The Great Glue Incident

Lexile: 880 | Grade: 6

Passage

It all started with a glue bottle and a little too much confidence.

Lucas was known for being creative—and slightly chaotic. When Ms. Jensen announced that the class would be making cardboard cities for a history project, Lucas had big ideas. He wasn’t just going to build a house. He was going to build an entire skyscraper, complete with balconies and a working elevator (powered by string).

By Friday, cardboard scraps were everywhere, and Lucas had built a tower that reached almost to the windowsill. But it kept leaning to one side.

“More glue,” Lucas muttered, squeezing the bottle like it owed him money.

Unfortunately, he didn’t notice that the cap wasn’t on tightly. A thick blob of glue shot out—and landed right on Owen’s brand-new hoodie.

“Dude!” Owen cried, jumping up.

The class froze. Ms. Jensen turned around slowly. “Lucas?”

Lucas’s face turned red. “Uh… we had a structural emergency.”

There was silence. Then Owen burst out laughing. “At least now I’m part of the project.”

Even Ms. Jensen smiled. “Next time, maybe fewer balconies.”

By the end of class, Lucas’s skyscraper was taped back together, and Owen had earned the nickname ‘Glue Guy.’ Lucas promised to keep his future blueprints slightly less sticky.

Questions

Q1: What is the central message or theme of the story?

  • A. Don’t do school projects in groups.
  • B. Small mistakes can lead to big disasters.
  • C. Creative ideas can sometimes cause chaos—but humor can help fix things.
  • D. Glue should never be allowed in classrooms.

Q2: What does the sentence 'squeezing the bottle like it owed him money' show about Lucas?

  • A. He was being very gentle and careful.
  • B. He was determined and maybe a little too intense.
  • C. He didn’t know how glue bottles worked.
  • D. He thought the bottle was broken.

Q3: How does Owen react to the glue accident?

  • A. He storms out of the classroom.
  • B. He starts yelling at Lucas and demands a new hoodie.
  • C. He laughs and makes a joke about it.
  • D. He tells Ms. Jensen to cancel the project.

Q4: What kind of tone does the author use in the story?

  • A. Serious and dramatic
  • B. Lighthearted and playful
  • C. Sad and emotional
  • D. Confused and uncertain

Q5: What role does Ms. Jensen play in the story?

  • A. She gives Lucas detention for the mess.
  • B. She stops the project because of the accident.
  • C. She helps keep the situation under control with calm and humor.
  • D. She ignores the students completely.

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Answers & Reasoning

Q1: What is the central message or theme of the story?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: The story celebrates creativity while showing how humor and teamwork can turn an accident into a laugh.

Q2: What does the sentence 'squeezing the bottle like it owed him money' show about Lucas?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: The simile shows Lucas was using a lot of force, likely from frustration or determination.

Q3: How does Owen react to the glue accident?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: Owen laughs and says he's now part of the project, showing a positive, humorous reaction.

Q4: What kind of tone does the author use in the story?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: The author uses funny descriptions, student humor, and a silly situation to create a playful tone.

Q5: What role does Ms. Jensen play in the story?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: Ms. Jensen responds with patience and light humor, showing she's supportive even when things go sideways.