Once upon a time, there was a group of animals who liked to go on hikes and explore the forest. One day, they decided to have a race to see who was the fastest.

The tortoise started to amble, the rabbit began to bolt, the snail started to crawl, the squirrel crouched down to get a good grip on the ground, the cheetah dashed forward, the horse started to gallop, and the penguin hobbled along.

As they ran, they realized that each of their unique ways of moving was special and made them fast in their own way. The tortoise may have been slow, but he was steady and didn't tire easily. The rabbit was speedy but had a tendency to get tired quickly. The snail was slow but very determined, the squirrel was quick and nimble, the cheetah was lightning fast, the horse was strong and steady, and the penguin was waddling but still making progress.

In the end, they all crossed the finish line together, realizing that it wasn't about who was the fastest, but about enjoying the journey. They all cheered and hugged each other, happy to have made new friends and had so much fun together.

The End.

Reflections

1. What do the different animals in the story do during the race?
2. Why did the animals learn that it wasn't about who was the fastest?
3. How did the animals feel when they all crossed the finish line together?
4. What did the animals learn about friendship and diversity from this experience?