Reading Comprehension • Grade 5

CLUE CATCHERS

TASK CARDS: SET A

Directions: Read each case file carefully. Combine the clues in the text with your own schema to infer what occurred. Write your final answers on your Detective's Notebook sheet.

CASE #01

The Dripping Umbrella

Leo walked into the kitchen, his boots squeaking. His older sister, Maya, was sitting at the table, her jacket slung over the chair. A small, dark puddle was slowly spreading beneath her umbrella near the door, and her hair was damp at the ends. However, when Leo looked out the window, the sun was shining brightly, and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky.

What can you infer about Maya's afternoon?

A) She was swimming in the neighbor's deep pool with all of her clothes on.

B) She had just returned from somewhere else where it was actively raining.

C) She spilled a glass of water on her umbrella to clean off some mud.

D) She was using her open umbrella as a parasol to block the bright sun.

CASE #02

The Whispering Class

Mr. Harrison stepped out of the classroom for exactly two minutes to grab extra handouts. When he left, the room was silent. When he returned, it was still silent, but Tyler’s face was bright red, a folded note was stuffed hastily into Sophie's pencil pouch, and everyone was staring intently at their math books—some holding them upside down.

What can you infer occurred while Mr. Harrison was out?

A) The students completed three full chapters of their math books.

B) Sophie was stealing Tyler's homework from his desk.

C) Tyler and Sophie were passing a secret note to each other.

D) A sudden gust of wind blew a piece of paper into Sophie's pouch.

CASE #03

The Clay Sculpture

Clara went to the art room to finish her clay sculpture. When she reached her shelf, she gasped. Her carefully sculpted clay dragon was sitting in a puddle, its wings were flattened, and a small clay-carving tool lay nearby. Next to the sink, her classmate Julian was quickly scrubbing red clay off his hands, refusing to make eye contact.

What can you infer about Clara's sculpture?

A) The clay dried out naturally and cracked on its own during recess.

B) Clara accidentally flattened her own sculpture before leaving.

C) Julian handled and accidentally ruined Clara's sculpture.

D) The art teacher washed the dragon to keep the clay moist.

CASE #04

The Barking Alarm

Every Tuesday at 2:00 PM, Buster the retriever would sprint to the front window, wagging his tail and barking. A minute later, a rumbling engine would sound down the street, and a heavy gate would slam. Today, Buster remained curled up on his rug. On the kitchen calendar, Clara saw "MEMORIAL DAY" in bold red letters.

Why did Buster behave differently today?

A) Buster was feeling very sick and did not have energy to stand.

B) The mail carrier was not delivering mail today because of the holiday.

C) Buster was upset with Clara and chose to ignore his normal routine.

D) The mail carrier's truck drove by much quieter than it usually did.

Page 1 of 2

Reading Comprehension • Grade 5

CLUE CATCHERS

TASK CARDS: SET B

Directions: Read each case file carefully. Combine the clues in the text with your own schema to infer what occurred. Write your final answers on your Detective's Notebook sheet.

CASE #05

The Cherry Evidence

Marcus left his new, cherry-flavored lip balm on his nightstand before school. When he came home, it was missing. He found the empty, chewed-up plastic tube on the living room rug. His sister's hamster was sound asleep in his cage, but Marcus's dog, Barnaby, was licking his lips and smelled faintly of sweet cherries.

What happened to Marcus's lip balm?

A) The hamster chewed it up while playing on the rug after school.

B) Barnaby the dog ate the lip balm and chewed up the container.

C) Marcus's little sister took it to school to share with her friends.

D) The lip balm melted into the fibers of the rug from the heat.

CASE #06

The Glass Smudge

When Mrs. Gable locked her jewelry store at 6:00 PM, the silver necklace on the display stand was clean. The next morning, she arrived and noticed a small, round smudge, like a wet nose print, right on the glass in front of the necklace. Below the smudge on the floor was a metallic collar tag that read: "Barnaby."

Who or what visited the jewelry display overnight?

A) A clever thief broke in and dropped their set of house keys.

B) A neighborhood dog snuck inside and pressed its nose to the glass.

C) Mrs. Gable dropped her own necklace tag while cleaning up.

D) A human customer accidentally touched the cold glass during hours.

CASE #07

The Missing Snowman

Toby and Liam built a massive snowman in their front yard, complete with a carrot nose and blue wool scarf. After hot cocoa inside, they returned. The yard was still covered in snow, but the snowman was gone. The scarf lay in a patch of wet mud, and heavy, wide tire tracks led away from their yard down the street.

What most likely happened to the snowman?

A) The bright sun melted the snowman but left the yard frozen.

B) The neighbor's large snowplow truck cleared it away by accident.

C) The boys forgot where they built the snowman and got lost.

D) Strong winter winds blew the entire heavy snowman down the street.

CASE #08

The Silent Greenhouse

Olivia walked into her grandmother's greenhouse, which was normally filled with the loud hum of a green fan. Today, it was completely silent. The fan was still. Olivia noticed the power cord lying on the dirt floor. Nearby, her grandmother's orange cat was happily batting at a loose silver outlet cover.

Why was the green fan not running?

A) The electricity in the entire neighborhood had gone out.

B) The fan had overheated and permanently broken down.

C) The cat had accidentally unplugged the fan while playing.

D) Olivia's grandmother unplugged it because it was too cold inside.

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Clue Catchers Task Cards

Clue Catchers Task Cards

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