The Lion and the Mouse Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Aesop’s fable about a mighty lion and a tiny mouse is one of the first stories many children ever meet, and it is a perfect way to practice reading for meaning. This The Lion and the Mouse reading comprehension worksheet gives 2nd graders an original, on-grade retelling of the classic fable followed by questions that ask them to find details, use text evidence, and name the lesson the story teaches. Along the way students think about a real life skill — keeping a promise and helping a friend, no matter how small you are.

Start by reading the illustrated story page together or independently. The full-color scene shows the little mouse gnawing the hunters’ rope net to set the lion free, which gives beginning readers a picture clue to anchor the events of the fable. Then move to the question page. This 2nd grade life skills worksheet works beautifully as a guided-reading follow-up, a literacy-center task, a homework page, or a quick comprehension check. Because the answer key is included, students can also self-check in partners.

What’s Included

• 1 print-ready PDF worksheet
• Answer key
• An original illustrated retelling of the fable “The Lion and the Mouse”
• 3 fill-in-the-bubble comprehension questions
• 3 word-bank fill-in-the-blank sentences
• 1 written-response question about the story’s message

This page helps children in three clear ways. First, the questions move up a ladder — recall, vocabulary in context, then a short constructed response — so readers practice going back into the text instead of guessing from memory. Second, the word bank supports spelling and sentence structure while still requiring students to match each word to the right clue, which builds careful reading habits. Third, this The Lion and the Mouse reading comprehension worksheet pairs an academic skill with a character lesson, so the discussion naturally turns to kindness, gratitude, and keeping your word.

Teachers and parents can stretch the fable further in a few easy ways. Have students retell the story in three pictures — beginning, middle, and end — then label each one. Act it out with two readers and a jump rope for the net. Ask children to write a new ending in which the mouse helps the lion a different way. Compare this fable with another Aesop story and chart what the two lessons have in common. You can also invite students to name a time someone smaller or younger helped them, which brings the moral straight into the classroom.

Related Resources

• Fables: The Crow and the Pitcher Worksheet
• Fables: The Fox and the Grapes Worksheet
• Friendship Character Reading Comprehension Worksheet
• Story Elements Song (Have Fun Teaching)