Faking Sick – Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Reading comprehension is the skill of understanding a story, not just decoding the words on the page, and third graders build it by tracking characters, following a plot, and figuring out what a new word means from the sentences around it. This Faking Sick Reading Comprehension Worksheet gives students a short, friendly narrative about a boy named Cooper who almost pretends to be ill on the morning of a spelling test, then chooses to tell his mom the truth instead. Because the story is only a few paragraphs long, students can read it more than once and still have plenty of time to think carefully about each question.

This 3rd grade reading comprehension worksheet is built to be used in one sitting. Page one holds the illustrated story on its own, so students can read it straight through without the questions distracting them. Page two carries the questions: four fill-in-the-bubble items that check recall, sequence, and vocabulary in context, followed by two written-response prompts that ask students to explain their thinking in full sentences. Have students read the story silently, then reread it with a partner before they turn the page. The complete answer key on the final page makes checking work quick, whether students grade their own papers or you review them together.

What’s Included

• 1 print-ready PDF worksheet
• Answer key
• 1 original 231-word story, 4 multiple-choice questions, and 2 written-response prompts

There are three reasons this Faking Sick Reading Comprehension Worksheet helps students grow as readers. First, the passage is written at a true third-grade level, so students practice on text that matches what they will meet on classroom assessments instead of something far too easy or far too hard. Second, the multiple-choice questions climb from simple recall to a vocabulary-in-context item, which teaches students to hunt back through the story for evidence rather than guess. Third, the two written-response prompts push students past picking a letter and ask them to explain an idea in their own words, which is exactly the kind of thinking that shows up on state reading tests.

Teachers and parents can stretch this story well past one worksheet. Ask students to retell the plot in three sentences, or to draw a quick comic strip of the beginning, middle, and end. Invite them to write a new final paragraph describing how Cooper felt when he got his spelling test back. Use the story as a gentle discussion starter about honesty, and let students share a time telling the truth turned out easier than they expected. Pair it with a partner reading routine, a reading log, or a weekly story-elements chart so comprehension practice becomes a habit rather than a one-time activity.

Related Resources

• The New Kid Reading Comprehension Worksheet
• Ski Trip Reading Comprehension Worksheet
• Skyscraper Reading Comprehension Worksheet
• Story Elements Song by Have Fun Teaching