Summer Camp
Reading Comprehension Activity
Claire is going to a sleep away summer camp for the first time. She’s excited, but also a little nervous about being away from home. How will she say goodbye to her family? Students will read the passage and answer follow-up questions about vocabulary and other story elements.
Topic(s): Realistic Fiction. Skill(s): Fact & Opinion, Context Clues, Story Elements. Genre(s): Prose
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Passage
Claire put her last t-shirt into the suitcase and zipped it up. The red suitcase was very heavy, but it had wheels to make it easier to take places. Claire rolled the suitcase into the living room and put it by the front door.
“I’m ready!” she said. “Let’s go!”
Claire wanted to get to camp as quickly as possible. She was finally old enough to go to sleep away camp, and she was very excited. She couldn’t wait to learn to paddle a canoe and shoot with a bow and arrow. She would be on her own for a whole week!
Dad put the heavy suitcase in the trunk of the car. “Say goodbye to everyone,” he said.
Claire turned around. She patted her cat Fiddle on his head. Fiddle purred and rubbed against Claire’s legs. “Be good, Fiddle. Don’t eat too many treats while I’m gone,” Claire said.
Mom hugged Claire tight. “Don’t forget to write us a letter about all the fun things you’re doing,” Mom said.
“Will you send me a letter?” Claire asked. She was starting to feel a little worried.
“Of course,” said Mom.
Claire turned to her little brother. Aidan was almost one, and he could stand up by himself. Claire picked him up and hugged him. “Don’t learn to walk until I get back,” she whispered in her brother’s ear.
Then Claire felt her stomach do a flip. She was very nervous. “What if I miss Aidan’s first steps?” she asked. She felt tears in her eyes.
Mom hugged Claire again. “I’ll make sure to take a video on my phone so you can watch it. But that’s just in case. You might not miss it at all,” Mom said.
That made Claire feel better. She didn’t know you could feel happy and sad at the same time, but that’s how she felt now.
“Time to go,” said Dad. He opened the car door for Clair. She climbed in and clicked her seatbelt together.
Claire waved to her family as the car drove down the street. Once the car turned and she couldn’t see her house anymore, she looked out the front window. She didn’t feel sad anymore. She was ready for her big adventure at summer camp.
Comprehension Questions
Answers
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