Fourth Grade
Reading
Comprehension
Mazes
4
Set 1
 Basic
Comprehension
 9 Weekly Mazes
 Great for RTI
 Easy to Use
© Amber Harris 2014
 Includes Data
Charts
Table of Contents
Teacher’s Guide
3
How to Administer
5
Scoring Guide
6
Target Score Charts w/ Grade Equivalents
7
Group Data Sheets
8
Individual Data Sheets
11
Reading Maze Practice Instructions
15
Reading Maze Practice Passage
16
Reading Maze Pre-Test
17
Weekly Reading Mazes
18
Reading Maze Answer Keys
26
2
© Amber Harris 2014
Page
~ Teacher’s Guide ~
A reading maze is a task that measures how well
students understand what they read while reading
silently. After the first sentence in the maze passage,
every seventh word is replaced with the correct word
and two distracters. Students choose the word among
the choices that best fits in with the rest of the passage.
This type of reading comprehension is different from
traditional reading comprehension passages that
require the student to recall information after reading a
passage. In a reading maze, the student must have an
understanding of the passage while reading. Reading
mazes are a great way to encourage meaningful
reading and help students develop basic
comprehension skills.
3
© Amber Harris 2014
This book has everything you need to start using reading
mazes for developing and monitoring reading
comprehension. To begin, allow students to get familiar
with the format of the maze using the Practice Maze
(Instructions are included). Then, give students the
Reading Maze Pre-Test. This will give you a baseline for
collecting student data. A blank data recording chart
is included in this book for monitoring student progress.
This can be a really great tool for documenting progress
for RTI. There are also recording charts for each nine
weeks if you choose to use them.
~ Teacher’s Guide ~
Once you’ve administered the Maze Pre-Test, choose the
way in which you would like to incorporate the reading
mazes in your classroom. Here are some ideas:
•Think about which students you will use the mazes with.
You can use these with all of the students in your class, a
small group, or just individual students.
•Decide how often and when you will use the mazes.
There are enough mazes included to use one each week.
However, you may use them bi-weekly, monthly, or even
just occasionally. Let the needs of your students guide
your decision.
•If you decide to use them regularly, be consistent. Select
a time that you plan to give the reading mazes and try to
stick with it. Maybe you want to have Reading Maze
Mondays during small group time. If you don’t make an
effort to work it in to you schedule, it will be too easy to
overlook or forget. If you use it consistently, you will see
your student’s reading on the run comprehension
improve.
•Use the passages in sequential order. They are organized
by grade equivalent and increase in difficulty throughout
the school year.
4
© Amber Harris 2014
•Monitor the progress that your students make. Use the
provided charts or a chart of your own to check for
student progress and growth. For students that do not
make consistent growth, there may be a deeper problem
with comprehension that should be addressed.
How to Administer a Reading Maze
•Before administering a reading maze, make a copy of
the passage for each student.
•Give each student a copy of the maze face down.
•Make sure each student has a writing tool. My kids love
to use red pens for this!
•Read aloud these directions:
Today, you will be reading a special passage.
Some of the words in the passage have been
replaced with a group of three words. As you
read the passage silently, you need to decide
which word in each group fits best in the
sentence. Circle the word that you think is
best. You will have three minutes to read the
passage silently and select the best word
choices. Take your time and read carefully. If
you do not know a word, sound it out and
continue reading. When you finish, turn your
paper over. Stop when you hear the timer or
when I call time.
•Allow students three minutes to complete the maze.
•Score the mazes using the Scoring Guide to help.
5
© Amber Harris 2014
•After three minutes, have students stop working and
collect the mazes.
Scoring Guide
•Use the provided answer key for each maze to check for
correct answers.
•If a student misses three problems in a row, you can
assume that he or she is guessing. STOP scoring at that
point. Only count the correct answers up to that point for
scoring. Any correct answers after that point should not
be counted in the score.
•Count the number of correct responses. The number
correct is the student’s score.
•Record the number correct on the student page and
recording chart if you are using it to organize data.
•If you have students that do not meet the target score
(and you will at first especially) continue to monitor them
for a few weeks. Some of them will make gains as they
get the hang of it. Others will continue to struggle and
may even regress as the target scores increase and
passages get more difficult. Hopefully there will only be a
handful of students like this. Provide opportunities for
them to improve their comprehension and continue to
monitor their progress. They may need additional
interventions.
6
© Amber Harris 2014
•Refer to the Target Scores Chart to find out the expected
or target score for each passage. The Target Scores start
low but increase gradually (in addition to the increase in
passage difficulty) so that by the end of the school year,
students have reached a target appropriate for the end
of third grade.
Week
#
Reading Maze
Grade
Equivalent
Target
Score
1
Pre-Test
Shooting Stars
(Non-Fiction)
3.8
17
2
Fox Squirrels
(Non-Fiction)
3.9
17
3
Lost in the Zoo
(Fiction)
3.9
18
4
Fishing for Tadpoles
(Fiction)
4.0
18
5
Painted Turtles
(Non-Fiction)
4.0
18
6
The Declaration of
Independence
(Non-Fiction)
4.0
19
7
Trains
(Non-Fiction)
4.1
19
8
Ireland
(Non-Fiction)
4.1
20
9
The Masterpiece
(Fiction)
4.1
20
*No copyright-part of public domain.
7
© Amber Harris 2015
Target Score Chart
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Mazes
Data Recording Sheet
Passage
Target Score
© Amber Harris 2015
Student Name
8
Week 4
Tadpoles
Week 5
Week 6
Declaration
Week 7
Trains
Week 8
Ireland
Week 9
17
18
18
18
19
19
20
20
© Amber Harris 2015
Week 3
17
Masterpiece
PaintedTurtle
Lost in the Zoo
Fox Squirrels
Target Score
Week 2
Passage
Pre-TestStars
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Mazes
Data Recording Sheet-First Nine Weeks
Student Name
9
Week 6
Declaration
Week 7
Trains
Week 8
Ireland
Week 9
18
18
18
19
19
20
20
12
17
18
Masterpiece
Week 5
17
PaintedTurtle
Week 4
Tadpoles
17
Lost in the Zoo
Week 3
Target Score
Fox Squirrels
Passage
Week 2
Sample
Pre-TestStars
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Mazes
Data Recording Sheet-First Nine Weeks
Student Name
Valerie
Target Score
George
17
19
22
Kenyatta
19
18
20
© Amber Harris 2015
I usually circle the ones that did not
meet the target score. This makes a
good reminder for me to focus
remediation on those students.
10
Individual Data Sheets
11
© Amber Harris 2017
I have included two individual student data sheets: one
using the data sheet as a bar graph which may be
easier for students to do on their own, and one using the
data sheet as a line plot graph. I prefer the line plot
because I like the lines that it creates, but younger
students may find it more confusing. Please use
whichever you prefer for your students. This product is
intended to be used by the individual student.
However, for RTI or other documentation purposes, you
may find this a helpful graph for you the teacher to
show an individual student’s progress.
Student Name
__________________
Target Score
9
8
7
6
5
Week 3
Lost in
the Zoo
17
18
18
19
19
20
Week 9
Masterpi
ece
Week 8
Ireland
Week 7
Trains
Week 6
Declarati
on
18
Week 5
Painted
Turtle
Week 4
Tadpoles
Week 2
Fox
Squirrels
17
© Amber Harris 2017
Passage
Pre-TestStars
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Mazes -- Individual Student Data Recording SheetFirst Nine Weeks
20
My Score
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
12
4
3
2
1
0
Week 4
Sharks
Week 5
Honeybe
es
Week 6
The Heart
Week 7
Julia’s
Journal
Week 8
Edison
Week 9
Anansi
10
8
10
10
11
12
11
12
11
14
12
10
12
15
12
15
13
16
Line Plot Example
© Amber Harris 2017
Student Name
Julia
___________________
Line Plot
18
Example:
Student 17
plots
weekly 16
scores on 15
the
vertical 14
lines. They 13
can
connect 12
the points 11
to see a
plot of 10
their
9
progress
8
and
compare 7
to the
6
Target
line.
5
Week 3
Field Trip
19
Week 2
Sammy
Student
writes
Passage
weekly
Target Score
scores
My Score
here.
Pre-TestAntarctic
a
Reading Comprehension Mazes -- Individual Student Data Recording Sheet-First Nine
Weeks
13
18
Week 4
Sharks
Week 5
Honeybe
es
Week 6
The Heart
Week 7
Julia’s
Journal
Week 8
Edison
Week 9
Anansi
10
10
11
12
11
12
11
14
12
10
12
15
12
15
13
16
Bar Graph Example
5
4
3
2
1
0
© Amber Harris 2017
Student Name
Julia
___________________
My Score
= Target Score
Bar
Graph 17
Example: 16
Student 15
shades
weekly 14
scores in 13
the
12
vertical
bars. 11
They can 10
compare 9
their
progress 8
to the
7
Target
6
line.
Week 3
Field Trip
Student
Passage
writes
Target Score 10
weekly
scores
My Score 8
here.
19
Week 2
Sammy
Pre-TestAntarctic
a
Reading Comprehension Mazes -- Individual Student Data Recording Sheet-First Nine
Weeks
14
Practice Maze Instructions
Allowing students the time to get familiar with the format
of reading mazes is very important. Most of them, if not
all, have never completed a passage in this way before.
If you do not allow the time to teach students how to do
a reading maze, they will not understand what they are
doing and it will not improve their comprehension.
•Provide each student with a copy of the Practice Maze.
•Explain that they will be reading a short passage with
some of the important words missing. Instruct them to
read the passage carefully and think about the words
that should go in the spaces as they read. Let them know
that you will be helping them on this practice passage.
•Go through the maze with students, guiding them
through the thinking process to use when figuring out the
missing words. Your dialogue may go something like this:
•Continue working through the maze. If students become
comfortable with the format, allow them to finish
independently.
15
© Amber Harris 2014
Let’s read the passage. Turtles are reptiles. They live in
water. Turtles are clever mostly in Africa and America.
Does that sound correct? What about -Turtles are milk
mostly found in Africa and America. How does that
sound? How about this – Turtles are found mostly in Africa
and America. How does that sound? The correct the
answer is found. Circle found on your maze and let’s
continue reading.
The (body, famous, or wild) of a turtle—which do you
think we might be reading about– the body of the turtle,
the famous of the turtle or the wild of the turtle? Yes, the
body of a turtle. Circle body and let’s continue.
Student Copy: Practice - Turtles
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name ______________________________ Score _______________________
Practice Maze
Turtles are reptiles. They live in water. Turtles are (clever, milk,
found) mostly in Africa and America. The (body, famous, wild) of a turtle
is inside a (really, shell, brought). If a turtle is frightened, it (may, guilty,
beach) pull its head, arms, and legs (choose, into, band) the shell. Turtle
shells are light-weight. (They, Sadly, Ashamed) are also flat and smooth.
The (shell, cow, fuzzy) helps the turtle swim and dive (bright, more, long)
easily in the water. Turtles have (bed, webbed, frightened) feet and
claws. Their long claws (butter, help, cart) them grip logs floating in the
(water, forgiven, tired). Webbed feet help the turtle swim. (War, Some,
Old) turtles have flippers to help them (swim, burn, fresh). Turtles are
omnivores. This means they (strange, eat, scissors) plants and meat.
Turtles lay eggs (after, wrestle, on) land in a nest. The baby (say, turtles,
company) stay in the nest on their (thick, language, own). They hatch in
3-4 months. When they (tray, anyone, hatch), they find their own way
out (of, yesterday, shallow) the nest. They begin taking care (drew, of,
joyously) themselves right away. Turtles can live (direction, sock, from)
© Amber Harris 2015
20-40 years.
Student Copy: Week 1/Pre-Test – Shooting Stars
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name ______________________________ Score _______________________
A shooting star looks like a star that shoots across the sky. But shooting stars
are not stars (educate, at, narrow) all. They are small pieces of (tomorrow, running,
space) rock. These rock pieces can be (punish, argument, as) small as grains of
sand. The (strange, solar, boldly) system is full of these rocks. (They, Follow, Deer) are
known as meteoroids. They come (into, politely, basket) the Earth’s atmosphere at
very high (speeds, increase, rinse). The piece gets very hot. It (since, heats,
suddenly) up and glows as it moves (comma, through, together) the atmosphere.
That is what we (foot, see, proud) as a shooting star, or meteor. (Carefully, The,
Opposite) glowing light lasts for just a (admit, few, suggestion) seconds. Meteoroids
are moving into our (atmosphere, these, multiply) all the time. It is difficult (under, to,
whether) see them in daylight. Most meteors (burn, expert, nose) up in the
atmosphere before they (foolish, outrageous, reach) the ground. Some meteors are
so (right, large, space) that they do not completely burn (loud, food, up) in the air.
The small pieces (that, machine, delightful) hit the ground are called meteorites.
(Sock, Said, Thousands) of meteorites have been found all (over, stem, spicy) the
world. Most have been found (stick, loudly, in) the hot desert or in freezing (cold,
plain, modern) Antarctica. Some of the pieces that (because, hit, ask) the Earth
may be large enough (did, forgot, to) make a dent in the ground. (This, Excited,
Fish) dent is called a crater. The (politely, cheerful, size) of the crater depends on
the (dangerous, church, size) of the meteorite. At certain times (fear, collect, of)
year, there may be many meteors (in, if, white) the night sky. This is called (a, begin,
song) meteor shower. Meteor showers happen when (suppose, the, ring) Earth
wax) hundreds or even thousands of meteors (in, plastic, came) a meteor shower.
Meteorites look very (center, punishment, different) from regular rocks. They can
often (chance, shock, contain) a lot of rare minerals.
© Amber Harris 2015
passes through a trail of (dust, unit, loudly) left by a comet. There can (within, be,
Student Copy: Week 2 – Fox Squirrels
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Fox squirrels are a type of tree squirrel. They are medium-sized and have a (long,
towards, only), furry tail. Their fur can be (many, cheese, depend) different colors
including gray, black and (salty, wet, brown). The fur on their belly is (amusement, a,
army) lighter color. Fox squirrels have very (wiggle, sharp, payment) claws. Their
bodies are also strong (disagree, but, and) muscular. This helps them to climb (pin,
wood, trees) very well. Fox squirrels are found (fill, in, before) the eastern part of the
United (States, kept, tree). They can also be found in (Mexico, justly, under) and
Canada. They like to live (in, steel, quickly) open, forest habitats. They can be
(animal, found, next) in oak, hickory, and pine tree (chess, lonely, forests). Fox squirrels
need large trees with (scary, holes, meal) in them. They build nests in (the, pole,
excuse) holes to raise their babies. They (the, also, pretend) use these holes to
hibernate in (scary, below, during) the winter. Fox squirrels build leaf (clearly, nests,
learn) in the branches of the trees. (Cheese, They, Round) build the leaf nests high up
(boy, puzzled, in) large trees. Fox squirrels spend most (of, danger, soft) their time in
trees. They live (in, known, cup) small family groups. Fox squirrels have (authority, price,
excellent) eyesight. They can also hear and (test, smell, tired) very well. They
communicate in many (empty, ways, frighten). They use a variety of sounds, (thanks,
like, ink) barks and whistles to communicate with (plate, excited, each) other. They
also communicate through actions. (Ring, For, Neighbor) example, they will threaten
one another (by, repair, shirt) standing upright with their tail over (greasy, their, inside)
back and flicking it. Fox squirrels (are, have, fought) omnivores. They eat meat and
plants. (Ray, They, Foolishly) eat whatever is available in the (servant, area, careful)
walnut, deal), hickory, and pecan trees. They eat (insects, work, marry), eggs, small
mammals and birds. Some (people, energetic, voice) think squirrels are a nuisance
because (they, week, salty) raid bird feeders and gardens. They (blonde, sometimes,
marry) damage corn crops. They often use (scream, power, electrical) lines as routes
of travel, and (this, obey, choose) can cause power outages.
© Amber Harris 2015
they live in. Fox squirrels eat (terrific, the, got) nuts, flowers, and buds of oak, (boil,
Student Copy: Week 3 – Lost in the Zoo
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Michael went with his parents to the zoo on Saturday. When they got there, they
picked up a zoo (watch, steam, map) and followed it to the African animal exhibit .
(word, They, first) saw elephants, wildebeests, and zebras. (Blonde, Heat, Next), they
stopped at a tall tower. (Object, From, Boot) the top of the tower, you (cart, compete,
could) see the giraffes. For two dollars, (curly, rough, Michael) got to feed a
(smoothly, giraffe, morning). Michael jumped back as the (pull, giraffe, hardly) stuck
out its long tongue (and, from, with )curled it around the branch (ugly, of, dull) food.
After they left the giraffe (important, sat, tower), they went to a gorilla exhibit. (Shaky,
Hair, They) watched a mother gorilla pick through (ever, thread, her) baby’s hair. After
that, they went (thumb, to, mighty) an exhibit of rainforest animals. Soon, (back, they,
seriously) became hungry and tired. They ate (manager, teach, lunch) in the
Rainforest Restaurant. After they (catch, had, provide) eaten and had time to rest,
(tray, off, they) went to see some animals from (many, Asia, jagged). There was a
really old komodo (dragon, yourselves, slept) and family of pandas. Michael watched
(ours, about, the) pandas playing on a jungle gym (spicy, boy, and) eating bamboo.
When he turned back (around, carelessly, idea), his parents were gone. He thought
(they, loudly, threw) were right behind him. He began (ripe, let, to) panic, but then he
remembered what (loudly, know, his) dad told him to do if (serve, he, scatter) was
ever lost. He found an (noise, adult, boot) wearing a uniform. In the zoo, (that, upset,
pocket) was easy. All of the zookeepers (stray, spotless, wore) a kind of uniform. He
told (spend, event, the) panda zookeeper that he had lost (his, dress, crooked)
family. She calmly took his hand (a, and, bee) led him to the zookeeper station. (She,
Frowning, Place) called the other zookeepers over her (walkie-talkie, swim, until)
(relax, behind, different) while they waited for his parents. (In, Called, Dwell) a just a
few minutes, his (water, dad, stitch) came into the zookeeper station. Michael (and,
thing, right) his dad were both relieved to (engine, any, see) each other. When they
left the (forgotten, beyond, zoo), they were glad that they’d had (family, a, awake)
good time and that everyone was (baby, safe, angrily).
© Amber Harris 2015
radio. Then she gave Michael a (bright, juice, collect) and snack. She told him to
Student Copy: Week 4 – Fishing for Tadpoles
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Charlie and his dad went to the pond to go fishing. When they got to the
pond, (cry, boiling, Charlie) saw lots of tadpoles swimming along (the, him, curve)
edge of the water. He asked (fair, his, station) dad if he could take some (rough, of,
calmly) the tadpoles to school to show (memory, his, upset) classmates. His dad
thought that would (steady, amount, be) a great idea. Charlie carefully dipped (a,
mild, learn) jar into the pond water. He (ticket, scooped, cart) up a jar of water filled
(farm, elevator, with) tiny tadpoles. He couldn’t wait to (ask, crime, take) the tadpoles
to school. His teacher, (click, smoke, Mrs). Martin, had been teaching his class (about,
month, healthy) frogs. Charlie hoped she would let (them, muscle, tender) keep the
tadpoles for a while. (Mist, Ripple, They) could watch them grow legs. Then (egg,
Charlie, laid) could take the tadpoles back to (sold, the, needle) pond to let them go.
Charlie (army, written, screwed) the jar lid on as tight (pig, equally, as) he could. Then
he and his (dad, boot, herself) walked around to the other side (obediently, away, of)
the pond to fish. Charlie put (silent, the, than) jar on the ground next to (form, the,
unusual) pond while he got his pole (chilly, love, ready). He baited the hook and
tossed (boast, the, angry) line into the water. It didn’t (take, release, concerned) long
before he got a bite. (He, Froze, Succeed) yanked on the pole and quickly (envelope,
pulled, picture) the fish from the water. As (out, Charlie, skin) took a step back, he
bumped (where, want, into) the jar of tadpoles. The jar (although, fell, country) over
and rolled down into the (eventually, pond, hug) water. Charlie hurried to the water
(around, but, ink) the jar had already floated too (nosy, far, disagree) to reach.
Charlie didn’t know how (have, he, crossly) was going to get the jar (dream,
running with (truthfully, addition, a) fishing net. He used the net (daughter, to, honestly)
lift the jar out of the (pond, bucket, fell) water. Charlie was relieved to get (the, silver,
softly) jar back. He decided to put (company, the, brother) jar in a safer place until
(gentle, they, salt) finished fishing. The next day, Charlie (crawl, took, dislike) the jar of
tadpoles to school. (Mrs, Eager, Dog). Martin and his classmates were excited (sell,
well, to) see the tiny frogs.
© Amber Harris 2015
mountain, of) tadpoles back. He called his dad (to, cold, among) help. His dad came
Student Copy: Week 5 – Painted Turtles
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Painted turtles hibernate through the winter. This means that they go into
(a, invention, on) deep sleep. They wake up in (store, the, disapprove) spring. Then
the female turtle looks (super, for, after) a place to lay eggs. They (discuss, delightful,
carefully) choose a place to make a (gigantic, nest, was). Sometimes turtle eggs are
eaten by (bake, almost, predators). The nest cannot be too dry (colorful, or,
amazing) too wet. This may make it (carry, proud, difficult) for the young turtle to
grow. (Throw, A, Succeed) painted turtle may dig a nest (for, as, greet) more than
four hours. She can (knowledge, entertain, lay) from four to twenty eggs. She
(covers, release, bed) the eggs with soil. Then the (stamp, mother, damaged) turtle
leaves the nest. She does (not, expand, we) return to it again. Each egg (melt, is,
plant) a little bigger than a grape. (It, Point, Matter) is smooth. The egg has a (kept,
early, leathery) shell that has tiny holes in (it, back, attach). These allow the baby
turtle inside (the, respect, continue) egg to breathe. The eggshell is (eye, made,
entertain) of calcium. The baby turtle will (extend, new, use) the calcium to make
strong bones. (The, Rode, Poison) eggshells are made of strong layers (her, destroy,
that) protect the baby turtle from everything. (Some, After, Secretary) about three
months, painted turtle eggs (are, chess, spoke) ready to hatch. Baby turtles use
(husky, their, town) claws and an egg tooth to (inspect, like, tear) open the shell.
When turtle babies (hatch, suggest, fierce) they take care of themselves. Their (wet,
mother, give) is not around to care for (them, until, forgotten). Baby turtles stay in the
nest (color, during, ring) the winter. In the spring, the (soak, turtles, word) climb out of
the nest and (how, find, argue) water. Ponds provide turtles with food, (met, water,
plants, (snails, cool, gently), frogs, insects, and crayfish. Turtles dive (paid,
underwater, stage) or pull their heads into their (shells, pocket, went) to keep from
being eaten by (other, rice, time) animals. In the fall, the turtles (find, easy, regain) a
place to hibernate. In the (spring, tail, mine) they wake up and begin to (had, eat,
took) again.
© Amber Harris 2015
anywhere), places to hibernate, and places to (lie, stream, loud) in the sun. They eat
Student Copy: Week 6 – Declaration of Independence
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
America began as a group of thirteen colonies or settlements. These
colonies belonged to the British (unfasten, Empire, stomach). By 1776, the colonists no
longer wanted (to, energetic, fiction) be a part of the British (anyone, Empire, pull).
They had been denied the right (to, go, soup) have representatives in the British
government. (Out, The, Fluffy) colonies wanted to be free from (Britain, name, school).
They wanted to call themselves the (United, advertisement, proud) States of America.
In June of 1776, (irritate, market, each) of the colonies sent a representative (to, crazy,
flag) Philadelphia. They had a meeting of (lawmakers, much, inside) called the
Continental Congress. The Continental (ask, themselves, Congress) formed a
committee. The committee’s job (steady, was, different) to write a document
declaring their (desert, independence, spent) from Britain. The committee included
Benjamin (hissing, obey, Franklin), John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman,
(and, prison, beyond) Thomas Jefferson. The members decided that (mountain,
Thomas, stomach) Jefferson should write the declaration. He (pot, silly, began) writing
the document on June 11. It (took, scary, came) him seventeen days to finish it. (On,
Alone, Empty) July 4, 1776, the Congress voted to accept (the, egg, need)
Declaration of Independence. Then it was (aboard, signed, weakly) by each of the
members. The (curious, and, Declaration) of Independence was sent to a (behind,
printer, the) to make copies. The copies were (sent, arranged, made) to all the
colonies. In each (muscle, happiness, colony) it was read aloud in public. (Sold, It,
Too) was also published in newspapers for (outstanding, the, disturb) colonists to read.
A copy was (order, sent, demand) to the British government. The Declaration (kneel,
learn, of) Independence was important. It made a (unpack, drove, brave) statement
got, blindly) the colonists wanted their freedom. They (swam, listed, eager) all of the
wrong things that (chilly, the, silent) king had done against them. This (rest, hardly,
document) let the British government know that (the, perfectly, boil) colonies would
fight for their rights. (Hear, Fortunately, The) original Declaration of Independence
document can (too, be, bull) seen in Washington D.C. at (sold, the, wear) National
Archives Building.
© Amber Harris 2015
by the colonists that they (could, wanted, misty) to be free. It also explained (why,
Student Copy: Week 7 – Trains
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Trains have long been a means of transportation. They not only carry people,
but (blade, also, coming) freight from place to place. Trains (have, introduce,
hook) locomotives that pull cars behind them. (Yourselves, Came, There) can be any
number of cars (shelf, pulled, art) behind a locomotive and they can (super, call,
have) many purposes. Trains have metal wheels (listen, explode, that) roll along metal
railroad tracks. Sometimes (trains, mend, jealous) travel through tunnels or long
holes (hand, flown, dug) through a hill or mountain. Freight (keep, trains, plants) can carry
many types of goods (knot, and, swift) resources. Some carry coal while others (carry,
from, beautiful) cars and trucks. Trains can even(drawer, carry, pump) mail from one city
to the (next, shrill, identify). Passenger trains are the kind of (rob, decision, trains) that
people can travel on. Each (for, smooth, car) has a door where the people (may, branch,
tore) board. Passengers must have tickets to (ride, eaten, tiny) the train. The conductor
collects tickets (from, growth, wall) the passengers. Another worker takes care (ornament,
of, building) the passengers’ suitcases. He puts the (suitcases, lovely, sense) in the
baggage car. Passenger cars (came, have, mouth) many seats. On long trips,
people (near, eat, size) their meals on the train. They (plane, can, these) visit a special
dining car to (order, thoughtful, rich) food. The conductor helps connect(extra, two,
nobody) train cars. Train cars are connected (with, fought, sleepily) couplers. Couplers
are strong hooks that (proud, hold, rough) the cars together no matter how (fast, messy,
get) the train goes. Years ago, all (cuddly, extend, trains) had a caboose. It was
the (property, small, gracefully) car at the end of a (quiet, bell, train) where the
brakeman rode. Today, few (flew, hilly, trains) have a caboose because the
brakes (wrong, standing, work) automatically on modern trains. The last (rate, excuse,
become, scary) train. The driver of a train (operation, canvas, is) called an engineer. The
engineer sits (water, thought, in) the cab. The cab is inside (the, alert, steam) locomotive.
There are many controls in (church, the, herself) cab. The engineer has a special (berry,
cheerfully, telephone) called a radio. The engineer uses (nail, the, unusual) radio to talk to
the other (train, exit, amused) workers. This is important for the (smooth, fallen,
button) operation of any kind of train, (including, concentrate, misty) freight trains and
passenger trains.
© Amber Harris 2015
car)on a modern train has a (sharply, flashing, tray) red light. It helps people see (the,
Student Copy: Week 8 – Ireland
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Ireland is an island nation on the western edge of Europe. It is the
continent's second largest (island, round, beside). The Republic of Ireland takes
up (support, most, grew) of the island. Northern Ireland, which (is, follow,
provide) part of the United Kingdom, takes (up, towards, summer) a northern
section of the island.(Present, The, Stage) island is slightly larger than West (reject,
make, Virginia). Ireland is known for its lush, (really, green, powder) fields. In fact, its
nickname is (harsh, the, found) Emerald Isle. But there are also (very, large,
friend) areas of rugged, rocky hills and (low, thumb, troubled) mountains. Ireland has
26,598 square miles. The (sugar, gotten, population) of Ireland is more than 4
million. (Fluffy, Off, The)capital city is located in Dublin, (different, Ireland, month).
The Irish and English languages are (say, spoken, boot) in Ireland. The government
of Ireland (steep, consists, light) of an elected parliament and a(president,
everyone, explain). The parliament makes the laws. The (perfectly, won, president) is
the head of state. Ireland (is, small, land) a nation of storytellers. Storytellers
would (an, record, given) and recite the country's history. Many (meant, colourful,
famous) writers come from Ireland. Four of (gotten, them, sheep) have won the
Nobel Prize for (literature, family, outrageous). The Irish also enjoy music and(sports,
drive, bad). In the Olympics, the Irish are (known, week, salt) for their participants in
boxing. The(Irish, weigh, voice) people love nature. The country's first (inside, coins,
upset) even featured pictures of animals. The (sparkling, sea, thought) around
Ireland has stopped many animals from (fasten, reaching, ask)the island. In fact,
there are (no, ugly, determined) wild snakes on Ireland and only (two, mad,
window)types of wild mouse, one type (thick, plain, of) lizard, and just three kinds
farmers. Today, some people are (memory, still, summer)farmers. Others work in the
tourism (industry, meal, enjoy). People work in manufacturing and
service(doubtfully, distance, jobs), like education, health and banking. The (fork,
Irish, invent) enjoy eating good food. Potatoes and (cabbage, dust, build) are some
of the most popular (speak, vegetables, lighten) in Ireland.
© Amber Harris 2015
of (slope, amphibians, side). In the past, many people in (be, Ireland, rain) were
Student Copy: Week 9 – The Masterpiece
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name ______________________________ Score _______________________
“Make sure you have your art contest entries completed by Friday,” announced Mrs.
Walter, the art teacher. “I know that some of you (have, mysteriously, examine) some
pretty impressive pieces to share. (Slow, Need, I) can’t wait to see them,”
she (sparkling, woke, continued). Damion was silent as he listened (to, daughter,
knowledge) his classmates chatter about their art. (It, Feather, Sun) seemed that most
of them were (finished, test, silly) with their entry. Damion worried that (miniature, he,
reason) only had two days left to (flew, work, ripe) on his, especially since he
hadn’t (even, toward, perfect) started yet. He had tried to (everybody, throw, start) on
it several times. But he (punishment, story, just) couldn’t get his ideas to
come (together, finger, faithfully). The assignment was to draw a (join, landscape,
unlike) using perspective. Most of his classmates (had, winter, pump) described
majestic city scenes with towering(awoke, alert, skyscrapers). Sure, it was a great
use (of, brightly, time) perspective, but Damion just couldn’t get (melt, operation,
into) the city scene idea. He wanted (everyone, dull, to) do something different. But so
far, (he, concentrate, bad) hadn’t been able to come up (weak, with,
exchange) anything. He’d have to work on (onto, it, lucky) afterschool when he went
to his (thrown, reward, granddad’s)house. Damion didn’t mind going to (granddad’s,
dog, announce) house because he usually did his (ran, ray, best) artwork there on the
farm. He (fresh, hoped, spent) he would get inspired while he (lay, obedient,
was) there. When he got there, he (head, walked, understood) around the farm,
hoping that a(brilliant, bake, rich) plan would come to his mind. (Need, Fiction,
The) more he walked, the more discouraged (boy, he, strange) got. He was beginning
to think (truthfully, he, heart) would never come up with an (fight, advise, idea) when
Forgive) was the best idea! Why did (glass, taught, his) perspective piece have to be
a (rough, seen, city) scene? Why couldn’t he show perspective (carry, gentle,
by) drawing granddad’s barn and house? He (could, end, quietly) draw the fence
around the place (written, rod, and) the little lane that went through (the, test,
forgave) center of the property. Damion raced (man, forgive, inside) to get his drawing
pad. This (graceful, was, middle) going to be a masterpiece for (sure, nerve, herself).
© Amber Harris 2015
he turned back toward the (boat, kept, barn). When he did, he saw it. (It, Seen,
Answer Key: Practice -Turtles
Third Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name ______________________________ Score _______________________
Practice Maze
Turtles are reptiles. They live in water. Turtles are (clever, milk,
found) mostly in Africa and America. The (body, famous, wild) of a turtle
is inside a (really, shell, brought). If a turtle is frightened, it (may, guilty,
beach) pull its head, arms, and legs (choose, into, band) the shell. Turtle
shells are light-weight. (They, Sadly, Ashamed) are also flat and smooth.
The (shell, cow, fuzzy) helps the turtle swim and dive (bright, more, long)
easily in the water. Turtles have (bed, webbed, frightened) feet and
claws. Their long claws (butter, help, cart) them grip logs floating in the
(water, forgiven, tired). Webbed feet help the turtle swim. (War, Some,
Old) turtles have flippers to help them (swim, burn, fresh). Turtles are
omnivores. This means they (strange, eat, scissors) plants and meat.
Turtles lay eggs (after, wrestle, on) land in a nest. The baby (say, turtles,
company) stay in the nest on their (thick, language, own). They hatch in
3-4 months. When they (tray, anyone, hatch), they find their own way
out (of, yesterday, shallow) the nest. They begin taking care (drew, of,
joyously) themselves right away. Turtles can live (direction, sock, from)
© Amber Harris 2015
20-40 years.
Answer Key: Week 1/Pre-Test – Shooting Stars
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name ______________________________ Score _______________________
A shooting star looks like a star that shoots across the sky. But shooting stars
are not stars (educate, at, narrow) all. They are small pieces of (tomorrow, running,
space) rock. These rock pieces can be (punish, argument, as) small as grains of
sand. The (strange, solar, boldly) system is full of these rocks. (They, Follow, Deer) are
known as meteoroids. They come (into, politely, basket) the Earth’s atmosphere at
very high (speeds, increase, rinse). The piece gets very hot. It (since, heats,
suddenly) up and glows as it moves (comma, through, together) the atmosphere.
That is what we (foot, see, proud) as a shooting star, or meteor. (Carefully, The,
Opposite) glowing light lasts for just a (admit, few, suggestion) seconds. Meteoroids
are moving into our (atmosphere, these, multiply) all the time. It is difficult (under, to,
whether) see them in daylight. Most meteors (burn, expert, nose) up in the
atmosphere before they (foolish, outrageous, reach) the ground. Some meteors are
so (right, large, space) that they do not completely burn (loud, food, up) in the air.
The small pieces (that, machine, delightful) hit the ground are called meteorites.
(Sock, Said, Thousands) of meteorites have been found all (over, stem, spicy) the
world. Most have been found (stick, loudly, in) the hot desert or in freezing (cold,
plain, modern) Antarctica. Some of the pieces that (because, hit, ask) the Earth
may be large enough (did, forgot, to) make a dent in the ground. (This, Excited,
Fish) dent is called a crater. The (politely, cheerful, size) of the crater depends on
the (dangerous, church, size) of the meteorite. At certain times (fear, collect, of)
year, there may be many meteors (in, if, white) the night sky. This is called (a, begin,
song) meteor shower. Meteor showers happen when (suppose, the, ring) Earth
wax) hundreds or even thousands of meteors (in, plastic, came) a meteor shower.
Meteorites look very (center, punishment, different) from regular rocks. They can
often (chance, shock, contain) a lot of rare minerals.
© Amber Harris 2015
passes through a trail of (dust, unit, loudly) left by a comet. There can (within, be,
Answer Key: Week 2 – Fox Squirrels
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Fox squirrels are a type of tree squirrel. They are medium-sized and have a (long,
towards, only), furry tail. Their fur can be (many, cheese, depend) different colors
including gray, black and (salty, wet, brown). The fur on their belly is (amusement, a,
army) lighter color. Fox squirrels have very (wiggle, sharp, payment) claws. Their
bodies are also strong (disagree, but, and) muscular. This helps them to climb (pin,
wood, trees) very well. Fox squirrels are found (fill, in, before) the eastern part of the
United (States, kept, tree). They can also be found in (Mexico, justly, under) and
Canada. They like to live (in, steel, quickly) open, forest habitats. They can be
(animal, found, next) in oak, hickory, and pine tree (chess, lonely, forests). Fox squirrels
need large trees with (scary, holes, meal) in them. They build nests in (the, pole,
excuse) holes to raise their babies. They (the, also, pretend) use these holes to
hibernate in (scary, below, during) the winter. Fox squirrels build leaf (clearly, nests,
learn) in the branches of the trees. (Cheese, They, Round) build the leaf nests high up
(boy, puzzled, in) large trees. Fox squirrels spend most (of, danger, soft) their time in
trees. They live (in, known, cup) small family groups. Fox squirrels have (authority, price,
excellent) eyesight. They can also hear and (test, smell, tired) very well. They
communicate in many (empty, ways, frighten). They use a variety of sounds, (thanks,
like, ink) barks and whistles to communicate with (plate, excited, each) other. They
also communicate through actions. (Ring, For, Neighbor) example, they will threaten
one another (by, repair, shirt) standing upright with their tail over (greasy, their, inside)
back and flicking it. Fox squirrels (are, have, fought) omnivores. They eat meat and
plants. (Ray, They, Foolishly) eat whatever is available in the (servant, area, careful)
walnut, deal), hickory, and pecan trees. They eat (insects, work, marry), eggs, small
mammals and birds. Some (people, energetic, voice) think squirrels are a nuisance
because (they, week, salty) raid bird feeders and gardens. They (blonde, sometimes,
marry) damage corn crops. They often use (scream, power, electrical) lines as routes
of travel, and (this, obey, choose) can cause power outages.
© Amber Harris 2015
they live in. Fox squirrels eat (terrific, the, got) nuts, flowers, and buds of oak, (boil,
Answer Key: Week 3 – Lost in the Zoo
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Michael went with his parents to the zoo on Saturday. When they got there, they
picked up a zoo (watch, steam, map) and followed it to the African animal exhibit .
(word, They, first) saw elephants, wildebeests, and zebras. (Blonde, Heat, Next), they
stopped at a tall tower. (Object, From, Boot) the top of the tower, you (cart, compete,
could) see the giraffes. For two dollars, (curly, rough, Michael) got to feed a
(smoothly, giraffe, morning). Michael jumped back as the (pull, giraffe, hardly) stuck
out its long tongue (and, from, with )curled it around the branch (ugly, of, dull) food.
After they left the giraffe (important, sat, tower), they went to a gorilla exhibit. (Shaky,
Hair, They) watched a mother gorilla pick through (ever, thread, her) baby’s hair. After
that, they went (thumb, to, mighty) an exhibit of rainforest animals. Soon, (back, they,
seriously) became hungry and tired. They ate (manager, teach, lunch) in the
Rainforest Restaurant. After they (catch, had, provide) eaten and had time to rest,
(tray, off, they) went to see some animals from (many, Asia, jagged). There was a
really old komodo (dragon, yourselves, slept) and family of pandas. Michael watched
(ours, about, the) pandas playing on a jungle gym (spicy, boy, and) eating bamboo.
When he turned back (around, carelessly, idea), his parents were gone. He thought
(they, loudly, threw) were right behind him. He began (ripe, let, to) panic, but then he
remembered what (loudly, know, his) dad told him to do if (serve, he, scatter) was
ever lost. He found an (noise, adult, boot) wearing a uniform. In the zoo, (that, upset,
pocket) was easy. All of the zookeepers (stray, spotless, wore) a kind of uniform. He
told (spend, event, the) panda zookeeper that he had lost (his, dress, crooked)
family. She calmly took his hand (a, and, bee) led him to the zookeeper station. (She,
Frowning, Place) called the other zookeepers over her (walkie-talkie, swim, until)
(relax, behind, different) while they waited for his parents. (In, Called, Dwell) a just a
few minutes, his (water, dad, stitch) came into the zookeeper station. Michael (and,
thing, right) his dad were both relieved to (engine, any, see) each other. When they
left the (forgotten, beyond, zoo), they were glad that they’d had (family, a, awake)
good time and that everyone was (baby, safe, angrily).
© Amber Harris 2015
radio. Then she gave Michael a (bright, juice, collect) and snack. She told him to
Answer Key: Week 4 – Fishing for Tadpoles
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Charlie and his dad went to the pond to go fishing. When they got to the
pond, (cry, boiling, Charlie) saw lots of tadpoles swimming along (the, him, curve)
edge of the water. He asked (fair, his, station) dad if he could take some (rough, of,
calmly) the tadpoles to school to show (memory, his, upset) classmates. His dad
thought that would (steady, amount, be) a great idea. Charlie carefully dipped (a,
mild, learn) jar into the pond water. He (ticket, scooped, cart) up a jar of water filled
(farm, elevator, with) tiny tadpoles. He couldn’t wait to (ask, crime, take) the tadpoles
to school. His teacher, (click, smoke, Mrs). Martin, had been teaching his class (about,
month, healthy) frogs. Charlie hoped she would let (them, muscle, tender) keep the
tadpoles for a while. (Mist, Ripple, They) could watch them grow legs. Then (egg,
Charlie, laid) could take the tadpoles back to (sold, the, needle) pond to let them go.
Charlie (army, written, screwed) the jar lid on as tight (pig, equally, as) he could. Then
he and his (dad, boot, herself) walked around to the other side (obediently, away, of)
the pond to fish. Charlie put (silent, the, than) jar on the ground next to (form, the,
unusual) pond while he got his pole (chilly, love, ready). He baited the hook and
tossed (boast, the, angry) line into the water. It didn’t (take, release, concerned) long
before he got a bite. (He, Froze, Succeed) yanked on the pole and quickly (envelope,
pulled, picture) the fish from the water. As (out, Charlie, skin) took a step back, he
bumped (where, want, into) the jar of tadpoles. The jar (although, fell, country) over
and rolled down into the (eventually, pond, hug) water. Charlie hurried to the water
(around, but, ink) the jar had already floated too (nosy, far, disagree) to reach.
Charlie didn’t know how (have, he, crossly) was going to get the jar (dream,
running with (truthfully, addition, a) fishing net. He used the net (daughter, to, honestly)
lift the jar out of the (pond, bucket, fell) water. Charlie was relieved to get (the, silver,
softly) jar back. He decided to put (company, the, brother) jar in a safer place until
(gentle, they, salt) finished fishing. The next day, Charlie (crawl, took, dislike) the jar of
tadpoles to school. (Mrs, Eager, Dog). Martin and his classmates were excited (sell,
well, to) see the tiny frogs.
© Amber Harris 2015
mountain, of) tadpoles back. He called his dad (to, cold, among) help. His dad came
Answer Key: Week 5 – Painted Turtles
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Painted turtles hibernate through the winter. This means that they go into
(a, invention, on) deep sleep. They wake up in (store, the, disapprove) spring. Then
the female turtle looks (super, for, after) a place to lay eggs. They (discuss, delightful,
carefully) choose a place to make a (gigantic, nest, was). Sometimes turtle eggs are
eaten by (bake, almost, predators). The nest cannot be too dry (colorful, or,
amazing) too wet. This may make it (carry, proud, difficult) for the young turtle to
grow. (Throw, A, Succeed) painted turtle may dig a nest (for, as, greet) more than
four hours. She can (knowledge, entertain, lay) from four to twenty eggs. She
(covers, release, bed) the eggs with soil. Then the (stamp, mother, damaged) turtle
leaves the nest. She does (not, expand, we) return to it again. Each egg (melt, is,
plant) a little bigger than a grape. (It, Point, Matter) is smooth. The egg has a (kept,
early, leathery) shell that has tiny holes in (it, back, attach). These allow the baby
turtle inside (the, respect, continue) egg to breathe. The eggshell is (eye, made,
entertain) of calcium. The baby turtle will (extend, new, use) the calcium to make
strong bones. (The, Rode, Poison) eggshells are made of strong layers (her, destroy,
that) protect the baby turtle from everything. (Some, After, Secretary) about three
months, painted turtle eggs (are, chess, spoke) ready to hatch. Baby turtles use
(husky, their, town) claws and an egg tooth to (inspect, like, tear) open the shell.
When turtle babies (hatch, suggest, fierce) they take care of themselves. Their (wet,
mother, give) is not around to care for (them, until, forgotten). Baby turtles stay in the
nest (color, during, ring) the winter. In the spring, the (soak, turtles, word) climb out of
the nest and (how, find, argue) water. Ponds provide turtles with food, (met, water,
plants, (snails, cool, gently), frogs, insects, and crayfish. Turtles dive (paid,
underwater, stage) or pull their heads into their (shells, pocket, went) to keep from
being eaten by (other, rice, time) animals. In the fall, the turtles (find, easy, regain) a
place to hibernate. In the (spring, tail, mine) they wake up and begin to (had, eat,
took) again.
© Amber Harris 2015
anywhere), places to hibernate, and places to (lie, stream, loud) in the sun. They eat
Answer Key: Week 6 – Declaration of Independence
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
America began as a group of thirteen colonies or settlements. These
colonies belonged to the British (unfasten, Empire, stomach). By 1776, the colonists no
longer wanted (to, energetic, fiction) be a part of the British (anyone, Empire, pull).
They had been denied the right (to, go, soup) have representatives in the British
government. (Out, The, Fluffy) colonies wanted to be free from (Britain, name, school).
They wanted to call themselves the (United, advertisement, proud) States of America.
In June of 1776, (irritate, market, each) of the colonies sent a representative (to, crazy,
flag) Philadelphia. They had a meeting of (lawmakers, much, inside) called the
Continental Congress. The Continental (ask, themselves, Congress) formed a
committee. The committee’s job (steady, was, different) to write a document
declaring their (desert, independence, spent) from Britain. The committee included
Benjamin (hissing, obey, Franklin), John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman,
(and, prison, beyond) Thomas Jefferson. The members decided that (mountain,
Thomas, stomach) Jefferson should write the declaration. He (pot, silly, began) writing
the document on June 11. It (took, scary, came) him seventeen days to finish it. (On,
Alone, Empty) July 4, 1776, the Congress voted to accept (the, egg, need)
Declaration of Independence. Then it was (aboard, signed, weakly) by each of the
members. The (curious, and, Declaration) of Independence was sent to a (behind,
printer, the) to make copies. The copies were (sent, arranged, made) to all the
colonies. In each (muscle, happiness, colony) it was read aloud in public. (Sold, It,
Too) was also published in newspapers for (outstanding, the, disturb) colonists to read.
A copy was (order, sent, demand) to the British government. The Declaration (kneel,
learn, of) Independence was important. It made a (unpack, drove, brave) statement
got, blindly) the colonists wanted their freedom. They (swam, listed, eager) all of the
wrong things that (chilly, the, silent) king had done against them. This (rest, hardly,
document) let the British government know that (the, perfectly, boil) colonies would
fight for their rights. (Hear, Fortunately, The) original Declaration of Independence
document can (too, be, bull) seen in Washington D.C. at (sold, the, wear) National
Archives Building.
© Amber Harris 2015
by the colonists that they (could, wanted, misty) to be free. It also explained (why,
Answer Key: Week 7 – Trains
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Trains have long been a means of transportation. They not only carry people,
but (blade, also, coming) freight from place to place. Trains (have, introduce,
hook) locomotives that pull cars behind them. (Yourselves, Came, There) can be any
number of cars (shelf, pulled, art) behind a locomotive and they can (super, call,
have) many purposes. Trains have metal wheels (listen, explode, that) roll along metal
railroad tracks. Sometimes (trains, mend, jealous) travel through tunnels or long
holes (hand, flown, dug) through a hill or mountain. Freight (keep, trains, plants) can carry
many types of goods (knot, and, swift) resources. Some carry coal while others (carry,
from, beautiful) cars and trucks. Trains can even(drawer, carry, pump) mail from one city
to the (next, shrill, identify). Passenger trains are the kind of (rob, decision, trains) that
people can travel on. Each (for, smooth, car) has a door where the people (may, branch,
tore) board. Passengers must have tickets to (ride, eaten, tiny) the train. The conductor
collects tickets (from, growth, wall) the passengers. Another worker takes care (ornament,
of, building) the passengers’ suitcases. He puts the (suitcases, lovely, sense) in the
baggage car. Passenger cars (came, have, mouth) many seats. On long trips,
people (near, eat, size) their meals on the train. They (plane, can, these) visit a special
dining car to (order, thoughtful, rich) food. The conductor helps connect(extra, two,
nobody) train cars. Train cars are connected (with, fought, sleepily) couplers. Couplers
are strong hooks that (proud, hold, rough) the cars together no matter how (fast, messy,
get) the train goes. Years ago, all (cuddly, extend, trains) had a caboose. It was
the (property, small, gracefully) car at the end of a (quiet, bell, train) where the
brakeman rode. Today, few (flew, hilly, trains) have a caboose because the
brakes (wrong, standing, work) automatically on modern trains. The last (rate, excuse,
become, scary) train. The driver of a train (operation, canvas, is) called an engineer. The
engineer sits (water, thought, in) the cab. The cab is inside (the, alert, steam) locomotive.
There are many controls in (church, the, herself) cab. The engineer has a special (berry,
cheerfully, telephone) called a radio. The engineer uses (nail, the, unusual) radio to talk to
the other (train, exit, amused) workers. This is important for the (smooth, fallen,
button) operation of any kind of train, (including, concentrate, misty) freight trains and
passenger trains.
© Amber Harris 2015
car)on a modern train has a (sharply, flashing, tray) red light. It helps people see (the,
Answer Key : Week 8 – Ireland
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name _________________________ Score ___________
Ireland is an island nation on the western edge of Europe. It is the
continent's second largest (island, round, beside). The Republic of Ireland takes
up (support, most, grew) of the island. Northern Ireland, which (is, follow,
provide) part of the United Kingdom, takes (up, towards, summer) a northern
section of the island.(Present, The, Stage) island is slightly larger than West (reject,
make, Virginia). Ireland is known for its lush, (really, green, powder) fields. In fact, its
nickname is (harsh, the, found) Emerald Isle. But there are also (very, large,
friend) areas of rugged, rocky hills and (low, thumb, troubled) mountains. Ireland has
26,598 square miles. The (sugar, gotten, population) of Ireland is more than 4
million. (Fluffy, Off, The)capital city is located in Dublin, (different, Ireland, month).
The Irish and English languages are (say, spoken, boot) in Ireland. The government
of Ireland (steep, consists, light) of an elected parliament and a(president,
everyone, explain). The parliament makes the laws. The (perfectly, won, president) is
the head of state. Ireland (is, small, land) a nation of storytellers. Storytellers
would (an, record, given) and recite the country's history. Many (meant, colourful,
famous) writers come from Ireland. Four of (gotten, them, sheep) have won the
Nobel Prize for (literature, family, outrageous). The Irish also enjoy music and(sports,
drive, bad). In the Olympics, the Irish are (known, week, salt) for their participants in
boxing. The(Irish, weigh, voice) people love nature. The country's first (inside, coins,
upset) even featured pictures of animals. The (sparkling, sea, thought) around
Ireland has stopped many animals from (fasten, reaching, ask)the island. In fact,
there are (no, ugly, determined) wild snakes on Ireland and only (two, mad,
window)types of wild mouse, one type (thick, plain, of) lizard, and just three kinds
farmers. Today, some people are (memory, still, summer)farmers. Others work in the
tourism (industry, meal, enjoy). People work in manufacturing and
service(doubtfully, distance, jobs), like education, health and banking. The (fork,
Irish, invent) enjoy eating good food. Potatoes and (cabbage, dust, build) are some
of the most popular (speak, vegetables, lighten) in Ireland.
© Amber Harris 2015
of (slope, amphibians, side). In the past, many people in (be, Ireland, rain) were
Answer Key : Week 9 – The Masterpiece
Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension Maze
Student Name ______________________________ Score _______________________
“Make sure you have your art contest entries completed by Friday,” announced Mrs.
Walter, the art teacher. “I know that some of you (have, mysteriously, examine) some
pretty impressive pieces to share. (Slow, Need, I) can’t wait to see them,”
she (sparkling, woke, continued). Damion was silent as he listened (to, daughter,
knowledge) his classmates chatter about their art. (It, Feather, Sun) seemed that most
of them were (finished, test, silly) with their entry. Damion worried that (miniature, he,
reason) only had two days left to (flew, work, ripe) on his, especially since he
hadn’t (even, toward, perfect) started yet. He had tried to (everybody, throw, start) on
it several times. But he (punishment, story, just) couldn’t get his ideas to
come (together, finger, faithfully). The assignment was to draw a (join, landscape,
unlike) using perspective. Most of his classmates (had, winter, pump) described
majestic city scenes with towering(awoke, alert, skyscrapers). Sure, it was a great
use (of, brightly, time) perspective, but Damion just couldn’t get (melt, operation,
into) the city scene idea. He wanted (everyone, dull, to) do something different. But so
far, (he, concentrate, bad) hadn’t been able to come up (weak, with,
exchange) anything. He’d have to work on (onto, it, lucky) afterschool when he went
to his (thrown, reward, granddad’s)house. Damion didn’t mind going to (granddad’s,
dog, announce) house because he usually did his (ran, ray, best) artwork there on the
farm. He (fresh, hoped, spent) he would get inspired while he (lay, obedient,
was) there. When he got there, he (head, walked, understood) around the farm,
hoping that a(brilliant, bake, rich) plan would come to his mind. (Need, Fiction,
The) more he walked, the more discouraged (boy, he, strange) got. He was beginning
to think (truthfully, he, heart) would never come up with an (fight, advise, idea) when
Forgive) was the best idea! Why did (glass, taught, his) perspective piece have to be
a (rough, seen, city) scene? Why couldn’t he show perspective (carry, gentle,
by) drawing granddad’s barn and house? He (could, end, quietly) draw the fence
around the place (written, rod, and) the little lane that went through (the, test,
forgave) center of the property. Damion raced (man, forgive, inside) to get his drawing
pad. This (graceful, was, middle) going to be a masterpiece for (sure, nerve, herself).
© Amber Harris 2015
he turned back toward the (boat, kept, barn). When he did, he saw it. (It, Seen,
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