Text Practice

The Mystery of the Missing Homework

Sofia had worked on her book report all weekend. She had written three whole pages about her favorite book, "Charlotte's Web." She drew a picture of Wilbur the pig on the cover and used her best handwriting. Monday morning, she carefully put it in her backpack.

But when Mrs. Garcia asked everyone to turn in their reports, Sofia reached into her backpack and felt nothing but her lunch box and pencil case. Her heart started pounding. Where was her report?

"I know I put it in here," Sofia whispered to herself, dumping everything onto her desk. Notebooks, folders, crayons scattered everywhere. No book report.

Sofia felt tears forming in her eyes. She had worked so hard! Mrs. Garcia walked over and put a gentle hand on Sofia's shoulder. "What's wrong, Sofia?"

"My book report is gone," Sofia said, her voice shaking. "I finished it yesterday. I know I put it in my bag."

Mrs. Garcia nodded thoughtfully. "Let's think about this like detectives. When was the last time you definitely saw it?"

Sofia closed her eyes and tried to remember. She had finished writing at the kitchen table. Then her little brother Marco came in asking for help with a puzzle. She had helped him find a missing piece under the couch. Then Mom called them for dinner. After that...

"I never put it in my backpack!" Sofia suddenly realized. "I left it on the kitchen table when Marco asked for help. It must still be at home!"

Mrs. Garcia smiled. "See? Good detective work. You can bring it tomorrow. Next time, what might you do differently?"

Sofia thought for a moment. "I could put my homework in my backpack right when I finish it, before doing anything else."

"That sounds like a great plan," Mrs. Garcia said.

The New Kid

When Mrs. Patterson introduced the new student on Tuesday morning, everyone stared. The boy had bright red hair and freckles, and he looked at his shoes instead of the class.

"This is James," Mrs. Patterson said. "He just moved here from Texas. Let's make him feel welcome."

At lunch, James sat alone at the end of a table, slowly eating his sandwich. Diego noticed him from across the cafeteria. He remembered when he started at this school two years ago. He had been scared and lonely too.

Diego picked up his lunch tray and walked over. "Hey, can I sit here?"

James looked surprised. "Um, sure."

"I'm Diego. Mrs. Patterson is really nice, right? She lets us have extra recess on Fridays if everyone finishes their work."

James smiled a little. "That's cool. My old teacher never did that."

"Do you like soccer?" Diego asked. "We play at recess. You could join us."

"I love soccer!" James's face lit up. "I played on a team in Texas."

By the end of lunch, James was laughing at Diego's jokes about the cafeteria's mystery meat. At recess, Diego introduced James to his friends. James scored two goals, and everyone cheered.

When Mom picked Diego up from school, she asked how his day was. Diego smiled. "I made a new friend. His name is James. He's really good at soccer, and he knows a lot about dinosaurs too."

"That was kind of you to reach out to him," Mom said. "Remember how nervous you were on your first day?"

Diego nodded. "Someone was nice to me then. I wanted to do the same for James."