Zoe and the Magpie
A short story about a girl, her brother and a swooping magpie, with eight questions on finding facts and working out feelings.
Read the passage
Every spring, the footpath outside Zoe’s school became the scariest place in the world. High in the gum tree by the gate, a magpie had built a nest, and it did not like visitors.
Zoe’s big brother Harvey walked beside her. “Don’t run,” he said. “And look at the bird. Magpies swoop less when they can see your eyes.”
Zoe’s heart thumped. She had been swooped twice last week, and she still remembered the whoosh of wings above her head and the sharp click of a beak. This morning she was wearing her biggest hat, with two huge googly eyes stuck on the back.
“Ready?” asked Harvey. Zoe nodded. They walked quickly towards the gate, and Zoe kept her eyes on the tall gum tree. There was the magpie, perched on a branch, black and white and watching. It turned its head and stared right back at her.
Zoe held her breath. The magpie did not move. She and Harvey walked past the tree, one step, two steps, ten steps, and nothing happened. Zoe let out a giggle of relief.
“See?” said Harvey. “It is not mean. It is only protecting its babies.” Zoe peered up and saw a fluffy chick poking its head over the edge of the nest. “Hello,” she whispered. “Sorry I was so scared of your family.”
Answer the questions
- Where had the magpie built its nest? (1 mark)
- What does the word “perched” mean in the sentence “perched on a branch”? (1 mark)
- Write two things Zoe did to feel safer when she walked past the tree. (2 marks)
- How did Zoe feel as she walked up to the gate? Use a detail from the story to explain how you know. (2 marks)
- Why do magpies swoop at people in spring, according to the story? (2 marks)
- How did Zoe feel about the magpie at the end of the story? Give a reason. (1 mark)
- Number these events 1 to 4 in the order they happen. (2 marks)• Zoe sees a chick in the nest.• Zoe walks past the tree.• Harvey tells Zoe not to run.• Zoe’s heart thumps.
- Choose the sentence that best tells what the story is about. Write its letter. (1 mark)A. Zoe and Harvey build a big new nest for the magpie in the gum tree.B. A magpie chases Zoe all the way through the gate and into her classroom.C. Zoe is scared of a swooping magpie but finds out it is protecting its nest.D. Harvey and Zoe race each other to the school gate before the morning bell rings.
Answer key for parents and teachers
1. In the gum tree by the school gate. (1 mark)
Finding information. A fact stated in the first paragraph, so the child practises finding information in the text.
2. Sitting on top of something and resting there. (1 mark)
Word meaning. Working out what a word means from the sentence it sits in.
3. Any two of: she wore her biggest hat with googly eyes on the back; she walked quickly and did not run; she kept her eyes on the tree; she walked with her brother. (2 marks)
Finding information. Collecting two details from different parts of the story.
4. Nervous or scared. Evidence, for example: her heart thumped; she held her breath. (2 marks)
Inference. The story never says “Zoe was scared”, so the child reads the clues and backs the idea up from the text.
5. They are protecting their babies and their nest. (2 marks)
Explaining from the text. Linking what a character says to the reason behind a behaviour.
6. Less scared, or friendly. She whispered “Hello” and said sorry for being scared. (1 mark)
Inference. Noticing how a character’s feelings change from the start to the end.
7. 1. Harvey tells Zoe not to run. 2. Zoe’s heart thumps. 3. Zoe walks past the tree. 4. Zoe sees a chick in the nest. (2 marks)
Sequencing events. Sequencing shows the child followed the whole story.
8. C (1 mark)
Summarising. The best summary covers the whole story. The other choices are untrue or only small details.
What this practises
Finding information, Word meaning, Inference, Explaining from the text, Sequencing events, Summarising. This sheet links to Comprehension Strategies (AC9E3LY05). Schools and states deliver the Australian Curriculum (version 9) in different ways, so check what your child's school uses. Marks and answers are a guide: accept any sensible answer that is backed up by the text.
Now try the writing task
Write about a time you were scared of something and then found out it was not so scary.
Aim for five to eight sentences. Read it back aloud together and fix anything that does not sound right.
Want feedback on your child's own writing?
You mark the worksheet yourself with the answer key. LiteracyLab AI is different: it reads what your child has written and gives specific feedback, such as what worked, one thing to try next, and a corrected version, matched to their year. The Free plan includes 3 pieces a month and needs no card.
More Year 3 worksheets
Free to print and copy for your own family or classroom. Please do not sell or republish. The passage and questions were written for LiteracyLab AI.