3rd grade nonfiction passage about designing a town flag: 167 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictiondesigning a town flag167 words
A Flag That Says Who We Are
A flag is a simple way for a group to show who it is. Countries have flags, and so do states. Many cities and towns have flags too. A good flag tells a bit of the town's story.
Every color and picture can have a meaning. Blue might stand for a river that runs through town. Green might stand for parks and farms. A wheat plant might show that the town grew up around farming.
Experts who study flags give a helpful tip. Keep it simple. A flag waves high on a pole, and people see it from far away. If it has too many shapes or tiny words, nobody can tell what it shows. Using just a few colors makes a flag easy to remember.
Some towns ask students to design a new flag. Everyone can look at the drawings, and then people vote on a favorite. The winner flies at town hall and at parades. It reminds people that they belong to the same place.
Questions
What is a flag a way for a group to do? in the text
What might the color blue stand for on a town flag? in the text
What might a wheat plant show? in the text
What tip do flag experts give? in the text
Why is a flag with tiny words hard to use? think about it
How do some towns pick a new flag? in the text
Words to know
design
to plan how something will look
stand for
to mean or show something
experts
people who know a lot about one thing
parades
groups of people who march or ride down a street to celebrate
belong
to be a part of a group or place
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
A Flag That Says Who We Are
3rd grade reading passage
A flag is a simple way for a group to show who it is. Countries have flags, and so do states. Many cities and towns have flags too. A good flag tells a bit of the town's story.
Every color and picture can have a meaning. Blue might stand for a river that runs through town. Green might stand for parks and farms. A wheat plant might show that the town grew up around farming.
Experts who study flags give a helpful tip. Keep it simple. A flag waves high on a pole, and people see it from far away. If it has too many shapes or tiny words, nobody can tell what it shows. Using just a few colors makes a flag easy to remember.
Some towns ask students to design a new flag. Everyone can look at the drawings, and then people vote on a favorite. The winner flies at town hall and at parades. It reminds people that they belong to the same place.
Questions
What is a flag a way for a group to do?
What might the color blue stand for on a town flag?
What might a wheat plant show?
What tip do flag experts give?
Why is a flag with tiny words hard to use?
How do some towns pick a new flag?
Words to know
design: to plan how something will look
stand for: to mean or show something
experts: people who know a lot about one thing
parades: groups of people who march or ride down a street to celebrate
belong: to be a part of a group or place
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/a-flag-that-says-who-we-are
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 · 133 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.8
A flag shows who a group is. Countries have flags. States have flags. Many towns have flags too. A good flag tells a bit of the town's story.
Each color and picture can have a meaning. Blue might stand for a river in town. Green might stand for parks and farms. A wheat plant might show the town grew up around farming.
Experts who study flags give a tip. Keep it simple. A flag flies high on a pole. People see it from far away. Too many shapes or tiny words are hard to read. A few colors are easy to remember.
Some towns ask students to design a new flag. People look at the drawings and vote. The winner flies at town hall. It reminds people they belong to the same place.
▲ This passage · 167 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.2
A flag is a simple way for a group to show who it is. Countries have flags, and so do states. Many cities and towns have flags too. A good flag tells a bit of the town's story.
Every color and picture can have a meaning. Blue might stand for a river that runs through town. Green might stand for parks and farms. A wheat plant might show that the town grew up around farming.
Experts who study flags give a helpful tip. Keep it simple. A flag waves high on a pole, and people see it from far away. If it has too many shapes or tiny words, nobody can tell what it shows. Using just a few colors makes a flag easy to remember.
Some towns ask students to design a new flag. Everyone can look at the drawings, and then people vote on a favorite. The winner flies at town hall and at parades. It reminds people that they belong to the same place.
■ Harder · 184 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.7
A flag is a simple and powerful way for a group of people to show who they are. Countries have flags, and so do states, and many cities and towns have their own as well. A well-made flag tells a small part of the town's story.
Every color and picture on a flag can carry a meaning. Blue might stand for a river that runs through town, while green might represent the parks and farms nearby. A wheat plant could show that the town grew up around farming.
Experts who study flags offer one helpful piece of advice: keep the design simple. A flag waves high on a tall pole, and people often view it from far away. If it contains too many shapes or tiny words, nobody can tell what it shows. A few colors also make a flag easier to remember.
Some towns invite students to design a new flag. Everyone looks at the drawings, and then people vote for a favorite. The winning design flies at town hall and at parades, reminding people that they belong to the same place.
A flag shows who a group is. Countries have flags. States have flags. Many towns have flags too. A good flag tells a bit of the town's story.
Each color and picture can have a meaning. Blue might stand for a river in town. Green might stand for parks and farms. A wheat plant might show the town grew up around farming.
Experts who study flags give a tip. Keep it simple. A flag flies high on a pole. People see it from far away. Too many shapes or tiny words are hard to read. A few colors are easy to remember.
Some towns ask students to design a new flag. People look at the drawings and vote. The winner flies at town hall. It reminds people they belong to the same place.
Questions
What does a flag help a group do?
What might blue stand for?
What might a wheat plant show?
What tip do flag experts give?
Why are tiny words a problem on a flag?
How do some towns pick a new flag?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
A Flag That Says Who We Are
A flag is a simple way for a group to show who it is. Countries have flags, and so do states. Many cities and towns have flags too. A good flag tells a bit of the town's story.
Every color and picture can have a meaning. Blue might stand for a river that runs through town. Green might stand for parks and farms. A wheat plant might show that the town grew up around farming.
Experts who study flags give a helpful tip. Keep it simple. A flag waves high on a pole, and people see it from far away. If it has too many shapes or tiny words, nobody can tell what it shows. Using just a few colors makes a flag easy to remember.
Some towns ask students to design a new flag. Everyone can look at the drawings, and then people vote on a favorite. The winner flies at town hall and at parades. It reminds people that they belong to the same place.
Questions
What is a flag a way for a group to do?
What might the color blue stand for on a town flag?
What might a wheat plant show?
What tip do flag experts give?
Why is a flag with tiny words hard to use?
How do some towns pick a new flag?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
A Flag That Says Who We Are
A flag is a simple and powerful way for a group of people to show who they are. Countries have flags, and so do states, and many cities and towns have their own as well. A well-made flag tells a small part of the town's story.
Every color and picture on a flag can carry a meaning. Blue might stand for a river that runs through town, while green might represent the parks and farms nearby. A wheat plant could show that the town grew up around farming.
Experts who study flags offer one helpful piece of advice: keep the design simple. A flag waves high on a tall pole, and people often view it from far away. If it contains too many shapes or tiny words, nobody can tell what it shows. A few colors also make a flag easier to remember.
Some towns invite students to design a new flag. Everyone looks at the drawings, and then people vote for a favorite. The winning design flies at town hall and at parades, reminding people that they belong to the same place.
Questions
What does a flag allow a group of people to do?
What might the color blue stand for on a town flag?
What could a wheat plant show on a flag?
What advice do flag experts offer?
Why would tiny words make a flag hard to understand?
How do some towns choose a new flag design?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: A Flag That Says Who We Are
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.8)
Show who the group is.
A river in the town.
That the town grew up around farming.
Keep it simple.
People far away cannot read them.
Students draw designs, and people vote.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.2)
To show who the group is.
A river that runs through the town.
That the town grew up around farming.
Keep it simple.
People looking from far away cannot read the tiny words.
Students make designs, and people vote for a favorite.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.7)
Show who they are.
A river that runs through the town.
That the town grew up around farming.
Keep the design simple.
People who view it from far away cannot read tiny words.
Students create designs, and people vote for a favorite.
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 design, stand for, experts, parades and belong 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 2 minutes 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 "A Flag That Says Who We Are"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 167 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.2. 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 six. 5 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 2 minutes 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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