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 Busy Bee

Once upon a time, in a beautiful meadow filled with flowers, there lived a busy little bee named Buzz. Buzz loved nothing more than spending his days flying from flower to flower, collecting sweet nectar to bring back to the hive.

Every day, Buzz woke up bright and early, ready to start his work. He would fly from one patch of flowers to the next, his wings beating so fast that they were just a blur. He was always on the go, always busy.

But one day, something strange happened. As Buzz flew from flower to flower, he noticed that there were fewer and fewer of them. The once-beautiful meadow was starting to look barren and empty.

Buzz was worried. He knew that the flowers were important for the hive, and without them, the bees wouldn’t have enough food. So, he decided to do something about it.

Buzz flew to the queen bee and told her about the problem. Together, they came up with a plan to plant more flowers in the meadow.

And so, Buzz and the other bees spent the next few weeks working hard to plant and care for the new flowers. Slowly but surely, the meadow began to come back to life.

Thanks to Buzz’s hard work and determination, the bees had plenty of sweet nectar to eat once again. And Buzz was hailed as a hero, the busiest and most helpful bee in the hive.

The end.

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Vocabulary

  1. meadow (noun) – a field, especially one covered with grass or herbage and suitable for pasture or hay
  2. nectar (noun) – a sweet liquid produced by plants, especially flowers, and collected by bees to make into honey
  3. hive (noun) – a structure in which bees are kept, especially for their honey
  4. patch (noun) – a small piece of land, especially one that is not cultivated
  5. barren (adjective) – not producing or unable to produce offspring or fruit; not fertile
  6. determine (verb) – to decide or establish something definitively
  7. queen bee (noun) – a female bee that is the dominant member of a hive and the mother of most of the bees in the hive
  8. plan (noun) – a detailed proposal for doing or achieving something
  9. care (noun) – attention and effort taken to do something properly or to deal with someone or something effectively
  10. hero (noun) – a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities

Comprehension Questions

Please answer the following questions with your teacher or partner.
The answers are at the bottom of the page!

  1. What do you like best about the story?
  2. Have you ever been to a meadow? What was it like?
  3. What do you think it would be like to be a bee?
  4. Have you ever planted anything before?
  5. Do you know what nectar is used for?
  6. What do you think the hive would be like inside?
  7. Do you think it’s important to take care of the environment? Why or why not?
  8. Have you ever seen a queen bee before?
  9. What do you think it would be like to work with a group to achieve a common goal?
  10. Do you have a hero in your life? Who are they and why do you admire them?
  11. If you could be any type of animal, what would you be and why?

Gap Fill Questions

Please fill in the gaps.
The answers are at the bottom of the page!

  1. The busy little bee was called _______.
  2. Buzz flew from _______ to _______, collecting nectar.
  3. The meadow was starting to look _______ and empty.
  4. Buzz and the queen bee came up with a _______ to plant more flowers.
  5. The bees spent the next few weeks _______ and caring for the new flowers.
  6. The meadow began to come back to life _______ but _______.
  7. Thanks to Buzz’s hard work and determination, the bees had plenty of _______ to eat once again.
  8. Buzz was hailed as a _______, the busiest and most helpful bee in the hive.

Conversation Questions

With your teacher or partner, please ask and answer these questions:

  1. What did Leo like to do all day?
  2. What did the other animals decide to do one day?
  3. How did Leo feel about the race?
  4. What did the other animals do during the race?
  5. Where was Leo when the race was over?
  6. How did the other animals feel when they couldn’t find Leo after the race?
  7. How did the other animals finally find Leo?
  8. Was Leo disappointed when he missed the race?
  9. How did Leo’s behavior change after the race?
  10. Do you think Leo had fun participating in the activities in the jungle?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

  1. What was the name of the bee in the story?

Answer: The bee’s name was Buzz.

  1. What did the bee do every day?

Answer: Buzz flew from flower to flower collecting sweet nectar to bring back to the hive.

  1. What happened to the flowers in the meadow?

Answer: There were fewer and fewer flowers in the meadow.

  1. Why was Buzz worried about the flowers in the meadow?

Answer: Buzz was worried because the flowers were important for the hive and without them, the bees wouldn’t have enough food.

  1. What did Buzz and the queen bee decide to do to solve the problem of the disappearing flowers?

Answer: They decided to plant more flowers in the meadow.

  1. How did the bees help the flowers grow in the meadow?

Answer: The bees spent time planting and caring for the new flowers.

  1. What happened to the bees’ supply of nectar once the flowers in the meadow were growing again?

Answer: The bees had plenty of sweet nectar to eat once again.

  1. How was Buzz recognized for his hard work and determination?

Answer: Buzz was hailed as a hero, the busiest and most helpful bee in the hive.

Gap Fill Question Answers:

  1. The busy little bee was called Buzz.
  2. Buzz flew from flower to flower, collecting nectar.
  3. The meadow was starting to look barren and empty.
  4. Buzz and the queen bee came up with a plan to plant more flowers.
  5. The bees spent the next few weeks planting and caring for the new flowers.
  6. The meadow began to come back to life slowly but surely.
  7. Thanks to Buzz’s hard work and determination, the bees had plenty of sweet nectar to eat once again.
  8. Buzz was hailed as a hero, the busiest and most helpful bee in the hive.

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

A llama farmer builds an obstacle course to keep his mischievous llamas entertained and happy.

The Llama Farmer

Mr. Thompson’s llamas loved to play on the fun course he made, and everyone in the village liked watching them.

disaster into a triumph, creating a beautiful and unforgettable moment for everyone involved.

The Carnival of Colors

In Rainbowland, everyone had a big fun day with colors, parades, and tasty snacks. Timmy’s costume flew away, but his friends helped him fix it and win a prize.

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