The lighthouse keeper's map: reading passage for Grades 3–5, page 1 preview

Reading passage · English

The lighthouse keeper's map · Grades 3–5

A mystery story that asks readers to infer feelings and predict what happens next, using clues in the text.

Grades 3–5 · ages 8 to 11
Hard
10 to 15 minutes
1 page
Free

Goes with the game Reading Detective.

The answer key is a separate page for grown-ups. Sign in to download it.

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The passage and its 4 questions

Directions: Read the story. Then answer the questions.

Marisol found the map folded inside an old tin box in her grandfather's shed. The paper was soft and brown at the edges, and someone had drawn a lighthouse in faded blue ink. Beside it was a tiny note: "Count the steps when the tide is low."
Marisol frowned. The lighthouse on the hill had been closed for years, and its door was always locked.
That evening, Grandpa set down his cup when he saw the map. "I haven't seen that since I was your age," he said quietly, and a slow smile spread across his face. He reached into his pocket and held up a heavy iron key.
1. Where did Marisol find the map?
2. Which clues tell you the map is old?
3. How does Grandpa feel when he sees the map? How do you know?
4. What do you predict the key opens? Explain your thinking.

What your child practices

Your child practices the reading and English skill “Make inferences”: infer what happened using clues in a text.

Grades and ages: Grades 3–5, ages 8 to 11
Time: About 10 to 15 minutes
Subject: English
Level: Hard for Grades 3–5
Answer key: Yes, for grown-ups who sign in
Printing: 1 page, US Letter or A4, low-ink option
Updated: October 15, 2026

How to use it

Read the passage once just for the story or the facts, then again with the questions in mind. Encourage underlining the words in the text that back up each answer. It is one of the harder sheets for Grades 3–5, best once the basics of the skill are secure.

An answer key comes with it as a separate page that grown-ups download after signing in.

Tip for grown-ups: Ask your child to point to the sentence that answers each question before writing it.

Done on paper? A grown-up can record it on the child's page in PlayOwl; downloading alone doesn't count as finished.