Mural Mixup Comprehension Worksheet
Grade 3 Reading Comprehension
The Great Mural Mix-Up
Name:
Date:
Score: / 5
Focus Skill: Character Motivation — Pay close attention to why each character behaves the way they do and what personal goals guide their actions.
[1] Room 14 buzzed with noisy excitement on Friday afternoon. Mr. Chen’s third graders had just thirty minutes left to finish their "Our Community" hallway display. Maya smoothed out the giant cardboard board and checked her neat pencil lines of houses and sidewalks. She desperately wanted their group to win the principal’s Blue Ribbon award on Monday morning. To Maya, winning meant everything had to look spotless, orderly, and exactly according to plan.
[2] "Make way for 3D power!" Liam cheered, clattering two cardboard oatmeal tubes and a bundle of neon straws onto Maya’s pristine layout. "Flat drawings are boring. A real city needs skyscraper towers and rocket bridges! I want visitors to walk into the hallway and shout, 'Whoa!' That’s why we have to build upward." Liam loved big, wild surprises and couldn't wait to start gluing.
[3] "Stop, Liam, put the glue down!" Sofia gasped, clutching her digital timer tightly. Her eyes darted anxiously toward the wall clock. "It's already 1:35! If you make a sticky mess, we will never finish before two o’clock. If our table isn't clean when the bell rings, Mr. Chen won't let us go outside for Fun Friday recess! We need to stick to the quick, safe plan!"
[4] Maya shoved Liam’s cardboard tubes aside. "Your messy pile will ruin our blue ribbon!" Liam yanked the tubes back. "You only want your own ideas!" The three students began talking over one another, their voices rising with every tick of the clock.
[5] In the quiet corner of the table, Julian sat holding a watercolor painting of snowy mountain peaks. He had just moved from Colorado two weeks ago and still felt shy and lonely in his new school. Julian longed to share a piece of his old home so his new classmates might get to know him. He gently reached forward to place his mountains into the town square, but Liam’s flailing elbow knocked Julian's paintbrush into Maya’s rinse cup with a loud splash!
[6] "Please stop," Julian murmured, his voice trembling as he rescued his damp paper. The arguing students instantly froze. "I... I just wanted to help," Julian whispered. "Back in Colorado, mountains made me feel safe. I hoped our community could include all of us."
[7] Maya paused. Looking at Julian’s gentle face, Liam’s colorful towers, and Sofia’s worried clock, she suddenly realized something important: nobody was trying to ruin the project. They simply cared about different things. "Sofia, how many minutes do we have left?" Maya asked. "Ten minutes!" Sofia squeaked. "Julian, your mountains are our skyline backdrop," Maya declared. "Liam, build your bridge towers in the front. Sofia, manage our countdown, and I'll glue the streets. Let's do this together!"
Turn the page to complete the character motivation assessment. Page 1 of 2
Comprehension Check
Character Motivation Questions
Fill in the bubble for the best answer to each question.
- In paragraph 2, what motivates Liam to bring cardboard tubes and straws?
A He wants to hide a rip in Maya's pencil drawing.
B He wants the mural to look exciting and amaze visitors.
C Mr. Chen told him he had to use recycled trash.
D He wants to finish earlier than the other teams.
- In paragraph 4, why does Maya reject Liam’s cardboard towers?
A She wants a neat display so their group can win the ribbon.
B She thinks the cardboard will be too heavy for the wall.
C She dislikes making art projects with any classmates.
D She wants to pack up early for Friday afternoon.
- What is the primary reason Sofia watches the clock and clutches her timer?
A She wants an award for being the fastest organizer.
B She wants to leave class to go visit the school nurse.
C She worries they will run out of time and lose recess.
D She is listening for the afternoon bus announcements.
- In paragraphs 5 and 6, what motivates Julian to add his mountain painting?
A He hopes to share his home and feel like part of the group.
B He wants to prove he is the most talented painter in class.
C Mr. Chen told him he had to paint the background scenery.
D He wants to replace Maya's street drawing with his own.
- What motivates the students to stop arguing and work together in paragraph 7?
A Mr. Chen threatened to give all four students detention.
B They realized each person had a caring reason for their goal.
C The timer sounded and they ran out of time completely.
D Liam gave up and threw away all of his cardboard tubes.
Part B: Motivation Detective (Evidence Hunt)
Constructed Response
Choose one character from the story (Maya, Liam, Sofia, or Julian). Write one clue or sentence from the text showing why they acted the way they did.
Character Chosen:
RL.3.3 Describe character motivations, feelings, and actions. Page 2 of 2
