A Puppy for Mia (Fiction Passage)

Start with a minute of talk: What jobs come with caring for a pet? Then have students read the story on page 1, about 170 words in 5 short paragraphs. Ask them to notice what the characters say, do and feel. Page 2 has five questions, three multiple choice and two written. Remind students to answer in complete sentences and to point to the part of the text that proves their answer. Check the work with the answer key.

A Puppy for Mia gives 3rd grade students a fiction passage of about 170 words about a girl who gets a puppy for her birthday and learns what it takes to care for it, followed by five questions. The questions practice the main idea, vocabulary in context and making inferences, and the sheet is aligned to Common Core RL.3.2. An answer key is included.

A Puppy for Mia is a fiction passage of about 170 words about a girl who gets a puppy for her birthday and learns what it takes to care for it. It is written for 3rd grade readers (ages 8-9) and has 5 short paragraphs, so students can read it in one sitting.

Its five questions, three multiple choice and two written, practice the main idea, making inferences, vocabulary in context and cause and effect. Questions include "What is the main idea of this story" and "Why did Mom say a puppy is a big responsibility". The sheet is aligned to Common Core RL.3.2, and the answer key is included so you can check responses quickly.

Try this conversation starter: What jobs come with caring for a pet? Invite students to share a similar experience first, then read to compare. Afterward, ask what the main character learned.

Most students need about 15 to 20 minutes for the passage and the questions together. The sheet works at a kitchen table with a parent talking through the written answers, or at a reading center as independent work on the main idea and vocabulary in context.