Animals & Environment
Tiny Fish That Can Climb Wet Rock Walls
11 Jul 2026
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Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) Fish that fly like garden birds
b) Fish that climb up high wet walls
c) Fish that make homes inside trees
Ask:
(1) Do you enjoy climbing up trees or rocks?
(2) Do you think fish can live outside of water for a short time?
VOCABULARY
Fish
noun
Climb
verb
Rock
noun
Wall
noun
Tiny
adjective
Safe
adjective
A creature that lives in water.
The gold fish swims in the small bowl.
To go up something high.
The cats climb the tall green tree.
A very hard stone.
We sit on a big grey rock by the river.
A flat side of a mountain or building.
The tiny ants walk up the stone wall.
Very, very small.
I can see a tiny bug on the flower.
Out of danger or harm.
The baby birds are safe inside their warm nest.
Can fish walk? No, but some fish can climb! In Hawaii, there are tiny fish. They are called climbing gobies. These fish live in the deep ocean. But they want to lay eggs in quiet rivers. To get there, they must travel past giant waterfalls. The waterfalls are very high and steep. The fish use their round mouths like suckers. They stick their mouths to the wet rock walls. Then they pull their little bodies up. They also use their fins to hold onto the stone. They move slowly up the giant walls. It is hard work for a small creature. Sometimes they climb for days. They climb higher than a tall building! Why do they do this? They want to find a safe place away from big hungry fish. They are very brave little climbers.
Listen
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Do you think climbing gobies are brave animals?
2. Would you like to watch a fish climb a wet rock face?
3. What other animals do you know that can climb very well?
4. Why do big hungry fish want to chase small fish?
5. Is it easy or difficult for the gobies to climb waterfalls?
6. Where do these tiny climbing fish come from originally?
FILL IN THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Word Bank:
climb
tiny
walls
safe
Can fish walk? No, but some fish can _______(1)! In Hawaii, there are _______(2) fish. They are called climbing gobies. These fish live in the deep ocean. But they want to lay eggs in quiet rivers. To get there, they must travel past giant waterfalls. The waterfalls are very high and steep. The fish use their round mouths like suckers. They stick their mouths to the wet rock _______(3). Then they pull their little bodies up. They also use their fins to hold onto the stone. They move slowly up the giant walls. It is hard work for a small creature. Sometimes they climb for days. They climb higher than a tall building! Why do they do this? They want to find a _______(4) place away from big hungry fish. They are very brave little climbers.
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the main idea of this story?
a) Large fish love to swim in the deep rivers of Hawaii.
b) Some tiny fish climb up high wet rocks to reach a safe place.
c) Waterfalls are dangerous places for small birds to build nests.
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
1. Climbing gobies want to lay their eggs in the deep ocean. T/F
2. The little fish use their mouths like suckers to stick to wet rocks. T/F
3. The fish perform this climb to escape from big hungry predators. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
Put these sentences in the correct order from 1 to 3:
a) The tiny fish use their round mouths to stick to the wet rock walls.
b) The small climbing gobies leave the deep ocean to travel to rivers.
c) The little creatures successfully reach a safe place at the top.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
1. Tiny
2. Climb
3. Rock
4. Safe
a) Out of danger or harm.
b) A very hard stone.
c) Very, very small.
d) To go up something high.
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
Choose the best option to complete each sentence.
1. The climbing fish need to stay _______ from large hungry predators.
a) wet b) safe c) loud
2. It takes a very long time for them to _______ a giant waterfall.
a) climb b) swim c) eat
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
Put the parts in the correct order to make a sentence.
1. A) can B) climbing gobies C) rock walls D) up wet E) climb
2. A) find B) they want C) a safe D) to E) place
ANSWER KEY
Warm Up
Answer: b
Section 1:
climb
tiny
walls
safe
Section 2:
Answer: b
Section 3:
False
True
True
Section 4:
b
a
c
Section 5:
c
d
b
a
Section 6:
b
a
Section 7:
B - A - E - D - C (Climbing gobies can climb up wet rock walls)
B - D - A - C - E (They want to find a safe place)
Section 8:
Student's own answers.