The Runaway Kite (Fiction Passage)

Start with a minute of talk: What do you do when something you made breaks? Then have students read the story on page 1, about 280 words in 7 short paragraphs. Ask them to notice what the characters say, do and feel. The five questions on page 2 push students to explain, not just choose. Ask for text evidence in both written responses and invite a short discussion afterward. Check the work with the answer key.

The Runaway Kite gives 5th grade students a fiction passage of about 280 words about a boy whose kite breaks loose and the neighbor who helps him, followed by five questions. The questions practice the theme or lesson of the story, vocabulary in context and figurative language, and the sheet is aligned to Common Core RL.5.2. An answer key is included.

The Runaway Kite is a fiction passage of about 280 words about a boy whose kite breaks loose and the neighbor who helps him. It is written for 5th grade readers (ages 10-11) and has 7 short paragraphs, so students can read it in one sitting.

Its five questions, three multiple choice and two written, practice the theme or lesson of the story, vocabulary in context, figurative language and key details. Questions include "Which sentence best states the theme of the story" and "What does Josh's last sentence suggest about him". The sheet is aligned to Common Core RL.5.2, and the answer key is included so you can check responses quickly.

Try this conversation starter: What do you do when something you made breaks? Ask students to read the first paragraph and guess what the problem will be, then finish the story to check their guess.

Set aside roughly 20 to 25 minutes. Families can use it for a calm reading session, and teachers can use it as homework, a center or a short formative check of the theme or lesson of the story and vocabulary in context.