Welcome back to englishlanguagestudies.com! By the time students reach the third grade, they are making the exciting leap from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” To help your students build their vocabulary and practice reading for deeper meaning, we have created this brand new grade 3 reading comprehension worksheet.
This printable activity features five short stories, including both fun fiction and engaging non-fiction passages (like learning about how chameleons change color!). Each story is followed by three questions that test recall, sequence, and basic inferencing skills. Parents and teachers can use this as an independent classroom center, homework practice, or a fun weekend reading challenge.
3 Easy Tips for Grade 3 Reading Success
Before your child tackles this worksheet, try using these three strategies:
- Identify the Genre Early: Before reading the passage, ask your child to guess if it is a made-up story (fiction) or if it will teach them real facts (non-fiction).
- Visualize the Story: Grade 3 texts have fewer pictures than early reader books. Encourage your child to “make a movie in their mind” while they read to help them remember the details.
- Underline the Evidence: When answering the questions, have your child use a pencil or highlighter to underline the exact sentence in the story where they found the answer!
Grab a pencil, get comfortable, and let’s start reading!
Grade 3 Reading Comprehension
Story 1: The Treehouse Project
Leo and Maya worked all weekend with their dad to build a treehouse in the backyard. First, they painted the wooden walls bright blue. Next, they hung a yellow rope ladder from the sturdy branches. Inside the treehouse, they put two soft beanbag chairs and a small lantern for reading at night. When they were finally finished, it was their new favorite secret hideout.
Choose the correct answer:
- What color did they paint the walls of the treehouse?
A) Yellow
B) Bright blue
C) Green - What did they hang from the sturdy branches?
A) A wooden swing
B) A bird feeder
C) A yellow rope ladder - Why did they put a lantern inside the treehouse?
A) To keep it warm
B) For reading at night
C) To scare away bugs
Story 2: Amazing Chameleons (Non-Fiction)
Chameleons are fascinating lizards known for their special ability to change skin color. Many people think they change color just to blend in with their surroundings and hide. However, scientists say they actually change color based on their mood, the temperature, or to communicate with other chameleons! They also have incredibly long, sticky tongues that they shoot out to catch tasty insects.
Is the sentence True or False?
- Chameleons are a special type of lizard.
[ True / False ] - Chameleons change color ONLY to hide from enemies.
[ True / False ] - Chameleons catch insects using their long, sticky tongues.
[ True / False ]
Story 3: The Missing Homework
On Monday morning, Toby searched frantically through his backpack. His math homework was completely missing! He clearly remembered finishing it on the kitchen table right after dinner. Toby ran downstairs and found his little sister, Mia, sitting at the table. She was happily coloring a picture of a dinosaur on the back of his math sheet with a purple crayon. Toby sighed, grabbed his paper, and hurried outside to catch the school bus.
Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the story:
- Toby was searching frantically for his missing __________ homework.
- He remembered finishing the assignment on the kitchen __________.
- His little sister was coloring on the back of his sheet with a __________ crayon.
Story 4: How Plants Drink (Non-Fiction)
Have you ever wondered how plants drink water? They certainly do not have mouths! Instead, plants use their roots, which grow deep under the dirt. The roots soak up water and important minerals from the soil. Once the water is collected, it travels straight up the plant’s stem, acting almost like a drinking straw, carrying the water all the way into the green leaves.
Choose the correct answer:
- What part of the plant soaks up water from the dirt?
A) The green leaves
B) The roots
C) The flower petals - How does the water travel from the roots to the leaves?
A) It falls like rain.
B) It travels up the stem.
C) The wind blows it up. - According to the text, what does a plant’s stem act like?
A) A drinking straw
B) A heavy rock
C) A soft sponge
Story 5: The Snowy Day
Emily woke up and immediately looked out her bedroom window. Everything outside was covered in a thick blanket of white, sparkling snow. School was canceled! She quickly put on her heavy pink winter coat, thick mittens, and warm boots. Emily grabbed her red plastic sled and ran outside to the big hill behind her house to meet her friends for a day of fun.
Is the sentence True or False?
- When Emily looked out the window, it was raining heavily.
[ True / False ] - Emily put on a pink coat and thick mittens to go outside.
[ True / False ] - Emily went outside to ride her bicycle with her friends.
[ True / False ]
🌟 Parents/Teachers: Click Here for the Answers! 🌟
Story 1: The Treehouse Project
1. B) Bright blue
2. C) A yellow rope ladder
3. B) For reading at night
Story 2: Amazing Chameleons
4. True
5. False (They also change color based on mood, temperature, or to communicate)
6. True
Story 3: The Missing Homework
7. math
8. table
9. purple
Story 4: How Plants Drink
10. B) The roots
11. B) It travels up the stem.
12. A) A drinking straw
Story 5: The Snowy Day
13. False (It was covered in white, sparkling snow)
14. True
15. False (She went out to ride her red plastic sled)
Excellent work! You are a brilliant 3rd-grade reader! 🏆📚
Brilliant work finishing the worksheet! Third grade is a crucial milestone where students begin to process non-fiction information more deeply. If your child learned a new fact about chameleons or how plants drink water, ask them to explain it to you in their own words! Summarizing what they just read is one of the most powerful ways to build long-term comprehension.
Parents, what did your child think of these stories? Did they enjoy the fiction or the non-fiction passages more? Drop a comment below and let us know!
Check out more reading comprehension worksheets: English Reading Comprehension