Patterns of Events is a free printable Grade 4 English worksheet on recognizing the pattern of events tales from different cultures share, aligned to Common Core standard RL.4.9. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
1.In a Chinese tale, Yeh-Shen is mistreated by her stepmother but a king finds her by her lost slipper. In a French tale, Cinderella's lost slipper leads a prince to her. What pattern do they share?
A.A flood destroys a village.
B.A trickster is tricked in return.
C.A lost shoe leads to a mistreated girl being found.
2.In a Greek myth, Odysseus comes home dressed as a beggar. In an English legend, King Alfred hides as a helper in a cowherd's hut. What pattern do they share?
A.A great person goes unrecognized in disguise.
B.The hero must pass three tests.
C.A greedy person loses everything.
3.In an ancient story from Mesopotamia and in a Hindu story, a god warns one good man to build a boat before a great flood. What pattern do they share?
A.A small creature tricks a bigger one.
B.A lost shoe leads to a wedding.
C.One warned person survives a flood that destroys others.
4.In a French tale, a girl who gives water to an old woman is rewarded with jewels. In a Japanese tale, an old man who feeds a sparrow is rewarded with treasure. What pattern do they share?
A.A trick goes wrong for the trickster.
B.Kindness to a stranger is rewarded.
C.A promise is broken and then kept.
5.In a Greek myth, Arachne boasts she weaves better than a goddess and is turned into a spider. In a fable, a hare boasts of his speed and loses the race. What pattern do they share?
A.Kindness to a stranger is rewarded.
B.A small creature outwits a bigger one.
C.Boasting leads to a fall.
6.In a tale from Norway, three brothers try to win a princess and only the youngest succeeds. In a tale from Russia, three sons go on a quest and only the youngest returns with the prize. What pattern do they share?
A.A journey ends where it began.
B.The youngest of three succeeds where the others fail.
C.A clever animal tricks a stronger one.
7.In a West African story, Anansi the spider outwits a python. In a Native American story, Coyote fools a much bigger bear. What pattern do they share?
A.A wish is granted and then regretted.
B.A small, clever creature tricks a bigger one.
C.The youngest of three succeeds.
8.In a Scottish tale, a boy must finish three impossible tasks to free his sister. In an Indian tale, a prince must answer three riddles to win the throne. What pattern do they share?
A.The hero must pass three tests.
B.An animal is really an enchanted person.
C.Boasting leads to a fall.
LessonPrint · RL.4.9 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Patterns of Events
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.A lost shoe leads to a mistreated girl being found.
2.A great person goes unrecognized in disguise.
3.One warned person survives a flood that destroys others.
4.Kindness to a stranger is rewarded.
5.Boasting leads to a fall.
6.The youngest of three succeeds where the others fail.
7.A small, clever creature tricks a bigger one.
8.The hero must pass three tests.
Questions about Patterns of Events
What does the Patterns of Events worksheet cover?
It practices recognizing the pattern of events tales from different cultures share — 8 questions for Grade 4, all on Common Core RL.4.9: Compare how different cultures handle the same theme or story pattern. The instruction to students is “Circle the right answer”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which Common Core standard does Patterns of Events practice?
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.9 — RL.4.9, under Reading: Literature for Grade 4. The published standard reads: “Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.” The worksheet assesses that standard rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Patterns of Events is written for Grade 4, typically ages 9-10. It is one of the sheets on RL.4.9, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Patterns of Events come with an answer key?
Yes. All 8 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of Patterns of Events can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is Patterns of Events free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Patterns of Events, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for RL.4.9
Compare how different cultures handle the same theme or story pattern.