The piglets illustration

Words: 301-400

Skills: Context Clues Fact and Opinion Story Elements

Grades: 1st

Topics: Humor

Genres: Prose

Lexile Range:

Lexile Measure:

CCSS: Reading: Foundational Skills


The Piglets

by Elizabeth Trach

Harry is a small, pink piglet. He is always trying to keep up with his bigger brothers and sisters, but he is often left out because of his size. Students will read the passage and answer follow-up questions about vocabulary and other story elements. This passage contains the following Dolch sight words: again, could, were, morning, and sun.

Reading Comprehension Passage

The Piglets

by Elizabeth Trach

Harry was a small piglet. He lived on a farm with his mother. He had many brothers and sisters. Of all the piglets born that spring, Harry was the smallest.

When it was time to eat, the bigger piglets always went running. They had longer legs and could run faster than Harry. By the time Harry reached his mother, he had to wait.

The piglets liked to play games. They ran in circles squealing and chasing each other. Harry tried again and again, but he could never catch any of his brothers and sisters.

One morning, the sun came up and shone down on the barnyard. Even though it was early, it was already very hot. The piglets were too tired to play. They all stayed under the cowshed, where a tin roof made cool shade.

When Harry got to the cowshed, there wasn't much room left in the shade. He tried to squeeze in between two of his sisters.

"Harry, move! It's too hot! Find another place to lie down," they said.

Harry looked, but there was no more room in the shade. The sun was high in the sky, and it was very hot. Harry walked away, sad to be alone and angry that no one saved a spot for him.

Harry was too grumpy to hold his head up high, so he pushed his snout along the ground. He noticed that there was a patch of dirt that felt wet. When he lifted his face, the air felt cool on his nose. 

"Hmmm," though Harry. "What do we have here?"

Harry used his nose to move the dirt around. When he did, he noticed a puddle. The water was muddy, but it felt very cool on his skin. Harry used his snout to push away more dirt and dig a deeper hole. Soon he had a mud puddle big enough for his whole body. It didn't take long to make, because Harry was so small. Harry was so hot that he lay down in the mud puddle and rolled around. He felt cool and happy!

Harry's mother walked over and smiled. "That's an excellent mud wallow, Harry. Mud is the best way for pigs to stay cool, and you figured it out all by yourself."

Harry smiled wide and felt very proud. Even though he was not the biggest pig, he was a very smart pig.

Passage Only

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. What kind of pig is Harry?






2. How does Harry feel about his brothers and sisters?






3. What does Harry discover with his nose?






4. Do you think it's more important for a pig to be smart or to be fast? Why?