Paul Holmes -
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Short Stories for Kids

Complete lesson plans, including stories, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

The Clever Flower

Once upon a time, in a beautiful garden, there was a little flower named Daisy. Daisy was very clever and always thought of creative solutions to problems.

One day, the other flowers in the garden were having trouble reaching the sun. They were too short and the leaves of the tall trees were blocking their sunlight.

Daisy had an idea. She asked the friendly bumblebees to help her. Together, they worked hard to move the leaves out of the way so the other flowers could get some sunshine.

The other flowers were so grateful to Daisy and the bumblebees. They thanked them and asked how they could repay them.

Daisy said, “Just keep blooming and spreading happiness. That’s all the thanks we need.”

And so, the flowers continued to bloom and spread joy, all thanks to Daisy’s clever solution. The end.

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Vocabulary

  1. garden (noun): a plot of land where plants, flowers, and vegetables are grown
  2. flower (noun): a plant with brightly colored petals that is often used to decorate or add beauty to a place
  3. clever (adjective): intelligent and able to think quickly and find solutions to problems
  4. bumblebee (noun): a type of bee with a round body and fuzzy hair that is known for its ability to pollinate flowers
  5. leaves (noun): the flat, green structures that grow on trees and other plants and are used for photosynthesis
  6. sunshine (noun): the light and warmth that come from the sun
  7. grateful (adjective): feeling or showing thanks or appreciation
  8. repay (verb): to give something back to someone in return for something that they have given you
  9. bloom (verb): to produce flowers; to flourish or thrive
  10. joy (noun): a feeling of great happiness or delight.

Comprehension Questions

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

  1. What was the problem that the flowers in the garden were facing?
  2. Who is Daisy and what is she known for in the story?
  3. How did Daisy help the other flowers in the garden?
  4. How did the other flowers show their appreciation to Daisy and the bumblebees?
  5. What did Daisy say was the only thanks she needed?
  6. What did the bumblebees do to help the flowers?
  7. What is the main message or lesson of the story?
  8. How did the story end?

Gap Fill Questions

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

  1. The story takes place in a _________.
  2. Daisy is a ________ flower in the garden.
  3. The other flowers were having trouble ________ the sun.
  4. Daisy asked the _________ for help.
  5. Daisy and the bumblebees moved the ________ out of the way.
  6. The other flowers were _________ to Daisy and the bumblebees.
  7. Daisy said the only thanks she needed was for the other flowers to ________ and spread happiness.
  8. The story ends with the flowers continuing to ________ and spread joy.

Conversation Questions

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

  1. What was your favorite part of the story?
  2. Do you have a garden at home? What kind of plants or flowers do you have?
  3. Have you ever had to find a solution to a problem like Daisy did?
  4. Do you think it’s important to help others when they are in need? Why or why not?
  5. Do you think Daisy was very brave to ask the bumblebees for help? Why or why not?
  6. How do you think the other flowers felt when they couldn’t get any sunlight?
  7. Do you have any pets at home? Do you think they are helpful like the bumblebees?
  8. Have you ever received help from someone and felt grateful like the other flowers?
  9. What do you think it means to “spread happiness”? How can we do that in our everyday lives?
  10. Do you have a favorite flower? What makes it your favorite?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

  1. What was the problem that the flowers in the garden were facing?
  • The flowers in the garden were having trouble reaching the sun because they were too short and the leaves of the tall trees were blocking their sunlight.
  1. Who is Daisy and what is she known for in the story?
  • Daisy is a little flower in the garden who is known for being clever and always thinking of creative solutions to problems.
  1. How did Daisy help the other flowers in the garden?
  • Daisy asked the bumblebees for help and together they worked hard to move the leaves out of the way so the other flowers could get some sunshine.
  1. How did the other flowers show their appreciation to Daisy and the bumblebees?
  • The other flowers thanked Daisy and the bumblebees and asked how they could repay them.
  1. What did Daisy say was the only thanks she needed?
  • Daisy said that the only thanks she needed was for the other flowers to keep blooming and spreading happiness.
  1. What did the bumblebees do to help the flowers?
  • The bumblebees helped Daisy move the leaves out of the way so the other flowers could get some sunshine.
  1. What is the main message or lesson of the story?
  • The main message or lesson of the story is the importance of helping others and being grateful for the help we receive.
  1. How did the story end?
  • The story ended with the flowers continuing to bloom and spread joy, all thanks to Daisy’s clever solution.

Gap Fill Question Answers:

  1. The story takes place in a garden.
  2. Daisy is a little flower in the garden.
  3. The other flowers were having trouble reaching the sun.
  4. Daisy asked the bumblebees for help.
  5. Daisy and the bumblebees moved the leaves out of the way.
  6. The other flowers were grateful to Daisy and the bumblebees.
  7. Daisy said the only thanks she needed was for the other flowers to bloom and spread happiness.
  8. The story ends with the flowers continuing to bloom and spread joy.

πŸ“š 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.

Three friends stumble upon a magical peach palace filled with talking animals and enchanted treasures, unlocking their own creativity and joy.

The Peculiar Peach Palace

Max, Sam, and Mia found a special house with talking animals and fairies that made them laugh. They discovered magic inside and learned that they could make their own magic too.

Stella the unicorn uses her magical rainbow to spread happiness and love to all creatures.

The Rainbow Bridge

Stella the unicorn loves making rainbows and goes on an adventure to win special magic dust.

A little girl named Lily saves her town from darkness by convincing mischievous squirrels to return stolen sunflowers.

The Day the Sun Forgot to Rise

Once upon a time, there was a town that got scared when the sun didn’t come up. A brave girl named Lily found squirrels taking sunflowers, and she told them to put them back. The people in the town planted the flowers again and sang to make the sun come back. They learned that being hopeful is important, and the sun always came up after that day.

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