{"product_id":"the-mystery-of-the-missing-birdhouse-reading-comprehension-grades-3-4","title":"The Mystery of the Missing Birdhouse | Reading Comprehension Worksheet | Grades 3-4","description":"\u003cstyle\u003e\n.tle{--navy:#1d3d63;--ink:#22324a;--mut:#56657a;--cream:#fbf7ef;--mint:#dff1ea;--mint2:#9fd3bf;--coral:#f48a86;--yel:#f7c548;--sky:#dcecf6;font:16px\/1.65 Inter,system-ui,-apple-system,\"Segoe UI\",sans-serif;color:var(--ink)}\n.tle *{box-sizing:border-box}\n.tle h2,.tle h3{color:var(--navy);font-family:inherit;line-height:1.25;margin:26px 0 10px;letter-spacing:-.01em;text-transform:none}\n.tle h2{font-size:1.3rem;font-weight:800}.tle h3{font-size:1.05rem;font-weight:750}\n.tle p{margin:0 0 12px}\n.tle a{color:var(--navy);text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:3px}\n.tle-by{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:12px;background:var(--cream);border:1px solid #efe6d6;border-radius:14px;padding:12px 14px;margin:0 0 18px}\n.tle-by img{width:52px;height:52px;border-radius:50%;flex:0 0 52px}\n.tle-by small{display:block;color:var(--mut);font-size:.82rem}\n.tle-by b{font-size:1rem;color:var(--navy)}\n.tle-pills{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px;margin:0 0 16px;padding:0;list-style:none}\n.tle-pills li{background:var(--mint);color:var(--navy);border-radius:999px;padding:5px 12px;font-size:.84rem;font-weight:700;margin:0}\n.tle-inside{list-style:none;padding:0;margin:0 0 14px;border:1px solid #e6edf2;border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden}\n.tle-inside li{display:flex;gap:12px;padding:11px 14px;border-bottom:1px solid #e6edf2;margin:0;background:#fff}\n.tle-inside li:nth-child(even){background:#fafcfd}\n.tle-inside li:last-child{border-bottom:0}\n.tle-inside span{flex:0 0 74px;font-weight:800;color:var(--coral);font-size:.86rem}\n.tle-box{background:var(--sky);border-radius:14px;padding:14px 16px;margin:14px 0}\n.tle-faq details{border:1px solid #e6edf2;border-radius:12px;margin:0 0 8px;padding:0 14px;background:#fff}\n.tle-faq summary{cursor:pointer;font-weight:750;padding:12px 0;color:var(--navy)}\n.tle-faq details p{color:var(--mut)}\n.tle-small{font-size:.84rem;color:var(--mut)}\n\u003c\/style\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"tle\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tle-by\"\u003e\n\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0882\/5667\/6184\/files\/image.png?v=1793291459\u0026amp;width=120\" alt=\"The Learning Edit logo\" width=\"52\" height=\"52\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003csmall\u003eCreated by teacher-author\u003c\/small\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/pages\/the-learning-edit\"\u003eThe Learning Edit\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003csmall\u003eQuality resources for curious minds · \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/the-learning-edit\"\u003eSee all resources\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/small\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Mystery of the Missing Birdhouse\u003c\/strong\u003e is a printable reading comprehension worksheet for grades 3 and 4. Students read an original mystery story, then answer fill-in-the-blank, multiple-choice and written questions about main idea, vocabulary, inference and text evidence. A full answer key with a scoring guide is included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"tle-pills\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrades 3-4\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOriginal story\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e17 questions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnswer key + rubric\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e8-page PDF\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is the story about?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmma and her grandpa build a bright blue birdhouse and hang it on an oak tree. The next morning it is gone. Emma follows a trail of blue paint chips past the garden fence, finds the birdhouse in the tall grass and works out what probably knocked it down. The story has a clear problem, a trail of clues and a solution, which makes it easy for students to track the plot and find evidence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat is inside the worksheet?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"tle-inside\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePage 1\u003c\/span\u003eCover\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePage 2\u003c\/span\u003eThe story, about 400 words\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePage 3\u003c\/span\u003eFill in the blank with a word bank (5) and multiple-choice questions, first set (4)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePage 4\u003c\/span\u003eMultiple-choice questions, second set (4): evidence, inference and character\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePages 5-6\u003c\/span\u003eWritten responses (4): students answer in complete sentences and support their ideas with details from the story\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePages 7-8\u003c\/span\u003eTeacher answer key, sample written answers and a 16-point scoring guide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhich skills do students practice?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinding the main idea and the details that support it, working out word meaning from context (for example \u003cem\u003eobservation\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003esecured\u003c\/em\u003e), making inferences about what caused the birdhouse to fall, and explaining their thinking with text evidence. The questions match Common Core RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.4.1 and RL.4.2.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow can I use it?\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a whole-class lesson, in a small reading group, as homework, for a substitute teacher or as a quick reading check. The word bank and the two sets of multiple-choice questions make it easy to start, and the written questions stretch stronger readers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tle-box\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGood to know:\u003c\/strong\u003e the file is a PDF with 8 pages in A4 size. It prints on US Letter paper with the fit-to-page option. Download it right after checkout.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eQuestions teachers ask\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"tle-faq\"\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat grade is The Mystery of the Missing Birdhouse for?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is written for grades 3 and 4. The story is about 400 words long and uses everyday vocabulary, with a word bank for the five key words.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eIs there an answer key?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes. Two pages give the fill-in-the-blank answers, all eight multiple-choice answers, sample answers for the four written questions and a simple scoring guide (16 points).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhich reading skills does it practice?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eMain idea, supporting details, vocabulary in context, inference, cause and effect, and citing text evidence in written answers. These match Common Core RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.4.1 and RL.4.2.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eHow long does it take in class?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlan one lesson of about 45 to 60 minutes: reading the story, then the questions. It also works split over two days or as homework.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat file do I get?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne printable PDF with 8 pages (A4). It prints on US Letter with the printer's fit-to-page setting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e{\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\", \"@type\": \"FAQPage\", \"mainEntity\": [{\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What grade is The Mystery of the Missing Birdhouse for?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"It is written for grades 3 and 4. The story is about 400 words long and uses everyday vocabulary, with a word bank for the five key words.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Is there an answer key?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes. Two pages give the fill-in-the-blank answers, all eight multiple-choice answers, sample answers for the four written questions and a simple scoring guide (16 points).\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Which reading skills does it practice?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Main idea, supporting details, vocabulary in context, inference, cause and effect, and citing text evidence in written answers. These match Common Core RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.4.1 and RL.4.2.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How long does it take in class?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Plan one lesson of about 45 to 60 minutes: reading the story, then the questions. It also works split over two days or as homework.\"}}, {\"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What file do I get?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": {\"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"One printable PDF with 8 pages (A4). It prints on US Letter with the printer's fit-to-page setting.\"}}]}\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"tle-small\"\u003eCreated by \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/the-learning-edit\"\u003eThe Learning Edit\u003c\/a\u003e and sold on TeachLessons. More reading resources: \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/grade-3-4-reading-comprehension-mystery-story\"\u003egrades 3-4 mystery story reading comprehension\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/main-idea-and-text-evidence-worksheet-grades-3-4\"\u003emain idea and text evidence practice\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"The Learning Edit","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58974206165336,"sku":null,"price":4.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0882\/5667\/6184\/files\/0-missing-birdhouse-reading-comprehension-thumbnail.jpg?v=1793294374","url":"https:\/\/teachlessons.us\/products\/the-mystery-of-the-missing-birdhouse-reading-comprehension-grades-3-4","provider":"Teach Lessons","version":"1.0","type":"link"}