1st grade fiction passage about a small light helps: 104 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
1st gradefictiona small light helps104 words
The Dim Firefly and the Lost Chick
Flick the firefly had a very dim light. The other fireflies glowed bright. Flick felt small and sad.
One night a lost chick peeped in the tall grass. It was dark. The bright fireflies had gone to the far field.
Flick flew down. His light was dim, but it was enough to see the grass. "Follow me," he said. He lit the path, one step at a time.
The chick found the way home to its mother, who gave it a big hug. "Thank you, Flick," said the chick. Flick glowed a little brighter that night, and he did not feel small at all.
Questions
What was Flick's light like? in the text
Who was lost in the grass? in the text
Where had the bright fireflies gone? in the text
Where did the chick go with Flick's help? in the text
Why did Flick glow a little brighter? think about it
Words to know
dim
not very bright
firefly
a small bug that makes its own light
peep
to make a small, high sound
path
a narrow way to walk along
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Dim Firefly and the Lost Chick
1st grade reading passage
Flick the firefly had a very dim light. The other fireflies glowed bright. Flick felt small and sad.
One night a lost chick peeped in the tall grass. It was dark. The bright fireflies had gone to the far field.
Flick flew down. His light was dim, but it was enough to see the grass. "Follow me," he said. He lit the path, one step at a time.
The chick found the way home to its mother, who gave it a big hug. "Thank you, Flick," said the chick. Flick glowed a little brighter that night, and he did not feel small at all.
Questions
What was Flick's light like?
Who was lost in the grass?
Where had the bright fireflies gone?
Where did the chick go with Flick's help?
Why did Flick glow a little brighter?
Words to know
dim: not very bright
firefly: a small bug that makes its own light
peep: to make a small, high sound
path: a narrow way to walk along
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/1/the-dim-firefly-and-the-lost-chick
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 · 66 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.4
Flick the firefly had a dim light. The rest glowed bright. Flick felt small.
One night a lost chick peeped in the grass. It was dark. The bright ones were far away.
Flick flew down. His light was dim, but it was enough. "Come," he said. He lit the way.
The chick found its way home to its mother. Flick glowed a little brighter that night.
▲ This passage · 104 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.8
Flick the firefly had a very dim light. The other fireflies glowed bright. Flick felt small and sad.
One night a lost chick peeped in the tall grass. It was dark. The bright fireflies had gone to the far field.
Flick flew down. His light was dim, but it was enough to see the grass. "Follow me," he said. He lit the path, one step at a time.
The chick found the way home to its mother, who gave it a big hug. "Thank you, Flick," said the chick. Flick glowed a little brighter that night, and he did not feel small at all.
■ Harder · 100 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7
Flick the firefly had a very dim light, while the other fireflies glowed brightly. Flick often felt small beside them.
One night a lost chick peeped nervously in the tall grass. It was dark, and the bright fireflies had flown off to the far field.
Flick swooped down. His light was dim, but it was just enough to show the grass ahead. "Follow me," he said kindly, and he lit the path one step at a time.
The chick found its way home to its mother. "Thank you, Flick," it said. That night Flick glowed a little brighter than before.
Flick the firefly had a dim light. The rest glowed bright. Flick felt small.
One night a lost chick peeped in the grass. It was dark. The bright ones were far away.
Flick flew down. His light was dim, but it was enough. "Come," he said. He lit the way.
The chick found its way home to its mother. Flick glowed a little brighter that night.
Questions
What was Flick's light like?
Who was lost in the grass?
Where were the bright fireflies?
Where did the chick go with Flick's help?
Why did Flick glow a little brighter?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Dim Firefly and the Lost Chick
Flick the firefly had a very dim light. The other fireflies glowed bright. Flick felt small and sad.
One night a lost chick peeped in the tall grass. It was dark. The bright fireflies had gone to the far field.
Flick flew down. His light was dim, but it was enough to see the grass. "Follow me," he said. He lit the path, one step at a time.
The chick found the way home to its mother, who gave it a big hug. "Thank you, Flick," said the chick. Flick glowed a little brighter that night, and he did not feel small at all.
Questions
What was Flick's light like?
Who was lost in the grass?
Where had the bright fireflies gone?
Where did the chick go with Flick's help?
Why did Flick glow a little brighter?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Dim Firefly and the Lost Chick
Flick the firefly had a very dim light, while the other fireflies glowed brightly. Flick often felt small beside them.
One night a lost chick peeped nervously in the tall grass. It was dark, and the bright fireflies had flown off to the far field.
Flick swooped down. His light was dim, but it was just enough to show the grass ahead. "Follow me," he said kindly, and he lit the path one step at a time.
The chick found its way home to its mother. "Thank you, Flick," it said. That night Flick glowed a little brighter than before.
Questions
What was Flick's light like?
Who was lost in the tall grass?
Where had the bright fireflies flown?
Where did the chick go with Flick's help?
Why did Flick glow a little brighter that night?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Dim Firefly and the Lost Chick
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.4)
Dim.
A chick.
Far away.
Home to its mother.
He was proud that his small light helped.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.8)
Very dim.
A chick.
To the far field.
Home to its mother.
He felt proud that his small light had helped.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7)
Very dim.
A chick.
To the far field.
Home to its mother.
He felt proud that his small light had helped the chick.
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 dim, firefly, peep and path 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 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 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 "The Dim Firefly and the Lost Chick"?
It was written for 1st grade. It has 104 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 0.8. 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.
Nothing you do here is sent to us. No sign-in, no ads.