The Kite on the Hill
A short story about a kite, a windy hill and a clever idea, with eight questions on finding facts and reading between the lines.
Read the passage
Maya had been waiting all week to fly her new kite. It was bright red with a long yellow tail, and her grandad had helped her make it.
On Saturday morning, the wind was perfect. Maya and her grandad climbed to the top of Windy Hill. “Hold the string tight,” said Grandad, “and run as fast as you can!”
Maya ran across the grass with her heart thumping. Slowly, the kite lifted from the ground. It wobbled, dipped and then soared high above the trees. Maya laughed out loud.
Suddenly, a strong gust tugged the string out of her hands. The kite swooped over the fence and landed at the top of an old oak tree. Maya’s smile disappeared.
“Don’t worry,” said Grandad, rubbing his chin. “I have an idea.” He tied a ball of string to a small stick and threw it over the branch above the kite. Together they pulled the string until the branch shook, and the kite slid gently down into Maya’s hands.
“Good thinking, Grandad!” she cried. From that day on, Maya always carried a ball of string in her pocket, just in case.
Answer the questions
- What colour was Maya’s kite? (1 mark)
- Where did Maya and her grandad go to fly the kite? (1 mark)
- Find and copy one word from the third paragraph that means “flew up smoothly and powerfully”. (1 mark)
- Put these events in the order they happen in the story. Write 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the boxes. (2 marks)• The kite lands in the tree.• Grandad has an idea.• Maya runs across the grass.• The kite lifts into the air.
- How do you think Maya felt when the kite landed in the tree? Use a detail from the story to explain how you know. (2 marks)
- The story says Grandad rubbed his chin. What does this suggest he was doing? (1 mark)
- Why do you think Maya started to carry a ball of string in her pocket? (1 mark)
- What was the problem in the story, and how was it solved? (2 marks)
Answer key for parents and teachers
1. Bright red (with a long yellow tail). (1 mark)
Finding information (2b). The answer is stated in the first paragraph, so the skill here is finding information in the text.
2. To the top of Windy Hill. (1 mark)
Finding information (2b). Another fact to find, this time in the second paragraph.
3. soared (1 mark)
Word meaning (2a). Children practise matching a word to its meaning. “Wobbled” and “dipped” describe a shaky kite, so only “soared” fits.
4. 1. Maya runs across the grass. 2. The kite lifts into the air. 3. The kite lands in the tree. 4. Grandad has an idea. (2 marks)
Sequencing events. Sequencing shows the child has followed the whole story, not just single sentences.
5. Upset, disappointed or worried, because “Maya’s smile disappeared.” (2 marks)
Inference (2d). The story never says how she felt, so the child must read between the lines and back the idea up with evidence from the text.
6. Thinking hard (about how to solve the problem). (1 mark)
Inference (2d). A small action that hints at a thought is a classic inference.
7. Because string had helped to rescue the kite, so she wanted to be ready if it happened again. (1 mark)
Explaining from the text. The child links the ending back to the problem and its solution.
8. The kite got stuck in the tree. Grandad tied string to a stick, threw it over the branch above the kite, and they pulled until the kite slid down. (2 marks)
Summarising (2c). Summarising a problem and its solution in one or two sentences is a key reading skill.
What this practises
Finding information (2b), Word meaning (2a), Sequencing events, Inference (2d), Explaining from the text, Summarising (2c). The codes in brackets are the reading content domains from the national curriculum test framework. Marks and answers are a guide: accept any sensible answer that is backed up by the text.
Now try the writing task
Write a short story about a time something you loved got stuck, lost or broken, and how it was put right.
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.