Surprise Clues

About This Worksheet

This Grade 1 reading worksheet helps children figure out what a character is thinking by using clues from a short story. Students read about Evan carrying a shiny wrapped box, hiding it under his sister’s bed, smiling, and quietly leaving the room. They then choose the thought bubble that best matches his actions and explain which clue helped them decide.

Learning Goals

The main goal is to help children infer a character’s thoughts from what the character does. Students practice noticing actions, connecting those actions with a likely idea, and choosing the most reasonable thought. This strengthens inferencing, character understanding, and evidence-based comprehension.

Student Tasks

Children read the short story about Evan and look closely at the clues. They choose the thought bubble that best matches what Evan is probably thinking. Then they complete the sentence, “I think Evan is thinking ______,” and write the clue that helped them make that inference.

Common Challenges

Some children may pick a thought because it sounds funny or interesting instead of checking the story clues. Others may choose the correct answer but have trouble explaining why. A parent or teacher can ask, “What did Evan do that makes you think that?” to guide the child back to the evidence.

Teaching Suggestions

Teachers can model how actions give clues about thoughts. Parents and homeschool educators can point out that hiding the box, smiling, and leaving quietly all help us figure out Evan’s plan. It may help to read each thought bubble aloud and ask whether it fits the clues. Encourage children to use the story, not just a guess.

Worksheet Features

The worksheet includes one short Grade 1 passage, three thought-bubble choices, and a written inference section. The activity gives children both visual support and space to explain their reasoning. This printable works well for character inference lessons, literacy centers, homework, or guided reading.