The Duckling Parade
Reading Comprehension Activity
A family of ducks have been hiding in the bushes at Swara’s school. When they come out and head straight for a busy street, Swara knows she has to help. Will she be able to rescue all the ducklings? Students will read the story and answer follow-up questions about character traits and plot.
Topic(s): Realistic Fiction. Skill(s): Summary, Character Traits, Story Elements. Genre(s): Prose
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Swara liked her teacher, Ms. Gooden. She liked her so much that she helped her clean up after school. She wiped the desks off with a wet cloth.
“Thank you very much, Swara,” said Ms. Gooden. “See you tomorrow.”
Swara picked up her backpack and went outside. It was warm and sunny. She was about to walk home when she saw something. A green bush near the school started shaking. Swara stopped. She leaned down to look at the leaves.
“QUACK!”
Swara jumped back. A brown duck with a yellow bill stepped out of the bush. “QUACK!”
She was very loud.
The duck looked at Swara. Swara waved, but the duck turned and walked away.
The bush began to shake again. This time, a very small duckling hopped out of the bush and followed the big duck. Then came another and another. Swara began to count. “One, two, three, four, five, six!”
The six ducklings walked in a group behind their mother. They stepped on each other’s feet and quacked.
“Don’t be pushy!” laughed Swara.
Swara followed the ducks down the sidewalk past her school. “Where are they going?” she wondered.
She looked up and saw the busy street down the block. “Oh, no! The cars won’t stop unless the light is red!”
Swara remembered that her father always let her push the button at that street corner. The button made the street light change so it was safe to cross. She knew what she had to do.
Swara dropped her backpack. She ran as fast as she could past the mother duck. “QUACK! QUACK!” The big duck flapped her wings, but Swara was already past her. She didn’t stop until she got to the pole with the button.
Swara pushed the button. The ducks were almost at the street corner.
The light turned yellow. Swara pushed the button again.
Just as the big duck was about to step off the curb, the light turned red. Cars stopped, and Swara knew it was safe to cross. She followed the ducklings over the crosswalk to the other side of the street.
Across the street was an old mill pond full of water and lily pads. The mother duck jumped into the water and waited for the ducklings to follow. Six little splashes later, the duck family swam away, happy and safe.
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