3rd grade nonfiction passage about sunspots: 164 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionsunspots164 words
Cool Dark Spots on the Sun
The Sun looks like a smooth, bright ball. But scientists who study it with special tools can see dark spots on its face. These are called sunspots.
A sunspot is dark because it is cooler than the gas around it. It is still very hot. It just looks dark next to the brighter, hotter parts. Sunspots are caused by strong pulls from magnets deep inside the Sun.
Some sunspots are small. Others are bigger than our whole planet. They do not last forever. A sunspot may fade away after a few days, or it may stay for a few weeks.
Sunspots also seem to move. Over many days, a spot slides across the face of the Sun from one side to the other. This happens because the Sun slowly turns, just as Earth does.
Remember, you should never look straight at the Sun. It can hurt your eyes. Scientists use filters and cameras made for the job, and they share the pictures with everyone.
Questions
What are the dark spots on the Sun called? in the text
Why does a sunspot look dark? in the text
What causes sunspots? in the text
How long might a sunspot last? in the text
Why do sunspots seem to slide across the Sun? think about it
Why do scientists use filters and cameras to study the Sun? think about it
Words to know
sunspot
a darker, cooler patch on the surface of the Sun
scientists
people who study how the world works
magnets
objects that pull on some metals
filters
special covers that block most of the light
fade
to slowly disappear
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Cool Dark Spots on the Sun
3rd grade reading passage
The Sun looks like a smooth, bright ball. But scientists who study it with special tools can see dark spots on its face. These are called sunspots.
A sunspot is dark because it is cooler than the gas around it. It is still very hot. It just looks dark next to the brighter, hotter parts. Sunspots are caused by strong pulls from magnets deep inside the Sun.
Some sunspots are small. Others are bigger than our whole planet. They do not last forever. A sunspot may fade away after a few days, or it may stay for a few weeks.
Sunspots also seem to move. Over many days, a spot slides across the face of the Sun from one side to the other. This happens because the Sun slowly turns, just as Earth does.
Remember, you should never look straight at the Sun. It can hurt your eyes. Scientists use filters and cameras made for the job, and they share the pictures with everyone.
Questions
What are the dark spots on the Sun called?
Why does a sunspot look dark?
What causes sunspots?
How long might a sunspot last?
Why do sunspots seem to slide across the Sun?
Why do scientists use filters and cameras to study the Sun?
Words to know
sunspot: a darker, cooler patch on the surface of the Sun
scientists: people who study how the world works
magnets: objects that pull on some metals
filters: special covers that block most of the light
fade: to slowly disappear
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/cool-dark-spots-on-the-sun
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 · 141 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3
The Sun looks like a bright, smooth ball. But scientists use special tools to look at it. They can see dark spots. These are called sunspots.
A sunspot looks dark because it is cooler than the gas around it. It is still very hot. It just looks dark next to the bright parts. Sunspots come from strong magnets inside the Sun.
Some sunspots are small. Some are bigger than Earth. They do not last forever. A sunspot can fade in a few days. Or it can stay a few weeks.
Sunspots seem to move. A spot slides across the Sun from one side to the other. This is because the Sun slowly turns, as Earth does.
Never look straight at the Sun. It can hurt your eyes. Scientists use filters and cameras made for the job. Then they share the pictures.
▲ This passage · 164 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.1
The Sun looks like a smooth, bright ball. But scientists who study it with special tools can see dark spots on its face. These are called sunspots.
A sunspot is dark because it is cooler than the gas around it. It is still very hot. It just looks dark next to the brighter, hotter parts. Sunspots are caused by strong pulls from magnets deep inside the Sun.
Some sunspots are small. Others are bigger than our whole planet. They do not last forever. A sunspot may fade away after a few days, or it may stay for a few weeks.
Sunspots also seem to move. Over many days, a spot slides across the face of the Sun from one side to the other. This happens because the Sun slowly turns, just as Earth does.
Remember, you should never look straight at the Sun. It can hurt your eyes. Scientists use filters and cameras made for the job, and they share the pictures with everyone.
■ Harder · 179 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7
To the naked eye, the Sun appears to be a smooth, dazzling ball. Yet scientists who observe it with specially designed instruments can make out dark blemishes on its face. These patches are known as sunspots.
A sunspot appears dark because it is cooler than the gas surrounding it. It is still extremely hot; it simply looks dim in comparison with the brighter, hotter regions nearby. Sunspots are produced by powerful magnetic forces deep inside the Sun.
Some sunspots are quite small, while others are larger than our entire planet. None of them lasts forever. A sunspot may fade away after only a few days, or it may remain for several weeks.
Sunspots also appear to travel. Over many days, a single spot slides across the face of the Sun from one edge to the other, because the Sun slowly rotates, just as Earth does.
Remember that you should never look directly at the Sun, since it can seriously harm your eyes. Scientists rely on filters and cameras built for the purpose, and they share the pictures with everyone.
The Sun looks like a bright, smooth ball. But scientists use special tools to look at it. They can see dark spots. These are called sunspots.
A sunspot looks dark because it is cooler than the gas around it. It is still very hot. It just looks dark next to the bright parts. Sunspots come from strong magnets inside the Sun.
Some sunspots are small. Some are bigger than Earth. They do not last forever. A sunspot can fade in a few days. Or it can stay a few weeks.
Sunspots seem to move. A spot slides across the Sun from one side to the other. This is because the Sun slowly turns, as Earth does.
Never look straight at the Sun. It can hurt your eyes. Scientists use filters and cameras made for the job. Then they share the pictures.
Questions
What are the dark spots on the Sun called?
Why does a sunspot look dark?
What makes sunspots?
How long can a sunspot last?
Why do sunspots seem to slide across the Sun?
Why do scientists use filters and cameras?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Cool Dark Spots on the Sun
The Sun looks like a smooth, bright ball. But scientists who study it with special tools can see dark spots on its face. These are called sunspots.
A sunspot is dark because it is cooler than the gas around it. It is still very hot. It just looks dark next to the brighter, hotter parts. Sunspots are caused by strong pulls from magnets deep inside the Sun.
Some sunspots are small. Others are bigger than our whole planet. They do not last forever. A sunspot may fade away after a few days, or it may stay for a few weeks.
Sunspots also seem to move. Over many days, a spot slides across the face of the Sun from one side to the other. This happens because the Sun slowly turns, just as Earth does.
Remember, you should never look straight at the Sun. It can hurt your eyes. Scientists use filters and cameras made for the job, and they share the pictures with everyone.
Questions
What are the dark spots on the Sun called?
Why does a sunspot look dark?
What causes sunspots?
How long might a sunspot last?
Why do sunspots seem to slide across the Sun?
Why do scientists use filters and cameras to study the Sun?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Cool Dark Spots on the Sun
To the naked eye, the Sun appears to be a smooth, dazzling ball. Yet scientists who observe it with specially designed instruments can make out dark blemishes on its face. These patches are known as sunspots.
A sunspot appears dark because it is cooler than the gas surrounding it. It is still extremely hot; it simply looks dim in comparison with the brighter, hotter regions nearby. Sunspots are produced by powerful magnetic forces deep inside the Sun.
Some sunspots are quite small, while others are larger than our entire planet. None of them lasts forever. A sunspot may fade away after only a few days, or it may remain for several weeks.
Sunspots also appear to travel. Over many days, a single spot slides across the face of the Sun from one edge to the other, because the Sun slowly rotates, just as Earth does.
Remember that you should never look directly at the Sun, since it can seriously harm your eyes. Scientists rely on filters and cameras built for the purpose, and they share the pictures with everyone.
Questions
What are the dark patches on the Sun called?
Why does a sunspot appear dark?
What produces sunspots?
How long might a sunspot remain?
Why do sunspots appear to travel across the Sun?
Why do scientists use filters and special cameras to study the Sun?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Cool Dark Spots on the Sun
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3)
Sunspots.
It is cooler than the gas around it.
Strong magnets inside the Sun.
A few days or a few weeks.
The Sun slowly turns.
Looking straight at the Sun can hurt your eyes.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.1)
Sunspots.
It is cooler than the gas around it.
Strong pulls from magnets deep inside the Sun.
A few days or a few weeks.
The Sun slowly turns.
Looking straight at the Sun can hurt your eyes.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 7)
Sunspots.
It is cooler than the gas surrounding it.
Powerful magnetic forces deep inside the Sun.
A few days or several weeks.
The Sun slowly rotates.
Looking directly at the Sun can harm your eyes.
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 sunspot, scientists, magnets, filters and fade 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 "Cool Dark Spots on the Sun"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 164 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.1. 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. 4 ask for something the text says directly and 2 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.
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