Story Sequence Worksheet
3
Reading Comprehension • TEKS 3.8(C)
Story Sequence Worksheet
Name:
Date:
Directions: Read the passage carefully before answering the questions.
STAAR Practice Text
Mateo and the Runaway Hamster
1 On Friday afternoon, Mateo stayed behind in Room 14 to feed Pip, the class hamster. As Mateo gently opened the cage gate to refill the water bottle, the classroom door slammed shut in a sudden gust of wind. The loud bang startled Pip, who dashed right past Mateo's fingers and vanished beneath a row of wooden cubbies.
2 Mateo dropped to his knees and searched quietly, but he could not see Pip anywhere. Then, he noticed a tiny trail of sunflower seed hulls leading toward the open door of the supply closet. Remembering that hamsters love tunnels, Mateo quickly grabbed a clean cardboard tube and placed fresh apple slices inside. He set the tube gently on the closet floor and stepped back to wait.
3 After two quiet minutes, a twitching nose peeked out from behind a stack of paper. Pip smelled the sweet fruit and scurried straight into the tube. Smiling with relief, Mateo lifted both ends of the tube with his hands, returned the runaway pet safely to his enclosure, and securely fastened the cage latch.
PART 1
Beginning, Middle, and End Organizer
Write the key event for each section of the story.
B Beginning
What starts the problem when Mateo feeds Pip?
M Middle
What clue and clever trap does Mateo use?
E Ending
How is Pip safely returned to his cage?
Grade 3 Reading • Plot Elements and Sequencing Page 1 of 2
Story Sequence Worksheet • Section 2
Student Name:
PART 2
Order the Story Events
Write the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in the circles to place the events in the order they happened.
Pip smells the apple slices and scurries inside the cardboard tube.
A slamming door startles Pip, and he escapes beneath the cubbies.
Mateo prepares a cardboard tube with apple slices as a gentle trap.
Mateo opens the cage gate on Friday afternoon to refill the water bottle.
Mateo spots sunflower seed hulls leading toward the supply closet.
PART 3
STAAR Test Practice Questions
1. Look at the timeline below. Which event belongs in the empty box?
A slamming door scares Pip away
Mateo spots seed hulls near the closet
? [ Empty Box ]
Mateo carries Pip back to his cage
A Mateo asks his teacher to help search Room 14
B Mateo sets a tube with apple slices on the closet floor
C Mateo closes the classroom door so wind cannot enter
D Mateo purchases a new water bottle for the class hamster
2. What happens immediately AFTER Pip smells the sweet fruit?
F He runs beneath the cubbies to hide from Mateo
G He scurries straight into the cardboard tube
H He knocks over the stack of paper in the closet
J He waits for Mateo to open the cage latch
STAAR Test Tip: Look for transition clues in the text like on Friday afternoon, then, and after two minutes to prove what happened first, next, and last.
Grade 3 Reading • Plot Elements and Sequencing Page 2 of 2
Story Sequence Answer Key
KEY
Teacher Resource • TEKS 3.8(C)
Story Sequence Answer Key
Scoring & Instructional Guide
Quick Grading Reference Total Suggested Points: 10 pts
Part 1: B-M-E Organizer
3 Points
1 pt per accurate plot phase
Part 2: Sequence Order
5 • 2 • 4 • 1 • 3
5 pts (1 pt per correct slot)
Part 3: STAAR Items
1. B Â |Â 2. G
2 pts (1 pt per item)
PART 1
Beginning, Middle, and End Exemplar Responses
B Beginning (Paragraph 1)
Exemplar: When the classroom door slams shut from the wind, Pip gets scared and escapes from his cage into the room.
Look-for: Student identifies the wind/door noise and Pip's escape under the cubbies as the initiating problem.
M Middle (Paragraph 2)
Exemplar: Mateo tracks seed hulls to the closet and places a cardboard tube with apple slices on the floor as a gentle trap.
Look-for: Student identifies both the clue (seed shells) and Mateo's plan to lure Pip out.
E Ending (Paragraph 3)
Exemplar: Pip crawls into the cardboard tube for the apple, and Mateo safely carries him back and locks the cage latch.
Look-for: Student notes the resolution where Pip enters the tube and is securely returned.
PART 2
Order the Story Events Breakdown
5
Pip smells the apple slices and scurries inside the cardboard tube. Paragraph 3: Occurs after Mateo steps back and waits two quiet minutes.
2
A slamming door startles Pip, and he escapes beneath the cubbies. Paragraph 1: Triggered by a sudden gust of wind as Mateo opens the gate.
4
Mateo prepares a cardboard tube with apple slices as a gentle trap. Paragraph 2: Mateo's clever solution after discovering where Pip ran.
1
Mateo opens the cage gate on Friday afternoon to refill the water bottle. Paragraph 1: The very first action described at the start of the narrative.
3
Mateo spots sunflower seed hulls leading toward the supply closet. Paragraph 2: The clue found immediately after Mateo searches under desks.
Grade 3 STAAR Reading Resource • Story Sequence Answer Key Page 1 of 2
Part 3 Item Analysis • STAAR Distractor Rationale
Standard: TEKS 3.8(C)
Question 1: Flowchart Sequence Completion
Correct: B
"Look at the timeline below. Which event belongs in the empty box?"
A (Incorrect): Mateo asks his teacher to help search Room 14. The passage explicitly notes Mateo handled the situation alone after school; the teacher is never mentioned.
