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The story: One More Try at Etnies Skatepark

Evan and Max were friends. They met at Etnies Skatepark in Lake Forest, California.

The friends came here often with their skate coach, Lee. They loved the sound of skateboard wheels on the concrete.

At the park, they put on their helmets and pads. Coach Lee checked their straps. Then they found a clear, flat spot to warm up.

Max gave his board a small push. Evan rolled beside him.

“Let’s ride to that line,” Max said.

They took turns. Before each ride, they looked to make sure the way was clear.

Soon, Evan stopped near a low ramp. He wanted to try it, but his stomach felt full of butterflies.

“What if I wobble?” he asked.

“Start small,” Coach Lee said. “You can practice on the flat ground first.”

Evan bent his knees and pushed gently. His board wiggled. He stepped off and caught it with his foot.

“I didn’t do it,” he said.

“You kept your balance longer that time,” Max said. “I saw you!”

Evan took a breath. He tried again. This time, he rolled all the way to the line.

Max clapped. “One more try!”

Now it was Max’s turn. His board turned sideways before the line.

Evan smiled. “Start small. I’ll cheer for you.”

Max tried again and reached the line, too.

After a water break, the friends sat beside Coach Lee. The low ramp could wait. Today, they had practiced, taken turns, and helped each other.

“What was your best trick?” Coach Lee asked.

“Trying again,” Evan said.

“And having a friend who cheers,” Max added.

Words to know

Concrete is the hard, gray material on the ground at the skatepark.

Balance means keeping your body steady so you do not fall.

Practice means doing something again to get better at it.

“Butterflies in your stomach” means feeling a little nervous. There are no real butterflies inside you!

Find it in the story

1. Where did Evan and Max go with Coach Lee?

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2. What did they put on before they rode their skateboards?

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3. What did Evan do after his board wiggled?

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Think about the story

4. How did the friends help each other? Use a detail from the story.

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5. What does “butterflies in his stomach” tell you about how Evan felt?

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Your turn to write

Write 3–5 sentences about a visit to the skatepark. What did you practice? Was anything hard? Who helped you? Tell what you would like to try next.

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You can start with: “At the skatepark, I practiced…”

About this story

This is a made-up story set at a real park. The friends, coach, conversations, and events were created for reading practice.

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AssignmentsGrade 3ReadingWritingSkateboarding