1st grade nonfiction passage about landforms: 93 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
1st gradenonfictionlandforms93 words
Hills, Mountains, and Valleys
The land has many shapes. We call these shapes landforms.
A hill is a round piece of land that is higher than the ground around it. You can walk up a hill without much trouble.
A mountain is much taller than a hill. It has steep sides, and its top is called a peak. High on a mountain, the air is cold, and there can be snow.
A valley is low land between hills or mountains. Often a river flows through it.
Each landform is different. Together they make the land look wonderful.
Questions
What do we call the shapes of the land? in the text
What is a hill? in the text
What is the top of a mountain called? in the text
Where is a valley found? in the text
Why might a mountain be harder to climb than a hill? think about it
Words to know
landform
a shape of the land, such as a hill or valley
steep
going up or down very sharply
peak
the pointed top of a mountain
valley
low land between hills or mountains
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Hills, Mountains, and Valleys
1st grade reading passage
The land has many shapes. We call these shapes landforms.
A hill is a round piece of land that is higher than the ground around it. You can walk up a hill without much trouble.
A mountain is much taller than a hill. It has steep sides, and its top is called a peak. High on a mountain, the air is cold, and there can be snow.
A valley is low land between hills or mountains. Often a river flows through it.
Each landform is different. Together they make the land look wonderful.
Questions
What do we call the shapes of the land?
What is a hill?
What is the top of a mountain called?
Where is a valley found?
Why might a mountain be harder to climb than a hill?
Words to know
landform: a shape of the land, such as a hill or valley
steep: going up or down very sharply
peak: the pointed top of a mountain
valley: low land between hills or mountains
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/1/hills-mountains-and-valleys
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One passage, three levels
The same topic and facts written three ways, so a mixed class can read and talk about one text. Each group’s sheet shows only a shape; the key says which is which.
● Easier · 82 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1
The land has many shapes. We call them landforms.
A hill is round land that is higher than the ground near it. You can walk up a hill.
A mountain is much taller than a hill. It has steep sides. The top is called a peak. High on a mountain, it is cold. There can be snow.
A valley is low land between hills or mountains. A river often flows in it.
Each landform is different. They make the land look wonderful.
▲ This passage · 93 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2
The land has many shapes. We call these shapes landforms.
A hill is a round piece of land that is higher than the ground around it. You can walk up a hill without much trouble.
A mountain is much taller than a hill. It has steep sides, and its top is called a peak. High on a mountain, the air is cold, and there can be snow.
A valley is low land between hills or mountains. Often a river flows through it.
Each landform is different. Together they make the land look wonderful.
■ Harder · 108 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1
The surface of the land comes in many different shapes. These shapes are known as landforms.
A hill is a rounded piece of land that rises higher than the ground around it. Most people can walk up a hill without much trouble.
A mountain is far taller than a hill. Its sides are steep, and its highest point is called a peak. Up high on a mountain the air is cold, and snow can often be found there.
A valley is low land that lies between hills or mountains. A river frequently flows through a valley.
Every landform is different, and together they make the land look wonderful.
A hill is round land that is higher than the ground near it. You can walk up a hill.
A mountain is much taller than a hill. It has steep sides. The top is called a peak. High on a mountain, it is cold. There can be snow.
A valley is low land between hills or mountains. A river often flows in it.
Each landform is different. They make the land look wonderful.
Questions
What are the shapes of the land called?
What is a hill?
What is the top of a mountain called?
Where is a valley?
Why is a mountain harder to climb than a hill?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Hills, Mountains, and Valleys
The land has many shapes. We call these shapes landforms.
A hill is a round piece of land that is higher than the ground around it. You can walk up a hill without much trouble.
A mountain is much taller than a hill. It has steep sides, and its top is called a peak. High on a mountain, the air is cold, and there can be snow.
A valley is low land between hills or mountains. Often a river flows through it.
Each landform is different. Together they make the land look wonderful.
Questions
What do we call the shapes of the land?
What is a hill?
What is the top of a mountain called?
Where is a valley found?
Why might a mountain be harder to climb than a hill?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Hills, Mountains, and Valleys
The surface of the land comes in many different shapes. These shapes are known as landforms.
A hill is a rounded piece of land that rises higher than the ground around it. Most people can walk up a hill without much trouble.
A mountain is far taller than a hill. Its sides are steep, and its highest point is called a peak. Up high on a mountain the air is cold, and snow can often be found there.
A valley is low land that lies between hills or mountains. A river frequently flows through a valley.
Every landform is different, and together they make the land look wonderful.
Questions
What are the different shapes of the land known as?
What is a hill?
What is the highest point of a mountain called?
Where does a valley lie?
Why would a mountain be harder to climb than a hill?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Hills, Mountains, and Valleys
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1)
Landforms.
Round land higher than the ground near it.
A peak.
Between hills or mountains.
A mountain is taller and has steep sides.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2)
Landforms.
A round piece of land higher than the ground around it.
A peak.
Between hills or mountains.
A mountain is taller and has steep sides.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1)
Landforms.
A rounded piece of land that rises higher than the ground around it.
A peak.
Between hills or mountains.
A mountain is far taller and its sides are steep.
Free at teach.peabody.kids
How to use it
Press Read it big (or B) to put the text on the projector, or Full screen (F) to fill the whole screen.
Ask the questions one at a time and use Show answer when the class has decided. A shows or hides every answer.
Print student copy for the class, or Print with answers for yourself.
Ideas for class
Before reading, put landform, steep, peak and valley on the board with their meanings from the Words to know section and have students predict what the text will be about.
Read it aloud once while students follow along, then have them reread it alone or with a partner. At a calm 100 words a minute it takes about 1 minute to read aloud.
Use the Read it big button (or B) to put the text on the projector, and Show answer on one question at a time so the class commits to an answer first.
Question 5 asks the reader to infer. Ask students to point to the words in the passage that led them to their answer.
Ask students to write one question the passage did not answer, then look for the answer in a book or on a classroom screen.
Print the student copy for independent work and keep the answer-key copy for yourself.
What reading level is "Hills, Mountains, and Valleys"?
It was written for 1st grade. It has 93 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.2. That is a formula's estimate from sentence length and syllables, and it is not a Lexile or a guided reading level, so check it against your students.
What do the questions ask?
There are five. 4 ask for something the text says directly and 1 ask the reader to work something out from clues. Each has an answer in the key, and the answers are written as a teacher would accept them, not as the only possible wording.
How long does it take to read?
About 1 minute read aloud at 100 words a minute. For a one-minute fluency check, paste it into the fluency timer and use the word count.
Can I print it?
Yes. Print student copy gives the passage, the questions with lines to write on, and the word meanings. Print with answers gives the same page with the answers filled in. Both are made in your browser.
Is this passage from a published book?
No. It was written for Peabody Teach, so there is no book to buy and no login to read it.
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