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 Polka-Dot Pirate

Captain Pete, the Polka-Dot Pirate, embarks on a treasure hunt and discovers the true meaning of sharing.

Try this story at a different level?

 

There was a pirate named Captain Pete who loved polka-dots. His clothes were all dotted, and his animal crew liked to laugh and hide dotted things for him to find.

One day, Captain Pete found out about a special dotted treasure on an island. When they got there, they met monkeys with dots who said Pete could have the treasure if he solved a riddle. The crew thought hard, and a parrot figured it out. The monkeys were happy and gave Pete a new dotted hat.

Captain Pete was excited about the treasure, but then he heard a knock from inside the chest. Inside, there was a dotted snail named Spotty. Spotty said the treasure should be shared, not kept just for one person.

Captain Pete agreed with Spotty and turned his ship into a carnival boat with dots everywhere. They sailed around making people happy and teaching them to share with others.

The story of the Polka-Dot Pirate was remembered by everyone. It showed that being kind and making people laugh is the best kind of treasure.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1pirateA person who steals from ships at sea
2polka-dotsA pattern made of small circles
3riddleA tricky question that you have to think hard to answer
4parrotA colorful bird that can copy sounds and words
5treasureValuable things like gold, jewels, or special items
6chestA big box where you can keep valuable things
7carnivalA big party with rides, games, and fun things to see
8sailedMoved across the water in a boat
9shareTo let others use or have some of what you have
10rememberedKept in people’s minds because it was important or special
11kindNice and caring towards others
12laughTo make sounds with your mouth when something is funny

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Captain Pete like to wear?
2. What did Captain Pete find on the island?
3. How did Captain Pete get the treasure from the monkeys?
4. Who was inside the treasure chest?
5. What did Spotty think should be done with the treasure?
6. What did Captain Pete do with his ship after finding the treasure?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

There was a pirate named Captain Pete who (1)______ polka-dots. His (2)______ were all (3)______, and his animal crew liked to laugh and hide dotted things for him to find.

One day, Captain Pete found out about a special dotted treasure on an island. When they got there, they met (4)______ with dots who said Pete could have the treasure if he solved a riddle. The crew thought hard, and a parrot figured it out. The monkeys were (5)______ and (6)______ Pete a new dotted hat.

Captain Pete was excited about the treasure, but then he heard a knock from inside the (7)______. Inside, there was a dotted snail named (8)______. Spotty said the treasure should be shared, not kept just for one person.

Captain Pete agreed with Spotty and (9)______ his ship into a carnival boat with dots everywhere. They sailed around (10)______ people happy and teaching them to share with others.

The story of the Polka-Dot (11)______ was remembered by everyone. It showed that being kind and making people (12)______ is the best kind of treasure.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a pirate?
2. How would you feel if you found a treasure chest full of polka-dots?
3. Do you like solving riddles? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to share with others? Why or why not?
5. How would you feel if you were Captain Pete and found out about the special dotted treasure?
6. What do you think the monkeys learned from Captain Pete and his crew?
7. How would you feel if you were Spotty the dotted snail?
8. Do you think being kind and making people laugh is important? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. pirate
2. polka-dots
3. riddle
4. parrot
5. treasure
6. chest
7. carnival
8. sailed
9. share
10. remembered
11. kind
12. laugh

Meanings:
(A) Moved across the water in a boat
(B) A big party with rides, games, and fun things to see
(C) Nice and caring towards others
(D) Kept in people’s minds because it was important or special
(E) To let others use or have some of what you have
(F) A colorful bird that can copy sounds and words
(G) A big box where you can keep valuable things
(H) A person who steals from ships at sea
(I) A tricky question that you have to think hard to answer
(J) To make sounds with your mouth when something is funny
(K) Valuable things like gold, jewels, or special items
(L) A pattern made of small circles
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Captain Pete love?
(a) Polka-dots
(b) Stripes
(c) Plaid
(d) Solid colors

2. Who did Captain Pete meet on the island?
(a) Monkeys with stripes
(b) Monkeys with dots
(c) Monkeys with plaid
(d) Monkeys with solid colors

3. How did Captain Pete get the treasure?
(a) By fighting the monkeys
(b) By stealing it
(c) By asking nicely
(d) By solving a riddle

4. Who figured out the riddle?
(a) Captain Pete
(b) The monkeys
(c) The crew
(d) The parrot

5. What did the monkeys give Captain Pete?
(a) A striped shirt
(b) A plaid scarf
(c) A new dotted hat
(d) A solid colored belt

6. Who was inside the treasure chest?
(a) A dotted snail named Spotty
(b) A striped snail named Stripey
(c) A plaid snail named Checkers
(d) A solid colored snail named Plain

7. What did Spotty say about the treasure?
(a) It should be hidden
(b) It should be sold
(c) It should be shared
(d) It should be kept by Captain Pete

8. What did Captain Pete do after hearing Spotty’s suggestion?
(a) Kept the treasure for himself
(b) Turned his ship into a carnival boat
(c) Gave the treasure to the monkeys
(d) Ignored Spotty’s suggestion

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. As a punishment, the monkeys took Captain Pete’s old striped hat.
2. The crew worked separately and a dog cleverly solved the riddle, making the monkeys sad.
3. They discovered a normal treasure on an island that had stripes on it.
4. Inside the treasure chest, they found a snail named Spotty who believed the treasure should be shared.
5. Captain Pete’s human crew enjoyed hiding dotted things for him to find.
6. Monkeys on the island challenged Captain Pete to solve a riddle to earn the treasure.
7. Captain Pete loved polka-dots and dressed in clothes covered in dots.
8. Captain Pete agreed with Spotty and transformed his ship into a carnival boat, spreading happiness and teaching people the importance of sharing.
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 Captain Pete like to wear?
Captain Pete liked to wear clothes with polka-dots.

2. What did Captain Pete find on the island?
Captain Pete found a special dotted treasure on the island.

3. How did Captain Pete get the treasure from the monkeys?
Captain Pete had to solve a riddle given by the monkeys in order to get the treasure.

4. Who was inside the treasure chest?
Inside the treasure chest, there was a dotted snail named Spotty.

5. What did Spotty think should be done with the treasure?
Spotty thought that the treasure should be shared, not kept just for one person.

6. What did Captain Pete do with his ship after finding the treasure?
Captain Pete turned his ship into a carnival boat with dots everywhere and sailed around making people happy and teaching them to share with others.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) loved
(2) clothes
(3) dotted
(4) monkeys
(5) happy
(6) gave
(7) chest
(8) Spotty
(9) turned
(10) making
(11) Pirate
(12) laugh
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. pirate
Answer: (H) A person who steals from ships at sea

2. polka-dots
Answer: (L) A pattern made of small circles

3. riddle
Answer: (I) A tricky question that you have to think hard to answer

4. parrot
Answer: (F) A colorful bird that can copy sounds and words

5. treasure
Answer: (K) Valuable things like gold, jewels, or special items

6. chest
Answer: (G) A big box where you can keep valuable things

7. carnival
Answer: (B) A big party with rides, games, and fun things to see

8. sailed
Answer: (A) Moved across the water in a boat

9. share
Answer: (E) To let others use or have some of what you have

10. remembered
Answer: (D) Kept in people’s minds because it was important or special

11. kind
Answer: (C) Nice and caring towards others

12. laugh
Answer: (J) To make sounds with your mouth when something is funny
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Captain Pete love?
Answer: (a) Polka-dots

2. Who did Captain Pete meet on the island?
Answer: (b) Monkeys with dots

3. How did Captain Pete get the treasure?
Answer: (d) By solving a riddle

4. Who figured out the riddle?
Answer: (d) The parrot

5. What did the monkeys give Captain Pete?
Answer: (c) A new dotted hat

6. Who was inside the treasure chest?
Answer: (a) A dotted snail named Spotty

7. What did Spotty say about the treasure?
Answer: (c) It should be shared

8. What did Captain Pete do after hearing Spotty’s suggestion?
Answer: (b) Turned his ship into a carnival boat
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. As a punishment, the monkeys took Captain Pete’s old striped hat. (Answer: False)
2. The crew worked separately and a dog cleverly solved the riddle, making the monkeys sad. (Answer: False)
3. They discovered a normal treasure on an island that had stripes on it. (Answer: False)
4. Inside the treasure chest, they found a snail named Spotty who believed the treasure should be shared. (Answer: True)
5. Captain Pete’s human crew enjoyed hiding dotted things for him to find. (Answer: False)
6. Monkeys on the island challenged Captain Pete to solve a riddle to earn the treasure. (Answer: True)
7. Captain Pete loved polka-dots and dressed in clothes covered in dots. (Answer: True)
8. Captain Pete agreed with Spotty and transformed his ship into a carnival boat, spreading happiness and teaching people the importance of sharing. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

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