Paul Holmes -
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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 Clever Fox

Once upon a time, there was a fox named Fuzzy. Fuzzy was very clever and liked to solve puzzles. He was always looking for new challenges.

One day, Fuzzy was walking through the forest, searching for food. Suddenly, he saw a big, juicy apple hanging from a tree. Fuzzy wanted the apple, but it was too high for him to reach. What a frustrating situation!

Fuzzy thought and thought about how he could get the apple. Suddenly, he had an idea. He found a big stick, and he put it up against the tree. He climbed up the stick, and the apple was still too high. What could he do?

Fuzzy tried again. He found two sticks, and he put them together to make a bigger stick. He put the stick up against the tree again and this time, he was able to reach the apple. Finally!

Fuzzy was very happy that he was able to get the apple. He thanked the sticks for helping him. From then on, Fuzzy used his cleverness to get whatever he wanted. So he became known as “The Clever Fox”.

The End.

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Vocabulary

1. Solve (verb): To find an answer to a problem or puzzle.
2. Juicy (adjective): Having a lot of liquid or flavor.
3. Reach (verb): To extend one’s hand or arms to get something.
4. Stick (noun): A long, thin piece of wood.
5. Frustrating (adjective): The feeling when you want to do something but you can’t.
6. Clever (adjective): Intelligent and able to think quickly.
7. Put (verb): To place something in a particular position.

Comprehension Questions

1. What was the name of the fox?
2. What was Fuzzy always looking for?
3. What did Fuzzy find hanging from a tree?
4. What did Fuzzy do to try and get the apple?
5. How many sticks did Fuzzy use to get the apple?
6. How did Fuzzy make the sticks longer?
7. What was Fuzzy able to do with the help of the sticks?
8. How did Fuzzy feel when he got the apple?
9. What did Fuzzy thank the sticks for?
10. What did Fuzzy use his cleverness to do afterwards?

Gap Fill Questions

1. Fuzzy was a very _____ fox.
2. Fuzzy saw a _____ apple in a tree.
3. He tried to reach the apple, but it was _____ high.
4. Fuzzy found a _____ to help him.
5. He put the stick _____ the tree.
6. He found two sticks to make a _____ one.
7. Fuzzy was _____ to get the apple.
8. He thanked the _____ for helping him.
9. Fuzzy used his _____ to get what he wanted.
10. In the end, Fuzzy was _____.

Conversation Questions

1. Have you ever heard any other stories about clever animals?
2. What are some other characteristics of a fox?
3. Are there any other animals that you think are particularly clever?
4. Do you think that animals have an instinctive sense of what is right and wrong?
5. Do you think that animals are capable of being kind or empathetic?
6. Do you think that animals are capable of understanding complex concepts?
7. Do you think that animals have the same level of intelligence as humans?
8. What do you think of when you think of the phrase “clever like a fox”?
9. In your opinion, what makes an animal particularly clever?
10. Do you think that animals are more intelligent now than they were in the past?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Fuzzy
2. New challenges
3. A big, juicy apple
4. He found a stick and tried to reach the apple
5. Two
6. He put them together to make a bigger stick
7. Reach the apple
8. Very happy
9. Helping him
10. Get whatever he wanted

Gap Fill Question Answers:

1. Fuzzy was a very clever fox.
2. Fuzzy saw a juicy apple in a tree.
3. He tried to reach the apple, but it was too high.
4. Fuzzy found a stick to help him.
5. He put the stick up against the tree.
6. He found two sticks to make a bigger one.
7. Fuzzy was very happy to get the apple.
8. He thanked the sticks for helping him.
9. Fuzzy used his cleverness to get what he wanted.
10. In the end, Fuzzy was happy.

📚 How about these other Level 2 stories?

A sleepy snowman named Frosty embarks on a quest to find his missing carrot nose.

The Sleepy Snowman

Frosty the snowman loves to sleep, but when his carrot nose goes missing, he goes on an adventure to find it and learns about friendship along the way.

Dara the daring dragonfly embarks on a quest, only to discover that the true treasure is within.

The Daring Dragonfly

Dara the dragonfly found a secret map and went on an adventure to find treasure, but she discovered that the real treasure was learning to have fun and be brave.

Freddie Firefly embarks on a daring adventure, encountering a spider, a lost caterpillar, and wise owls.

The Adventures of Freddie Firefly

Freddie the firefly had an exciting adventure in the magical forest, where he made new friends and learned important lessons about bravery and friendship.

Humphrey the Hippogriff embarks on a quest to cure his hiccups and discovers the power of laughter.

The Hiccuping Hippogriff

Humphrey the Hippogriff had a big problem – he couldn’t stop hiccupping! He asked wise animals for help, but nothing worked. Then, a unicorn named Luna told him to laugh, and it actually worked! Humphrey learned that laughter can fix things and make others happy too.

Jack and Emma's lives are forever changed when they discover a tiny dinosaur in an enormous egg.

The Dinosaur Egg

Jack and Emma find a dinosaur egg, but it hatches into a tiny dinosaur named Biscuit.

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