1st grade fiction passage about a gardening chore: 97 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
1st gradefictiona gardening chore97 words
Teo and the Wobbly Bean Row
Teo's job at home was to plant beans. Dad gave him a string and a pack of seeds.
"Pull the string tight," said Dad. "Plant along it. Then the row will be straight."
Teo was in a hurry. He did not use the string. He pushed the seeds into the dirt here and there. His row looked like a snake.
Dad smiled. "It is okay. Let us try again."
This time, Teo pulled the string tight. He planted slowly, one seed at a time. In a few weeks, little green sprouts popped up in a neat line.
Questions
What was Teo's job at home? in the text
What did Dad give Teo to help? in the text
What did Teo's first row look like? in the text
Why did Teo's first row come out crooked? think about it
What came up in a neat line? in the text
Words to know
plant
to put a seed in the ground so it can grow
row
a line of things side by side
sprout
a tiny new plant
neat
tidy and in good order
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Teo and the Wobbly Bean Row
1st grade reading passage
Teo's job at home was to plant beans. Dad gave him a string and a pack of seeds.
"Pull the string tight," said Dad. "Plant along it. Then the row will be straight."
Teo was in a hurry. He did not use the string. He pushed the seeds into the dirt here and there. His row looked like a snake.
Dad smiled. "It is okay. Let us try again."
This time, Teo pulled the string tight. He planted slowly, one seed at a time. In a few weeks, little green sprouts popped up in a neat line.
Questions
What was Teo's job at home?
What did Dad give Teo to help?
What did Teo's first row look like?
Why did Teo's first row come out crooked?
What came up in a neat line?
Words to know
plant: to put a seed in the ground so it can grow
row: a line of things side by side
sprout: a tiny new plant
neat: tidy and in good order
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/1/teo-and-the-wobbly-bean-row
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 · 82 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade -1.2
Teo had a job at home. He had to plant beans. Dad gave him a string and some seeds.
"Pull the string tight," said Dad. "Plant by it. Then the row is straight."
Teo was in a hurry. He did not use the string. He put seeds here and there. His row looked like a snake.
Dad smiled. "It is okay. Try again."
This time, Teo pulled the string tight. He planted slow. Soon, green sprouts came up in a neat line.
▲ This passage · 97 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.2
Teo's job at home was to plant beans. Dad gave him a string and a pack of seeds.
"Pull the string tight," said Dad. "Plant along it. Then the row will be straight."
Teo was in a hurry. He did not use the string. He pushed the seeds into the dirt here and there. His row looked like a snake.
Dad smiled. "It is okay. Let us try again."
This time, Teo pulled the string tight. He planted slowly, one seed at a time. In a few weeks, little green sprouts popped up in a neat line.
■ Harder · 112 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.9
Teo's job at home was to plant the beans in the garden. Dad handed him a ball of string and a pack of seeds.
"Pull the string tight and plant along it," said Dad. "That way, the row will come out straight."
Teo was in a big hurry, so he skipped the string. He pushed the seeds into the dirt here and there, and his row ended up looking like a wiggly snake.
Dad smiled kindly. "That is okay. Let us try again."
This time, Teo pulled the string tight and planted slowly, one seed at a time. A few weeks later, little green sprouts popped up in a neat, straight line.
Teo had a job at home. He had to plant beans. Dad gave him a string and some seeds.
"Pull the string tight," said Dad. "Plant by it. Then the row is straight."
Teo was in a hurry. He did not use the string. He put seeds here and there. His row looked like a snake.
Dad smiled. "It is okay. Try again."
This time, Teo pulled the string tight. He planted slow. Soon, green sprouts came up in a neat line.
Questions
What was Teo's job?
What did Dad give Teo?
What did the first row look like?
Why was the first row crooked?
What came up in a neat line?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Teo and the Wobbly Bean Row
Teo's job at home was to plant beans. Dad gave him a string and a pack of seeds.
"Pull the string tight," said Dad. "Plant along it. Then the row will be straight."
Teo was in a hurry. He did not use the string. He pushed the seeds into the dirt here and there. His row looked like a snake.
Dad smiled. "It is okay. Let us try again."
This time, Teo pulled the string tight. He planted slowly, one seed at a time. In a few weeks, little green sprouts popped up in a neat line.
Questions
What was Teo's job at home?
What did Dad give Teo to help?
What did Teo's first row look like?
Why did Teo's first row come out crooked?
What came up in a neat line?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Teo and the Wobbly Bean Row
Teo's job at home was to plant the beans in the garden. Dad handed him a ball of string and a pack of seeds.
"Pull the string tight and plant along it," said Dad. "That way, the row will come out straight."
Teo was in a big hurry, so he skipped the string. He pushed the seeds into the dirt here and there, and his row ended up looking like a wiggly snake.
Dad smiled kindly. "That is okay. Let us try again."
This time, Teo pulled the string tight and planted slowly, one seed at a time. A few weeks later, little green sprouts popped up in a neat, straight line.
Questions
What was Teo's job at home?
What did Dad hand to Teo to help him?
What did Teo's first row end up looking like?
Why did Teo's first row come out crooked?
What popped up in a neat line a few weeks later?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Teo and the Wobbly Bean Row
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade -1.2)
To plant beans.
A string and some seeds.
A snake.
Teo hurried and did not use the string.
Green sprouts.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.2)
To plant beans.
A string and a pack of seeds.
A snake.
He hurried and did not use the string.
Little green sprouts.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.9)
To plant the beans in the garden.
A ball of string and a pack of seeds.
A wiggly snake.
He was in a hurry and skipped the string.
Little green sprouts.
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 plant, row, sprout and neat 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 "Teo and the Wobbly Bean Row"?
It was written for 1st grade. It has 97 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. 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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