$5 - $10 3rd Grade Short Stories Resources (by date, oldest first)

Teach your students how to write a great story with this comprehensive, step-by-step Story Writing Unit! Perfect for teachers who want to provide explicit, easy-to-follow lessons on story writing, this no-prep resource guides students through the entire process, from brainstorming and planning to drafting and revising. Help your students master essential writing skills as they build characters, develop plots, and create engaging stories that they’ll be proud of.

What's Included:

• 55 Fully Editable Teaching Slides:

  • Lessons on plot structure, including the beginning, middle, and end of a story.
  • Visual breakdown of key elements like rising action, climax, and falling action.
  • Detailed guidance on character development, settings, and story arcs.
  • Step-by-step instructions to help students plan and structure their stories.
  • Examples and visuals, including popular story references, to aid understanding.

• 25-Page Printable Workbook:

  • Brainstorming Pages: Help students generate ideas for characters, settings, and plots.
  • Character Development Sheets: Guides to create dynamic, multi-dimensional characters.
  • Plot Planning Tools: Plot mountain and story arc templates to outline story events.
  • Story Writing Prompts: Structured activities to encourage creative thinking.
  • Final Draft Templates: Space for students to write, revise, and finalize their stories.

• Final Writing Rubric: A clear rubric to guide and assess students as they write their final stories, ensuring they understand the essential components of a great story.

Key Features:

• No Prep, Ready to Use: Simply print the workbook and present the editable slides—perfect for busy teachers who want to make story writing easy and accessible.
• Step-by-Step Guidance: Each stage of the writing process is laid out in a clear, structured format, helping students learn how to write a complete, polished story.
• Engaging & Visual: The slides feature visual aids and real-world examples to make complex concepts easy to understand and fun to learn.
• Versatile Use: Great for individual, small group, or whole-class instruction. Suitable for writing centers, creative writing units, and language arts lessons.

Perfect For:

• Teachers who want to teach story writing in a clear, structured way with no prep required.
• Students who need explicit instruction on how to brainstorm, plan, and write a story.
• Educators looking for an all-in-one resource to build writing skills and boost creativity.

Get your students excited about writing with this engaging, comprehensive Story Writing Unit! They’ll learn everything they need to craft their own unique stories, step by step.

Tons of short stories to explore

These activities not only encourage critical thinking but also help students practice their reading skills in a fun and engaging way. By discussing their answers in pairs or small groups, they can develop communication skills and learn from one another. Ultimately, these reading passages serve as a stepping stone toward becoming confident, independent readers.

The passages are nice and short and engaging. Your students will want to read more.

Each Who What Where When Why Differentiated Worksheet comes with a digital WH question version of the story. Students will read the summer, Children's Day, Father's Day, and 4th of July-themed short stories and then answer the Who What Where When Why guided questions.

In the differentiated worksheets, students have the option to fill in the answers or choose from multiple-choice options. The Google Slides digital version has audio support for questions and answers, multiple-choice answers, and self-checking.

This resource includes:

• 1 summer-themed digital short story with guided, self-checking WH questions with 2 printable version worksheets with two differentiated reading comprehension levels (with answer key)
• 1 Father's Day-themed digital short story with guided, self-checking WH questions with 2 printable version worksheets with two differentiated reading comprehension levels (with answer key)
• 1 Children's Day-themed digital short story with guided, self-checking WH questions with 2 printable version worksheets with two differentiated reading comprehension levels (with answer key)
• 1 4th of July-themed digital short story with guided, self-checking WH questions with 2 printable version worksheets with two differentiated reading comprehension levels (with answer key)

Common Core State Standards: RL.2.1

You might also like:

• Reading Comprehension Passages & Questions 3rd-5th Grade | Animals BUNDLE
• Reading Comprehension Passages & Questions 3rd & 4th Grade | Four Seasons BUNDLE

I’m so glad you stopped by my store and checked out this resource! Follow my store to be updated about new products and sales. Don’t forget to leave feedback to earn credits toward future purchases by heading to MY PURCHASES in your TeachShare account. 

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Teacher Bethanie @TaughtOught Homeschooling

Each of the four Who What Where When Why Differentiated Worksheets comes with a digital WH question version of the story. Students will read the Spring, Mother's Day, Easter, and St. Patrick's Day-themed short stories and then answer the Who What Where When Why guided questions.

In the differentiated worksheets, students have the option to fill in the answers or choose from multiple-choice options. The Google Slides digital version has audio support for questions and answers, multiple-choice answers, and self-checking.

This resource includes:

• 1 spring-themed digital short story with guided, self-checking WH questions with 2 printable version worksheets with two differentiated reading comprehension levels (with answer key)
• 1 Mother's Day-themed digital short story with guided, self-checking WH questions with 2 printable version worksheets with two differentiated reading comprehension levels (with answer key)
• 1 St. Patrick’s Day-themed digital short story with guided, self-checking WH questions with 2 printable version worksheets with two differentiated reading comprehension levels (with answer key)
• 1 Easter-themed digital short story with guided, self-checking WH questions with 2 printable version worksheets with two differentiated reading comprehension levels (with answer key)

Common Core State Standards: RL.2.1

You might also like:

• Reading Comprehension Passages & Questions 3rd-5th Grade | Animals BUNDLE
• Reading Comprehension Passages & Questions 3rd & 4th Grade | Four Seasons BUNDLE

I’m so glad you stopped by my store and checked out this resource! Follow my store to be updated about new products and sales. Don’t forget to leave feedback to earn credits toward future purchases by heading to MY PURCHASES in your TeachShare account. 

Connect with me!

• Follow my store for resource updates and sales!
• Send me an email at bethanierosesmith@gmail.com

Teacher Bethanie @TaughtOught Homeschooling

These no prep nonfiction and fiction reading passages with comprehension questions and main idea and key detail graphic organizers are perfect for your second grade, third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade students! These reading comprehension worksheets will bring a love of learning back to your reading block. Your students will be engaged while learning!

Do your students DREAD having to read nonfiction texts? Do they moan and groan when it's time to read informational text because they find the topics boring or tiresome? These engaging, nonfiction passages about the animals of the Amazon rainforest, Chinese New Year, Presidents' Day and Arctic Animals will have your readers begging for more!

☀️_Check out my preview for details and click on each product included in this bundle to get a better look at what is inside each one._

With This Resource You'll Get:
★ Engaging nonfiction passages
★ Different formats for students response
★ Main idea and key details graphic organizer
★ Text dependent questions
★ Some multiple choice answers
★ Short answer written response
★ Standards-based tasks

How You Can Use This Resource:
✎ whole group
✎ small group
✎ partner work
✎ independent work
✎ homework
✎ literacy centers
✎ animal research
✎ animal research reports

Check Out What Teachers Are Saying:

❤️Brittney S. says, "Great articles and easy prep!"

❤️Ariane O says, "Interesting passages and solid level given the COVID learning loss.

❤️Wendy W says, "I used this with my class when discussing rainforest habitats. They loved learning about the different animals."

IRelated Products

☀️Monthly Holiday Nonfiction Reading Passages

☀️Arctic Animals Reading Passages
☀️Amazon Rainforest Animals Nonfiction Passages

☀️Chinese New Year Passages

☀️Nonfiction Passages about Presidents and Inauguration Day

⚠️ See Errors or Mistakes:
If you see anything that needs modifying, or if you have any questions, please contact me in the Q&A section.
You may also email me directly at basicbizteaching@gmail.com.

✨ Earn Free Resources:
Leaving feedback provides both of us with something valuable!
I get to learn how to continue creating the resources you and your students will love, and you will receive FREE credits toward your future purchases!

Do your students need practice to identify the main events and elements of a story? Do they have trouble distinguishing between main ideas or events and details? Then this close reading set is for you! These 15 worksheets with reading passages are designed to give your students an opportunity to practice identifying sequencing main events and details, as well as story elements!

What's included in the money-saving bundle:

Main Events and Sequencing Close Reading Worksheets

After reading each passage, students will identify the three main events in sequential order, a small detail from the story, as well as something made up that never actually happened in the story - my students love this!!

This packet contains 15 passages including one that's perfect for St. Patrick's Day titled "Catching a Leprechaun."

These no-prep worksheets are ready to go for you. Just print and proceed! The 15 passages offer variety, and this packet is ideal for teachers who want their students to get additional practice with this important skill.

INCLUDED WITH YOUR PURCHASE:

• 15 Printable Worksheets

Story Elements Close Reading Worksheets

Do your students need practice to identify the elements of story? These 15 worksheets with reading passages are designed to give your students an opportunity to practice identifying story elements.

After reading each passage, students will identify the characters, setting, problem (conflict), and lesson (theme).

This packet contains 15 passages including one that's perfect for St. Patrick's Day titled "Catching a Leprechaun."

These no-prep worksheets are ready to go for you. Just print and proceed! With 15 passages, this packet is ideal for teachers who want their students to get additional practice with this important skill.

INCLUDED WITH YOUR PURCHASE:

• 15 Printable Worksheets

***Note: both resources in the bundle utilize the same stories but each set focuses on a different skill! Perfect for practicing multiple skills!

Perfect for extra skill work during:

• morning meetings
• brain breaks
• sub-activities
• indoor recess
• snack time
• morning work
• early finishers
• end of year

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