The Wishing Well (Fiction Passage)

Start with a minute of talk: How do you get ready for a second try after a disappointment? Then have students read the story on page 1, about 220 words in 7 short paragraphs. Ask them to notice what the characters say, do and feel. Page 2 has five questions, three multiple choice and two written responses. Ask students to name the paragraph or detail that supports each answer before they write it. Check the work with the answer key.

The Wishing Well gives 4th grade students a fiction passage of about 220 words about a girl who tosses coins in an old wishing well and then gets a second chance, followed by five questions. The questions practice the theme or lesson of the story, vocabulary in context and making inferences, and the sheet is aligned to Common Core RL.4.2. An answer key is included.

The Wishing Well is a fiction passage of about 220 words about a girl who tosses coins in an old wishing well and then gets a second chance. It is written for 4th grade readers (ages 9-10) and has 7 short paragraphs, so students can read it in one sitting.

Its five questions, three multiple choice and two written, practice cause and effect, the theme or lesson of the story, comparing and contrasting and making inferences. Questions include "Why did Elena get a low score on her first test" and "Why do you think Elena wished for more days with flash cards". The sheet is aligned to Common Core RL.4.2, and the answer key is included so you can check responses quickly.

Try this conversation starter: How do you get ready for a second try after a disappointment? Before reading, ask students to predict what might happen from the title. After reading, have them retell the story in two or three sentences before they answer the questions.

Set aside roughly 20 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.