The pet store illustration
Passage Activities:

Words: 301-400

Skills: Context Clues Fact and Opinion

Grades: K 1st

Topics: Realistic Fiction

Genres: Prose

Lexile Range: —

Lexile Measure: —

CCSS: Reading: Literature

Themes: —

The Pet Store

by Elizabeth Trach

Jackie loves to visit the pet store. She likes all the animals, but her favorite is the talking bird. Will she finally be able to teach him a new word? Students will read the passage and answer follow-up questions about character and other story elements. This reading passage also includes Dolch Sight Words from the pre-primer and primer lists.

Reading Comprehension Passage

The Pet Store

by Elizabeth Trach
"Jackie, would you like to come to the post office?" Mom asked. 

"Yes, please!" said Jackie. The post office was next door to the pet store. Jackie loved to go to the pet store to see the animals. "Can we see the pets?"

"Yes," said Mom. "I knew you would want to."

The line at the post office was long. Mom bought stamps and mailed a letter. Then it was time to go to the pet store.

Jackie liked to look at the dogs first. The big dogs were in cages near the floor. The little dogs sat in cages way up high. They wagged their tails. Some barked. A big, black dog was taking a nap.

Next, Jackie went to visit the cats. They were very quiet. The cats looked at Jackie with big, green eyes. The cats liked to scratch a post covered with rough rope/ This helped them keep their claws sharp.

Finally, Jackie turned to the bird cages. There were many small birds. Some sang songs. Other birds whistled. In the last cage in the row, there was a big bird. He was blue and yellow. His name was Sam.

"Hello, Sam," said Jackie.

"Hello! Hello!" said Sam. Sam could talk. He was Jackie's favorite animal. 

"How are you?" asked Jackie. 

"Pretty bird! Pretty bird!" said Sam.

Jackie laughed. Sam knew many words, but he didn't really know what they meant. He just copied the sounds people made.

Jackie wanted to teach Sam a new word. "Jackie!" she said. "Now you try it. Jackie. Jackie." She wanted to teach Sam her name.

Sam turned his head sideways. He shook his feathers. "Pretty bird!"
Jackie laughed. "You are very silly," she said.

"Very silly! Very silly!" Sam said. He bobbed his head up and down in a funny dance.

"Mom! I did it! I taught Sam a new word!" Jackie was very happy. Sam couldn't say her name, but she did teach him to say some new words.

"See you later, silly bird!" Jackie said as she headed home with Mom.

Passage Only

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Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Where is the pet store?





2. What is Jackie's favorite animal?





3. What does Jackie teach Sam to say?





4. Would you rather have a bird, a dog or a cat? Why?





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Sight Words

This passage includes words that students should learn to recognize on sight. We've highlighted 12 of these words below, from the Dolch sight word list for Pre-K through 1st, 2nd and/or 3rd grade. Tip: Read through the passage once with your student. Read a second time, but pause on the sight word and ask your student to say the word.

Sight Word List

  1. blue
  2. see
  3. said
  4. like
  5. new
  6. just
  7. know
  8. first
  9. green
  10. many
  11. laugh
  12. cat

Flash Cards

Print and cut-out the flash cards below. Show each sight word individually to your student and ask them to say the word.