The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter — 3rd Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheet
"The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter" is a short fiction passage written for 3rd graders, followed by 6 comprehension questions that focus on main idea and details. A girl helps her father light the lamp during a stormy night and saves a fishing boat. Print the passage and questions, or download the PDF with the answer key on the last page — it is free for home, classroom and homeschool use.
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The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter
Grade 3 · Fiction · main idea and details
Read the passage carefully. You may underline parts that help you answer.
Marisol lived with her father in a tall white lighthouse on the edge of a rocky coast. Every evening, her father climbed the winding stairs to light the great lamp that warned ships away from the dangerous rocks. Marisol loved to watch the light spin slowly across the dark water, sending its beam far out to sea.
One night, a heavy storm rolled in with black clouds and howling wind. Marisol's father slipped on the wet stairs and hurt his ankle. He could not climb the last few steps to light the lamp. Marisol knew that without the light, a fishing boat she had seen earlier might crash into the rocks. She grabbed the matches and climbed as fast as she could.
With shaking hands, Marisol lit the lamp just as the fishing boat came near the rocks. The captain saw the beam of light and steered the boat safely around the danger. The next morning, the fishermen came to thank Marisol and her father. Her father smiled and said she had become a true lighthouse keeper that very night.
Answer the questions. Use details from the passage.
Answer Key
The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter
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How to teach main idea and details in fiction text
- 1
Read it once for enjoyment
Let your reader go through "The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter" straight through without stopping. The first pass is about getting the story or the topic, not about the questions.
- 2
Read it again with a pencil
On the second read, underline names, numbers, dates and any sentence that answers a question. Marking the text is the habit that lifts comprehension scores.
- 3
Answer with evidence
For each question, ask “which sentence proves that?” Short answers should quote or paraphrase a line from the passage.
- 4
Check with the answer key
Compare answers together. For any miss, go back to the paragraph instead of just correcting the letter.
Common mistakes kids make
- Answering from memory instead of rereading — teach kids to point at the line that proves it.
- Picking the first choice that sounds familiar; familiar words often appear in the wrong answer too.
- Skipping the main idea and details question because it needs more than one detail. Have them list two details first, then answer.
- Writing one word for a short-answer question. Ask for a full sentence that restates the question.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Read aloud together the first time if fluency is still developing.
- Cover the questions while reading so kids read the whole passage, not just for answers.
- Keep sessions to 15 minutes — one passage a day beats five on Sunday.
Grade alignment
This worksheet supports Common Core standard RL.3.1, typically taught in 3rd grade. Use it for practice, homework, review or a timed check of fluency.
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Open worksheetFrequently asked questions
What reading level is "The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter"?
It is written for 3rd grade readers, so it fits most kids in grade 3 and works as review for grade 4 or a challenge for grade 2.
Does this worksheet include an answer key?
Yes. Turn on the answer key option and the answers print on the page after the questions, with model answers for the short-answer items.
Is this reading worksheet free to print?
Yes, every passage on KGD Sheets is free to print and download as a PDF for home, classroom and homeschool use.
How many questions come with each passage?
This passage has 6 questions, mixing multiple choice with short written answers so kids practice both formats.
Can I use this passage for a reading test?
Yes. Print it without the answer key for testing, then print the key for grading. The questions follow the same style as state reading assessments.
What skill does this passage practice?
The questions center on main idea and details, plus vocabulary in context and finding evidence in the text.