PicoBuddy

Barnaby's Big Adventure

PicoBuddyUpper ElementaryFiction2 min read
Image for Barnaby's Big Adventure

Barnaby's Big Adventure

Barnaby was a small bee, but he had a big heart. He lived in a busy hive with hundreds of other bees. Each bee had a job, but Barnaby's job was special. He was a scout bee. Scout bees fly out to find the best flowers with the tastiest nectar.

One sunny morning, Barnaby flew out of the hive. He zipped over green fields and sparkling streams. He was searching for a patch of flowers that would make the best honey for his hive. Barnaby flew for a long time, but all the flowers he found were ordinary.

"I need to find something amazing!" Barnaby said to himself. He kept flying until he saw something in the distance. It was a field of bright yellow sunflowers, bigger than any flowers he had ever seen!

As Barnaby buzzed closer, he noticed something else. A little girl sat in the middle of the sunflower field, and she looked sad. Barnaby felt worried. He knew he had to help.

Glossary
Hive:
A home for bees.
Nectar:
A sweet liquid in flowers that bees collect to make honey.
Scout Bee:
A bee that looks for the best flowers.
ordinary:
Normal or usual, with nothing special or extra about it.
distance:
A point or place that is far away.
patch:
A small area of ground where a specific kind of plant grows.

One passage, many ways to practice

Reading-skill questions, word work and writing prompts — all built from this text.

  • Main Idea

    Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.

  • Context Clues

    Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.

  • Summarize

    Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.

  • Purpose

    Analyze what the author aims to do and how choices serve audience and purpose.

  • Structure

    Analyze how sections and organizational choices build the text's ideas or effects.

  • Writing Prompts

    Use the passage as a springboard for short written responses, from personal reflection to evidence-based arguments.

  • Fix the Sentence

    Practice editing sentences drawn from this passage with a printable worksheet.

Pico points towards the free sign-up options

Ready to use this passage in class?

Start free with the Mixed worksheet and 3 PDF downloads each week. Focused skill sets depend on plan.

Sign up with emailLog in

Preview questions from this passageShow
  1. 1What kind of bee is Barnaby?
  2. 2What does Barnaby do as a scout bee?

Where this passage belongs

You Might Also Like

Image for A Sea of Golden Light
Upper ElementaryDiary Entry • Fiction
Image for The Twilight Maze
Upper ElementaryFiction

About this fiction passage for Upper Elementary

“Barnaby's Big Adventure” is a fiction reading passage about Bees, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (327 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.

Is this passage free?

Yes. With a free account, you can read “Barnaby's Big Adventure” online and download a printable PDF worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.

What reading level is “Barnaby's Big Adventure”?

It’s written for Upper Elementary — a fiction text about Bees, about a 2-minute read (327 words).

What’s included with this passage?

An illustrated reading passage, a glossary of key terms, comprehension questions with an answer key, and an interactive quiz.

Can I adapt it for my students?

Yes. Remix is included with Pro and Max for adapting it to another grade level or language.