The Magic Tide Pool
Leo walked on the smooth grey rocks. He was at Acadia National Park.
The big ocean waves crashed against the shore. The salty air felt cool on his face.
Leo looked down into a small hole filled with water. It was a tide pool.
The water was as clear as glass.
First, Leo saw a bright red sea star. It sat still on a wet rock.
"Look how bumpy it is!" Leo whispered.
Then, a tiny green crab walked sideways across the sand. It hid under some dark seaweed.
Leo held his breath so he would not scare it away.
Next, Leo found a small round snail. It crawled very slowly across a pink shell.
Leo loved seeing all the tiny sea animals.
"It is time to go," said Mom with a smile.
Leo stood up and waved goodbye to the tide pool. He could not wait to explore the park again.
- rocks:
- Hard, solid pieces of stone found on the ground or shore.
- waves:
- Moving ridges of water on the surface of the ocean.
- tide pool:
- A small pool of ocean water trapped among rocks along the shore.
- seaweed:
- A plant that grows in the sea or ocean.
- shell:
- A hard outer covering that protects some sea creatures.
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.
Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Vocabulary
Practice words from the passage with a printable worksheet.
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.
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.
Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where was Leo walking at the beginning of the story?
- 2How did the water in the tide pool look to Leo?
Where this passage belongs
You Might Also Like
About this short story passage for Lower Elementary
“The Magic Tide Pool” is a short story reading passage about Exploring Tide Pools at Acadia, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 1 minute to read (152 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.