This 3-page 1st grade reading passage tells how a class finds its school garden covered in trash after a strong wind. The story runs about 135 words. Mr. Clark's students make a plan, share jobs and put up a sign that says Keep Our Garden Clean. Page 2 has four multiple-choice questions, two written questions and a box for drawing a sign. The last page gives the answers. It ties to Common Core RL.1.1 and RL.1.3 with a good citizen theme.
RL.1.1
“Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.”
Questions 1 to 5 each ask for a detail that is stated in the story, such as the strong wind or Sam and Rosa watering the plants.
RL.1.3
“Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.”
Question 4 asks who helped clean the garden and question 5 asks where the class made its plan.
Five short paragraphs under the title and a small picture of three children working. Mr. Clark takes his class to the garden, the class makes a plan on the board, some children pick up litter, two water the plants and two paint a sign.
Four multiple-choice questions with three check boxes each. What blew the trash into the garden, which job Sam and Rosa did, what words the sign said and who helped clean the garden.
Question 5 asks where the class made its plan. Question 6 asks for one job students can do to keep their school clean. Each has two lines. A large box on the right is for drawing a sign to put up in school.
Checked boxes for questions 1 to 4, short answers for 5 and 6, and a note on what to look for in the sign drawing.
Read it twice
Read the passage aloud once, then have students whisper-read it to a partner before they open page 2. Most answers are stated in the text, so partners can point to the line.
Sign gallery
Hang the finished signs around the room and ask each student to say which rule their sign teaches. It works well in the first week of school.
Class job list
Collect the question 6 answers on chart paper to make a class list of clean-up jobs. Give each student one for the week.
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