Dumbo Reading Adventure: What Can Animals Do? (CEFR A1 – Free Printable)
🌟 DUMBO READING ADVENTURE – “What Can Animals Do?” 🌟
CEFR A1 | 2º Año Primaria | Reading-Focused | 8 Printable Pages
Take your young learners on a magical reading journey with Dumbo! This enhanced worksheet uses the beloved story *Dumbo* by Kathryn Harper (adapted for beginners) to teach key grammar and vocabulary **through reading only**.
✅ **What’s Inside?**
– Pre-reading: Picture prediction & word hunt
– While-reading: Short story + scan & circle (has/is, can/can’t, there is/are)
– Post-reading: Animal ability matching + true/false check
– Bonus: Draw your own animal + simple sentence frame
– Assessment rubric included
🎯 **Targets (NAP-aligned):**
1. Personal pronouns & body parts
2. To be / To have
3. Adjectives: big, small, scared, tall, happy
4. Can + action verbs: run, give, shut, jump, fly
5. There is / There are
6. Vocab: friend, magic feather, now, house, train, boy, girl, mum, dad, boss, bird
✨ **Why Teachers Love It:**
– Visual support for all learners
– Silent reading focus (no speaking/writing pressure)
– Ready-to-print PDF (A4)
– Differentiation built-in (circle for beginners, draw for creatives)
📥 **FREE DOWNLOAD** – Just add to cart & print!
Perfect for ESL/EFL classrooms, homeschool, or literacy centers.
👩🏫 *Created by Noelia del Valle Corso | Updated 2025*
What Can Animals Do? – A Reading Adventure with Dumbo
Author: Noelia del Valle Corso
Level: CEFR A1 (Primary 2º Año) | Skills: Reading Comprehension & Vocabulary
Based on Dumbo by Kathryn Harper | Free for Teachers
Learning Objectives
- Follow a simple story with pictures and spot familiar words.
- Recognise key words: body parts (ears), adjectives (big, small, scared, tall, happy), action verbs (run, give, shut, jump, fly).
- Use reading strategies: predict from pictures, scan for details like “can” or “has”.
- Build vocab in context: friend, magic feather, now, house, train, boy, girl, mum, dad, boss, bird.
- NAP Links: Pronouns/body parts; to be/have; there is/are; can for abilities.
Differentiation: Picture support for beginners; drawing for creative extension.
Pre-Reading: Get Ready & Predict (5-7 min)
Look at the Dumbo picture. What can you guess? Circle words you know.
Activity 1: Quick Word Hunt (Match words to pictures by drawing lines.)
| Word | Picture |
|---|---|
| big ears |
Elephant ears
|
| scared |
Sad face
|
| fly |
Bird in sky
|
| happy |
Smiling elephant
|
While-Reading: Read the Story (10-15 min)
Read the short story below (or from your book). Use your finger to follow. Underline words like “has” or “can”.
Story Extract (Simple Text):
Dumbo is a small elephant. He has big ears. His mum is tall and happy. But Dumbo is scared. “Can Dumbo fly?” asks the boss bird. “No, he can’t,” says the friend. There is a magic feather in the house. Now Dumbo can jump! He runs to the train with his dad and girl friend. “Dumbo can fly!” they shout.
Activity 2: Spot & Circle (Read and circle the right word in each sentence.)
- Dumbo has / is big ears. (to have / body parts)
- He is / has scared of the bird. (to be / adjective)
- There is / are a magic feather. (there be)
- The bird can run / fly. (can + verb)
- Dumbo’s mum is tall / small and happy. (adjectives)
Tip: Predict next – What does the feather do?
Post-Reading: Check What You Read (10 min)
Activity 3: Animal Abilities Match (Draw lines to match. What can they do?)
| Animal | Can Do |
|---|---|
| Dumbo (elephant) |
Jump high
|
| Bird |
Fly fast
|
|
Dog
|
Run to the house |
| Mum elephant |
Give a hug
|
Bonus: Draw your animal. What can it do? (e.g., “It can shut the door.”)
Quick Check: True or False? Circle.
1. Dumbo has small ears. (False)
2. There are boys and girls in the story. (True)
3. The magic feather helps Dumbo fly. (True)
Assessment
| Skill | What to Look For | Score (0-2) |
|---|---|---|
| Word Matching | 3+ correct lines | ___ |
| Sentence Spotting | 4/5 circles right | ___ |
| Understanding | Matches abilities + draw | ___ |
Teacher Note: Total /6. Extend with a related story read-aloud.
