The Map in the Treehouse

Lexile: 600 | Grade: 3

Passage

Sam and Nora spent every Saturday morning in their backyard treehouse. It had squeaky steps and a window made from an old picture frame.

One rainy weekend, they decided to clean it. While sweeping the floor, Nora found something stuck under a loose board.

“It’s a piece of paper!” she said, pulling it out.

Sam leaned over. The paper was wrinkled and brown with age. On it was a drawing of their backyard—with a red X near the big oak tree.

“Do you think it’s a real treasure map?” Sam asked.

They grabbed raincoats and ran outside. The ground was muddy, but they didn’t care. They searched around the oak tree, poking the soil with sticks.

After a few minutes, Nora’s stick hit something hard. She dug with her hands and pulled out a small tin box.

Inside was a note: *“To the next explorers—keep the adventure going!”* It also held a plastic compass, a tiny notebook, and a shiny marble.

Sam smiled. “Let’s add something and hide it again!”

That afternoon, they placed their own treasure in the box—a friendship bracelet and a drawing—and buried it under the tree for the next explorers to find.

Questions

Q1: What is this story mostly about?

  • A. Two kids who find a map and go on a backyard adventure.
  • B. A girl who cleans her room and finds a lost toy.
  • C. A school project about treehouses.
  • D. Two kids who get lost during a hike.

Q2: What happened right before they found the tin box?

  • A. They opened the compass.
  • B. Sam fell in the mud.
  • C. Nora’s stick hit something hard in the ground.
  • D. They put the map back under the board.

Q3: Why do Sam and Nora decide to add something to the box?

  • A. They want to keep the adventure going for the next person.
  • B. They didn’t like what was inside the box.
  • C. They thought the box was too light.
  • D. They were told to do it by their parents.

Q4: What does the word 'explorers' mean in the note: 'To the next explorers—keep the adventure going!'?

  • A. People who are very quiet
  • B. People who search and discover things
  • C. People who stay indoors
  • D. People who only read books

Q5: What can we tell about Sam and Nora from the story?

  • A. They only like rainy days.
  • B. They are curious, playful, and like working together.
  • C. They don’t like being outside.
  • D. They are scared of cleaning the treehouse.

Printable Comprehension Practice

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Answers & Reasoning

Q1: What is this story mostly about?

✅ Correct Answer: A

💡 Reasoning: The story follows Sam and Nora as they discover a treasure map in their treehouse and go on a small adventure.

Q2: What happened right before they found the tin box?

✅ Correct Answer: C

💡 Reasoning: Nora’s stick hitting something hard led them to dig and find the box.

Q3: Why do Sam and Nora decide to add something to the box?

✅ Correct Answer: A

💡 Reasoning: The note inside the box asked them to keep the adventure going, and they decided to pass it on.

Q4: What does the word 'explorers' mean in the note: 'To the next explorers—keep the adventure going!'?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: In this context, 'explorers' refers to kids who go on small adventures and search for treasure.

Q5: What can we tell about Sam and Nora from the story?

✅ Correct Answer: B

💡 Reasoning: The story shows they work as a team, enjoy discovery, and turn a small moment into an adventure.