Reading short original stories and articles, then finding the main idea and key details, making inferences from clues, working out word meanings and choosing the best summary.
Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: 4.RI.2 · main idea, details and summaries
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
The main idea is what the whole passage is mostly about. Details support it.
To infer, put clues from the text together with what you already know.
A good summary gives the main idea and the key details in a few words.
Example: Kenji draws a cake with candles on a card for his grandmother and wraps a present. What is the occasion most likely? Clues: a cake with candles, a card, a present. Those clues usually go with one kind of party. Answer: his grandmother’s birthday
Reading Detectives in Arizona
In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 1 of 13 in 4th grade English Language Arts, before Text Features.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
What was the problem in the story?
The Rainy-Day Plan
Priya and Leo had planned a lemonade stand to raise money for the animal shelter. On Saturday morning, dark clouds rolled in and rain began to pour.
Leo groaned. “Nobody will buy lemonade in the rain.” Priya looked out at the wet street, then grinned. “Then let's sell something warm.”
With permission, they set up a table in the lobby of the community center. They sold warm cocoa and oatmeal cookies to people coming in from the storm. By the afternoon, they had raised more money than they had hoped.
The animal shelter was closed
Leo forgot the lemons
Rain spoiled their plan for a lemonade stand
They ran out of cookies
Rain spoiled their plan for a lemonade stand
Hint: The problem usually shows up early in a story. Look at the first paragraph.
Question 2
How did Priya and Leo solve the problem?
The Rainy-Day Plan
Priya and Leo had planned a lemonade stand to raise money for the animal shelter. On Saturday morning, dark clouds rolled in and rain began to pour.
Leo groaned. “Nobody will buy lemonade in the rain.” Priya looked out at the wet street, then grinned. “Then let's sell something warm.”
With permission, they set up a table in the lobby of the community center. They sold warm cocoa and oatmeal cookies to people coming in from the storm. By the afternoon, they had raised more money than they had hoped.
They gave up and went home
They sold warm treats inside the community center
They waited for the rain to stop
They sold lemonade in the rain
They sold warm treats inside the community center
Hint: The solution is how the characters fix the problem. Reread the last paragraph.
Question 3
Why did people want to buy cocoa and cookies?
The Rainy-Day Plan
Priya and Leo had planned a lemonade stand to raise money for the animal shelter. On Saturday morning, dark clouds rolled in and rain began to pour.
Leo groaned. “Nobody will buy lemonade in the rain.” Priya looked out at the wet street, then grinned. “Then let's sell something warm.”
With permission, they set up a table in the lobby of the community center. They sold warm cocoa and oatmeal cookies to people coming in from the storm. By the afternoon, they had raised more money than they had hoped.
The treats were free
Leo said the rain would stop soon
It was lunchtime at school
They wanted something warm on a cold, rainy day
They wanted something warm on a cold, rainy day
Hint: Think about the weather. What would you want after coming in from a storm?
Question 4
Why were Priya and Leo selling things?
The Rainy-Day Plan
Priya and Leo had planned a lemonade stand to raise money for the animal shelter. On Saturday morning, dark clouds rolled in and rain began to pour.
Leo groaned. “Nobody will buy lemonade in the rain.” Priya looked out at the wet street, then grinned. “Then let's sell something warm.”
With permission, they set up a table in the lobby of the community center. They sold warm cocoa and oatmeal cookies to people coming in from the storm. By the afternoon, they had raised more money than they had hoped.
to buy new bikes
to pay for a trip
to raise money for the animal shelter
to win a contest
to raise money for the animal shelter
Hint: The very first sentence tells you why.
Question 5
What was most likely the special occasion?
Kenji's Early Morning
Kenji tiptoed into the kitchen before anyone else was awake. He took a bowl from the cupboard as quietly as he could, then held his breath when the door squeaked.
He washed a handful of strawberries, sliced a banana with a butter knife and arranged the fruit in the shape of a smiling face. Then he folded a sheet of paper in half and drew a cake with candles on the front.
When his grandmother came downstairs, the bowl and the card were waiting at her place at the table. She read the card, laughed, and gave Kenji a long hug.
his grandmother's birthday
the first day of school
Kenji's birthday
a class picnic
his grandmother's birthday
Hint: Kenji drew a cake with candles and left the card at his grandmother's place. Put those clues together.
Question 6
Which word best describes Kenji?
Kenji's Early Morning
Kenji tiptoed into the kitchen before anyone else was awake. He took a bowl from the cupboard as quietly as he could, then held his breath when the door squeaked.
He washed a handful of strawberries, sliced a banana with a butter knife and arranged the fruit in the shape of a smiling face. Then he folded a sheet of paper in half and drew a cake with candles on the front.
When his grandmother came downstairs, the bowl and the card were waiting at her place at the table. She read the card, laughed, and gave Kenji a long hug.
thoughtful
forgetful
rude
lazy
thoughtful
Hint: Think about what Kenji did for his grandmother. What does that show about him?