Swimmy

Name: Swimmy
Author: Leo Lionni

A story that explores cooperation and opens a conversation with your child.

★★★★★ Loved by families

Read the Guiding Questions Find this book →

♥ This book teaches: Cooperation. choosing the group over the self.

Before, During & After Reading

Guiding Questions for Parents.

Definition of Cooperation for 4 - 7 year olds: Cooperation happens when two or more people help each other to make something good happen. It can also apply to animals or parts of a whole that need each other and work together. An example of this is the human body – all the parts work together to make you healthy. In a nutshell: Together we can do more. Summary: Swimmy is a happy member of a school of fish - he is black and the other fish are red. One day a tuna fish attacks the school and only Swimmy escapes. At first Swimmy is alone and scared, but he decides to face his fears and explore the ocean. He discovers other interesting sea creatures and eventually finds a school of fish that look just like him, except they’re red, not black. They are frightened to leave their hiding place until Swimmy teaches them to swim close together so they look like a big fish. Swimmy, darker than the other red fish, becomes the “eye” and they confidently and freely travel, sticking close together for safety. Lesson Objectives:

Students become excited to explore how living things cooperate like the fish in this story, for the purpose of survival.
Teachers use this story to introduce a science unit on this theme of cooperation within the animal kingdom.

Guiding Questions:

What happens to Swimmy in the beginning of the story?
Can you describe some of the sea creatures Swimmy discovers?
What did Swimmy discover hidden in the dark shade of rocks and weeds?
The fish were scared to leave their hiding place. What made them change their minds?
Why were the big fish scared of Swimmy’s school of fish?
This story is partly true and partly fiction. Which parts are true and which are fiction?
Pick one of the sea animals Sammy meets and research about it. Read a book or look online.
Swimming helped his new friends solve a problem. Did you ever try to help friends or family members solve a problem? What happened?
Swimmy had to overcome his loneliness and fear after he lost his friends in the beginning. Have you ever been afraid of something but decided to refuse to let fear stop you? What happened?
When the fish cooperated and swam close together, they were unafraid. Can you think of a time when being together with friends or family helped you overcome a fear?

🌿 Virtue Connection: Cooperation means choosing to contribute to something larger than yourself.

About the Story.

This guide is part of the Values & Virtues library, a free collection of 400+ book guides and activities organized around 12 core virtues for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Each guide includes Guiding Questions designed to open a real conversation with your child in 10 minutes or less.

Read-aloud video · Best with headphones

Find this book at your library or bookstore →

Cooperation · Family Discussion Guide

Swimmy

by Leo Lionni

Guiding Questions

Students become excited to explore how living things cooperate like the fish in this story, for the purpose of survival.
Teachers use this story to introduce a science unit on this theme of cooperation within the animal kingdom.

Guiding Questions:

What happens to Swimmy in the beginning of the story?
Can you describe some of the sea creatures Swimmy discovers?
What did Swimmy discover hidden in the dark shade of rocks and weeds?
The fish were scared to leave their hiding place. What made them change their minds?
Why were the big fish scared of Swimmy’s school of fish?
This story is partly true and partly fiction. Which parts are true and which are fiction?
Pick one of the sea animals Sammy meets and research about it. Read a book or look online.
Swimming helped his new friends solve a problem. Did you ever try to help friends or family members solve a problem? What happened?
Swimmy had to overcome his loneliness and fear after he lost his friends in the beginning. Have you ever been afraid of something but decided to refuse to let fear stop you? What happened?
When the fish cooperated and swam close together, they were unafraid. Can you think of a time when being together with friends or family helped you overcome a fear?

valuesandvirtues.org · Made possible by our supporters

Swimmy

Guiding Questions for Parents.

About the Story.

More Cooperation guides.

A Little Spot of Teamwork

Because of an Acorn

Bee Cooperative

Boxitects

Explore more guides for 1st & 2nd Grade.

Swimmy

Guiding Questions