Story Sprint Worksheet
Fluency Story Sprint
Passage 1 • Mid-Grade 3 Literary Reading
Name: _______________________
Date: _______________________
1-Minute Fluency Check
Words Read: ______ Errors: ______ WCPM: ______
The Secret of the Maple Treehouse
Read carefully. Use the numbers on the right to track words per minute.
Maya climbed the wooden ladder to her backyard treehouse.
9
Her older brother, Sam, had built it three summers ago.
19
Today, Maya felt butterflies in her stomach as she peeked
29
inside. A tiny gray squirrel sat right on her sketchbook!
39
"Whoa," Maya whispered, freezing like a statue on the top
49
rung. She did not want to scare the little visitor.
59
The squirrel twitched its bushy tail and sniffed a yellow
69
crayon. Then it picked up an acorn from the windowsill
79
and vanished out the open window in a flash.
88
Maya let out a long breath and climbed onto the
98
floor. On her sketchbook lay a shiny, smooth oak leaf.
108
Beside it, three more acorns were lined up in a
118
neat row. Maya grinned from ear to ear. Her treehouse
128
was not just a quiet hideout anymore. It had become
138
a secret trading post for her new woodland neighbor.
147
Maya reached into her backpack and pulled out two crunchy
157
sunflower seeds. She placed them carefully on the windowsill,
166
hoping the squirrel would return tomorrow for another trade.
175
Reader Tip: Read smoothly with expression, and pause at periods and commas.
The Secret of the Maple Treehouse — Part A: Text Evidence (RL.3.1)
Circle the best answer for each question. Look back at the story to prove your answer!
Name: _________________
1. Who built the backyard treehouse?
AMaya's father
BMaya's older brother, Sam
CMaya's woodland neighbor
DMaya built it herself
2. What was the gray squirrel doing when Maya first peeked inside?
AEating sunflower seeds on the floor
BHiding behind Maya's backpack
CSitting on Maya's sketchbook
DClimbing down the wooden ladder
3. What did Maya find lying on her sketchbook after the squirrel left?
AA shiny, smooth oak leaf
BA broken yellow crayon
CTwo crunchy sunflower seeds
DA piece of tree bark
4. How many acorns were lined up in a neat row beside the sketchbook?
AOne acorn
BTwo acorns
CFour acorns
DThree acorns
5. Why did Maya place two sunflower seeds on the windowsill at the end of the story?
AShe wanted to feed the birds outside.
BShe dropped them by accident from her backpack.
CShe wanted to trade with the squirrel again tomorrow.
DShe was cleaning out her old sketchbook.
Part A Score (RL.3.1): _____ / 5
The Secret of the Maple Treehouse — Part B: Word Meaning (RL.3.4)
Circle the best meaning for each underlined word or nonliteral phrase.
Name: _________________
6. In the story, Maya felt butterflies in her stomach. What does this phrase mean?
AShe was feeling nervous and excited.
BShe had eaten too much lunch.
CShe saw insects flying in the treehouse.
DShe was angry at her brother Sam.
7. Maya whispered, freezing like a statue on the top rung. What does this phrase mean?
AShe was shivering because the treehouse was cold.
BShe stood completely still without moving.
CShe turned into a stone sculpture.
DShe climbed down the ladder quickly.
8. What does the word vanished mean in the sentence, "Then it picked up an acorn from the windowsill and vanished out the open window in a flash"?
AFell asleep
BDisappeared quickly
CSang loudly
DPainted a picture
9. Maya grinned from ear to ear. What does this phrase mean?
AShe covered her ears.
BShe felt confused.
CShe whispered quietly.
DShe smiled very widely.
10. What does the phrase trading post mean in the sentence, "It had become a secret trading post for her new woodland neighbor"?
AA wooden fence built around a garden
BA mailbox for sending letters to Sam
CA place where two characters swap items with each other
DA tall tree where squirrels build nests
Part B Score (RL.3.4): _____ / 5
Fluency Story Sprint
Passage 2 • Mid-Grade 3 Literary Reading
Name: _______________________
Date: _______________________
1-Minute Fluency Check
Words Read: ______ Errors: ______ WCPM: ______
Leo and the Midnight Comet
Read carefully. Use the numbers on the right to track words per minute.
Leo zipped up his warm jacket and stepped onto the
10
back porch. The night sky was a dark velvet blanket
20
dotted with silver stars. Tonight, a bright comet would streak
30
past Earth, and Leo refused to miss the rare show.
40
His dad set up a brass telescope near the porch
50
railing. "Keep your eyes peeled toward the northern pine trees,"
60
Dad said, pointing up. Leo pressed his eye to the
70
eyepiece and waited patiently in the chilly autumn air.
79
For twenty minutes, nothing moved except a lonely owl gliding
89
silently over the yard. Leo's eyelids began to feel heavy
99
as lead. Just as he started to yawn, a glowing
109
streak of icy blue light blazed across the telescope lens!
119
"There it is!" Leo shouted, nearly jumping out of his
129
boots. Its long, sparkling tail stretched behind it like a
139
silver ribbon. Within seconds, the comet faded into the distance.
149
Leo smiled as he packed up the telescope with Dad.
159
Staying awake past midnight had been hard, but watching the
169
comet made every sleepy minute worth it.
176
Reader Tip: Pay attention to quotation marks and exclamation points as you read aloud.
Leo and the Midnight Comet — Part A: Text Evidence (RL.3.1)
Circle the best answer for each question. Look back at the story to prove your answer!
Name: _________________
1. Where did Leo's dad set up the brass telescope?
AUnder the northern pine trees
BNear the back porch railing
CInside Leo's bedroom window
DOn top of the roof
2. Which direction did Dad tell Leo to look for the comet?
AToward the front driveway
BToward the backyard fence
CToward the southern hills
DToward the northern pine trees
3. What did Leo see while he was waiting for the comet?
AA lonely owl gliding over the yard
BA shooting star falling into the trees
CA squirrel climbing the porch railing
DA bright airplane flying past the moon
4. What did the comet look like through the telescope lens?
AA round yellow ball with dark spots
BA flashing red light near the owl
CAn icy blue streak with a sparkling tail
DA silver ring floating above the pines
5. How did Leo feel at the end of the story even though he was sleepy?
AHe wished he had stayed in bed.
BHe was glad he stayed awake to see the comet.
CHe was upset that the telescope broke.
DHe was annoyed at the chilly autumn air.
Part A Score (RL.3.1): _____ / 5
Leo and the Midnight Comet — Part B: Word Meaning (RL.3.4)
Circle the best meaning for each underlined word or nonliteral phrase.
Name: _________________
6. The story says, "The night sky was a dark velvet blanket dotted with silver stars." Why does the author compare the sky to a velvet blanket?
ATo show the sky looked soft, deep, and dark
BTo show Leo brought a blanket outside
CTo explain that clouds covered all the stars
DTo tell the reader it was raining outside
7. What does the word rare mean in the sentence, "Leo refused to miss the rare show"?
ANoisy and crowded
BHappening every day
CBoring and slow
DNot happening often
8. Dad told Leo to keep your eyes peeled. What did Dad mean?
AClose his eyes and rest
BWear his glasses outside
CWatch carefully for the comet
DLook down at the porch floor
9. In the story, Leo's eyelids began to feel heavy as lead. What does this phrase mean?
AHis eyes were hurting from the bright sun.
BHe was getting very sleepy.
CHe was wearing a heavy helmet.
DHe felt excited to run outside.
10. Leo shouted, nearly jumping out of his boots. What does this phrase mean?
AHe felt a sudden burst of excitement.
BHis boots were too big for his feet.
CHe tripped over the telescope stand.
DHe wanted to take off his shoes.
Part B Score (RL.3.4): _____ / 5
Story Sprint Answer Key
Teacher Guide & Answer Key
Fluency Story Sprint • Mid-Grade 3 (RL.3.1 & RL.3.4)
1-Minute Timing Protocol
- • Set a timer for 60 seconds. Have the student read aloud from the passage.
- • Mark any skipped, substituted, or teacher-supplied words as errors (self-corrections within 3 seconds do not count as errors).
- • Use the right-margin numbers to find Total Words Read, then calculate: WCPM = Words Read − Errors.
Mid-Grade 3 WCPM Benchmarks
75th Percentile (Above Target): 119+ WCPM
50th Percentile (Mid-Year Target): 97–118 WCPM
25th Percentile (Needs Support): < 79 WCPM
Target accuracy: 95%+ (Hasbrouck & Tindal Winter Norms).
Assessment Structure (10 Questions per Passage)
Part A: Questions 1–5 (RL.3.1)
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
Part B: Questions 6–10 (RL.3.4)
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
Quick Small-Group Reteach Moves
RL.3.1 — Prove It in the Text
Have students underline the exact sentence in the story that proves their answer choice before circling A, B, C, or D.
RL.3.4 — Literal vs. Nonliteral
Ask students to sketch the literal meaning (e.g., real butterflies in a stomach) vs. the intended meaning (nervous/excited).
Passage 1 Key: The Secret of the Maple Treehouse
Part A (RL.3.1) & Part B (RL.3.4) • 10 Questions
1. B — Maya's older brother, Sam RL.3.1
Evidence: "Her older brother, Sam, had built it three summers ago." (Lines 1–2)
2. C — Sitting on Maya's sketchbook RL.3.1
Evidence: "A tiny gray squirrel sat right on her sketchbook!" (Line 4)
3. A — A shiny, smooth oak leaf RL.3.1
Evidence: "On her sketchbook lay a shiny, smooth oak leaf." (Line 11)
4. D — Three acorns RL.3.1
Evidence: "Beside it, three more acorns were lined up in a neat row." (Lines 12–13)
5. C — She wanted to trade with the squirrel again tomorrow. RL.3.1
Evidence: "...hoping the squirrel would return tomorrow for another trade." (Line 18)
6. A — She was feeling nervous and excited. RL.3.4
Meaning: "Butterflies in her stomach" is a nonliteral idiom meaning nervous anticipation.
7. B — She stood completely still without moving. RL.3.4
Meaning: "Freezing like a statue" compares Maya to a motionless statue so she will not scare the squirrel.
8. B — Disappeared quickly RL.3.4
Context Clue: "...out the open window in a flash" shows the squirrel left suddenly and fast.
9. D — She smiled very widely. RL.3.4
Meaning: "Grinned from ear to ear" is a nonliteral idiom describing a huge, happy smile.
10. C — A place where two characters swap items with each other RL.3.4
Context Clue: The squirrel left an oak leaf and acorns, and Maya left sunflower seeds for "another trade."
Passage 2 Key: Leo and the Midnight Comet
Part A (RL.3.1) & Part B (RL.3.4) • 10 Questions
1. B — Near the back porch railing RL.3.1
Evidence: "His dad set up a brass telescope near the porch railing." (Lines 5–6)
2. D — Toward the northern pine trees RL.3.1
Evidence: "'Keep your eyes peeled toward the northern pine trees,' Dad said..." (Lines 6–7)
3. A — A lonely owl gliding over the yard RL.3.1
Evidence: "For twenty minutes, nothing moved except a lonely owl gliding silently over the yard." (Lines 9–10)
4. C — An icy blue streak with a sparkling tail RL.3.1
Evidence: "...a glowing streak of icy blue light blazed..." and "Its long, sparkling tail..." (Lines 11–14)
5. B — He was glad he stayed awake to see the comet. RL.3.1
Evidence: "...watching the comet made every sleepy minute worth it." (Lines 17–18)
6. A — To show the sky looked soft, deep, and dark RL.3.4
Meaning: This metaphor compares the dark night sky to a rich, dark velvet blanket.
7. D — Not happening often RL.3.4
Context Clue: Leo stayed up past midnight because a comet passing Earth is an unusual, special event.
8. C — Watch carefully for the comet RL.3.4
Meaning: "Keep your eyes peeled" is a nonliteral idiom meaning to stay alert and look closely.
9. B — He was getting very sleepy. RL.3.4
Meaning: "Heavy as lead" is a simile showing his eyelids felt weighed down; he yawns right after.
10. A — He felt a sudden burst of excitement. RL.3.4
Meaning: "Nearly jumping out of his boots" is a nonliteral idiom for being thrilled and surprised.
