Page 1 of 8
Part 1
Ollie Otter found a smooth acorn beside a shallow water tray on the classroom table. He wanted to send it across in a tiny boat.
← Back to the collectionStory illustration Keep exploring Say it. Clap it. Sing it.Print the rhyme ↓
A story to share
Ollie Finds a Floating Boat
Find a cozy spot. Read together. Pause for the good questions.
8 pages to explore
Read the complete storyAll 8 pages together · text edition
Ollie Finds a Floating Boat
Read aloud, take turns, or pause for a question. The illustrated page-by-page reader is above.
Page 1
Part 1
Ollie Otter found a smooth acorn beside a shallow water tray on the classroom table. He wanted to send it across in a tiny boat.
Page 2
Part 2
Three objects waited on a towel: a flat pebble, a broad leaf, and a flat cork disk. Ollie guessed that the pebble might work.
Page 3
Part 3
He placed the pebble on the water. Plop! It sank to the bottom, and Ollie watched the bubbles rise.
Page 4
Part 4
Ollie was surprised, but he did not call the test a failure. Now he knew the heavy pebble was not a boat.
Page 5
Part 5
The leaf floated. When Ollie put the acorn near one edge, the leaf tipped and the acorn rolled onto the towel.
Page 6
Part 6
Last, Ollie tested the flat cork disk. It floated level and stayed still when he touched the middle gently.
Page 7
Part 7
Ollie placed the acorn in the middle of the cork disk. He blew softly across the water, and the little boat moved to the other side.
Page 8
Part 8
Ollie drew three result pictures: pebble sinks, leaf floats but tips, and cork disk floats steadily. Every test taught him something.
What will you try next?
Read each question together. Choose the answer that matches the story.
Try the story activityOllie Tests What Floats
Share a rhyme inspired by the story. Read the words together, tap a gentle beat, or make up your own tune.
A rhyme based on an earlier story edition; some words and events differ from the reading edition.
Open the rhyme
Intro
Ollie fills a tub with blue.
Which small seat will float right through?
Verse 1
Leaf and pebble, cork to test,
Which one makes the froggy's best?
Pebble sinks down to the floor.
Leaf floats up but bends too far.
Chorus
Test it, watch it, what will float?
Try each thing like a little boat.
Sink or stay up, steady or not,
Testing shows us what we've got.
Verse 2
Wide light cork stays on the top.
With toy frog, it does not flop.
Ollie gives one gentle push.
Across the tub goes little frog.
Final Chorus
Test it, watch it, what will float?
Cork became a steady boat.
Try and look before you choose.
Tests can give us helpful clues.
Outro
Ollie smiles beside the blue.
Now he knows what cork can do.