The Crash Landing (3rd Valentine's Realistic Fiction)
A ready-to-print Grade 3 reading literature assessment built around the fictional passage “The Crash Landing,” where Clark turns a Valentine’s Day craft fail into a class success with a creative story. Includes 16 multiple-choice questions aligned to RL.3.1–RL.3.6 and L.3.6 (key details, theme/lesson, character change, figurative language, sequence/structure, and point of view), plus a complete answer key. StandardSet branding is included with a link/QR to create your own standards-aligned assessments in minutes.
The Crash Landing (3rd Literary)
by Unknown
Clark stood in the grocery store aisle. He stared at the "Galaxy Guardian" valentines. They came in a shiny box with 3D glasses. They were perfect.
"I am sorry, Clark," his mom said. She checked her wallet. "It is not in our budget."
Clark sighed. "But the cheap ones are just boring paper."
"We can make our own," Mom said. "We can buy supplies and make something better than the store cards."
They spent the rest of the money on lollipops, red paper, and a bottle of silver glitter glue. The plan was to turn the lollipops into space aliens with silver suits.
At the kitchen table, things started to go wrong.
Clark squeezed the silver glue. It did not come out in a thin line. It exploded in a giant, sticky puddle. When he tried to stick the googly eyes on, they slid down the wet glue. The paper capes ripped when he tried to tape them.
When they dried, they did not look like cool space aliens. They looked like lumpy, red blobs with crooked eyes.
Clark felt a heavy knot in his stomach. "They look terrible," he whispered. "I cannot give these to my class. Everyone will laugh."
"They look homemade," Mom said. She tried to smile. "We have no more money, Clark. You have to take them."
Clark went to his room. He stared at the bag of lumpy hearts on his desk. He wished he could throw them in the trash. He pushed the bag away. His stomach hurt. He did not want to go to school tomorrow.
The next morning, Clark sat at the kitchen table. He poked at his cereal. The bag of valentines sat next to his bowl.
His older brother, Antoine, walked into the kitchen. He picked up the bag and looked inside.
Clark closed his eyes. He waited for Antoine to make a mean joke. He waited for him to say they looked like trash.
"Whoa," Antoine said. He pulled one out. "This guy looks wild."
Clark looked up. "It is a mess," he said. "The glue exploded."
"It does not look like a mess," Antoine said. He spun the lollipop in his hand. "It looks like it survived a space battle. Just tell them that. Make it a funny story."
Clark looked at the lumpy red blob again. It did have a lot of silver scars. He took a deep breath. He took the bag from Antoine and put it in his backpack.
When he got to school, the knot in his stomach was still there. He saw the other kids pulling out their perfect superhero cards. Clark walked up to his teacher’s desk.
"Mr. Lewis," Clark said. His voice shook a little. "May I tell the class a short story before we pass out the cards?"
Mr. Lewis smiled. "Of course, Clark."
Clark walked to the front of the room. The room went quiet. Clark held up one of his lumpy, glittery valentines.
"These are not regular hearts," Clark said loudly. "These are the survivors of the Great Galaxy Battle. They had a really bumpy crash landing on Earth. That is why they look a little scrambled."
The class looked at the crooked eyes and the messy glue. Then, they started to giggle.
"They are messy," Clark added with a grin, "but they are still sweet on the inside."
The whole class laughed. It was not a mean laugh. It was a fun laugh.
"That is very creative, Clark," Mr. Lewis said.
Clark passed out his aliens. Devin examined his closely. "This is cool," Devin said. "He looks like a tough guy. Plus, I love cherry lollipops."
Clark smiled. He realized that a good story could fix almost anything.
Questions
What did Clark do with the bag after he talked with Antoine?
put the bag in his backpack
threw the bag into the trash
left the bag on his desk
gave the bag back to Antoine
Standard: RL.3.1
Why did Clark ask to tell a short story before the class passed out cards?
He wanted to make the class see the cards as fun.
He wanted to ask for more time to make new cards.
He wanted to trade his cards for perfect superhero cards.
He wanted to tell them about his long trip to the store.
Standard: RL.3.1
Which event happened last?
Clark and Mom made the space valentines.
Clark sat and looked at his cereal.
Clark told the class about the space battle.
Clark smiled because his cards were a hit.
Standard: RL.3.2
What did Clark say about the valentines after he made them?
That they look terrible
That they look wild
That they look cool
That they were perfect
Standard: RL.3.3
How does Clark change from the beginning of the story to the end?
stays worried and scared
feels proud of Antoine
feels angry about glue
becomes brave and confident
Standard: RL.3.3
What does the author mean by “a heavy knot in his stomach”?
It shows Clark’s stomach is tied in a real knot.
It shows Clark feels worried about the valentines.
It shows Clark’s stomach really hurts from bad food.
It shows Clark feels happy about the valentines.
Standard: RL.3.4
Why does the author use "sweet on the inside"?
It shows the valentines still make people feel happy inside.
It shows the lollipops taste sweeter than other candy.
It shows Clark is still mad about the messy glue.
It shows the hearts are hard and crunchy on top.
Standard: RL.3.4
In which part of the story do Clark and Mom buy the silver glitter glue?
first part of the story
middle part of the story
last part of the story
very end of the story
Standard: RL.3.5
How does the breakfast scene build on the first kitchen table scene?
It shows Clark’s brother giving a new idea about the cards.
It shows Clark and his mom buying glue at the store.
It shows Clark throwing all the lollipop cards into the trash can.
It shows Mr. Lewis telling Clark a story about space battles.
Standard: RL.3.5
What do Clark’s words to the class show about how he feels?
He feels scared that everyone will laugh at his valentines.
He feels mad because his mom would not buy the card box.
He feels proud to share his funny space valentines with everyone.
He feels sad because he wants to throw the valentines in the trash.
Standard: RL.3.6
Why does Antoine feel better about the valentines than Clark does?
He thinks they look like brave aliens from a space battle.
He thinks they look like trash that no one will like.
He thinks they look just like the store superhero cards.
He thinks they look too plain and need more silver glue.
Standard: RL.3.6
What does the word "next" tell the reader?
It tells when the event happens.
It tells where the event happens.
It tells why the event happens.
It tells who the event happens to.
Standard: L.3.6
Why does the author start a new part with "The next morning"?
It shows that some time passed and the story moves to the next day.
It shows that Clark will go back to the store to buy new cards.
It shows that the valentines are sitting behind Clark and hiding from the class.
It shows that the story is almost over and nothing else will happen.
Standard: L.3.6
How does the kitchen scene with Antoine help the ending of the story?
It gives Clark a new idea to share the cards with the class.
It makes Clark throw the cards away before he goes to school.
It shows Mr. Lewis how to pass out cards in the class.
It makes the glue on the cards dry fast and look very neat.
Standard: RL.3.5
What is the main lesson of this story?
You can turn a mistake into something good.
You can make valentines with lollipops and silver glue.
You must always buy the best cards from the store.
You should be afraid when your work looks different.
Standard: RL.3.2
Which part of the story helps Clark learn he can fix things with stories?
When Clark and Mom make the cards at the kitchen table.
When Clark tells a funny space story to the class about the cards.
When Clark sees the other kids have perfect superhero cards at school.
When Clark sees the glue explode and the paper capes rip apart.
Standard: RL.3.2
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