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 Great Grape Escape

George and his grape friends escape the vineyard, overcoming obstacles and finding a world full of adventures.

Try this story at a different level?

 

Once upon a time, in a place where there were many grapevines under the sun, lots of grapes were getting ready to be picked. The grapes were excited about being made into wine. However, there was one grape, George, who didn’t want that at all. George was fed up with being squashed every year, so he came up with a plan to run away with his grape friends.

One night, when it was really quiet and everyone was asleep, George and his buddies rolled carefully to the end of the grapevines. They managed to slip out and started to run away. On their way, they ran into problems like leaves, bugs, and a scarecrow that tried to catch them with its long arms.

But George and his grape friends kept going, even though it was hard. They slid down a hill with lots of green plants and fell into a stream with lots of bubbles. The water felt good, and they felt happy as they went on. Then they met a squirrel named Sammy, who was surprised to see grapes rolling around and wanted to go with them on their adventure.

When they almost got out of the vineyard, they hit a snag. A big wooden fence was in their way. But George had an idea about how to work as a team. So, they all joined together, made a pile, and climbed over the fence to get out.

In the end, George and his friends made it to a pretty field. They played in the soft grass, happy they had gotten away. The sunlight made them shine, and they felt proud of what they did. They learned that going on an adventure instead of doing what they always do can be amazing. By helping each other and being brave, they found a whole new place to see. And they kept going, ready for whatever came next in their lives.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1grapevinesPlants that grow grapes
2squashedPressed or crushed until out of shape
3buddiesFriends or companions
4slippedMoved quietly or stealthily
5scarecrowA figure made to look like a person, set up to scare birds away from crops
6slidMoved smoothly along a surface
7streamA small river or brook
8bubblesSmall round particles of gas that form in liquid
9squirrelA small animal with a bushy tail that climbs trees
10snagAn unexpected problem or difficulty
11vineyardA large area of land where grape plants are grown
12pileA collection of things or people put on top of each other
13fieldA large open area of grass
14sunlightThe natural light emitted by the sun
15adventureA journey with exciting experiences and challenges

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who is the main character in the story?
2. Why did George not want to be made into wine?
3. What obstacles did George and his grape friends encounter on their way?
4. How did George and his friends overcome the big wooden fence?
5. Where did George and his friends end up at the end of the story?
6. How did George and his friends feel when they reached the pretty field?
7. What did George and his friends learn from their adventure?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Once upon a time, in a place where there were many (1)______ under the sun, lots of grapes were getting (2)______ to be picked. The grapes were (3)______ about being made into wine. However, there was one grape, (4)______, who didn’t want that at all. George was fed up with being squashed every year, so he came up with a plan to run away with his grape friends.

One night, when it was really quiet and everyone was asleep, George and his (5)______ rolled carefully to the end of the (6)______vines. They managed to slip out and started to run away. On their way, they ran into problems like (7)______, bugs, and a scarecrow that tried to catch them with its long arms.

But George and his grape friends kept going, even though it was hard. They slid down a hill with lots of green (8)______ and fell into a stream with lots of bubbles. The water felt good, and they felt (9)______ as they went on. Then they met a squirrel named (10)______, who was surprised to see grapes rolling around and wanted to go with them on their adventure.

When they almost got out of the (11)______, they hit a snag. A big wooden (12)______ was in their way. But George had an idea about how to work as a team. So, they all joined together, made a pile, and climbed over the fence to get out.

In the end, George and his friends made it to a (13)______ field. They played in the soft grass, happy they had gotten away. The sunlight made them (14)______, and they felt proud of what they did. They learned that going on an adventure instead of (15)______ what they always do can be amazing. By helping each other and being brave, they found a (16)______ new place to see. And they kept going, ready for whatever came next in their lives.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is an adventure? Have you ever been on an adventure? Why or why not?
2. How would you feel if you were a grape and you had to be squashed every year? Why?
3. Do you think George was brave for wanting to run away? Why or why not?
4. How do you think George and his grape friends felt when they were running away? Why?
5. What is teamwork? Can you think of a time when you had to work as a team? How did it make you feel?
6. Do you like trying new things and going on adventures? Why or why not?
7. How do you think George and his friends felt when they finally made it to the pretty field? Why?
8. What do you think George and his friends learned from their adventure? Why or why not?
9. How would you feel if you were a grape and you could choose to be made into wine or go on an adventure? Why?
10. What would you do if you were George and you wanted to run away? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. grapevines
2. squashed
3. buddies
4. slipped
5. scarecrow
6. slid
7. stream
8. bubbles
9. squirrel
10. snag
11. vineyard
12. pile
13. field
14. sunlight
15. adventure

Meanings:
(A) A large open area of grass
(B) A figure made to look like a person, set up to scare birds away from crops
(C) A journey with exciting experiences and challenges
(D) Plants that grow grapes
(E) Moved smoothly along a surface
(F) Small round particles of gas that form in liquid
(G) A small river or brook
(H) A large area of land where grape plants are grown
(I) A collection of things or people put on top of each other
(J) Friends or companions
(K) An unexpected problem or difficulty
(L) A small animal with a bushy tail that climbs trees
(M) The natural light emitted by the sun
(N) Moved quietly or stealthily
(O) Pressed or crushed until out of shape
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Why did George want to run away?
(a) He was tired of being squashed every year
(b) He wanted to explore new places
(c) He didn’t like the taste of wine
(d) He was scared of the scarecrow

2. What problems did George and his friends encounter on their way?
(a) Leaves, bugs, and a scarecrow
(b) Rain, thunder, and lightning
(c) Rocks, trees, and a river
(d) Birds, cats, and dogs

3. Who did George and his friends meet on their adventure?
(a) A rabbit named Ricky
(b) A bird named Benny
(c) A fox named Freddy
(d) A squirrel named Sammy

4. How did George and his friends overcome the wooden fence?
(a) They found a hole to crawl through
(b) They made a pile and climbed over it
(c) They broke the fence with their strength
(d) They asked Sammy to chew through it

5. Where did George and his friends end up after escaping the vineyard?
(a) A dark forest
(b) A busy city
(c) A tall mountain
(d) A pretty field

6. What did George and his friends learn from their adventure?
(a) They should always stay in the vineyard
(b) Going on an adventure can be amazing
(c) They should never trust squirrels
(d) They should avoid grapes in the future

7. How did George and his friends feel when they reached the pretty field?
(a) Sad and disappointed
(b) Scared and tired
(c) Happy and proud
(d) Angry and frustrated

8. What did George and his friends do after reaching the pretty field?
(a) They went back to the vineyard
(b) They started making wine
(c) They played in the soft grass
(d) They looked for more adventures

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. They encounter a big wooden fence that blocks their path, but they work together to overcome it.
2. George and his grape enemies manage to escape from the grapevines one night.
3. Along their journey, George and his friends face advantages like leaves, bugs, and a scarecrow.
4. Eventually, they reach a beautiful field where they can play and enjoy the soft grass.
5. George and his friends learn the insignificance of teamwork, cowardice, and the boredom of going on an adventure.
6. George is a grape who doesn’t want to be turned into wine.
7. They meet a squirrel named Sammy who wants to join them on their adventure.
8. They climb up a hill and fall into a stream, feeling unhappy and drained.
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?
– The main character in the story is George, the grape.

2. Why did George not want to be made into wine?
– George didn’t want to be made into wine because he was tired of being squashed every year.

3. What obstacles did George and his grape friends encounter on their way?
– George and his grape friends encountered obstacles like leaves, bugs, and a scarecrow.

4. How did George and his friends overcome the big wooden fence?
– George and his friends overcame the big wooden fence by working together. They made a pile and climbed over it.

5. Where did George and his friends end up at the end of the story?
– At the end of the story, George and his friends ended up in a pretty field.

6. How did George and his friends feel when they reached the pretty field?
– George and his friends felt happy and proud when they reached the pretty field.

7. What did George and his friends learn from their adventure?
– George and his friends learned that going on an adventure can be amazing. They also learned the importance of helping each other and being brave.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) grapevines
(2) ready
(3) excited
(4) George
(5) buddies
(6) grape
(7) leaves
(8) plants
(9) happy
(10) Sammy
(11) vineyard
(12) fence
(13) pretty
(14) shine
(15) doing
(16) whole
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. grapevines
Answer: (D) Plants that grow grapes

2. squashed
Answer: (O) Pressed or crushed until out of shape

3. buddies
Answer: (J) Friends or companions

4. slipped
Answer: (N) Moved quietly or stealthily

5. scarecrow
Answer: (B) A figure made to look like a person, set up to scare birds away from crops

6. slid
Answer: (E) Moved smoothly along a surface

7. stream
Answer: (G) A small river or brook

8. bubbles
Answer: (F) Small round particles of gas that form in liquid

9. squirrel
Answer: (L) A small animal with a bushy tail that climbs trees

10. snag
Answer: (K) An unexpected problem or difficulty

11. vineyard
Answer: (H) A large area of land where grape plants are grown

12. pile
Answer: (I) A collection of things or people put on top of each other

13. field
Answer: (A) A large open area of grass

14. sunlight
Answer: (M) The natural light emitted by the sun

15. adventure
Answer: (C) A journey with exciting experiences and challenges
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. Why did George want to run away?
Answer: (a) He was tired of being squashed every year

2. What problems did George and his friends encounter on their way?
Answer: (a) Leaves, bugs, and a scarecrow

3. Who did George and his friends meet on their adventure?
Answer: (d) A squirrel named Sammy

4. How did George and his friends overcome the wooden fence?
Answer: (b) They made a pile and climbed over it

5. Where did George and his friends end up after escaping the vineyard?
Answer: (d) A pretty field

6. What did George and his friends learn from their adventure?
Answer: (b) Going on an adventure can be amazing

7. How did George and his friends feel when they reached the pretty field?
Answer: (c) Happy and proud

8. What did George and his friends do after reaching the pretty field?
Answer: (c) They played in the soft grass
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. They encounter a big wooden fence that blocks their path, but they work together to overcome it. (Answer: True)
2. George and his grape enemies manage to escape from the grapevines one night. (Answer: False)
3. Along their journey, George and his friends face advantages like leaves, bugs, and a scarecrow. (Answer: False)
4. Eventually, they reach a beautiful field where they can play and enjoy the soft grass. (Answer: True)
5. George and his friends learn the insignificance of teamwork, cowardice, and the boredom of going on an adventure. (Answer: False)
6. George is a grape who doesn’t want to be turned into wine. (Answer: True)
7. They meet a squirrel named Sammy who wants to join them on their adventure. (Answer: True)
8. They climb up a hill and fall into a stream, feeling unhappy and drained. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 3 stories?

In the end, it wasn't the blueberries that made the Bizarre Blueberry Banquet special, but the spirit of the village.

The Bizarre Blueberry Banquet

In a village called Berryville, the blueberries disappeared before the big party, but they found a secret blueberry bush and had a blast at the rain-soaked celebration.

A dragon and a squirrel team up to find an enchanted treasure, but the squirrel has a secret plan.

The Dragon’s Dream

Dillon the dragon, with his special dreaming talent, embarks on a quest for a magical treasure with his new friend Daisy.

Three friendly ghosts bring joy and laughter to a lonely boy, teaching him the power of true friendship.

The Three Friendly Ghosts

Three friendly ghosts named Casper, Jasper, and Hester meet a lonely boy named Timmy and become his secret friends, going on exciting adventures together and spreading happiness wherever they go.

Ruby, the mischievous red panda, embarks on a quest to find a golden tree and discovers the true treasure of friendship.

The Riddle of the Red Panda

Ruby, the playful red panda, embarks on a treasure hunt in the magical forest of Doram, but discovers that the real treasure is the friends she makes along the way.

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