Story Sleuths Homework
Reading Clues • Part 1
Story Sleuths Homework
Name:
Date:
Detective Mission: Read the story, look for character clues, and identify who is narrating!
Skill Focus: Trait & POV
Story: Kira and the Clay Dragon
Short Story • 3 Paragraphs
¶1 Kira tapped her fingers against the pottery wheel. The wet gray clay wobbled, slumped sideways, and melted into a messy pancake. Kira sighed and took a deep breath. She had spent three whole afternoons trying to sculpt a dragon's wing for the school art showcase, but the fragile edges kept cracking.
¶2 "Do not give up now," Kira whispered softly to herself. She remembered what her art teacher said about using gentle fingers. Kira dipped her thumbs in lukewarm water and carefully smoothed out the rough bumps. When the clay grew dry, she patiently sprayed it with a tiny mist of water.
¶3 By dinner time, the small clay dragon had two curved wings standing firm and tall. Kira smiled proudly as she placed her project on the drying rack. The dragon was not flawless, but her patient hard work had brought it to life.
1
Characterization Clues
Trait Bank: Patient Careless Jealous
A. Which character trait best describes Kira in Paragraph 2?
A Careless and noisy
B Patient and determined
C Lazy and bored
B. Text Clue: Write one action or thought that proves your answer.
Sentence Starter: Kira proves she has this trait when she...
2
Point of View Detective
Tip: 1st Person = I, me, we | 3rd Person = he, she, they, names
A. What Point of View is used to tell this story?
1
1st Person
A character inside the story is telling it.
2
3rd Person
An outside narrator is telling Kira's story.
B. Clue Words: Write two pronouns from the story that helped you decide.
Clue Word 1:
Clue Word 2:
Page 1 Complete! Turn over for Fable Practice. Story Sleuths • Grade 5 SPED Reading • Page 1 of 2
Fable Practice • Part 2
Theme & Summary Workshop
Homework Checklist: 2 Skills to Go!
Fable: The Crow and the Water Pitcher
Aesop's Fable • Adapted
¶1 On a hot afternoon, a thirsty crow flew across the fields searching for water. His throat was dry, and his wings felt heavy. Suddenly, he spotted a tall glass pitcher sitting on a wooden bench.
¶2 The crow peered inside. Cool water was resting at the very bottom! He poked his beak in, but the pitcher's neck was too narrow. He tried pushing the heavy pitcher over, but it would not budge.
¶3 Instead of giving up, the crow saw a pile of small pebbles on the ground. One by one, he picked up a pebble in his beak and dropped it into the pitcher: plink, plink, plink! Each stone raised the water higher. At last, the water reached the top rim, and the clever bird took a long, refreshing drink.
3
Theme Detective (The Life Lesson)
Theme = The author's big message about life
A. What is the central theme (moral) of this fable?
A Little by little, clever patience solves big problems.
B It is best to fly away quickly whenever trouble happens.
C Heavy glass pitchers should always be left outside.
B. Why does this match the fable? Write one detail from the story.
4
5-Step Summary Builder (SWBST Strategy)
Fill in each puzzle piece
S Somebody:
The thirsty
W Wanted:
Wanted to drink water from the
B But:
The pitcher's neck was too narrow and his beak could not
S So:
He dropped small
into the pitcher one by one.
T Then:
The water rose to the rim, and he was able to
My Self-Check: I read both passages I found story clues I gave my best effort
Story Sleuths • Page 2 of 2
Story Sleuths Answer Key
Teacher Guide • Grade 5 Reading IEP Supports
Story Sleuths Answer Key: Part 1
Confidential • Educator Copy
Scoring & Misconception Guide
Fast Check:
1A: B (Patient) 1B: Action / Quote 2A: 3rd Person 2B: she / her
1 Skill 1: Characterization ("Kira and the Clay Dragon")
Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3
Part A: Trait Selection Correct: B
Correct Answer: B (Patient and determined).
Kira works for three afternoons and refuses to give up after the clay melts.
Part B: Acceptable Text Evidence Any 1 Detail
- "Do not give up now," Kira whispered softly to herself.
- She dipped thumbs in water and smoothed bumps.
- Patiently sprayed tiny mist when it dried out.
Common Misconception & Grading Tip: Students may pick "Careless" if they only notice the clay melting into a pancake in Paragraph 1. Clarify that accidents happen, but her response in Paragraph 2 proves her true trait. Accept phonetic spelling or bulleted evidence for students with IEP writing accommodations.
2 Skill 2: Point of View Detective
Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.6
Part A: Narration Perspective Correct: Option 2
Correct Answer: Option 2 (3rd Person).
The narrator is outside the story observing Kira's actions and thoughts.
Part B: Clue Words Any 2 Words
Valid Pronouns: she, her, herself, or repeated use of proper noun Kira.
The "Dialogue Trap" Notice: Kira says "myself" in dialogue quotes. Emphasize that dialogue inside quotation marks does NOT change the narrator's overall Point of View. The narrator speaks outside quotes using she/her.
SPED Scoring Adjustments:
Speech-to-Text: Accept oral explanation for Part B evidence.
Spelling/Grammar: Do not penalize inventive phonetic spelling.
Highlighting: Reward students who highlighted pronouns directly on the text.
Teacher Resource • Story Sleuths Answer Key Page 1 of 2
Teacher Guide • Part 2: Fable Solutions
Story Sleuths Answer Key: Part 2
Theme & Summary Key
