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Reading a Play or Poem is a free printable Grade 3 English worksheet on telling a story, a play and a poem apart by how each is written, aligned to Common Core standard RL.3.10. It prints 3 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 16 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Reading a Play or Poem

RL.3.10

NameDate

Sort each one into the right box.

1.Sort each one: Story or Play or Poem?

Sort: Round and round the sails go, / grinding grain to flour below., Once upon a time, a miller lived beside a fast river., ACT ONE. A busy railway platform., By the time the light swung out, three ships had turned back., CAST: Priya, a museum cleaner. Jon, a guard., My cat is a cushion / with whiskers and claws.

StoryPlayPoem
2.Sort each one: Story or Play or Poem?

Sort: Over the hill and under the bridge, / the red train runs along the ridge., MAYA: Quick, hide! (She ducks behind the sofa.), (Pause. JON puts the lid down slowly.), Slow, slow, the river goes, / past the reeds where nobody knows., "Wait!" called the goat. "How do I get out?", Halim was two stops past the school before he looked up.

StoryPlayPoem
3.Sort each one: Story or Play or Poem?

Sort: Inside the green and spiny case, / packed in a lining soft as silk,, JON: That is worse., Grace carried the oil up ninety-seven steps in the dark., Every Thursday for six years, Mr. Ellis mailed a letter., GRANDPA: (to the audience) I was young once, you know., Rain on the roof, / rain on the shed, / rain on the hen / in her bed.

StoryPlayPoem

LessonPrint · RL.3.10 · Set 16 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Reading a Play or Poem

Set 16. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. ACT ONE. A busy railway platform. — Play 2. By the time the light swung out, three ships had turned back. — Story 3. CAST: Priya, a museum cleaner. Jon, a guard. — Play 4. My cat is a cushion / with whiskers and claws. — Poem 5. Once upon a time, a miller lived beside a fast river. — Story 6. Round and round the sails go, / grinding grain to flour below. — Poem
  2. 2.1. "Wait!" called the goat. "How do I get out?" — Story 2. (Pause. JON puts the lid down slowly.) — Play 3. Halim was two stops past the school before he looked up. — Story 4. MAYA: Quick, hide! (She ducks behind the sofa.) — Play 5. Over the hill and under the bridge, / the red train runs along the ridge. — Poem 6. Slow, slow, the river goes, / past the reeds where nobody knows. — Poem
  3. 3.1. Every Thursday for six years, Mr. Ellis mailed a letter. — Story 2. Grace carried the oil up ninety-seven steps in the dark. — Story 3. GRANDPA: (to the audience) I was young once, you know. — Play 4. Inside the green and spiny case, / packed in a lining soft as silk, — Poem 5. JON: That is worse. — Play 6. Rain on the roof, / rain on the shed, / rain on the hen / in her bed. — Poem

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RL.3.10 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.