3rd grade nonfiction passage about calluses and skin: 161 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictioncalluses and skin161 words
Calluses: Tough Skin You Grow Yourself
Run your thumb over the fingertips of someone who plays the guitar. You may feel hard, thick patches. These patches are called calluses.
Skin has a top layer that protects the soft parts underneath. When something rubs or presses on one spot again and again, the skin there gets a message. It grows thicker to guard itself. A callus is just extra skin built where it is needed most.
You can find calluses in many places. Gardeners get them on their palms from holding tools. Kids who swing on monkey bars may get them near the base of their fingers. People who walk a lot barefoot can have them on their heels.
Calluses are helpful, but a sudden rub is different. If skin is rubbed hard before it has time to thicken, a blister can pop up. A blister is a small bubble filled with clear liquid. Wearing shoes that fit well and gloves for rough jobs can help stop both.
Questions
What are calluses? in the text
What does the top layer of skin do? in the text
What makes skin grow thicker in one spot? in the text
Where might a gardener get calluses? in the text
What is a blister? in the text
Why might a new pair of tight shoes cause a blister instead of a callus? think about it
Words to know
callus
a thick, hard patch of skin made by rubbing
layer
one flat covering on top of another
patches
small areas that look different from what is around them
blister
a small bubble on the skin filled with clear liquid
guard
to keep safe from harm
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Calluses: Tough Skin You Grow Yourself
3rd grade reading passage
Run your thumb over the fingertips of someone who plays the guitar. You may feel hard, thick patches. These patches are called calluses.
Skin has a top layer that protects the soft parts underneath. When something rubs or presses on one spot again and again, the skin there gets a message. It grows thicker to guard itself. A callus is just extra skin built where it is needed most.
You can find calluses in many places. Gardeners get them on their palms from holding tools. Kids who swing on monkey bars may get them near the base of their fingers. People who walk a lot barefoot can have them on their heels.
Calluses are helpful, but a sudden rub is different. If skin is rubbed hard before it has time to thicken, a blister can pop up. A blister is a small bubble filled with clear liquid. Wearing shoes that fit well and gloves for rough jobs can help stop both.
Questions
What are calluses?
What does the top layer of skin do?
What makes skin grow thicker in one spot?
Where might a gardener get calluses?
What is a blister?
Why might a new pair of tight shoes cause a blister instead of a callus?
Words to know
callus: a thick, hard patch of skin made by rubbing
layer: one flat covering on top of another
patches: small areas that look different from what is around them
blister: a small bubble on the skin filled with clear liquid
guard: to keep safe from harm
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/calluses-tough-skin-you-grow-yourself
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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 · 121 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2
Feel the fingertips of a guitar player. You may find hard, thick patches. They are called calluses.
Your skin has a top layer. It keeps the soft parts under it safe. When something rubs one spot again and again, the skin there grows thicker. It guards itself. A callus is extra skin where you need it.
Gardeners get calluses on their palms from tools. Kids on monkey bars may get them on their fingers. People who walk barefoot may get them on their heels.
A sudden rub is not the same. The skin has no time to get thick. A blister may pop up. A blister is a small bubble with clear liquid. Shoes that fit well and gloves can help.
▲ This passage · 161 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1
Run your thumb over the fingertips of someone who plays the guitar. You may feel hard, thick patches. These patches are called calluses.
Skin has a top layer that protects the soft parts underneath. When something rubs or presses on one spot again and again, the skin there gets a message. It grows thicker to guard itself. A callus is just extra skin built where it is needed most.
You can find calluses in many places. Gardeners get them on their palms from holding tools. Kids who swing on monkey bars may get them near the base of their fingers. People who walk a lot barefoot can have them on their heels.
Calluses are helpful, but a sudden rub is different. If skin is rubbed hard before it has time to thicken, a blister can pop up. A blister is a small bubble filled with clear liquid. Wearing shoes that fit well and gloves for rough jobs can help stop both.
■ Harder · 171 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.5
Run your thumb across the fingertips of someone who plays the guitar every day, and you will probably feel hard, thick patches of skin. Those patches are called calluses.
Skin has a top layer that protects the soft parts beneath it. When something rubs or presses on the same spot again and again, the skin there receives a message and grows thicker in order to guard itself. A callus is simply extra skin built exactly where it is needed most.
Calluses appear in many places. Gardeners develop them on their palms from gripping tools, children who swing across monkey bars may get them near the base of their fingers, and people who often walk barefoot can have them on their heels.
Calluses are helpful, but a sudden, harsh rub is different. If skin is rubbed hard before it has time to thicken, a blister can pop up, which is a small bubble filled with clear liquid. Wearing well-fitting shoes and putting on gloves for rough jobs can help prevent both.
Feel the fingertips of a guitar player. You may find hard, thick patches. They are called calluses.
Your skin has a top layer. It keeps the soft parts under it safe. When something rubs one spot again and again, the skin there grows thicker. It guards itself. A callus is extra skin where you need it.
Gardeners get calluses on their palms from tools. Kids on monkey bars may get them on their fingers. People who walk barefoot may get them on their heels.
A sudden rub is not the same. The skin has no time to get thick. A blister may pop up. A blister is a small bubble with clear liquid. Shoes that fit well and gloves can help.
Questions
What are calluses?
What does the top layer of skin do?
What makes skin grow thicker in one spot?
Where might a gardener get calluses?
What is a blister?
Why might tight new shoes cause a blister, not a callus?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Calluses: Tough Skin You Grow Yourself
Run your thumb over the fingertips of someone who plays the guitar. You may feel hard, thick patches. These patches are called calluses.
Skin has a top layer that protects the soft parts underneath. When something rubs or presses on one spot again and again, the skin there gets a message. It grows thicker to guard itself. A callus is just extra skin built where it is needed most.
You can find calluses in many places. Gardeners get them on their palms from holding tools. Kids who swing on monkey bars may get them near the base of their fingers. People who walk a lot barefoot can have them on their heels.
Calluses are helpful, but a sudden rub is different. If skin is rubbed hard before it has time to thicken, a blister can pop up. A blister is a small bubble filled with clear liquid. Wearing shoes that fit well and gloves for rough jobs can help stop both.
Questions
What are calluses?
What does the top layer of skin do?
What makes skin grow thicker in one spot?
Where might a gardener get calluses?
What is a blister?
Why might a new pair of tight shoes cause a blister instead of a callus?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Calluses: Tough Skin You Grow Yourself
Run your thumb across the fingertips of someone who plays the guitar every day, and you will probably feel hard, thick patches of skin. Those patches are called calluses.
Skin has a top layer that protects the soft parts beneath it. When something rubs or presses on the same spot again and again, the skin there receives a message and grows thicker in order to guard itself. A callus is simply extra skin built exactly where it is needed most.
Calluses appear in many places. Gardeners develop them on their palms from gripping tools, children who swing across monkey bars may get them near the base of their fingers, and people who often walk barefoot can have them on their heels.
Calluses are helpful, but a sudden, harsh rub is different. If skin is rubbed hard before it has time to thicken, a blister can pop up, which is a small bubble filled with clear liquid. Wearing well-fitting shoes and putting on gloves for rough jobs can help prevent both.
Questions
What are calluses?
What does the top layer of skin protect?
What makes the skin grow thicker in one spot?
Why might a gardener develop calluses on the palms?
What is a blister?
Why might a pair of tight new shoes cause a blister instead of a callus?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Calluses: Tough Skin You Grow Yourself
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2)
Hard, thick patches of skin.
It keeps the soft parts under it safe.
Rubbing on it again and again.
On the palms of the hands.
A small bubble with clear liquid.
The rubbing is sudden, so the skin has no time to get thick.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1)
Hard, thick patches of skin.
It protects the soft parts underneath.
Rubbing or pressing on it again and again.
On the palms of the hands.
A small bubble filled with clear liquid.
The rubbing is sudden, so the skin has no time to thicken first.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.5)
Hard, thick patches of skin.
The soft parts beneath it.
Rubbing or pressing on the same spot again and again.
From gripping tools.
A small bubble filled with clear liquid.
The rubbing is sudden, so the skin does not have time to thicken first.
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 callus, layer, patches, blister and guard 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 6 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 "Calluses: Tough Skin You Grow Yourself"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 161 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.1. 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 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?
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