Grade 3 Story Elements worksheet
from Gradelings · Name: ______________________
How to explain it
- Characters are who the story is about. The setting is where and when it happens.
- The problem is what goes wrong. The solution is how it gets fixed.
- Clues about what characters say and do tell you how they feel.
Example: A rabbit keeps eating Lena’s lettuce, so Lena and her mom build a fence. What is the solution? The problem is the rabbit eating the lettuce. The fix is what stops it. Answer: Lena and her mom put a fence around the lettuce.
Question 1
What is the problem in this story?
On Friday morning, Kenji had to return a library book about dinosaurs.
But the book was missing! He searched his backpack, his desk and under his bed.
Then Kenji remembered reading in the car after soccer practice.
He checked the car and found the book under a seat.
Kenji got to school just in time to return it.
- Kenji did not like dinosaurs.
- The library was closed.
- Kenji could not find his library book.
Kenji could not find his library book.
Hint: The problem is the trouble a character needs to fix. It usually shows up near the beginning.
Question 2
How is the problem solved?
On Friday morning, Kenji had to return a library book about dinosaurs.
But the book was missing! He searched his backpack, his desk and under his bed.
Then Kenji remembered reading in the car after soccer practice.
He checked the car and found the book under a seat.
Kenji got to school just in time to return it.
- He remembered reading in the car and found the book there.
- He bought a brand-new book.
- His teacher found it in the classroom.
He remembered reading in the car and found the book there.
Hint: The solution is how the problem gets fixed. Look near the end of the story.
Question 3
How did Kenji most likely feel when the book was missing?
On Friday morning, Kenji had to return a library book about dinosaurs.
But the book was missing! He searched his backpack, his desk and under his bed.
Then Kenji remembered reading in the car after soccer practice.
He checked the car and found the book under a seat.
Kenji got to school just in time to return it.
- Worried
- Sleepy
- Proud
Worried
Hint: The book was due that day, and he couldn't find it anywhere!
Question 4
How did Amir most likely feel at the end?
On a windy Saturday, Amir flew his new green kite in the field behind his school.
A strong gust pushed the kite into a tall tree.
Amir tugged hard on the string, but the kite stayed stuck.
His big sister, Nora, gently wiggled the string back and forth. Slowly, the kite slid free and floated down.
Amir thanked Nora, and they took turns flying the kite all afternoon.
- Angry
- Thankful
- Lonely
Thankful
Hint: Amir thanked Nora, and they played together all afternoon.
Question 5
What is the problem in a story?
- The name of the author
- The happy ending
- The trouble a character has to deal with
The trouble a character has to deal with
Hint: Most stories have something go wrong. That is the problem.
Question 6
Which of these could be a story problem?
- It is a sunny day.
- A girl lives in a big city.
- A boy's kite gets stuck in a tree.
A boy's kite gets stuck in a tree.
Hint: A problem is something that goes wrong and needs fixing.
Question 7
How did Priya feel when she saw the other lemon muffins?
Priya and her dad baked lemon muffins for the school bake sale.
When they got to the gym, Priya saw that another family had brought lemon muffins too.
Priya frowned. “Now nobody will buy ours,” she said.
Then Priya had an idea. She asked the other family to share one big table with a sign that said “Lemon Muffin Corner.”
By noon, every muffin was gone!
- Excited
- Sleepy
- Worried
Worried
Hint: Priya frowned and said nobody would buy their muffins.
Question 8
What is the setting of this story?
Priya and her dad baked lemon muffins for the school bake sale.
When they got to the gym, Priya saw that another family had brought lemon muffins too.
Priya frowned. “Now nobody will buy ours,” she said.
Then Priya had an idea. She asked the other family to share one big table with a sign that said “Lemon Muffin Corner.”
By noon, every muffin was gone!
- At a bake sale in the school gym
- At the library after school
- At a farm in the country
At a bake sale in the school gym
Hint: The setting is where and when a story happens. Look for clues about the place and the time.
Question 9
Who is the main character in this story?
Lena grew lettuce in her backyard garden.
One morning, she found that half of the leaves had been nibbled away.
She waited quietly by the window and spotted a hungry rabbit hopping out of the garden.
Lena and her mom put a small fence around the lettuce.
The lettuce grew big and leafy again, and Lena planted some clover near the back fence just for the rabbit.
- A squirrel
- A farmer
- Lena
Lena
Hint: The main character is the person or animal the story is mostly about.
Question 10
How did Lena most likely feel when she saw the nibbled leaves?
Lena grew lettuce in her backyard garden.
One morning, she found that half of the leaves had been nibbled away.
She waited quietly by the window and spotted a hungry rabbit hopping out of the garden.
Lena and her mom put a small fence around the lettuce.
The lettuce grew big and leafy again, and Lena planted some clover near the back fence just for the rabbit.
- Delighted
- Upset
- Sleepy
Upset
Hint: Half of her lettuce was gone!
Answer key
- 1. Kenji could not find his library book.
- 2. He remembered reading in the car and found the book there.
- 3. Worried
- 4. Thankful
- 5. The trouble a character has to deal with
- 6. A boy's kite gets stuck in a tree.
- 7. Worried
- 8. At a bake sale in the school gym
- 9. Lena
- 10. Upset
Want more than 10 questions?
In Gradelings the questions change every time and adjust to your child, with hints and kind feedback.