Kai's First Wave
Kai's First Wave
Kai stared at the waves crashing onto the beach. They looked enormous! He was in Hawaii, visiting his grandma, and today was the day he was going to learn to surf. He had always wanted to surf, but he was also a little nervous.
"Ready, Kai?" his grandma asked, holding up a long, blue surfboard. Grandma was a surf legend. She had been surfing these waves since she was a kid, and she was the best surfer Kai knew.
Kai took a deep breath. "Ready!"
First, Grandma showed Kai how to lie on the board. "Paddle, paddle, paddle!" she shouted. Then, she showed him how to pop up into a standing position. "Bend your knees! Keep your balance!"
It looked so easy when Grandma did it. But when Kai tried, he wobbled and fell off the board into the cool water. He laughed and climbed back on.
He tried again, and again, and again. Each time, he got a little better. He paddled hard, popped up, and almost stayed standing. But then, splash, he was in the water again.
Finally, after many tries, a big wave came. "Paddle, Kai, paddle!" Grandma yelled. Kai paddled with all his might. He felt the wave lift the board, and he popped up.
- Surfboard:
- A long, narrow board used for riding waves.
- Paddle:
- To move your arms in a circular motion to propel yourself in the water.
- Balance:
- The ability to stay steady and not fall.
- enormous:
- Extremely large or huge.
- legend:
- A famous person who is known for being remarkably good at something.
- nervous:
- Feeling worried, anxious, or scared about what might happen.
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Purpose
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Structure
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where does Kai live?
- 2Who taught Kai how to surf?
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About this fiction passage for Upper Elementary
“Kai's First Wave” is a fiction reading passage about Surfing, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (318 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.