The message of a story

Grade 6 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   The Little Sailboat (story)

   [1] Luz brought a small sailboat model to the club’s pond test. [2] The club would compare boats by how far each traveled in one steady breeze, so each team would have a comparable chance during the official test. [3] Luz had folded a tall sail that caught the wind quickly. [4] During a practice run, the boat leaned and stopped beside a reed. [5] Noah suggested trimming the sail, though Luz liked its impressive height and worried that a smaller sail would be slower. [6] Luz tested the shorter sail and saw the boat stay upright much longer. [7] At the official test, another team’s string caught on a knot at the dock. [8] Luz pointed out the knot before the team released its boat, even though doing so might help a competing boat travel farther. [9] The team cleared the string, and both boats crossed the pond. [10] Luz’s boat traveled far, but the other boat reached the marker first. [11] Luz recorded both distances and asked what shape the other team had tried. [12] The teams planned to compare sail shapes at the next meeting, using what both groups learned about balance and distance.
   Event-and-response strip: 1. The tall sail tipped the boat → Luz tested a shorter sail | 2. A knot caught the other team’s string → Luz warned the team | 3. The other boat reached the marker first → Luz recorded results and planned another test

2. 1.

   Ari reads all three strip entries. Which message includes the unexpected turn and fits the whole story?

   • The first design should always be discarded.
   • Changing a weak plan and helping a rival lead to a win.
   • Changing a weak plan, helping a rival, and learning from a loss can make a test worthwhile.
   • A shorter sail helps the boat stay upright, so a pond test is mostly about choosing sail size.
3. 2.

   Ari considers this message: “Changing a flawed design and giving rivals a fair chance both matter in a test.” Which two strip entries together support it?

   • The tall sail tipped the boat → Luz tested a shorter sail; The rival won → Luz recorded the results and planned another test
   • The tall sail tipped the boat → Luz tested a shorter sail
   • The tall sail tipped the boat → Luz tested a shorter sail; Luz ignored the rival’s caught string
   • The tall sail tipped the boat → Luz tested a shorter sail; A knot caught the rival’s string → Luz warned the team
4. 3.

   Esme reads all three strip entries. Which message includes the unexpected turn and fits the whole story?

   • Adjusting a design and helping a rival are the whole point of the test.
   • Trimming a tall sail can help a boat stay upright.
   • Fair play includes adjusting your own design, helping a rival, and learning even when that rival wins.
   • Helping another team means giving up the test.
5. 4.

   Esme considers this message: “Fair play can lead to shared learning, even when the other team wins.” Which two strip entries together support it?

   • The tall sail tipped the boat → Luz tested a shorter sail; The rival won → Luz recorded the results and planned another test
   • A knot caught the rival’s string → Luz warned the team; The rival won → Luz recorded the results and planned another test
   • A knot caught the rival’s string → Luz warned the team
   • A knot caught the rival’s string → Luz warned the team; Luz refused to record the results after the rival won
6. 5.

   Kira reads all three strip entries. Which message includes the unexpected turn and fits the whole story?

   • A smaller sail keeps a model boat upright, which is the main lesson of the whole pond test.
   • A test is useful only when a team wins.
   • Adjusting a plan, helping rivals, and learning from losses make a fair test worthwhile.
   • A fair test means fixing a plan and warning another team.

7. The Right Place for a Tree (story)

   [1] Milo helped a neighborhood group choose a spot for a new shade tree, where summer sunlight made the paving stones uncomfortably warm. [2] Milo first marked the center of a bare plaza on a paper plan. [3] A caretaker pointed out that an underground pipe ran beneath that spot. [4] Milo moved the mark rather than arguing for the neat center, although the center had looked balanced on paper. [5] The second spot was safe for roots but blocked a narrow walking path. [6] A younger visitor showed where people often crossed the plaza. [7] Milo checked the path and shifted the mark beside an open bench, leaving enough space for people to walk across the plaza. [8] At the planting, the tree looked less centered than Milo had imagined. [9] The caretaker showed how its shade would reach the bench by afternoon. [10] Milo added a note asking volunteers to water the young tree each week, since young trees need steady care after planting. [11] Later, visitors rested on the bench without leaving the walking path. [12] Milo kept the marked plan to help the group choose future spots.
   Event-and-response strip: 1. A pipe lay under the first spot → Milo moved the tree mark | 2. The second spot blocked a route → Milo checked it and moved the mark again | 3. The final tree looked less centered → Milo kept it and planned regular care

8. 6.

   Milo reads all three strip entries. Which message includes the unexpected turn and fits the whole story?

   • Changing a plan for facts and paths is enough.
   • The best plan is always the least attractive one.
   • A tree cannot be planted above a pipe, so the plaza’s center was a poor spot for any shade tree.
   • A useful plan must account for hidden facts, how people move, and the care needed later.
9. 7.

   Pia reads all three strip entries. Which message includes the unexpected turn and fits the whole story?

   • Visitors always know more than caretakers.
   • Listening to facts and visitors is all a plan needs.
   • Listening to facts and visitors can make a less tidy plan useful and easier to care for.
   • Checking a walking path can improve a tree spot, because visitors show where people cross.
10. 8.

    Pia considers this message: “Listening to a visitor and caring for a less tidy spot can serve people.” Which two strip entries together support it?

    • The second spot blocked a path → Milo moved the mark again; The tree looked less centered → Milo kept it and planned care
    • The second spot blocked a path → Milo moved the mark again
    • The second spot blocked a path → Milo moved the mark again; Milo blocked the path after the visitor warned Milo
    • A pipe lay under the first spot → Milo moved the mark; The second spot blocked a path → Milo moved the mark again
11. 9.

    Tala reads all three strip entries. Which message includes the unexpected turn and fits the whole story?

    • Moving a tree away from a pipe and path makes the plan complete, so no later watering or care is needed.
    • A less tidy plan can serve people when it respects hidden facts, daily paths, and later care.
    • A tree can give shade beside a bench.
    • The first idea in a plan is never useful.
12. 10.

    Tala considers this message: “A practical spot can be right even if it looks less centered.” Which two strip entries together support it?

    • A pipe lay under the first spot → Milo moved the mark; The final spot looked less centered → Milo kept it and planned care
    • A pipe lay under the first spot → Milo moved the mark
    • A pipe lay under the first spot → Milo moved the mark; Milo returned the mark to the unsafe center spot
    • A pipe lay under the first spot → Milo moved the mark; The second spot blocked a path → Milo moved the mark again