A story
Leo and Zaatar Meet the Noisy Animals at Grandpa Saeed's Farm
Leo was spending the weekend at Grandpa Saeed's farm with his best friend Hamdan. Before breakfast — flap-flap-flap! — Zaatar the green parrot landed on Leo's shoulder.
"Squawk! A farm is FULL of Arabic words," he said. "And every animal has its own song. Let's go!"
In the stable, a tall horse poked its head over the door. Neigh!
"حصان, hisan, horse," said Hamdan.
"Hisan!" said Leo, stroking the soft nose. Can you say it too? Hisan!
A fluffy white animal went baa-baa.
"خروف, kharuf, sheep," said Grandpa Saeed.
The sheep nibbled Leo's sleeve. "Hey, kharuf, my sleeve isn't breakfast!" Leo laughed.
Cluck-cluck! A hen pecked at seeds, with five fluffy chicks behind her.
"دجاجة, dajaja, hen," said Hamdan.
Meow! A grey cat washed her paws on the roof.
"قطة, qitta, cat."
Woof-woof! A happy dog came running, tail wagging like a windscreen wiper.
"كلب, kalb, dog."
And in the biggest pen stood someone very tall with very long eyelashes. Hrrumph!
"جمل, jamal, camel," whispered Leo.
"He's taller than a door!" said Zaatar. "And I'm taller than... a teacup."
Zaatar sang his farm song. Make the animal sounds!
Hisan says neigh, kharuf says baa,
Dajaja clucks, cluck-cluck-cluck-caa,
Qitta meows, kalb says woof,
Jamal hrrumphs up on the roof!
"Camels can't go on the roof," giggled Hamdan.
"In my song they can," said Zaatar.
Then Leo noticed something. One little chick had wandered away and was peeping by the water trough, lost and alone. Peep... peep...
Leo didn't shout or run, because loud noises frighten animals. He knelt down slowly and held out a handful of seeds. The chick hopped closer. Leo carried it gently back to the dajaja, who clucked and tucked it under her wing.
"You have a gentle heart," said Grandpa Saeed. "Animals can feel that."
At breakfast, a little bird hopped onto the windowsill. Tweet-tweet!
"عصفور, usfur, little bird," said Zaatar. "My cousin!"
Words we learned:
حصان — hisan — horse
خروف — kharuf — sheep
دجاجة — dajaja — hen
قطة — qitta — cat
كلب — kalb — dog
جمل — jamal — camel
عصفور — usfur — little bird
Let's practice:
1. Match the animal to its sound: كلب / قطة / خروف → baa / meow / woof
2. Fill in the missing word: The tallest animal on the farm is the _____ (jamal).
3. Say it aloud and make the sound: "Hisan! Neigh!"
4. Find and circle the word قطة: كلب — قطة — جمل — قطة
Answers: 1) كلب = woof, قطة = meow, خروف = baa. 2) جمل (camel). 4) The 2nd and 4th words.
"Squawk! A farm is FULL of Arabic words," he said. "And every animal has its own song. Let's go!"
In the stable, a tall horse poked its head over the door. Neigh!
"حصان, hisan, horse," said Hamdan.
"Hisan!" said Leo, stroking the soft nose. Can you say it too? Hisan!
A fluffy white animal went baa-baa.
"خروف, kharuf, sheep," said Grandpa Saeed.
The sheep nibbled Leo's sleeve. "Hey, kharuf, my sleeve isn't breakfast!" Leo laughed.
Cluck-cluck! A hen pecked at seeds, with five fluffy chicks behind her.
"دجاجة, dajaja, hen," said Hamdan.
Meow! A grey cat washed her paws on the roof.
"قطة, qitta, cat."
Woof-woof! A happy dog came running, tail wagging like a windscreen wiper.
"كلب, kalb, dog."
And in the biggest pen stood someone very tall with very long eyelashes. Hrrumph!
"جمل, jamal, camel," whispered Leo.
"He's taller than a door!" said Zaatar. "And I'm taller than... a teacup."
Zaatar sang his farm song. Make the animal sounds!
Hisan says neigh, kharuf says baa,
Dajaja clucks, cluck-cluck-cluck-caa,
Qitta meows, kalb says woof,
Jamal hrrumphs up on the roof!
"Camels can't go on the roof," giggled Hamdan.
"In my song they can," said Zaatar.
Then Leo noticed something. One little chick had wandered away and was peeping by the water trough, lost and alone. Peep... peep...
Leo didn't shout or run, because loud noises frighten animals. He knelt down slowly and held out a handful of seeds. The chick hopped closer. Leo carried it gently back to the dajaja, who clucked and tucked it under her wing.
"You have a gentle heart," said Grandpa Saeed. "Animals can feel that."
At breakfast, a little bird hopped onto the windowsill. Tweet-tweet!
"عصفور, usfur, little bird," said Zaatar. "My cousin!"
Words we learned:
حصان — hisan — horse
خروف — kharuf — sheep
دجاجة — dajaja — hen
قطة — qitta — cat
كلب — kalb — dog
جمل — jamal — camel
عصفور — usfur — little bird
Let's practice:
1. Match the animal to its sound: كلب / قطة / خروف → baa / meow / woof
2. Fill in the missing word: The tallest animal on the farm is the _____ (jamal).
3. Say it aloud and make the sound: "Hisan! Neigh!"
4. Find and circle the word قطة: كلب — قطة — جمل — قطة
Answers: 1) كلب = woof, قطة = meow, خروف = baa. 2) جمل (camel). 4) The 2nd and 4th words.
