{"product_id":"fiction-comprehension-reading-mystery-worksheets-grades-3-5-the-missing-school-bus","title":"Fiction Comprehension | Reading Mystery Worksheets | Grades 3–5 | The Missing School Bus","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA whole town's school bus vanishes from an empty gravel bay, and the only way to find it is to read carefully\u003c\/strong\u003e — students work through a two-page fiction passage, answer comprehension questions, and use every correct answer to cross a suspect off the line-up until one is left. Printable, self-checking and completely no prep, it suits literacy centers, morning work, early finishers, sub days, homework and small-group work in \u003cstrong\u003eGrades 3–5\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eQuick Details\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSkill:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fiction comprehension, inference and text evidence · \u003cstrong\u003eGrades:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3–5 · \u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e One case — two-page passage, 15 multiple-choice questions, written response and full answer keys (printable PDF, color and black-and-white) · \u003cstrong\u003eTheme:\u003c\/strong\u003e The Missing School Bus\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Case\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery morning in Maple Ridge starts with the rumble of Bus 12 — Old Rumble, the oldest bus in the depot, buttery yellow with a maple leaf the students painted on its side. Mr. Ferris parks it at the Pine Street turnaround for his break, walks across the road to fill his flask, and comes back to a bare rectangle of gravel. The traffic cone is knocked over, the wheel chock kicked away, and his route sheet is lying face down. A driver heard the depot gate rattle after closing. Someone else saw a light near the fuel pump. Nothing in the story is guesswork — every answer is there for a reader who is paying attention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow the Reading Mystery Works\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudents take on the role of Reading Detectives. They read the passage, answer each multiple-choice question from the text, and cross off the suspect shown beneath the correct answer. Every question they get right removes another name, and the last person standing is the culprit — so a careless reading visibly breaks the puzzle and a careful one solves it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's Included\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA \"You are a detective\" case-file page that sets the scene and the mission\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA two-page fiction passage written for upper-elementary readers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThree pages of multiple-choice comprehension questions, every answer found in the text\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA suspect line-up page for eliminating names one clue at a time\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWritten-response pages with sample answers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA themed word search and extension activities for early finishers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSelf-checking answer keys for every page\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFull color and ink-saving black-and-white versions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTeacher instructions and print-and-go PDF format\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSkills Covered\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClose reading of narrative fiction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinding and citing text evidence\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDrawing inferences and conclusions from detail\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSequencing events and comparing accounts that disagree\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVocabulary in context\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLogical reasoning and deductive elimination as suspects are ruled out\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eBest Used For\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLiteracy centers and reading rotations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMorning work, homework and early finishers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSubstitute and relief days\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSmall-group reading and intervention\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBack-to-school weeks and indoor recess\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComprehension review and test prep for Grades 3–5\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eMore From This Line\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse every \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/reading-mysteries\"\u003eReading Mystery\u003c\/a\u003e, or pair it with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/back-to-school-reading-mystery-worksheets-grades-3-5-the-empty-trophy-case\"\u003eThe Empty Trophy Case\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/making-inferences-reading-mystery-worksheets-grades-3-5-the-book-that-came-back\"\u003eThe Book That Came Back\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kiwiland Education","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":62265370870130,"sku":"17283413","price":4.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0909\/2848\/0626\/files\/reading-comprehension-passage-and-questions-csi-reading-mystery-grade-4-no-prep.jpg?v=1788153904","url":"https:\/\/kiwilandeducation.com\/products\/fiction-comprehension-reading-mystery-worksheets-grades-3-5-the-missing-school-bus","provider":"Kiwiland Education","version":"1.0","type":"link"}