Narrative and Informational Reading Practice Set, Grade 3
A three-passage reading practice set for 3rd graders, pairing two narrative fiction stories (about 350 to 360 words each, around 660 to 690L) with one informational text (about 375 words, around 720L). The 18 questions build text evidence citing, vocabulary in context, central message and theme, character development, main idea, and summarizing skills, making it well suited to preparing students for an end-of-unit test.
“Narrative Fiction ~348 words ~660L Q1 – RL.3.1 (Citing text evidence) Q2 – L.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Q3– RL.3.2 (Central Message) Q4 – RL.3.2 (Supporting details) Q5 – RL.3.3 (Character development) Q6 – RL.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Realistic Fiction ~362 words ~690L Q7 – RL.3.1 (Text evidence) Q8 – RL.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Q9 – RL.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Q10 – RL.3.3 (Character actions) Q11 – RL.3.2 (Main lesson/theme) Q12 – RL.3.3 (Character actions) Informational ~374 words ~720L Q13 – RI.3.1 (Details and evidence) Q14 – RI.3.2 (Main idea) Q15 – RI.3.2 (Summary of key ideas) Q16 – L.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Q17 – RI.3.1 (Text evidence) Q18 – RI.3.2 (Summarizing) My students will be taking a end of unit test next week. These are the story genres, question types and lexile levels. I would like to have a plan for small group time. I have two 15 minute blocks of time for two days before they take the test.”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use the packet as a test-prep review in two 15-minute small-group sessions: on day one, read the first narrative (Q1 to Q6) together and talk through one or two questions; on day two, tackle the realistic fiction and informational passages (Q7 to Q18), focusing on the question types students struggled with most.
- Discussion question: "What words or sentences in the story helped you figure out how Maya felt, and how did you decide?" Follow up by asking students to point to the exact evidence before answering any text-evidence question.
- Scaffold for struggling readers: pre-read each passage aloud, pause to define key vocabulary in context, and have students underline one piece of evidence per question before choosing an answer; offer a sentence frame such as "I know this because the text says ___."
- Extension for advanced students: ask them to write a one-sentence summary of the informational passage and compare how the central message of the narrative differs from the main idea of the nonfiction text.
- Time estimate: plan roughly 15 minutes per day, so reserve the first session for narrative fiction practice and the second for the realistic fiction and informational passages, keeping discussion brief and focused.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free“Narrative Fiction ~348 words ~660L Q1 – RL.3.1 (Citing text evidence) Q2 – L.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Q3– RL.3.2 (Central Message) Q4 – RL.3.2 (Supporting details) Q5 – RL.3.3 (Character development) Q6 – RL.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Realistic Fiction ~362 words ~690L Q7 – RL.3.1 (Text evidence) Q8 – RL.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Q9 – RL.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Q10 – RL.3.3 (Character actions) Q11 – RL.3.2 (Main lesson/theme) Q12 – RL.3.3 (Character actions) Informational ~374 words ~720L Q13 – RI.3.1 (Details and evidence) Q14 – RI.3.2 (Main idea) Q15 – RI.3.2 (Summary of key ideas) Q16 – L.3.4 (Vocabulary in context) Q17 – RI.3.1 (Text evidence) Q18 – RI.3.2 (Summarizing) My students will be taking a end of unit test next week. These are the story genres, question types and lexile levels. I would like to have a plan for small group time. I have two 15 minute blocks of time for two days before they take the test.”
Teacher Guide & Tips
- Use the packet as a test-prep review in two 15-minute small-group sessions: on day one, read the first narrative (Q1 to Q6) together and talk through one or two questions; on day two, tackle the realistic fiction and informational passages (Q7 to Q18), focusing on the question types students struggled with most.
- Discussion question: "What words or sentences in the story helped you figure out how Maya felt, and how did you decide?" Follow up by asking students to point to the exact evidence before answering any text-evidence question.
- Scaffold for struggling readers: pre-read each passage aloud, pause to define key vocabulary in context, and have students underline one piece of evidence per question before choosing an answer; offer a sentence frame such as "I know this because the text says ___."
- Extension for advanced students: ask them to write a one-sentence summary of the informational passage and compare how the central message of the narrative differs from the main idea of the nonfiction text.
- Time estimate: plan roughly 15 minutes per day, so reserve the first session for narrative fiction practice and the second for the realistic fiction and informational passages, keeping discussion brief and focused.
Narrative and Informational Reading Practice Set, Grade 3
A three-passage reading practice set for 3rd graders, pairing two narrative fiction stories (about 350 to 360 words each, around 660 to 690L) with one informational text (about 375 words, around 720L). The 18 questions build text evidence citing, vocabulary in context, central message and theme, character development, main idea, and summarizing skills, making it well suited to preparing students for an end-of-unit test.
What is Diffit?
Teachers use Diffit to get quality materials for their unique classrooms. Adjust difficulty, add scaffolds, or change the topic to get started.
Try Diffit for free