FREE STARTER · 15–20 minutes
The seed swap
Ages 10+; independently or with an adult
- Purpose
- Support an inference about a character with a detail from an original short story.
- What you need
- Paper and a pencil.
An original short story
At the neighborhood seed swap, Mara set out three envelopes of sunflower seeds. She had saved them all summer. Beside her, Eli placed one envelope on the table, then tucked it beneath his notebook. “Mine are only bean seeds,” he said. Mara looked at the drawing on his notebook: a tall green vine curling around a fence. She slid one sunflower envelope toward him. “My fence has room for a vine,” she said. Eli moved his envelope into the sunlight. Soon he was explaining how to soak the beans before planting. When the swap ended, Mara carried home fewer sunflower seeds and a page of careful planting notes.
Try it
- Read once to follow what happens. Read again and underline two details about Eli.
- Make two columns on paper: What the story says and What I infer. Add a detail and an inference to each row.
- Explain how Eli changes during the story in two or three sentences. Include a specific detail.
- Compare your explanation with the discussion guidance. Revise if you find stronger evidence.
Think and discuss
- Why might Eli hide his envelope at first?
- Which action by Mara helps Eli feel that his seeds are useful?
- What does Eli’s explanation about soaking the beans suggest about him?
Finish with one thought
Write: “At first Eli…, but later he…. The detail that best supports my inference is…”
Discussion guidance and possible responses
Eli may feel uncertain about the value of his seeds: he calls them “only bean seeds” and hides the envelope. Mara names a use for a vine and offers a trade. Eli then shares planting knowledge, suggesting growing confidence and experience. Other reasonable inferences are welcome when supported by the story; the text does not tell us every thought a character has.