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3rd Grade Characters, Setting, and Plot worksheets

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Characters, Setting, and Plot

Grade 3 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the answer.

  1. Read this first

    Two Tickets to Pine Hollow

    Tobias and his little sister Ines were riding the train to Grandmother's house. It was the first time their parents had let them travel alone. Mom had put Tobias in charge of both tickets. "Keep them safe," she said, "and look after your sister."

    The train rumbled out of the city station at nine o'clock. Ines pressed her nose to the window. Green fields rolled past as the train picked up speed. She pointed at cows, barns, and a red tractor. Tobias read his comic book, but every few minutes he patted his jacket pocket. The tickets were still there.

    Around ten o'clock, Ines needed to use the restroom at the end of the car. Tobias walked her there and waited by the door. When they came back, he patted his pocket again. It was empty!

    Tobias's stomach did a flip. The conductor would be checking tickets soon. He wanted to panic, but he made himself stop and think. Where had he been? He had only walked to the restroom and back.

    Tobias and Ines searched slowly down the aisle. They looked under each seat and behind a stack of suitcases. A woman in a yellow scarf asked what they had lost. Then she pointed at the floor near the restroom door. Two paper tickets lay under a folded newspaper.

    Tobias picked them up with shaking hands. This time, he tucked them inside his zipped backpack. A minute later, the conductor walked in. "Tickets, please," he called. Tobias handed them over, and the conductor punched two neat holes.

    At noon, the train pulled into the small station at Pine Hollow. Grandmother waved from the platform. Ines ran into her arms first. "Tobias took care of everything," Ines said. Tobias decided not to mention the ten worried minutes. Still, he would never forget the lesson. Things are easy to lose when you are in a hurry.

  2. Who are the main characters in this story?

    • Tobias and his sister Ines
    • Tobias and the conductor
    • the conductor and Ines
    • Mom and Grandmother
  3. Where does most of the story take place?

    • on a train
    • on a farm
    • at the city station
    • at Grandmother's house
  4. What two jobs did Mom give Tobias?

    • buy the tickets and meet the conductor
    • read to Ines and find their seats
    • pack the bags and call Grandmother
    • keep the tickets and look after Ines
  5. Which detail shows Tobias took his job seriously?

    • He patted his pocket every few minutes.
    • He pressed his nose to the window.
    • He read his comic book on the train.
    • He waved to Grandmother on the platform.
  6. What is Tobias's problem?

    • They miss their stop at Pine Hollow.
    • Ines gets lost somewhere on the train.
    • The conductor will not let them ride.
    • The tickets are missing from his pocket.
  7. How does Tobias feel when his pocket is empty? Which clue shows it?

    • angry, because Ines needed the restroom
    • calm, because he read his comic book
    • excited, because the train was moving
    • worried, because his stomach did a flip
  8. What does Tobias do that helps him solve the problem?

    • He looks inside his zipped backpack.
    • He calls his mom to buy more tickets.
    • He asks the conductor for new tickets.
    • He stops and thinks about where he went.
  9. Which character points to where the tickets are?

    • a woman in a yellow scarf
    • Grandmother
    • the train conductor
    • a man reading a newspaper
  10. How does the story end?

    • Grandmother meets them at Pine Hollow.
    • The conductor sends them back home.
    • Ines finds the tickets on the platform.
    • Tobias tells Grandmother about the tickets.
  11. The train rumbled out of the station. What does rumbled mean?

    • stopped all of a sudden
    • moved with a deep, rolling sound
    • rolled backward slowly
    • blew a high, sharp whistle
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3rd Grade Characters, Setting, and Plot worksheet 1 – printable PDF
Download PDF: 123456

About this worksheet

Story elements give young readers a framework for understanding fiction. Characters are who the story is about, setting is where and when it happens, and events are what happens. Third graders may retell a story with many details but leave out one of those pieces, or they may confuse a setting detail with an event. This worksheet uses short story-like passages and asks students to identify characters, settings, important events, and how an event affects the character.

The questions stay concrete so students can point back to the passage. Encourage your child to sort answers into who, where, and what happened before choosing. These labels make retelling clearer and help students discuss stories with evidence. Students should prove each label with one passage detail.

What your child will learn

  • Identify the character in a passage
  • Find the setting of a story
  • Choose important events
  • Connect events to what characters do

Common Core standard: RL.3.3

Worked example

In The Paper Boat Race, Ivy is the character, Clover Creek is the setting, and her sinking boat is the problem.

Common mistake

Calling an object from the story the setting instead of naming where the story happens.

Helpful hint

Ask who, where, and what happened.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with characters, setting, and plot?

Calling an object from the story the setting instead of naming where the story happens.

How can I help my child with characters, setting, and plot?

Ask who, where, and what happened.

Are these 3rd grade reading worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

Similar: Literature Central Message · Character Point of View

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