Do Not Drop Passage DysartSchools.
GRADE 3 ELA | CFU
DO NOT DROP CFU
STUDENT PASSAGE | RL.2, LT3
RL.2
NAME:
READING PROMPT: Look for details and character actions that help you explain the lesson or moral of the story.
DO NOT DROP
ANNOTATIONS
1I found the book in the basement. Its cover was so clear you could almost see through it. There were only five words inside: Do not drop this book!
2I’m a rule follower, but this book made me curious. What would happen if the book was dropped? I had to try it. Alone in my room after dinner, I held the book high above my head and let go.
3The book slammed on the floor. It trembled and made a loud belching sound. Then a green lizard squeezed out. The lizard was the size of a baked potato. Smoke curled from its short nose. 4It was a dragon.
5“Hello,” I whispered. My voice cracked. “I’m Yuka. Who are you?” 6The dragon looked at me with round yellow eyes. She wagged her spiky tail.
7“You’re cute, aren’t you?” I carefully ran my hand up and down my dragon’s back. “I’ve always wanted a pet!”
8I looked at the book again. Now it said: Dragons do not make good pets. Drop the book again to send the dragon back.
9Give her back? No way! That book didn’t know what it was talking about. This dragon was harmless. “I’m going to keep you forever!” I promised her.
10The little dragon smelled the floor and moaned. She seemed hungry. I looked at the book. Its pages had changed again. Now they showed a picture of a dragon eating a piece of meat.
11“Do you like chicken?” I asked the dragon. She gave a joyful “EEEP!” I dashed downstairs and grabbed some chicken from the refrigerator. My dragon chomped away happily. Then she curled herself into a ball and fell asleep.
12She was still asleep when I got into bed a few hours later. “I can’t believe I almost listened to that book,” I whispered into my pillow. “If I did, I wouldn’t have a dragon!”
13Something that felt like sandpaper rubbed across my cheek. I sat up. My dragon was sitting next to the bed. Her long tongue hung from her mouth. She was as big as a bear. 14“How did you get so big?” I asked.
15Her tail swished from side to side, knocking over my dollhouse. Before I could stop her, she squeezed into my bed with me.
16I was still wide awake, but my dragon was asleep. Smoke poured out of her nose as—WHOOSH—a small flame escaped her mouth. 17I had forgotten that part about dragons.
18I turned on the light next to my bed and grabbed the book. I needed an answer, even if I didn’t like it. This time the book’s pages read: Told you so!
19I hung my head. I didn’t want to do this, but the book was right. “Goodbye, my dear dragon,” I said quietly. I dropped the book onto the floor. The dragon disappeared in a flash of bright light.
20I stuffed the book under my pillow. I should have listened to it in the first place. 21I wonder what it thinks about cats.
HMH SOURCE
DYSART SCHOOLS | DO NOT DROP CFU | STUDENT PASSAGE PAGE 1
Do Not Drop Assessment DysartSchools.
GRADE 3 ELA | CFU
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
DO NOT DROP ASSESSMENT | RL.2
CFU
Directions: Circle the best answer based explicitly on the text.
1. In paragraph 2, Yuka describes herself as "a rule follower" but admits she dropped the book because of curiosity. How does Yuka's decision to drop the book set the main events of the story in motion?
A. It proves that Yuka is an irresponsible child who always seeks trouble.
B. It shows that curiosity can lead a character to ignore warning rules.
C. It highlights that the basement is a dangerous and scary place.
D. It suggests that the clear cover of the book was a magic trap.
2. In paragraph 9, Yuka promises, "I'm going to keep you forever!" What specific details in paragraphs 13-16 show that her decision to keep the dragon had negative consequences?
A. The dragon was the size of a baked potato and slept on her bed.
B. The dragon liked to eat chicken and curled up peacefully.
C. The dragon grew bear-sized, knocked over her dollhouse, and puffed fire.
D. The dragon wagged her spiky tail and moaned for food.
3. In paragraph 18, the book's pages read: "Told you so!" How does this detail help teach Yuka (and the reader) the central message of the story?
A. It proves that the book was angry and wanted to tease Yuka.
B. It reminds Yuka that the book's warning was correct all along.
C. It suggests that Yuka should try dropping the book a third time.
D. It shows that the magic book was actually very friendly.
4. In paragraph 19, Yuka says quietly, "Goodbye, my dear dragon," and drops the book to send her back. What does this action teach the reader about learning a lesson?
A. Yuka did not actually care about the dragon and was tired of her.
B. Sometimes learning a lesson means making a difficult choice to correct a mistake.
C. Rules are not important if a character is sad about their choice.
D. If you wait long enough, magical problems will always solve themselves.
5. Which sentence from the story best supports the idea that Yuka learned to respect warning rules by the end of the story?
A. "I carefully ran my hand up and down my dragon’s back." (Paragraph 7)
B. "I dashed downstairs and grabbed some chicken from the refrigerator." (Paragraph 11)
C. "I stuffed the book under my pillow. I should have listened to it in the first place." (Paragraph 20)
D. "I wonder what it thinks about cats." (Paragraph 21)
DYSART SCHOOLS | DO NOT DROP CFU | ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS PAGE 1
Do Not Drop Key DysartSchools.
TEACHER ANSWER KEY
EVIDENCE-BASED RATIONALE
DO NOT DROP KEY | RL.2
KEY
Q1 (B): Paragraph 2 explicitly states that she is a "rule follower" but her "curiosity" got the best of her. Her choice to drop the book despite the cover's warning initiates the entire plot, proving that ignoring warning labels sets off unexpected consequences (RL.2).
Q2 (C): Paragraphs 13-16 describe that her choice to keep the dragon "forever" resulted in major problems: the dragon grew "as big as a bear," "knocked over my dollhouse," and "smoke poured... as a small flame escaped." This provides direct textual details of negative consequences (RL.2).
Q3 (B): Paragraph 18 utilizes the book's explicit changing words "Told you so!" to remind both Yuka and the reader that safety warning labels are serious and valid, and that ignoring them will ultimately prove the rules correct (RL.2).
Q4 (B): Paragraph 19 shows Yuka sacrificing her personal desire ("Goodbye, my dear dragon") to take responsibility and fix her mistake. This character choice illustrates that learning a lesson requires action and hard choices to resolve a conflict (RL.2).
Q5 (C): Paragraph 20 contains Yuka's direct reflection: "I should have listened to it in the first place." Selecting this sentence provides direct textual evidence of her changed perspective and newly learned respect for warning rules, representing the central moral of the story (RL.2).
DYSART SCHOOLS | DO NOT DROP CFU | TEACHER ANSWER KEY PAGE 1
Do Not Drop Passage RL.3.2 Reading Passage
Do Not Drop
A story of curiosity, rules, and unexpected scales.
Name:
Date:
Learning Target Tracker
I can explain how character actions and important details help teach us the central lesson or moral of a story.
Read the story carefully below:
1I found the book in the basement. Its cover was so clear you could almost see through it. There were only five words inside: Do not drop this book!
2I’m a rule follower, but this book made me curious. What would happen if the book was dropped? I had to try it. Alone in my room after dinner, I held the book high above my head and let go.
3The book slammed on the floor. It trembled and made a loud belching sound. Then a green lizard squeezed out. The lizard was the size of a baked potato. Smoke curled from its short nose.
4It was a dragon.
5“Hello,” I whispered. My voice cracked. “I’m Yuka. Who are you?”
6The dragon looked at me with round yellow eyes. She wagged her spiky tail.
7“You’re cute, aren’t you?” I carefully ran my hand up and down my dragon’s back. “I’ve always wanted a pet!”
8I looked at the book again. Now it said: Dragons do not make good pets. Drop the book again to send the dragon back.
9Give her back? No way! That book didn’t know what it was talking about. This dragon was harmless. “I’m going to keep you forever!” I promised her.
10The little dragon smelled the floor and moaned. She seemed hungry. I looked at the book. Its pages had changed again. Now they showed a picture of a dragon eating a piece of meat.
11“Do you like chicken?” I asked the dragon. She gave a joyful “EEEP!” I dashed downstairs and grabbed some chicken from the refrigerator. My dragon chomped away happily. Then she curled herself into a ball and fell asleep.
12She was still asleep when I got into bed a few hours later. “I can’t believe I almost listened to that book,” I whispered into my pillow. “If I did, I wouldn’t have a dragon!”
13Something that felt like sandpaper rubbed across my cheek. I sat up. My dragon was sitting next to the bed. Her long tongue hung from her mouth. She was as big as a bear.
14“How did you get so big?” I asked.
15Her tail swished from side to side, knocking over my dollhouse. Before I could stop her, she squeezed into my bed with me.
16I was still wide awake, but my dragon was asleep. Smoke poured out of her nose as—WHOOSH—a small flame escaped her mouth.
17I had forgotten that part about dragons.
18I turned on the light next to my bed and grabbed the book. I needed an answer, even if I didn’t like it. This time the book’s pages read: Told you so!
Something New Passage DysartSchools.
GRADE 3 ELA | CFU
SOMETHING NEW CFU
STUDENT PASSAGE | RL.2, LT2
RL.2
NAME: DATE:
READING PROMPT: As you read, pay attention to Amy's choices and actions. Look for details that show how her feelings about the garden change from the beginning to the end.
SOMETHING NEW
ANNOTATIONS
1Amy’s mom tapped on her door. “Time to get up,” she said. “It’s a beautiful day for planting.”
2Amy sighed. She had almost forgotten. The neighborhood had been planning this event for months. Her mom and their neighbors had decided to clean up the empty lot on the corner. Everyone who lived on Amy’s block was going to spend the day planting a vegetable garden for the community. The garden would be open to all the people in the neighborhood.
3Amy ate breakfast slowly. “Mom, why do I have to help? I want to stay at home and do something fun.”
4“Amy, we’ve gone over this,” her mom said. “Everyone on the block is going to be there. Besides,” she added, “the people who help get to have some of the vegetables that grow.”
5“That lot is huge!” said Amy. “We don’t need that many vegetables.”
6“If the garden has extra vegetables,” answered Mom, “we will set up a stand where people can buy them. The money can be used to get more garden tools and seeds for planting next year.”
7When Amy and her mom arrived at the garden, a big crowd had already gathered. Amy saw her neighbor Miss Alma dividing people into groups. One group had the job of spreading the dirt around. Another group was measuring and marking rows in the dirt where the seeds would go. Even with all those people, Amy didn’t see how the garden would ever be finished. There seemed to be a nonending amount of work. Amy sat at the edge of the lot. Sam was standing next to her. Miss Alma spotted Amy and laughed.
8“I have a job for you two!” she said excitedly. “Can you and Sam please plant these bean seeds? First, make two rows of small holes. Then drop a few seeds in each one. As you go, cover up the seeds with some dirt.”
9Amy had gotten to know Sam this year at school. He lived right across the street, and they rode their bikes together during summer break. He and Amy got down on their knees in the soft dirt. The sun was bright, and it was already getting hot. Amy peeked into the bag Miss Alma had given them.
10“There must be a million seeds in here,” complained Amy.
11“I have an idea, Amy. You make one row, and I’ll make another,” said Sam. “We can race!” His eyes sparkled.
12Amy forgot about the hot sun on her neck as she made her way down the row. She dug little holes and carefully placed the seeds. She was surprised at how eager she was to do something she had never done before. When she reached the end of her row, she looked up and laughed. Sam’s row was like a snake. It went up and down, zigzagging its way to the end. Sam was covered with dirt.
Something New Assessment DysartSchools.
GRADE 3 ELA | CFU
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
SOMETHING NEW ASSESSMENT | RL.2, LT2
CFU
NAME: DATE:
Directions: Circle the best answer and write your justification (such as paragraph numbers and key text evidence) in the lines provided below.
1. What is the lesson or moral of "Something New"?
A. Playing games is always more important than doing neat, careful work.
B. Trying a new activity with others can turn a boring chore into an exciting and rewarding experience.
C. Community gardens are only successful when there are no children helping.
D. The fastest racer should always get to choose the next community job.
My Justification (Paragraphs & Evidence):
2. What key details help support the lesson of "Something New"?
A. Amy rode her bike with Sam during summer break and lived right across the street.
B. Amy ate her breakfast very slowly at home and complained about the garden's size.
C. Amy forgot about the hot sun, became eager to plant seeds, and happily asked for another job at the end.
D. Miss Alma divided the neighborhood crowd into different groups to spread dirt.
My Justification (Paragraphs & Evidence):
3. How do Amy's decisions early in the story lead to the lesson she learns at the end?
A. Deciding to stay in bed prevents her from arriving at the garden on time with her mother.
B. Complaining and working slowly at first makes her realize that she needed a friend's positive challenge to enjoy the task.
C. Complaining about the lot and sitting at the edge sets up her change of mind once she actually begins to plant.
D. Deciding to walk home early shows she refused to participate in the neighborhood event.
My Justification (Paragraphs & Evidence):
DYSART SCHOOLS | SOMETHING NEW CFU | ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS PAGE 1 OF 2
DysartSchools.
GRADE 3 ELA | CFU
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
SOMETHING NEW ASSESSMENT | RL.2, LT2
CFU
NAME: DATE:
Directions: Circle the best answer and write your justification (such as paragraph numbers and key text evidence) in the lines provided below.
4. What problem did Amy face, and what did her solution teach her?
A. She did not want to help with an overwhelming garden task, but participating enthusiastically with a friend taught her that trying new things can be fun.
B. She had too many heavy vegetables to carry, which taught her to only plant a small amount of food.
Something New Key DysartSchools.
TEACHER ANSWER KEY
EVIDENCE-BASED RATIONALE
SOMETHING NEW KEY | RL.2, LT2
KEY
Q1 (B): The central lesson or moral of "Something New" is that trying new things with others can transform a boring chore into an exciting and rewarding experience, which is direct evidence of standard RL.2 learning target mapping (RL.2).
Q2 (C): The key details that support the lesson are Amy forgetting about the hot sun, becoming unexpectedly "eager" to plant, and happily asking Miss Alma for another job at the end. These details show her attitude shift (RL.2).
Q3 (C): At the start of the story, Amy's choices to eat slowly, ask "why do I have to help?", and sit at the edge of the lot highlight her reluctant starting point. This initial attitude directly sets up her unexpected change of heart when she begins planting, helping students trace her growth to the final lesson (RL.2).
Q4 (A): Amy's problem is her reluctance and overwhelming dread regarding a large, hot community garden project. Her solution—getting down in the dirt and turning the work into a friendly race with Sam—teaches her that trying new tasks with a positive mindset can make chores fun (RL.2).
Q5 (B): Sam's decision to suggest a friendly race reframes the task as a game. His playful attitude and actions spark Amy's interest, causing her to forget her complaints and learn that shared work can be incredibly fun (RL.2).
DYSART SCHOOLS | SOMETHING NEW CFU | TEACHER ANSWER KEY PAGE 1
Whispering Whistle Passage DysartSchools.
GRADE 3 ELA | PRACTICE REVIEW
THE WHISPERING WHISTLE PRACTICE
STUDENT PASSAGE | RL.2, LT2
RL.2
NAME: DATE:
READING PROMPT: As you read, pay attention to Maya's choices and actions. Look for details that show how her feelings about the whistle change from the beginning to the end.
THE WHISPERING WHISTLE
ANNOTATIONS
1Maya found a shiny silver whistle under the big oak tree at Oakridge Park. When she blew into it, a nearby squirrel froze like a statue, its eyes wide. When she tapped the whistle, the squirrel leaped away safely. Maya gasped, realizing she had found a magical whistle!
2Her best friend, Toby, walked over and asked her to play hide-and-seek. Maya quickly hid the whistle behind her back and lied, saying she was busy. She did not want to share the magic. Toby walked away to the swings, looking lonely.
3Once Toby was gone, Maya blew the whistle again. This time, three bluebirds froze on a branch, stopping their afternoon song. Maya froze a rabbit next. At first, it was exciting. But looking around, the park felt quiet and sad with the frozen animals and Toby swinging all alone.
4"What’s wrong?" Toby asked, walking back over and noticing the silent park. Maya felt a lump in her throat. She realized her selfish decision to keep the magic whistle to herself was ruining the park's joy.
5"I found this whistle, Toby," Maya admitted. "I didn't want to share because I wanted all the fun for myself. But look at the animals—they are scared, and the park has lost its song."
6Toby smiled gently. "Well, things in the park are meant for everyone to enjoy together, not for one person to control."
7Maya nodded. She walked over to the park's wooden Lost and Found box and placed the whistle inside. Instantly, the bluebirds burst into song, the squirrels ran, and the park came alive. Maya smiled, realizing she didn't need a magic whistle to have fun. "Let's play hide-and-seek now, Toby!"
Source: Dysart District ELA Review Story
DYSART SCHOOLS | THE WHISPERING WHISTLE PRACTICE | STUDENT PASSAGE PAGE 1
Whispering Whistle Review DysartSchools.
GRADE 3 ELA | PRACTICE REVIEW
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
THE WHISPERING WHISTLE PRACTICE | RL.2, LT2
PRACTICE
NAME: DATE:
Directions: Circle the best answer and write your justification (such as paragraph numbers and key text evidence) in the lines provided below.
1. What is the lesson or moral of "The Whispering Whistle"?
A. Hidden treasures should always be kept buried under big trees.
B. Things meant for everyone are best enjoyed when shared, rather than controlled for selfish pleasure.
C. Squirrels and birds prefer quiet parks over noisy ones.
D. Learning how to blow a whistle is the fastest way to make new friends.
My Justification (Paragraphs & Evidence):
2. What key details help support the lesson of "The Whispering Whistle"?
A. Maya hid the whistle behind her back and lied to Toby about being busy.
B. Maya found a silver whistle under a big oak tree with a swirling wind drawing.
C. When Maya returned the whistle to the Lost and Found box, the animals played happily and she felt warm happiness.
D. Toby walked toward the swings and went to play by himself.
My Justification (Paragraphs & Evidence):
3. How do Maya's decisions early in the story lead to the lesson she learns at the end?
A. Deciding to eat her apple slowly helps her hide from Toby in a game of hide-and-seek.
B. Her decision to lie and keep the magic whistle all to herself leads to a silent, sad park, helping her realize that selfishness causes loneliness.
C. Her choice to blow the whistle with Toby teaches him how to freeze wild animals.
D. Deciding to walk home early prevents her from having a fun afternoon at Oakridge Park.
My Justification (Paragraphs & Evidence):
DYSART SCHOOLS | THE WHISPERING WHISTLE PRACTICE | PRACTICE QUESTIONS PAGE 1 OF 2
DysartSchools.
GRADE 3 ELA | PRACTICE REVIEW
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
THE WHISPERING WHISTLE PRACTICE | RL.2, LT2
PRACTICE
NAME: DATE:
Directions: Circle the best answer and write your justification (such as paragraph numbers and key text evidence) in the lines provided below.
4. What problem did Maya face, and what did her solution teach her?
A. She wanted to keep a fun magic whistle to herself but saw it made the park quiet and lonely, and returning it taught her that sharing brings true joy.
B. She lost her silver whistle in the grass, and searching for it taught her to always look carefully under oak trees.
Whispering Whistle Key DysartSchools.
TEACHER ANSWER KEY
EVIDENCE-BASED RATIONALE
WHISPERING WHISTLE PRACTICE KEY | RL.2, LT2
KEY
Q1 (B): The central moral is that things meant for everyone to enjoy (the beauty and magic of the park) are best shared rather than controlled or hoarded for one person's selfish desires (RL.2).
Q2 (C): Key details that support the lesson are Maya placing the whistle back in the Lost and Found box, the bluebirds singing again, the animals playing, and Maya feeling a warm wave of happiness. This directly highlights the positive impact of sharing (RL.2).
Q3 (B): Early in the story, Maya's decisions to hide the whistle behind her back and lie to Toby ("No, I'm busy right now") highlight her selfish starting point. These actions directly cause a quiet, lonely park and Toby to look sad, setting up her change of heart (RL.2).
Q4 (A): Maya's problem is her desire to keep the magic whistle to herself versus seeing the sad, lonely environment it creates. Her solution—returning the whistle to the Lost and Found box—teaches her that shared happiness is more rewarding than control (RL.2).
Q5 (B): Toby's friendly advice ("things in the park are meant for everyone to enjoy together, not for one person to control") reminds Maya of community value and helps her decide to return the whistle (RL.2).
DYSART SCHOOLS | THE WHISPERING WHISTLE PRACTICE | TEACHER ANSWER KEY PAGE 1
