STAAR MASTER™ Student Practice Book—Reading, Grade 3
A Puzzling Gift
You will need
• Markers in different colors
• Scissors
• Square poster board
• Glue
• Mod Podge® (a special type of glue)
• Envelope or box (to hold your
puzzle pieces)
• Magazine cut-outs, a picture
you drew yourself, or copies
of a favorite photograph
• Newspaper
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Directions
• Cookie cutters (in fun shapes)
1. Make a list of things your friend likes.
Favorites could include foods, animals,
colors, hobbies, etc.
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2. Decide what you would like to use for
your puzzle. Will you use magazine
cut-outs, a picture you drew yourself,
or a favorite photograph? Be sure
you will be comfortable cutting up
whichever material you choose. If you
are using a photograph, make copies
of the photograph and save the original.
3. Glue your magazine cut-outs, picture,
or photograph to one side of the poster
board.
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Do you have a friend who loves puzzles? Then try making him or her a gift
puzzle! Gift puzzles are exciting because they also provide a little bit of mystery.
On your friend’s next birthday, try sending him or her a secret picture puzzle by
following the directions below.
STAAR MASTER™ Student Practice Book—Reading, Grade 3
4. To personalize your gift, write a message
on the puzzle.
5. Spread out newspaper on a table that
you won’t need to use for a few days.
Happy Birthday!
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6. Lay your poster board on the newspaper.
Coat one side with Mod Podge®. Let the
poster board dry for at least 24 hours.
7. Turn the poster board over. Coat the
other side with Mod Podge®. Let this side
dry for at least 24 hours as well.
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8. Cut your poster board into pieces. Use
cuts that are neat but different. Make
some curved and others pointed.
To include a few fun shapes, trace cookie
cutters on the puzzle side, and then cut
out the pieces along those lines. The
number of pieces in your puzzle is up
to you.
Happy Birthday!
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9. Place all the puzzle pieces in a box or
envelope, and wrap your gift.
10. Present the puzzle to your friend!
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You have created a one-of-a-kind gift! Explain to your friend that s/he can
complete the puzzle by fitting together the picture or photograph.
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© ECS Learning Systems, Inc.
STAAR MASTER™ Student Practice Book—Reading, Grade 3
Standard 4 (Antonyms/Synonyms) M
Standard 12 (Author’s Purpose) H
1. Read the sentence from
the passage.
If you are using a photograph,
make copies of the photograph
and save the original.
A
B
C
D
Favorite
First
Neat
Unusual
A share a story about a
cute kitten
B explain how to use
Mod Podge®
C explain why a puzzle is
a good gift
D teach readers how to make
a puzzle
Standard 15 (Locate/Use Information) M
2. Where in the passage does the
author explain how to use the
cookie cutters?
In Step 4
In Step 8
In the last paragraph
In the “You will need”
section
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A
B
C
D
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Which word means about the
same as original?
3. The purpose of this passage
is to—
STAAR MASTER™ Student Practice Book—Reading, Grade 3
Standard 4 (Prefixes/Suffixes) L
3.RC.D (Inferences) H
4. Read the sentence from
the passage.
5. The author says to spread
out newspaper on a table
so that—
To personalize your gift, write
a message on the puzzle.
A the table will not get messy
B pictures can be cut from
the newspaper
C fun shapes can be cut from
the newspaper
D the newspaper will stick to
the poster board
A
B
C
D
Fear of
One who
Relating to
To make
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What do the letters ize in the
word personalize mean?
Standard 13 (Facts/Details) L
A
B
C
D
Writing a message on it
Gluing it to a poster board
Drawing cutting lines on it
Cutting the picture into
pieces
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6. What is the next step after
choosing a picture?
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STAAR MASTER™ Student Practice Book—Reading, Grade 3
Standard 4 (Homographs/Homophones) M
Standard 16 (Media Literacy) H
7. Read the dictionary entry below.
8. What is the main purpose of the
kitten pictures included with
this passage?
˘
present (PREZnt)
e
A To prove that making a
puzzle is easy to do
B To make the passage more
interesting for readers
C To show some of the steps
talked about in the passage
D To encourage readers to
make a gift puzzle of their
own
adj 1. here 2. now
noun 3. gift
verb 1. give
Which meaning fits the way
present is used in the following
sentence?
Present the puzzle to your
friend!
Gift
Give
Here
Now
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A
B
C
D
Standard 13 (Text Features) H
© ECS Learning Systems, Inc.
9. The writer best helps the reader
understand the way to make a
puzzle by—
A listing the items needed to
make a puzzle
B using pictures of a cute
kitten in the directions
C numbering the steps for
making a puzzle in order
D stating that each puzzle
will be a one-of-a-kind gift
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present (pre ̄z-ENT)