3rd grade nonfiction passage about magnets working through objects: 175 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionmagnets working through objects175 words
A Magnet Can Reach Through Paper
Put a paper clip on a table. Slide a sheet of paper over it. Now hold a magnet above the paper. The clip jumps up and sticks to the underside of the paper! The magnet pulled it right through.
A magnet has an invisible area around it called a magnetic field. Within that area, the magnet can pull on things made of iron and steel. A paper clip is made of steel, so the magnet pulls it.
Paper does not block the magnetic field. Neither does a thin piece of plastic or cloth. A magnet can pull a clip through a cup, as long as the cup is thin.
The pull gets weaker with distance. If you lift the magnet far above the paper, the clip stays put. The magnet has to be close enough for the clip to be inside its field.
Not everything is pulled by a magnet. Wood, paper, glass and most plastics are not attracted at all. A magnet can sort a pile of steel and wooden things in a flash.
Questions
What happens to the clip when you hold a magnet above the paper? in the text
What is the area around a magnet called? in the text
Which two metals does a magnet pull on? in the text
What happens to the pull as the distance grows? in the text
Why does the clip stay put if the magnet is far away? think about it
Which two things does a magnet not pull? in the text
Words to know
magnet
a piece of metal that pulls on iron and steel
invisible
not able to be seen
field
the space where a force can be felt
steel
a strong metal made mostly from iron
attracted
pulled toward something
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
A Magnet Can Reach Through Paper
3rd grade reading passage
Put a paper clip on a table. Slide a sheet of paper over it. Now hold a magnet above the paper. The clip jumps up and sticks to the underside of the paper! The magnet pulled it right through.
A magnet has an invisible area around it called a magnetic field. Within that area, the magnet can pull on things made of iron and steel. A paper clip is made of steel, so the magnet pulls it.
Paper does not block the magnetic field. Neither does a thin piece of plastic or cloth. A magnet can pull a clip through a cup, as long as the cup is thin.
The pull gets weaker with distance. If you lift the magnet far above the paper, the clip stays put. The magnet has to be close enough for the clip to be inside its field.
Not everything is pulled by a magnet. Wood, paper, glass and most plastics are not attracted at all. A magnet can sort a pile of steel and wooden things in a flash.
Questions
What happens to the clip when you hold a magnet above the paper?
What is the area around a magnet called?
Which two metals does a magnet pull on?
What happens to the pull as the distance grows?
Why does the clip stay put if the magnet is far away?
Which two things does a magnet not pull?
Words to know
magnet: a piece of metal that pulls on iron and steel
invisible: not able to be seen
field: the space where a force can be felt
steel: a strong metal made mostly from iron
attracted: pulled toward something
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/a-magnet-can-reach-through-paper
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 · 144 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2
Put a paper clip on a table. Slide a sheet of paper over it. Hold a magnet above the paper. The clip jumps up. It sticks to the paper from below! The magnet pulled it through.
A magnet has an area around it that you cannot see. It is the magnetic field. In this area, the magnet pulls on things made of iron and steel. A paper clip is made of steel. So the magnet pulls it.
Paper does not block the field. Thin plastic and cloth do not block it. A magnet can pull a clip through a thin cup.
The pull gets weaker when the magnet is far. Lift the magnet high above the paper. The clip stays put. The clip must be inside the field.
A magnet does not pull everything. It does not pull wood, paper, glass or most plastic.
▲ This passage · 175 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.6
Put a paper clip on a table. Slide a sheet of paper over it. Now hold a magnet above the paper. The clip jumps up and sticks to the underside of the paper! The magnet pulled it right through.
A magnet has an invisible area around it called a magnetic field. Within that area, the magnet can pull on things made of iron and steel. A paper clip is made of steel, so the magnet pulls it.
Paper does not block the magnetic field. Neither does a thin piece of plastic or cloth. A magnet can pull a clip through a cup, as long as the cup is thin.
The pull gets weaker with distance. If you lift the magnet far above the paper, the clip stays put. The magnet has to be close enough for the clip to be inside its field.
Not everything is pulled by a magnet. Wood, paper, glass and most plastics are not attracted at all. A magnet can sort a pile of steel and wooden things in a flash.
■ Harder · 194 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.7
Set a paper clip on a table, then slide a sheet of paper over it. Now hold a magnet above the paper. Astonishingly, the clip leaps upward and clings to the underside of the paper! The magnet has pulled it straight through.
Every magnet is surrounded by an invisible region called a magnetic field. Within that region, the magnet is able to pull on objects made of iron and steel. Because a paper clip is made of steel, the magnet attracts it.
Paper does not block the magnetic field, and neither does a thin sheet of plastic or a piece of cloth. A magnet can even pull a clip through a cup, provided that the cup is thin.
The strength of the pull fades as the distance grows. If you raise the magnet far above the paper, the clip will simply stay where it is, since the magnet must be close enough for the clip to lie within its field.
Not everything is attracted to a magnet. Wood, paper, glass and most plastics are not pulled at all. This allows a magnet to sort a pile of steel and wooden objects in a flash.
Put a paper clip on a table. Slide a sheet of paper over it. Hold a magnet above the paper. The clip jumps up. It sticks to the paper from below! The magnet pulled it through.
A magnet has an area around it that you cannot see. It is the magnetic field. In this area, the magnet pulls on things made of iron and steel. A paper clip is made of steel. So the magnet pulls it.
Paper does not block the field. Thin plastic and cloth do not block it. A magnet can pull a clip through a thin cup.
The pull gets weaker when the magnet is far. Lift the magnet high above the paper. The clip stays put. The clip must be inside the field.
A magnet does not pull everything. It does not pull wood, paper, glass or most plastic.
Questions
What happens to the clip when you hold a magnet above the paper?
What is the area around a magnet called?
Which two metals does a magnet pull?
What happens to the pull when the magnet is far?
Why does the clip stay put if the magnet is far?
Which two things does a magnet not pull?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
A Magnet Can Reach Through Paper
Put a paper clip on a table. Slide a sheet of paper over it. Now hold a magnet above the paper. The clip jumps up and sticks to the underside of the paper! The magnet pulled it right through.
A magnet has an invisible area around it called a magnetic field. Within that area, the magnet can pull on things made of iron and steel. A paper clip is made of steel, so the magnet pulls it.
Paper does not block the magnetic field. Neither does a thin piece of plastic or cloth. A magnet can pull a clip through a cup, as long as the cup is thin.
The pull gets weaker with distance. If you lift the magnet far above the paper, the clip stays put. The magnet has to be close enough for the clip to be inside its field.
Not everything is pulled by a magnet. Wood, paper, glass and most plastics are not attracted at all. A magnet can sort a pile of steel and wooden things in a flash.
Questions
What happens to the clip when you hold a magnet above the paper?
What is the area around a magnet called?
Which two metals does a magnet pull on?
What happens to the pull as the distance grows?
Why does the clip stay put if the magnet is far away?
Which two things does a magnet not pull?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
A Magnet Can Reach Through Paper
Set a paper clip on a table, then slide a sheet of paper over it. Now hold a magnet above the paper. Astonishingly, the clip leaps upward and clings to the underside of the paper! The magnet has pulled it straight through.
Every magnet is surrounded by an invisible region called a magnetic field. Within that region, the magnet is able to pull on objects made of iron and steel. Because a paper clip is made of steel, the magnet attracts it.
Paper does not block the magnetic field, and neither does a thin sheet of plastic or a piece of cloth. A magnet can even pull a clip through a cup, provided that the cup is thin.
The strength of the pull fades as the distance grows. If you raise the magnet far above the paper, the clip will simply stay where it is, since the magnet must be close enough for the clip to lie within its field.
Not everything is attracted to a magnet. Wood, paper, glass and most plastics are not pulled at all. This allows a magnet to sort a pile of steel and wooden objects in a flash.
Questions
What happens to the clip when you hold a magnet above the paper?
What is the invisible region around a magnet called?
Which two metals can a magnet pull on?
What happens to the pull as the distance grows?
Why does the clip stay where it is if the magnet is far away?
Which two things does a magnet not pull?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: A Magnet Can Reach Through Paper
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2)
It jumps up and sticks to the paper from below.
The magnetic field.
Iron and steel.
It gets weaker.
The clip is not inside the magnetic field.
Wood and glass, or paper, or most plastic.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.6)
It jumps up and sticks to the underside of the paper.
A magnetic field.
Iron and steel.
It gets weaker.
The clip is not inside the magnetic field.
Wood and glass, or paper, or most plastics.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.7)
It leaps upward and clings to the underside of the paper.
A magnetic field.
Iron and steel.
It fades and gets weaker.
The clip does not lie within the magnetic field.
Wood and glass, or paper, or most plastics.
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 magnet, invisible, field, steel and attracted 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 Magnet Can Reach Through Paper"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 175 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.6. 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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