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The Last Spike: Punctuation at the Kendama Contest

Read an original story about a kendama contest, explain what ellipses, dashes and exclamation points add, and choose punctuation for effect.

Grade 4ELAInteractive · Printable

Aligned toL.4.3.b

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What’s included

Single worksheet
Auto-graded online
1 Common Core standard
Printable answer key
10 questions
Classroom-ready

Details

Format: Interactive · Printable
Grade: Grade 4
Subject: ELA
Question types: Fill in the blank, Multiple choice, Matching, Circle the answer, Short answer

About this worksheet

What students practice

Students explain the effect of ellipses, dashes, exclamation points and question marks in a story.
Students choose punctuation that creates suspense, excitement, a pause or a sudden break.

How to use

Read the story aloud with expression so students hear each pause and burst, then have them answer the questions on their own.

Curriculum

Common Core standard covered

L.4.3.b

Choose punctuation for effect.

Preview

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Name Date

The Last Spike: Punctuation at the Kendama Contest

See how ellipses, dashes, exclamation points and question marks change the way a story feels.

Read the story

The Last Spike

1Wren had practiced with her kendama every afternoon for a month. The wooden toy looked simple: a handle with three small cups, a pointed spike on top, and a ball tied on with a string. Getting the ball to land where you wanted, though, was not simple at all.

2On Saturday, the school gym was packed for the kendama contest. Wren's hands were damp. Her best friend, Lio, gave her a thumbs-up from the bleachers. "You've got this!" he called.

3Round one went smoothly. Big cup. Small cup. Base cup. Wren landed each catch with a soft click, and the crowd clapped politely.

4Then Ms. Faraday, the judge, announced the final trick. "Each player gets one try," she said. "Land the ball on the spike—and only the spike."

5Wren's stomach flipped. The spike was her hardest trick. She had missed it so many times... too many to count.

6The player before her, a tall boy named Desmond, swung his ball up. It wobbled, tipped and dropped to the floor. "Aww!" groaned the crowd.

7Wren stepped forward. She took a deep breath. She pulled the ball up, up, up and watched it turn in the air. The hole in the ball spun toward the spike. Closer... closer...

8Click! The ball slid down onto the spike and stayed there. For one second, the gym was silent. Then everyone burst into cheers.

9Wren could hardly believe it. She had done it—on the very last try!

10Lio ran down from the bleachers. "Was that luck?" he teased. Wren grinned and held up her kendama. "Luck?" she said. "Try a month of practice."

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