Vocabulary and language overview for short stories 1-10
This series of ten ESL short stories for beginners is the perfect curriculum for kindergarten teachers. Lesson plans, story activities, and flashcards are included to save teachers time. Check out the contents here, and get a free sample.
Story 1. I’m Hungry
This story covers greetings and animals.
Animals: Ant, spider, snake, bird, cat, fox, and lion.
Greeting: Hello, how are you?
I’m fine, thanks.
Verbs: Eat
Phrases: I’m hungry.
I am going to eat you.
Extra vocabulary for version 2: What are you doing? Look for, look, find, gobble up, pop out, unfortunately
Story 2. Anna goes to the zoo
This story introduces counting from one to ten. It also revises animals from story one and introduces new ones.
Animals: Revision: Lion, spider, snake, bird, and ant
Numbers: 1-10
New animals: Elephant, giraffe, bear, duck, and monkey
Nouns: Daddy, zoo
Verbs: See
Phrases: At the zoo
An option is to revise colours, deliberately getting them wrong, for example:
“At the zoo, Anna sees two elephants. There they are, two green elephants,” and let the children spot the mistake – they will soon be calling out the right colour.
Extra vocabulary for version 2: The text proposes a variety of verbs to describe what the animals are doing and animal body parts. Repeat the same verbs more often if you need a simpler version, but not as simple as the basic one.
Walk, stick out, say, spray, eat, think, chew, dance, rest, swim, lie down, monkey around, play, and sit.
Tongue, trunk, back, webbed-feet, beak, head, and body.
Hot, hungry, and meal.
Story 3. Archie and his pony
This story revises counting and introduces colours.
Numbers: Revision: 1-10
Colours: Black, blue, green, yellow, brown, red, white, orange, pink, purple
Nouns: Pony, jump
Verbs: Jump
Phrases: Here is, it is, well done! Yippee!
Extra vocabulary for version 2: Excellent, mischievous, very good, good, OK, naughty, crazy, really crazy, groovy, cool
If there are too many of these adjectives, use fewer and repeat them.
That was, don’t
Look, eat, drink and stay on
Story 4. Hide & seek
This short story revises animals and introduces some nouns from nature.
Greeting: Revision: Hello, how are you? I’m fine, thanks.
Numbers: Revision: 1-10
Colours: Revision: yellow, green, blue, red
Animals: Revision: Giraffe, bird, spider, monkey, snake, lion, and ant
Nouns: Path, bush, pond, grass, flower, head
Verbs: Hide
Phrases: Is that you? No, it’s me.
Extra vocabulary for version 2: Counted, found, searched, thought, saw, move and said, coming, stepping, popping, flying. Watch out! silly
Story 5. The marching ants
This story revises much of what has been covered so far, notably counting, colours, and words from nature.
Numbers: Revision: 1-10
Colours: Revision: white, yellow, red, brown, orange, green, blue, pink, and purple
Nouns: Revision: ant, path, bush, pond, grass, and flower
New nouns: Field, garden, bed, teddy bear
Verbs: March
Phrases: Feels tired, falls asleep
Other: Little
Extra vocabulary for version 2:
First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, last
They have been working
Marching, working, looking, take back, notice
Anthill, nap
Story 6. Volka and the pink ball
Nouns: Revision: path, grass, bushes, pond, and garden
New nouns: Ball, doggy, lady
Verbs: Walk, throw, chase, catch, run, give, swim, and shout
Phrases: This is,
Other: Good, bad, whoops!
Extra vocabulary for version 2:
But he threw it further this time, much further, even further, absolutely miles
I had better be careful
It wasn’t her fault
Story 7. Volka and the ducks
Nouns: Revision: path, grass, bushes, pond, duck, garden, lady
Verbs: Revision: walk, run, jump, swim, and shout
Phrases: Revision: feels tired
Other: Revision: little, yippee
New verbs: Bark, hear, stop, look for, and cry
Phrases: Lucas has gone
Extra words for version 2:
Master, dog food, allowed, I really want, taste, get back, quack at, and remember, even though, especially when, see if, until, nicer than, bigger than, cheeky, naughty, worried)
Story 8. The bear and his teddy bear
Nouns: Revision: bear, teddy bear
Other: Revision: little
Nouns: Story, song, music, milk, kiss
Verbs: Read, sing, play and give (optional)
Phrases: I’m tired, I’m not tired, go to sleep, good night
Extra vocabulary for version 2:
Can we play a game?
I want to run about, jump up and down, play hide and seek, dance and jump, run all over the house.
That was a nice story/song.
Your violin sounds funny, and you need a new one. I don’t need a new one.
Story 9. Hetty and the lion
Greeting: Revision: Hello, how are you? I’m fine, thanks.
Nouns: Revision: lion, milk
Other: Revision: little
Nouns: Orange, apple, banana, pear, ice cream
Verbs: Drank, ate
Phrases: Would you like some…? Oh yes, please.
Extra vocabulary for version 2:
Tea party, house, friend, invited
Adjectives: big, surprised, shocked, annoyed, cross.
Story 10. Gerard, the giraffe was hungry
Nouns: Revision: giraffe, ice cream, orange, apple, banana, pear, milk, grass
Numbers: Revision: 1-6
Verbs: Revision: ate, drank
Other: Revision: hungry, fine
Nouns: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Phrases: The giraffe was hungry. He was still hungry
Extra vocabulary for version 2:
First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth.
It’s so boring eating grass.
I know I shouldn’t. I’m getting fatter. That’s too bad.
Order ESL short stories for beginners 1-10
The complete teaching kit contains; stories, lesson plans, flashcards, and story PowerPoint movies. Then, add on the songs, masks and the worksheets (if teaching writing).
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Preschool
ESL Preschool Stories 1-10 Teaching Kit + PowerPoints
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Songs 1 (audio + video + masks + activities)
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ESL Tutoring
Worksheets ESL Preschool Stories 1-10
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For reviews on my ESL short stories for beginners please visit this page: Preschool resources reviews.
And for my story books in paperback, please visit my Shelley Ann Vernon Amazon Author Page.
4 thoughts on “ESL short stories for beginners”
Where can I buy this book?
Dear Laarni,
Thanks for your interest. You can get this story with stories 1-10, along with lesson plans, games and flashcards, here: https://teachingenglishgames.com/product/preschool-stories-1-10/
If you would like a paperback, then you need my first story book, which has stories 1-5: http://getbook.at/Preschool-Stories-1
That link takes you to your nearest Amazon online book store.
I’m here to help !
Kind regards
Shelley Ann Vernon
Hi,My name is Laarni. I have just received the hard copy of the book but there’s no copy for lesson plan and flashcards. It says here I could download for free. May I know how? Thank you. My email address is xxx deleted for privacy by Shelley.
Dear Laarni,
Hello there, thanks for your message and for choosing my book – I am emailing you now on your Gmail to send you the lesson plans. Speak soon on email !
Kind regards
Shelley