← Free reading resources

Grade 3 · Central idea

A Schoolyard Full of Shade

Explore how shade makes a schoolyard more useful, then connect relevant details to a central idea.

Student PDFAnswer key PDFCreate another passage →
ELA.3.R.2.2 · Identify the central idea and explain how relevant details support that idea in a text.

Suggested use: 15–20 minutes in a small group. Read, discuss, then support answers with evidence.

At Pine School, students liked to read outside. On bright days, however, the benches in the sun became warm. Light shone on their pages, and some students squinted at the words. The class began to look for places with shade. They learned that shade could make parts of their schoolyard more comfortable.

First, they tried the bench under a large tree. Its leaves blocked some of the sunlight. The bench felt cooler than the one in the open. The students could also see their pages without so much bright light on them. Soon, the shady bench became a favorite place to read.

The students noticed that shade moved during the day. A wall shaded the garden path in the morning. Later, that same path was in the sun. The class marked shady places on a map at different times. The map helped their teacher choose where to meet for outdoor lessons.

Not every part of the yard had a tree or a tall wall. Near the art tables, the school put up a shade sail. This large piece of fabric was stretched above the tables to block some sunlight. Now the students had another place to work outside. Trees, walls, and the shade sail each helped the school make better use of its outdoor space.

Read closely. Find the evidence.

  1. 1. What is the central idea of the passage?

    1. A. All lessons should happen outside.
    2. B. Trees grow best near school benches.
    3. C. Shade can make a schoolyard more comfortable and useful.
    4. D. Maps show only garden paths.

  2. 2. How does the detail about seeing pages support the central idea?

    1. A. It shows that shade makes outdoor reading easier.
    2. B. It proves that books should stay indoors.
    3. C. It shows why students need new benches.
    4. D. It explains how trees get water.

  3. 3. Why is the map an important detail?

    1. A. It teaches students how to draw trees.
    2. B. It shows where all the students live.
    3. C. It replaces outdoor lessons.
    4. D. It helps the teacher find shade at different times.

  4. 4. Which detail best supports the idea that shade can come from different sources?

    1. A. The class likes to read.
    2. B. Trees, walls, and a fabric sail block some sunlight.
    3. C. Students bring books outside.
    4. D. The teacher meets the class.

Talk it through

Write the central idea in one sentence. Choose two details and explain how each supports your sentence.

Teacher answer key & teaching notes
  1. 1. C. The examples of reading, planning lessons, and working at art tables all show how shade improves outdoor spaces.
  2. 2. A. Shade reduces the bright light on pages, helping students use the schoolyard for reading.
  3. 3. D. The map makes it easier to choose comfortable places for outdoor lessons as the shade moves.
  4. 4. B. This detail names three sources of shade, each helping students use an outdoor area.

Ask students to connect each detail using “This supports the idea because…” instead of simply copying sentences.

Keep the skill. Try a new passage.

Student PDFAnswer key PDFCreate another 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.