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 Robot in the Rainforest

A group of curious animals befriends a lost robot in the rainforest, and together they weather a storm.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In the big jungle, some animals found something shiny. It was a robot named Robbie! The animals liked Robbie. He was funny and made cool sounds.

Robbie could do many things. He helped monkeys jump high and found secret paths. His friends liked him even though he didn’t get jokes.

One night, a big storm came. The animals were scared. But Robbie built a safe place for them to stay dry. They were all very happy and thankful.

After the storm, the animals helped Robbie go home. They said goodbye and missed him. They always remembered their robot friend Robbie and how he showed them that friends are important.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1jungleA place with lots of trees and plants where wild creatures live
2animalsCreatures like lions, tigers, and monkeys
3shinyBright and sparkly like little stars
4robotA machine that can move and do things like a person
5soundsNoises that things make
6stormA big rain with lots of wind and noise
7safeNot in danger; protected from hurt
8dryNot wet
9thankfulFeeling happy because someone helped you
10rememberedKept something in your mind so you don’t forget it

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did the animals find in the jungle that was shiny?
2. Why did the animals like Robbie?
3. What were some things that Robbie could do?
4. What did Robbie build for the animals during the storm?
5. How did the animals feel when they had to say goodbye to Robbie?
6. What did Robbie teach the animals about?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In the big jungle, some animals found something (1)______. It was a (2)______ named Robbie! The animals liked Robbie. He was funny and made cool sounds.

Robbie could do many (3)______. He helped monkeys jump high and found secret paths. His friends (4)______ him even though he didn’t get jokes.

One night, a big storm came. The animals were scared. But (5)______ built a safe place for them to stay dry. They were all very (6)______ and thankful.

After the storm, the animals helped Robbie go home. They (7)______ goodbye and missed him. They always remembered their robot friend Robbie and how he showed them that (8)______ are important.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a robot?
2. How would you feel if you found something shiny in the jungle?
3. Do you like robots? Why or why not?
4. How do you think the animals felt when Robbie helped them during the storm?
5. What do you think the animals did to help Robbie go home?
6. Why do you think the animals missed Robbie after he left?
7. Do you think friends are important? Why or why not?
8. How do you think Robbie’s friends felt about him even though he didn’t understand jokes?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. jungle
2. animals
3. shiny
4. robot
5. sounds
6. storm
7. safe
8. dry
9. thankful
10. remembered

Meanings:
(A) Noises that things make
(B) Creatures like lions, tigers, and monkeys
(C) Not wet
(D) A big rain with lots of wind and noise
(E) Kept something in your mind so you don’t forget it
(F) A machine that can move and do things like a person
(G) Feeling happy because someone helped you
(H) Bright and sparkly like little stars
(I) Not in danger; protected from hurt
(J) A place with lots of trees and plants where wild creatures live
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did the animals find in the jungle?
(a) A shiny rock
(b) A big tree
(c) A robot named Robbie
(d) A scary monster

2. What did Robbie help the monkeys do?
(a) Swim in the river
(b) Fly in the sky
(c) Hide in the bushes
(d) Jump high

3. What did the animals do when the storm came?
(a) They were scared
(b) They laughed and played
(c) They went to sleep
(d) They danced in the rain

4. What did Robbie build for the animals during the storm?
(a) A big slide
(b) A safe place
(c) A tall tower
(d) A colorful painting

5. How did the animals feel after the storm?
(a) Very happy and thankful
(b) Very sad and angry
(c) Very tired and bored
(d) Very scared and lonely

6. How did the animals help Robbie?
(a) They played games with him
(b) They gave him lots of food
(c) They painted him a picture
(d) They helped him go home

7. What did the animals do when they said goodbye to Robbie?
(a) They forgot about him
(b) They laughed at him
(c) They missed him
(d) They were angry at him

8. What did Robbie show the animals?
(a) That jokes are funny
(b) That friends are important
(c) That robots are scary
(d) That shiny things are fun

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. When a big storm comes, Robbie builds a safe place for the animals to stay dry.
2. In the story, there is a desert with many animals.
3. After the storm, the animals help Robbie go back home.
4. Even though Robbie understands jokes, his friends don’t like him.
5. The animals find something dull, which is a robot named Robbie.
6. Robbie can do many things, like helping monkeys jump high and finding secret paths.
7. Robbie is boring and makes annoying sounds, so the animals don’t like him.
8. The animals always remember their robot friend Robbie and how he taught them the importance of having friends.
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 animals find in the jungle that was shiny?
They found a shiny robot named Robbie.

2. Why did the animals like Robbie?
The animals liked Robbie because he was funny and made cool sounds.

3. What were some things that Robbie could do?
Robbie could help monkeys jump high and find secret paths.

4. What did Robbie build for the animals during the storm?
Robbie built a safe place for the animals to stay dry during the storm.

5. How did the animals feel when they had to say goodbye to Robbie?
The animals felt sad when they had to say goodbye to Robbie.

6. What did Robbie teach the animals about?
Robbie taught the animals that friends are important.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) shiny
(2) robot
(3) things
(4) liked
(5) Robbie
(6) happy
(7) said
(8) friends
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. jungle
Answer: (J) A place with lots of trees and plants where wild creatures live

2. animals
Answer: (B) Creatures like lions, tigers, and monkeys

3. shiny
Answer: (H) Bright and sparkly like little stars

4. robot
Answer: (F) A machine that can move and do things like a person

5. sounds
Answer: (A) Noises that things make

6. storm
Answer: (D) A big rain with lots of wind and noise

7. safe
Answer: (I) Not in danger; protected from hurt

8. dry
Answer: (C) Not wet

9. thankful
Answer: (G) Feeling happy because someone helped you

10. remembered
Answer: (E) Kept something in your mind so you don’t forget it
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did the animals find in the jungle?
Answer: (c) A robot named Robbie

2. What did Robbie help the monkeys do?
Answer: (d) Jump high

3. What did the animals do when the storm came?
Answer: (a) They were scared

4. What did Robbie build for the animals during the storm?
Answer: (b) A safe place

5. How did the animals feel after the storm?
Answer: (a) Very happy and thankful

6. How did the animals help Robbie?
Answer: (d) They helped him go home

7. What did the animals do when they said goodbye to Robbie?
Answer: (c) They missed him

8. What did Robbie show the animals?
Answer: (b) That friends are important
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. When a big storm comes, Robbie builds a safe place for the animals to stay dry. (Answer: True)
2. In the story, there is a desert with many animals. (Answer: False)
3. After the storm, the animals help Robbie go back home. (Answer: True)
4. Even though Robbie understands jokes, his friends don’t like him. (Answer: False)
5. The animals find something dull, which is a robot named Robbie. (Answer: False)
6. Robbie can do many things, like helping monkeys jump high and finding secret paths. (Answer: True)
7. Robbie is boring and makes annoying sounds, so the animals don’t like him. (Answer: False)
8. The animals always remember their robot friend Robbie and how he taught them the importance of having friends. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A mischievous squirrel with the power to fly becomes the forest's superhero and saves the day.

The Superhero Squirrel

Sammy the flying squirrel saves his friend Billy from a tree and stops a sneaky fox from taking acorns.

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.

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.

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