PaginePaginepagineapp.comPriya had tested her plant experiment for six weeks. She wanted to find out whether music helped bean plants grow taller. Her chart was colourful, her notes were neat, and she was sure she would win.
The night before the science fair, her little brother knocked the tray off the table. Soil scattered across the floor, and two of the plants snapped.
Priya wanted to cry. Instead, she took a deep breath and looked at her notebook. Every measurement was there. She rewrote her display to explain what happened and added a section called "What I Would Change."
Priya did not win first place. But the judge wrote, "Excellent record-keeping and honest reflection — this is how real scientists work." Priya pinned the note above her desk.
A Pagine Original story.
1. What was Priya testing?
2. What was the setback?
3. How did Priya respond?
4. Why was her notebook important?
5. What does the judge's note mean?
6. Why did Priya pin the note above her desk?
Worksheets › Grade 4 › Reading comprehension
Free 4th grade reading comprehension worksheet: "The Science Fair Setback", an original short story with 6 questions. Answer key included. Skill: Reading literature: key details, characters, problem and theme. Level: Grade 4 — also suits Year 5 (UK).
Yes — it is free to print for home or the classroom. Sign in with a free Pagine account, then use the Print button or save it as a PDF.
It is designed for Grade 4 (ages 9–10), but use it with any child who is ready.
Reading literature: key details, characters, problem and theme.
Pagine's free library has 20,000+ children's books you can read in the Pagine e-reader or the free Pagine app — sorted by age and grade, with free audiobooks too.
Reading Comprehension: Ben's Red Mitten · Reading Comprehension: Frogs · Reading Comprehension: Nana's Garden · Reading Comprehension: The Moon · Reading Comprehension: Pip the Puppy · Reading Comprehension: Bees Are Busy · Reading Comprehension: Rainy Day Fort · Reading Comprehension: Why We Brush Our Teeth · Reading Comprehension: The Class Pet · Reading Comprehension: How Penguins Stay Warm
Pair this grade 4 worksheet with a story. Pagine's free library has 20,000+ children's books — chapter books, classic novels and non-fiction, classics and free audiobooks — that you can read right in the Pagine e-reader on any phone, tablet or computer, with adjustable text size and night mode. No ads.
Browse free grade 4 books → · Grade 4 reading level · Free audiobooks · Grade 4 sight words
📱 Get the free Pagine app — log every book your child reads (scan the barcode or search), set reading goals, and watch streaks and badges grow. Download on the App Store · Get it on Google Play