It was Monday morning at Sunnyvale Elementary. Leo was excited because his mom had packed his favorite—turkey sliders and a crisp red apple. But when the lunch bell rang, Leo looked under his desk. His bright blue lunchbox was gone! Middle (The Sequence of Events)

Leo raced to the playground. There, sitting right under the big oak tree, was his lunchbox. A small squirrel was sniffing the handle, trying to figure out how to open it!

Leo grabbed his lunch and thanked Maya for her help. He realized he must have left it behind while playing tag. From that day on, Leo made a "Double Check" rule: always look back at the bench before the recess bell ends. How to use this story for Grade 3 practice:

Based on the video lesson's focus on providing another ending, ask: "What would have happened if Maya hadn't seen the lunchbox?"

Ask who the characters are (Leo, Maya, the squirrel) and what the setting is (Sunnyvale Elementary/Playground).

Leo first checked the "Lost and Found" bin in the hallway, but it only had a lonely mitten and a dusty umbrella.

Have the student list what Leo did first, second, and last.