Cobweb Clues Reading Worksheet
The Mystery of the Glowing Barn
Decodable Phonics & Reading Comprehension • Grade 4
Name:
Date:
Phonics Target: Vowel Teams (-ight, ea, oa) & R-Controlled (ar, er, or)
Level: 4th Grade Decodable
Read the Story
Read carefully to locate text evidence
Leo and his sister Joan walked down Cobweb Lane on Halloween night. The silver moonlight shone bright in the cold autumn sky. Dry leaves made a crisp crunch beneath their boots as a chilly breeze swept past the tall oak trees.
"Look at that old red barn near the fence," Joan said, pointing a gloved finger. "Do you see that yellow beam of light near the hayloft?"
A soft squeak echoed from the rafters, followed by a low thump. Leo felt a spark of fright, but he gripped his flashlight tight. Together, they crept toward the creaky wooden door.
Inside, a round orange pumpkin rested on an oak crate. It was freshly carved with a wide, toothy grin. Behind it sat Grandpa Mark with a paintbrush and a scoop of pumpkin seeds! "Happy Halloween, sleuths!" chuckled Grandpa. "You found my secret carving spot before the neighborhood parade!"
Text-Explicit Comprehension Questions
Directions: Circle or fill the bubble for the best answer.
- Down which street were Leo and Joan walking on Halloween night?
A Maple Drive B Cobweb Lane C Autumn Ridge Road D Hayloft Hollow
- What did Joan see near the hayloft of the old red barn?
A A glowing green lantern B A flying black bat C A yellow beam of light D A pile of silver leaves
- What item did Leo grip tight when he felt a spark of fright?
A His warm winter coat B A heavy wooden stick C A sack of candy D His flashlight
- Who was sitting behind the freshly carved pumpkin inside the barn?
A Grandpa Mark B Their cousin Ben C A spooky scarecrow D Officer Jenkins
Bonus Word Detective
— Find words from the story with these target spellings:
1. Team -ight: ______________
2. Team -ea-: ______________
3. R-controlled -ar-: ______________
Cobweb Clues Answer Key
The Mystery of the Glowing Barn
Answer Key
Teacher Guide & Text-Evidence Reference • Grade 4 Decodable Phonics
Quick Key
1:B 2:C 3:D 4:A
Text-Explicit Question Breakdown & Evidence
- Down which street were Leo and Joan walking on Halloween night?
B (Cobweb Lane)
Verbatim Text Evidence:
"Leo and his sister Joan walked down Cobweb Lane on Halloween night." (Paragraph 1, Line 1)
- What did Joan see near the hayloft of the old red barn?
C (A yellow beam of light)
Verbatim Text Evidence:
"'Do you see that yellow beam of light near the hayloft?'" (Paragraph 2, Line 2)
- What item did Leo grip tight when he felt a spark of fright?
D (His flashlight)
Verbatim Text Evidence:
"Leo felt a spark of fright, but he gripped his flashlight tight." (Paragraph 3, Line 2)
- Who was sitting behind the freshly carved pumpkin inside the barn?
A (Grandpa Mark)
Verbatim Text Evidence:
"Behind it sat Grandpa Mark with a paintbrush and a scoop of pumpkin seeds!" (Paragraph 4, Line 2)
Word Detective & Target Phonics Inventory
Pattern: -ight
Accept any of:
• night
• bright
• fright
• light
• tight
Pattern: -ea- (Long e)
Accept any of:
• beam
• squeak
• creak / creaky
• leaves (variant)
Pattern: -ar- (R-Controlled)
Accept any of:
• barn
• spark
• carved
• Mark
Instructional Tip: Text-Explicit (QAR "Right There") Questions
Direct students to underline or highlight the exact sentence in the passage before selecting their answer. For students needing decoding support, guide them to identify syllable types (closed syllables, vowel teams, r-controlled) in key vocabulary before reading the full passage.
