The Mystery of the Missing Turtle


Emmett loved his pet turtle. Tiny had a green shell with yellow spots. Tiny was very quiet. One sunny morning, Emmett went to feed Tiny. He had a bowl of fresh greens. But when he looked in the tank, the turtle was gone. The lid was open just an inch. Emmett felt his heart jump. Where could a slow turtle go? He had to solve this mystery right away. He put on his detective hat. He was ready to look for clues.
First, Emmett looked under his bed. He found a lost shoe. He found a dusty book. He did not find Tiny. Then he looked in his closet. He moved his boots and his bags. He saw a small green shape. Was it Tiny? No, it was just a green sock. Emmett sighed and kept looking. He checked every corner of his bedroom. He looked behind the curtains. He looked under the rug. The turtle was nowhere to be found.
- Mystery:
- A problem or puzzle that needs to be solved.
- Clue:
- A sign or piece of information that helps someone find an answer.
- Detective:
- A person who looks for clues to solve a mystery.
- Rustling:
- A soft, crackling sound, like leaves or paper moving together.
- peeked:
- looked out quickly or shyly from a safe place
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Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
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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
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Writing Prompts
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What color is Tiny's shell and what kind of spots does he have?
- 2How did Emmett first realize that Tiny was missing from his tank?
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About this fiction passage for 2nd Grade
“The Mystery of the Missing Turtle” is a fiction reading passage about Problem Solving, written for 2nd Grade. It takes about 4 minutes to read (570 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.


