Use prediction to assess and improve understanding of texts
It’s another beautiful day let’s rise and shine !!!!!!!!
How are we today?
I am fit as a fiddle!
In todays lesson we are going to read a passage and predict the ending of the story. We are also going to look for appropriate title for the story. look for meaning of certain words and phrases.
Let’s make predictions about the content of a text using:
- prior knowledge;(all the knowledge one has before learning about a particular topic)
- organizational structure.
- Ask questions to form ideas.
- Answer questions to elicit understanding(meaning)
The big day had finally arrived at the School for Gifted Children, and the dean practically kowtowed from his own office.
The staff and a coterie of New York’s most influential parents were ecstatic to host their esteemed guest, the one and only Dr. Warren Albright. He looked as though he’d stepped out of the glossy author photo from one of his best-selling books. His hair was chestnut brown with frost touched temples and his voice had the nourishing warmth of a fireplace in winter. He used his power to diagnose latent super-abilities to set young people on the path to greatness. Dr. Albright was much more than a mentor.
He was a guidance counselor.
He could hear the children and their minders outside in the hallway, waiting for their date with destiny. They were all overachievers, but not all were from privileged backgrounds. The Albright Scholarship had scouted them from every walk of life. Born with rare conditions, they had beaten the odds to make it this far, and now they were hoping to win the lottery. Early assessment, career planning and connections were all key factors in the success of famous superheroes.
Dr. Albright set his pipe in the dean’s paper clip bin, adjusted the sleeves of his barleycorn tweed jacket, and then announced to the Headmistress, “Let us begin.”
The first candidate was ushered in. He was a chubby boy in a tight navy sport coat. If he was anxious, it didn’t show on his plump cheeks. He practically bounced into the room. Dr. Albright glanced down at the boy’s academic transcript.
“Good morning, Oscar. It is so good to meet you.”
Oscar hopped into the chair opposite. “Yeah! You too.”
“As I’m sure you’ve been told, I will be assessing your latent powers today. We will be discussing issues above and beyond the clinical baseline diagnosis. Are you ready?”
“Um….”
“It’s not painful, I promise.”
Oscar’s smile brightened and he shrugged. “Yeah! I’m ready.”
Dr. Albright leaned in and tented his fingers, absorbing information with his exquisitely refined power.
“Teleportation.”
Oscar’s jaw dropped. “What? No way. Really?”
“I have known a few teleporters in my day. It is a rare and incredible gift.”
Dr. Albright scanned through Oscar’s academic record.
“How is your math? I see that you have performed well in most of your other subjects.”
“I love learning languages, and I’m a total anthropology geek. I’m into history and art…I am just so pumped to start teleporting. I want to see the whole world!”
Dr. Albright reached for his pipe and then left it. He had cleaned and emptied it before arriving, as there was no smoking allowed in the school.
“Seeing the world is certainly a laudable goal, Oscar. For earthbound people, like me, the world is terra firma, the one thing we can trust. If I close my eyes and fall backwards, I know that the earth will be there to catch me. When you begin traveling at advanced speeds, however, you encounter a harsh reality; the planet is always moving. As we speak, it is rotating at nearly one thousand miles per hour, while traveling around the sun at approximately sixty-seven thousand miles per hour.”
Oscar looked confused.
Dr. Albright continued. “The earth also moves at different speeds at different latitudes, so if you were to teleport to the wrong place, at the wrong angle, you would hit the earth incredibly fast and hard, or else miss it entirely. If you found yourself too high up in the atmosphere, or god forbid, in outer space, you might succumb to decompression sickness, hypoxia, and hypothermia before you could reorient yourself well enough to teleport home.”
“Wait…are you saying that teleportation is impossible?”
“Of course not! It is even relatively safe, so long as you have a perfect grasp of angular velocity, navigation, orbital mechanics, and so on. Once you have absolute confidence in your calculations, I would still advise that you stay close to the surface, however. Most of the world is covered in water, so if you don’t mind getting wet every now and then, you’ll be fine. Needless to say, the rest of the planet is covered with mountains, trees, buildings, people…perhaps it would be prudent to limit travel to your direct line of sight. And take care not to startle anyone; you never know who may have a heart condition that will drop dead from surprise.”
Oscar’s buoyant cheeks deflated.
“Chin up, son. There are plenty of other ways to see the world. You could be a pilot,” He paused to double-check Oscar’s grades, “…or possibly a flight attendant.”
Oscar shuffled to the opposite door, carefully placing one foot in front of the other.
The next candidate strode in. He was the oldest of the group, a young man with a burgundy button down and a gold silk bow tie. He extended a firm handshake. “I’m Marcus Hill. It is an honor to meet you, Dr. Albright.”
He sat tall on the edge of his chair.
Dr. Albright opened his file.
“It seems like you’re ready, Marcus.”
Marcus’s knees bounced and he clasped his hands. “Yes sir. I was born ready.”
Dr. Albright closed his eyes and nodded.
“Pyrogenesis.”
Marcus leaned back and covered his mouth. “Fire powers? For real?” He grinned and brought his hands back together. “Okay, okay. That’s what’s up.”
Dr. Albright absentmindedly touched his pipe again.
“I understand that fire can be a very alluring force, but it must command your respect. As an exercise, I would like to present you with some of the most common scenarios that require heroes. Earthquakes, plane crashes, industrial accidents, terrorism, riots…do any of those situations seem like they would be improved with fire?”
The teenager’s face tightened. “I’ll be a solution, not a problem. I’ll train until I’m world class.”
“I’m sure you would, Marcus, but there is a reason why police officers and doctors don’t carry flamethrowers. The military no longer uses them either. Not because they are cruel and indiscriminate, which of course they are, but because they are not deemed particularly effective.”
“With all due respect, Dr. Albright, I wouldn’t be a random guy lugging a heavy flame thrower, spraying fire everywhere. If this power is a part of me I would have total control. I would use it intelligently.”
“Intelligence and control are not words usually associated with fire. Do you remember the Tulare Complex Fire? I suppose it was before your time. It was one of the worst wildfires in this hemisphere. Thousands of homes, a hundred civilians, dozens of firefighters, countless animals…reduced to ash, all by a kid with a lighter. Fire season gets longer and deadlier every year, Marcus. By the time your power manifests, it may even be year round.”
Marcus threw his hands up. “So what am I supposed to do?”
“Don’t worry. There is a place for you. There are shipping vessels in the arctic that still have to contend with the shifting ice pack. I have no doubt that they would be thrilled to have someone like you aboard.”
Marcus nodded and slunk out through the other door.
The next candidate, a lanky girl with dirty blond hair and large green eyes, waved as she entered. “Hi! I’m Allison.”
She had a refreshingly open face and an aroma of fresh cut grass. Dr. Albright wouldn’t be surprised if she had grass stains on her jeans. She sat down and swung her legs.
“So?” She dragged the word out with a wily smile, as though she’d caught him holding a present behind his back.
“Yes, let me get right to it.”
He extended his palm and pursed his lips.
“You have the latent ability to speak with animals.”
Alison squealed and jumped out of her chair. “Ohmygodohmygod! I knew it! Best power ever!”
He gestured for her to sit down. She bounced in her chair as if it were a jeep on safari.
“Tell me, Alison…are you a vegetarian?”
She cocked her head to one side. “I like vegetables.”
“Yes, but do you only like vegetables?”
“I love animals, if that’s what you mean.”
Dr. Albright put his palms on the desk. “Do you eat meat?”
“Only chicken and bacon. And fish. Oh, I guess I like turkey, but not like, all the time.”
“I see. That will probably change once your power becomes active. I would strongly recommend that you move as far as possible from any industrial farms, slaughter houses, or animal shelters before that time.”
“Does this mean I can be an animal doctor?”
“As long as you keep your grades up, I am confident that you will make a fine veterinarian.”
She bounced from the room, eager to tell everyone about her exciting future. Dr. Albright closed her file.
“Please send in the next candidate.”
A slim boy efficiently crossed the room and sat down. He stared at Dr. Albright through his square glasses.
“Good morning, David.” He tapped the boy’s transcript. “I must say, your academic achievements are outstanding.”
David blinked and adjusted his glasses. The light shimmered off his dark hair, which had nearly been combed and gelled into a helmet.
“Feel free to talk or ask questions.”
The boy waited quietly.
Dr. Albright moved on with his assessment. He repressed a shiver.
“Mr. Kwan, you have the latent ability to project energy from your eyes.”
The boy paused, about to readjust his glasses.
“This will be hard to hear, so I will deal with the facts plainly. Your eyes are weapons. If you decide to use your powers in war time, to uphold the law, or even in self-defense, you will have to look directly at your enemies. There will be no fog of war. You will witness exactly what you have done, and it will not be pretty.”
The boy nodded slowly for him to continue.
“The world needs soldiers and protectors, I won’t deny that. Your skills will be highly valued, and if you choose that life, I know you will perform admirably.” Dr. Albright’s eyes flicked away. “The larger issue here is with civilian life. Once people learn of your ability, it is unlikely that they will ever make eye contact with you again. They may not even go near you, for fear that you may sneeze or get startled and unleash a sudden bolt of lethal energy. Beyond the risks of the battlefield and almost guaranteed PTSD, you will return to a life of alienation and loneliness.”
David’s face remained neutral, but strands of his black hair broke free from their orderly shell and his glasses had begun to fog up.
“I am terribly sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, David, but there are…options.”
After decades of research and great expense, The Albright Foundation had developed a treatment that permanently sent superpowers into complete remission. They provided this service freely for those with dangerous or unwanted abilities.
David Kwan rose wearily, like a prisoner yoked with a great weight.
“Thank you for your honesty, Doctor.”
He left without looking back and stepped into the hall, where his severe looking parents waited expectantly.
Dr. Albright watched him leave with a twinge of relief. He slid David’s folder to a separate pile and then signaled to the dean that he needed a break.
He took his pipe outside to the rose garden. The parents and administrators watched him pack his pipe. They were nervous and eager for answers, but they had the decorum not to impose upon his solitude.
He struck a match and sipped the stem of his pipe until the sweet tobacco smoldered. He considered all of the kids that he never had a chance to counsel, those ignorant, reckless youths that had grown to become infamous criminals; Commodore Chaos, Laughing Skull, King Psycho, Pain Eater. He puffed and exhaled a smoky sigh of deep satisfaction.
None of them had snuffed out as many superheroes as Dr. Albright.
Stories are a great way of teaching you the difference between right and wrong. Additionally, it helps you gain a general understanding of basic human ethics and behavioral patterns. As a child, I grew up reading and listening to the folk tales of Kwaku Anase and I may not realize it but those short moral stories for kids have played an essential role in making ME who I am today.
The values, beliefs, and morals imparted by these didactic stories for kids are the foundations of our personalities. That’s why it’s important to pass down these short stories with morals to make kids into well-rounded individuals.
You can get more stories from the link below.
Short Moral Stories For Kids
1 The Midas Touch:
Moral: Don’t be greedy, be content with what you have.
This English story for kids is about King Midas. In Ancient Greece, there resided a very wealthy king, Midas. He had everything he could have ever asked for and more, along with a beautiful daughter whom he held dear to his heart, even more than his riches.
A day came where Silenus, a satyr loyal to the God of Wine and Celebration, Dionysus, passed out in Midas’ garden. Since Midas believed that satyrs brought him good luck, he went against the wishes of his family and let Silenus rest in his palace until he awoke again.
When Dionysus heard about Midas’ act of kindness towards his friend, he decided to grant the wealthy king a wish. Midas wished that anything he touches must turn to gold. Even though Dionysus was aware that this was a recipe for disaster, he granted the wish anyway. Midas was ecstatic – he went around touching the most random things in the garden and palace to turn them into gold. When he picked up an apple, it turned into a shiny gold apple. All the courtiers were very fascinated.
Midas had never been happier…in all his excitement, he hugged his daughter, forgetting that anything he touched would turn to gold! Hence, his daughter took the form of a lifeless, gold statue. Realizing what he had done, Midas ran to Dionysus and begged God to save his daughter. Complying with his wish, Dionysus saved his daughter and took away all of Midas’ powers too, claiming that it was for the best. Midas had learned his lesson and lived the rest of his days satisfied with what he had.
2 Brown Like Dosas Samosas & Sticky Chikki
Moral: Beauty comes in all shades
This story revolves around young girl Samaira, a young girl with caramel skin who loves the colour brown. One night, she tumbles into a magical realm where she encounters a dilemma pertaining to the colour of her skin, in which she has never seen any flaws.
A strange purple lady with magic powers, Anahi, makes Samaira a very unusual offer. She tells Samaira that if she’d like, the purple lady could lighten the colour of her skin. This did not appeal to Samaira whatsoever! In fact, she elaborated why she took pride in her skin tone, the way her mother had always taught her to. Each time the purple lady offers Samaira lighter skin, she respectfully declines and expresses that her self-worth and beauty cannot be defined by the colour of her skin.
This mature reaction sets a great example for kids reading the story as it teaches them to be patient and reject an idea in a respectful manner when it doesn’t align with their beliefs. Samaira’s assertiveness is inspirational and is an uplifting example of standing up for what you believe is right.
The story in simple english is extremely insightful and a must read for both, children and adults. It addresses one of the world’s most complex issues – unrealistic beauty standards. The book does this in a very appropriate manner that will stimulate a child’s mind – thereby acting as a tool in shaping their core beliefs. It is an empowering tale for all those who have faced issues with discrimination. It paves a path to self-confidence for these individuals. Join Samaira on her journey of self-discovery up on the fluffy cloud in the GetLitt! Library.
3 The Musical Donkey
Moral: Think before you act.
Udhata, a thin donkey who was starved by his owner, a local fisherman, went in search of food with his friend, a jackal. The pair wandered around the village in the middle of the night until they stumbled upon a cucumber field. That night, they truly relished their meal and decided to pay a visit to the cucumber field every night. Udhata eventually began to look much healthier and was able to pick up more load.
Once, after an appetizing and wholesome meal of cucumbers, the donkey insisted on singing. Knowing that this was foolish, the jackal advised him against the same but the stubborn donkey refused to listen to his friend. Even when the jackal told the donkey that his voice wasn’t exactly sweet, Udhata dismissed his comment – thinking that the jackal was jealous. He told the jackal that he was happy, and there’s nothing wrong in expressing one’s happiness. Once again, the jackal warned him of his foolish behaviour and of bringing trouble upon himself by disturbing the guards. However, the foolish donkey would not budge.
When the donkey started to sing, the jackal interrupted and asked the donkey to wait until the jackal jumps over the other side of the fence for his own safety. The jackal decided to wait outside. On hearing the loud braying noise made by the donkey, the guard naturally awoke from his slumber. When he spotted Udhata, the guard beat him black and blue mercilessly. He didn’t hold back whatsoever and channelled all of his anger onto the donkey who was truly regretting not taking his friend’s advice. Once he was done, the donkey could barely move. Yet, he somehow dragged his limp body out of the field, where the jackal had been waiting for him. His friend had a sympathetic look on his face as he said, “I told you so.”
4 The Clever Monkey
Moral: Remain calm and use the presence of mind to get out of adverse situations.
Once upon a time, a clever monkey resided on a tree that bore fresh, luscious berries. A day arrived when a crocodile swam up to the tree and told the monkey that he had travelled a very long distance and was extremely exhausted from his journey. The crocodile had been in search of food and was very hungry. On hearing this, the kind monkey offered him a few berries for which the crocodile was very thankful. He asked the monkey if he could visit him again soon for some fruit. The monkey happily agreed.
The crocodile came back the next day, and the day after that. Soon, this became a daily ritual and they grew to become good friends. As all friends do, they discussed the goings-ons of their lives and confided in each other. The crocodile told the monkey about his wife who lived on the other side of the river. So, the generous monkey offered the crocodile some extra berries to take home for his wife.
The crocodile and the monkey continued to grow closer as friends and they ate berries together. The monkey would often give the crocodiles extra berries to take home for his wife. Because of how close the two friends had become, the crocodile’s wife started growing jealous. She wanted to put an end to their friendship. She thought to herself that if the monkey survived on a diet of the tasty berries, his flesh must be really sweet. So, she asked the crocodile to invite his friend over to dinner. The crocodile refused because he knew that his wife was up to some nasty trick. However, she was determined to eat the monkey’s flesh.
She pretended to fall ill and told the crocodile that her doctor claims that the only thing that would keep her from dying is a monkey’s heart. On hearing this, the crocodile rushed to the monkey’s tree and lied to him saying that his wife had prepared them a delicious dinner. The monkey happily agreed and climbed onto the crocodile’s back. Halfway through, the monkey noticed that the crocodile began to sink. Frightened, the monkey asked his friend why he was doing that. The crocodile explained the situation truthfully.
The clever monkey told him that this was an unfortunate situation because he had left his heart at home. If the crocodile took him back, he would gladly give his heart away to nurse the crocodile’s wife back to health. The silly crocodile fell for the monkey’s clever lie and rushed back to the tree so that he could take the monkey’s heart. As soon as they reached, the monkey hastily scampered up to safety and told the crocodile to tell his wife that she had married a fool!
5 Boo! When My Sister Died
Moral: Death is as much part of life, as life itself.
This beautifully animated story deals with the closeted topic of death in a very skillful way. It revolves around Noorie, whose world collapses completely after her sister Zoya passes away. Everything in her once stable life feels shaken up.
The story picks up when her mother claims that Zoya was always going to be with her, in spirit at least, but Noorie couldn’t help feeling an emptiness from within. Her coping mechanism leads her to see flashes of her dead sister in unexpected places.
The illustrations in the story are very powerful and convey a sense of darkness yet hope throughout the book. Losing a sibling is extremely horrifying and disturbing. Noorie’s emotional rollercoaster conveys all the stages of grief in a child-friendly manner and introduces the concept of death very intelligently.
It shows that sharing your thoughts and feelings with someone close to you will lighten your chest and give you mental peace. This is really important as it prevents children from shrinking into a shell in order to deal with their sadness. Richa Jha, the author, has written the book considering all the factors that could affect a child dealing with grief. For all the children out there with siblings, this is the perfect read to make them realize each others’ value and will lead to greater realization of gratitude in their lives
6 The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Moral: Always tell the truth because a liar won’t be trusted.
This is the popular story of a young shepherd who cried wolf one too many times. For those who don’t know the story – it goes a little something like this.
There was once a shepherd who had no work to do, so, to amuse himself, he cried “Wolf! Wolf!” from atop the hill. Hearing his cries, the villagers came running up only to discover that he was lying – fooling them for his own entertainment. A few days later, he repeated the same trick out of boredom. Again, the villagers came rushing towards him to scare away the wolf. Alas, they were fooled once again! The villagers were brimming with anger – they were furious with the shepherd for causing unnecessary chaos in the village.
Shortly after, an actual wolf appeared. The shepherd cried mercilessly for help as the wolf attacked his sheep but no one bothered helping him out – they assumed that it was another one of his silly pranks. They laughed it off and the shepherd was left alone to deal with the horrific situation at hand. The shepherd kept telling them that he was sorry, and this time it was true – he wasn’t lying. Finally, the villagers decided to take a look and realised that it was true indeed. This time, the shepherd wasn’t lying indeed. The wolf had killed all the sheep and run away.
7 The Unboy Boy
Moral: Hurtful words cause hurt feelings; Be yourself
Written by Richa Jha and illustrated by Gautam Benegal, The Unboy Boy is a moving account of diversity, gender, and stereotypes revolving around a lovely, gentle, and sensitive boy named Gagan.
Gagan is not your stereotypical boy and that’s because he has a so-called ‘feminine’ side. His interests which include gazing at the view from his bedroom window or looking after ant hills differ from indulging in war stories and imaginary swordplay like the other boys. He is labelled as “Unboy’-ish due to the lack of his participation in typically masculine activities. A label that is used by his brother, his friends, other school children and even his grandfather – all of whom try to turn him into more of a ‘boy’.
‘Unboy’ is just one of the many names he is called, others being “sissy”, a “chooha” or “little mouse”, “scaredy cat.” His only pillar of support is his mother, who encourages him to stay true to himself. Even though he was being told to act like someone he is not by society, he continues to be himself and takes pride in who he is.
In the book, there are times where he can’t help but feel excluded and targeted but he doesn’t let it get in the way of his kind nature and gentle personality. Despite being alienated by those who were meant to support him and love him, he never feels the need to apologise for his identity because at the end of the day, he knows that in his heart, he is a good human being. However, things change for Gagan when an unexpected incident happens. You’re probably wondering what that is. Well we don’t want to give away any spoilers – you’ll just have to read the book to find out!
8 The Crow and the Pitcher
Moral: Where there is a will, there is a way.
When you think of moral stories for kids, this one is sure to come to mind – it’s a classic and one that all of us grew up with.
A thirsty crow flew around a village in search of water. He looked for it near and far, but he failed to find water anywhere. After hours and hours of tirelessly searching, he finally found some water in a pitcher. However, the water level was too low and his beak couldn’t reach the water.
He tried to push the pitcher down, but the vessel was far too heavy for that. The crow was very disappointed. He was contemplating giving up and flying elsewhere in search of water. Just then, he spotted a few pebbles lying around and an idea struck him! He collected a pebble and dropped it into the vessel. Then, another and another. He kept repeating this process until the water had risen to a level from which he could drink the water. The crow drank the water from the brim and flew home happy and satisfied!
9 Against All Odds
Moral: Never give up.
This story is an inspirational account of a boy named Kartik who “lives, breathes and dreams football.” His world revolves around the game and even though he is one-armed, Kartik is really good at the game.
When Kartik and his sister, Kavya, move from Kolkata to Rourkela, they’re very upset over moving to a new place and leaving behind their close friends. It was especially frightening for Kartik because he knew that the people at his new school would judge him for having a disability. Unfortunately, he is treated as an outcast, as a freak even though he is just one of them, trying hard to make a friend.
However, what really tears him apart is his football coach refusing to let him be on the football team. The football field was the one place where he felt like the best version of himself. The only place where he felt a true sense of belonging and now, it felt like his home was snatched away from him. Will Kartik be able to beat the odds and convince the coach of his dedication to the game? Trust us this book will help teach your child the value of a good moral of never giving up.
Read Against All Odds HERE
10 The Lion that Sprang to life
Moral: Knowledge without common sense is useless.
This is the story of four learned and knowledgeable friends. Well, the fourth one, Subuddhi, wasn’t exactly well educated or insightful in any sense but he possessed the one quality that his intellectual friends did not: common sense.
A day arrived when three of the friends decided to go looking for jobs in distant towns and villages. They wanted monetary gain for their knowledge. After all, there was no use of being so learned in scriptures and sciences if they were not going to gain anything back from it. The three friends did not wish to take Subuddhi along because of his lack of intellect but since he was an old childhood friend, they decided to invite him too.
The four friends set out on a long journey, moving from one town to another in search of a way to earn money. While passing through a dense forest, they discovered a bunch of bones lying under a tree. They decided that a fine opportunity to display their powers had presented itself.
The first friend used his skills to assemble the bones into a skeleton. When the skeleton was ready, the second friend chanted a mantra, which lead to the formation of flesh and meat on the skeleton. It looked like a lifeless lion. Just as the third friend was about to end the show by bringing the lion back to life, the fourth friend stopped him. Subuddhi knew that once the ferocious lion was brought back to life, it wouldn’t spare them.
However, the third friend ignored his advice, made fun of him and went ahead with something that was clearly a bad idea. Subuddhi quickly climbed up a tree nearby to protect himself as the third friend began to chant, thereby bringing the lion back to life. As predicted by the fourth friend, the lion killed all three of the learned friends while Subuddhi rushed back to the village, alive.
Summary
That’s all, folks! I hope you enjoyed these inspiring stories and do tell them to your YOUNGER SIBLINGS! . Let ME know about your favourite moral stories growing up and share them with ME too!
Happy reading!
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