1st grade fiction passage about learning a first instrument: 92 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
1st gradefictionlearning a first instrument92 words
Pip and the Squeaky Recorder
Pip got a recorder in music class. It was a long, thin flute made of plastic. Pip was so glad.
Pip blew hard. Squeak! The sound hurt Pip's ears. The class giggled.
"Not so hard," said Ms. Dell. "Blow like you are fogging a cold window."
Pip took a soft breath. She covered the holes with her fingers. Toot. It was a small, sweet sound.
Every day, Pip played a little more. By Friday, she could play three notes in a row. Ms. Dell clapped. "That is a real song!" she said.
Questions
What did Pip get in music class? in the text
What did the recorder do when Pip blew hard? in the text
How many notes could Pip play by Friday? in the text
Why did Pip get a sweet sound the second time? think about it
What helped Pip get better at the recorder? think about it
Words to know
recorder
a small flute that you play by blowing
squeak
a short, high sound
giggle
to laugh in a small, silly way
note
one sound in a song
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Pip and the Squeaky Recorder
1st grade reading passage
Pip got a recorder in music class. It was a long, thin flute made of plastic. Pip was so glad.
Pip blew hard. Squeak! The sound hurt Pip's ears. The class giggled.
"Not so hard," said Ms. Dell. "Blow like you are fogging a cold window."
Pip took a soft breath. She covered the holes with her fingers. Toot. It was a small, sweet sound.
Every day, Pip played a little more. By Friday, she could play three notes in a row. Ms. Dell clapped. "That is a real song!" she said.
Questions
What did Pip get in music class?
What did the recorder do when Pip blew hard?
How many notes could Pip play by Friday?
Why did Pip get a sweet sound the second time?
What helped Pip get better at the recorder?
Words to know
recorder: a small flute that you play by blowing
squeak: a short, high sound
giggle: to laugh in a small, silly way
note: one sound in a song
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/1/pip-and-the-squeaky-recorder
Share
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 · 71 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.4
Pip got a recorder in music class. It was a thin plastic flute.
Pip blew hard. Squeak! The class giggled.
"Not so hard," said Ms. Dell. "Blow soft, like on a cold window."
Pip took a soft breath. She put her fingers on the holes. Toot. It was a sweet sound.
Pip played a little each day. By Friday, she played three notes. Ms. Dell clapped. "That is a real song!"
▲ This passage · 92 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0
Pip got a recorder in music class. It was a long, thin flute made of plastic. Pip was so glad.
Pip blew hard. Squeak! The sound hurt Pip's ears. The class giggled.
"Not so hard," said Ms. Dell. "Blow like you are fogging a cold window."
Pip took a soft breath. She covered the holes with her fingers. Toot. It was a small, sweet sound.
Every day, Pip played a little more. By Friday, she could play three notes in a row. Ms. Dell clapped. "That is a real song!" she said.
■ Harder · 112 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.9
In music class, Pip was given a recorder, which is a long, thin flute made of smooth plastic.
Pip took a huge breath and blew as hard as she could. Squeak! The awful sound hurt her ears, and the whole class giggled.
"Not so hard," said Ms. Dell kindly. "Try blowing the way you would fog up a cold window."
Pip took a soft breath and carefully covered the holes with her fingers. Toot. It was a small, sweet sound.
Every day after that, Pip practiced a little more. By Friday, she could play three notes in a row. Ms. Dell clapped her hands. "Now that is a real song!" she said.
Pip got a recorder in music class. It was a thin plastic flute.
Pip blew hard. Squeak! The class giggled.
"Not so hard," said Ms. Dell. "Blow soft, like on a cold window."
Pip took a soft breath. She put her fingers on the holes. Toot. It was a sweet sound.
Pip played a little each day. By Friday, she played three notes. Ms. Dell clapped. "That is a real song!"
Questions
What did Pip get?
What did the recorder do when Pip blew hard?
How many notes did Pip play by Friday?
Why was the sound sweet the second time?
What helped Pip get better?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Pip and the Squeaky Recorder
Pip got a recorder in music class. It was a long, thin flute made of plastic. Pip was so glad.
Pip blew hard. Squeak! The sound hurt Pip's ears. The class giggled.
"Not so hard," said Ms. Dell. "Blow like you are fogging a cold window."
Pip took a soft breath. She covered the holes with her fingers. Toot. It was a small, sweet sound.
Every day, Pip played a little more. By Friday, she could play three notes in a row. Ms. Dell clapped. "That is a real song!" she said.
Questions
What did Pip get in music class?
What did the recorder do when Pip blew hard?
How many notes could Pip play by Friday?
Why did Pip get a sweet sound the second time?
What helped Pip get better at the recorder?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Pip and the Squeaky Recorder
In music class, Pip was given a recorder, which is a long, thin flute made of smooth plastic.
Pip took a huge breath and blew as hard as she could. Squeak! The awful sound hurt her ears, and the whole class giggled.
"Not so hard," said Ms. Dell kindly. "Try blowing the way you would fog up a cold window."
Pip took a soft breath and carefully covered the holes with her fingers. Toot. It was a small, sweet sound.
Every day after that, Pip practiced a little more. By Friday, she could play three notes in a row. Ms. Dell clapped her hands. "Now that is a real song!" she said.
Questions
What was Pip given in music class?
What happened when Pip blew as hard as she could?
How many notes in a row could Pip play by Friday?
Why did Pip make a sweet sound the second time?
What made Pip better at the recorder?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Pip and the Squeaky Recorder
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.4)
A recorder.
It made a squeak.
Three notes.
Pip blew soft.
She played a little each day.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0)
A recorder.
It made a squeak.
Three notes.
She blew softly instead of hard.
She played a little more every day.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.9)
A recorder.
The recorder made a squeak.
Three notes.
She blew softly instead of hard.
She practiced a little more every day.
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 recorder, squeak, giggle and note on the board with their meanings from the Words to know section and have students predict what the story 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 4 asks the reader to infer. Ask students to point to the words in the passage that led them to their answer.
Ask students to retell the story in three sentences: how it began, what the problem was, and how it ended.
Print the student copy for independent work and keep the answer-key copy for yourself.
What reading level is "Pip and the Squeaky Recorder"?
It was written for 1st grade. It has 92 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about below 1. 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. 3 ask for something the text says directly and 2 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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