Grade 2 · Story elements
A Dry Place for the Seeds
Follow a class garden problem from beginning to end. Describe the setting, characters, and sequence of events.
Suggested use: 15–20 minutes in a small group. Read, discuss, then support answers with evidence.
On Monday morning, rain tapped the classroom windows. Ana stood by a tray of seeds. Her class had planned to plant them in the school garden after lunch. Now the garden was full of puddles.
“The seeds cannot sit in all that water,” said Mr. Lee. Ana looked at the empty cups from art class. “Could we plant them in these?” she asked. Mr. Lee nodded. He helped make small holes in the bottoms.
Ana and her friend Jay put soil in each cup. Then they planted the seeds. Jay carried the cups to a dark shelf. Ana moved them to a tray by the window. “They will get light here,” she said. Jay helped her add a little water.
On Friday, tiny green leaves poked out of the soil. The garden had dried, too. The class would move the plants outside when they were ready. Ana grinned at Jay. Their garden had started inside!
Read closely. Find the evidence.
1. Where and when does the story begin?
- A. In the school garden on Friday
- B. In a classroom on a rainy Monday morning
- C. In an art room after school
- D. At Ana’s home on a sunny morning
2. What problem changes the class’s plan?
- A. The garden is full of puddles.
- B. The class has no seeds.
- C. Jay takes the cups home.
- D. The window will not open.
3. What happens after the children put soil in the cups?
- A. The class buys new seeds.
- B. Rain starts to tap the windows.
- C. The children plant the seeds.
- D. The plants move into the garden.
4. Which action shows that Ana thinks of a way to help?
- A. She stands by the seeds.
- B. She watches rain at the window.
- C. She grins at Jay on Friday.
- D. She suggests planting in the empty cups.
Talk it through
Tell the beginning, middle, and end. Explain how Ana and Jay solve the class’s problem.
Teacher answer key & teaching notes
- 1. B. The first paragraph names Monday morning, classroom windows, and rain. These details tell both when and where the story begins.
- 2. A. The class plans to plant outside, but the garden is too wet. That problem leads Ana to suggest planting in cups.
- 3. C. The third paragraph says they put soil in each cup and then planted the seeds. The order is stated directly.
- 4. D. Ana suggests using cups when the outdoor garden is too wet. Her idea gives the class a way to begin planting.
Use three boxes for a sequence drawing. Ask students to name the setting with both a place and a time detail. Read aloud when needed.
Keep the skill. Try a new passage.
Free to copy for your classroom or homeschool. Please link to this resource when sharing with colleagues. AI-assisted original practice material; review for your learners. Not an official Florida assessment.