Voices in the Canyon (Fiction Passage)

Start with a minute of talk: How can you test an idea to see whether it is true? Then have students read the story on page 1, about 270 words in 6 short paragraphs. Ask them to notice what the characters say, do and feel. Then students move to page 2 for three multiple choice items and two written responses, citing evidence for each answer in their own words. Check the work with the answer key.

Voices in the Canyon gives 5th grade students a fiction passage of about 270 words about a boy and his cousin who hike a canyon and test how echoes work, followed by five questions. The questions practice vocabulary in context, making inferences and cause and effect, and the sheet is aligned to Common Core RL.5.1. An answer key is included.

Voices in the Canyon is a fiction passage of about 270 words about a boy and his cousin who hike a canyon and test how echoes work. It is written for 5th grade readers (ages 10-11) and has 6 short paragraphs, so students can read it in one sitting.

Its five questions, three multiple choice and two written, practice cause and effect, making inferences, vocabulary in context and figurative language. Questions include "What causes an echo" and "How does Diego's test show he is a careful thinker". The sheet is aligned to Common Core RL.5.1, and the answer key is included so you can check responses quickly.

Try this conversation starter: How can you test an idea to see whether it is true? Ask students to read the first paragraph and guess what the problem will be, then finish the story to check their guess.

Plan about 20 to 25 minutes in all: the reading first, then the five questions. At home, a parent can read the questions aloud and talk through the written answers. In class, it works well for independent practice or a quick check of vocabulary in context and making inferences.