First Day at a New School

(Story 26 from 60 Beginner English Short Stories – using the top 2000 English words by Camille Hanson)

Today is Omar’s first day at his new school. He moved from another city, and everything feels new. He wakes up early, puts on his school uniform, and checks his backpack. He packed it the night before: notebooks, pens, pencils, and his favorite eraser.

At breakfast, he can’t eat much. He feels nervous. His mom says, “You’ll do great,” and gives him a hug. “Just be yourself.”

When Omar arrives at school, he walks slowly down the hall. Students are talking, laughing, and opening lockers. He looks for his classroom—Room 12. A teacher sees him and says, “You must be Omar! Welcome. I’m Ms. Hill.” She shows him where to sit.

The room is colorful. There are maps, bookshelves, and a big whiteboard. Omar sits at a desk in the second row. A girl next to him says, “Hi! I’m Zoe. Do you like math?” Omar thinks for a second and then grins. “Sometimes,” he says.

First, they have science. Ms. Hill talks about the planets. Omar listens carefully. Then, they have math. They solve problems on the board. Omar gets one wrong and feels embarrassed. But Ms. Hill says, “No worries, we learn from mistakes.” Omar tries the next problem.

At recess, Omar sits on a bench. He watches kids play soccer and jump rope. Zoe walks over and says, “Want to play?” Omar nods. They join a group playing tag.

After lunch, they do a group project. Omar works with Zoe and two other classmates. They draw a poster about animals. Omar writes the title in big letters.

At the end of the day, Ms. Hill says, “Good job today, everyone.” Omar packs up his things.

When his mom picks him up, he says, “It was actually a good day.”

Grammar Tip

Using Must for Deduction / Certainty We use must + base verb to say that we are very sure about something. “You must be Omar! Welcome.” She must be the teacher. It must be lunchtime.

Multiple Choice

Circle the correct answer.

1. Why is Omar nervous in the morning? a) He has a test b) It’s his first day at a new school c) He forgot his homework

2. What does Omar pack in his backpack? a) His lunch b) A book and a soccer ball c) Notebooks, pencils, and an eraser

3. Who is his teacher? a) Ms. Lopez b) Ms. Hill c) Mr. Green

4. What happens during math class? a) Omar gets every answer right b) Omar doesn’t understand anything c) Omar makes a mistake

5. What game does Omar play at recess? a) Soccer b) Tag c) Basketball

Fill in the Blanks

Write the missing word.

1. Omar is nervous because it is his first day at a new _________.

2. His _________ tells him to be himself.

3. Omar sits next to a girl named _________.

4. The ________ writes on the white board.

5. After lunch, they do a group _________.

Matching

Match the word to the correct meaning. Write the letter (A, B, C, D, or E) on the line.

A. eraser B. classroom C. locker D. recess E. bench

1. A short break when students play outside ___

2. A place where students keep their things ___

3. A piece of furniture to sit on ___

4. A room where students learn ___

5. A tool to remove pencil marks ___

Answer Key – New School

Multiple Choice: 1–b, 2–c, 3–b, 4–c, 5–b Fill in the Blanks: 1–school, 2–mom, 3–Zoe, 4–teacher, 5–project Matching: 1–D, 2–C, 3–E, 4–B, 5–A