(c) Threw them away
(d) Hid them in a cave

6. How did the other fish feel after Rainbow shared the shiny scales?
(a) Sad
(b) Angry
(c) Happy
(d) Scared

7. What did the fish learn from Rainbow?
(a) It’s better to be alone
(b) Shiny scales are not important
(c) Swimming alone is more fun
(d) Sharing makes everyone beautiful together

8. What color were Rainbow’s scales?
(a) Many colors
(b) Only blue
(c) Only red
(d) Only yellow

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Rainbow was swimming alone one day and wondered why no one was with it.
2. On the way, Rainbow encountered a small whale and a big crab who displayed no interest in new discoveries.
3. Rainbow is a fish with shiny and colorful scales.
4. Rainbow withheld the scales from all the fish, and they were disappointed and realized that withholding makes everyone ugly together.
5. When Rainbow found the octopus, it gave Rainbow a magic pearl to make more shiny scales.
6. A small fish told Rainbow that it always shares its dull scales, so the other fish presume it wants to share.
7. Rainbow wanted to make things right, so it went to find a wise octopus.
8. The other fish dislike looking at Rainbow’s dull scales.
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 Rainbow’s scales look like?
Rainbow’s scales were shiny and had many colors.

2. Who did Rainbow ask why no one was with them?
Rainbow asked a small fish why no one was with them.

3. What did the small fish say about Rainbow’s shiny scales?
The small fish said that Rainbow never shares its shiny scales, so the other fish think Rainbow doesn’t want to share.

4. Who did Rainbow meet on the way to find the octopus?
Rainbow met a big whale and a little crab on the way to find the octopus.

5. What did the octopus give Rainbow?
The octopus gave Rainbow a magic pearl.

6. What did the fish learn about sharing?
The fish learned that sharing makes everyone beautiful together.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) named
(2) scales
(3) fish
(4) said
(5) things
(6) whale
(7) gave
(8) happy
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. Rainbow
Answer: (H) The colors you see in the sky after it rains

2. scales
Answer: (F) The little hard pieces that cover a fish

3. swimming
Answer: (C) Moving in water like a fish does

4. octopus
Answer: (B) A sea animal with eight long arms

5. whale
Answer: (D) A very big fish that lives in the sea

6. crab
Answer: (E) A small sea animal with a hard shell and pinchers

7. magic
Answer: (G) Special and not real, like in fairy tales

8. pearl
Answer: (I) A small round thing that comes from inside a shell in the sea

9. shared
Answer: (A) When you let others have some of what you have

10. beautiful
Answer: (J) Very pretty or nice to look at
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the fish in the story?
Answer: (c) Rainbow

2. Why did the other fish not want to swim with Rainbow?
Answer: (b) Rainbow didn’t share its shiny scales

3. Who did Rainbow meet on the way to find the octopus?
Answer: (d) A big whale and a little crab

4. What did the octopus give to Rainbow?
Answer: (a) A magic pearl

5. What did Rainbow do with the shiny scales?
Answer: (b) Shared them with all the fish

6. How did the other fish feel after Rainbow shared the shiny scales?
Answer: (c) Happy

7. What did the fish learn from Rainbow?
Answer: (d) Sharing makes everyone beautiful together

8. What color were Rainbow’s scales?
Answer: (a) Many colors
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Rainbow was swimming alone one day and wondered why no one was with it. (Answer: True)
2. On the way, Rainbow encountered a small whale and a big crab who displayed no interest in new discoveries. (Answer: False)
3. Rainbow is a fish with shiny and colorful scales. (Answer: True)
4. Rainbow withheld the scales from all the fish, and they were disappointed and realized that withholding makes everyone ugly together. (Answer: False)
5. When Rainbow found the octopus, it gave Rainbow a magic pearl to make more shiny scales. (Answer: True)
6. A small fish told Rainbow that it always shares its dull scales, so the other fish presume it wants to share. (Answer: False)
7. Rainbow wanted to make things right, so it went to find a wise octopus. (Answer: True)
8. The other fish dislike looking at Rainbow’s dull scales. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

The Golden Egg Hunt in Fantasia turns into a heartwarming display of unity and selflessness.

The Golden Egg Hunt

Once upon a time, there was a magical egg hunt where people found special eggs and made wishes.

A sleepy snowman named Frosty embarks on a quest to find his missing carrot nose.

The Sleepy Snowman

Frosty the snowman takes a nap, but when his carrot nose goes missing, he goes on an adventure to find it with his animal friends.

A young girl named Lily embarks on a daring adventure to find a hidden harbor and discovers that true treasure lies in the simple pleasures of life.

The Hidden Harbor

Lily found a secret harbor and learned that the best treasure is having fun with friends.

Maya's wish for endless laughter brings joy and unity to her village, making her the laughter ambassador.

The Mysterious Mango

Maya found a magical mango that granted her a wish, and she wished for laughter for everyone!

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