3rd grade nonfiction passage about fractions: 149 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionfractions149 words
Fractions in the Kitchen
Fractions are parts of a whole. In the kitchen, you use them all the time.
Say a pizza is cut into eight equal slices. If you eat one slice, you have eaten one eighth of the pizza. If you eat two slices, you have eaten two eighths. If you eat all eight slices, you have eaten eight eighths, which is the whole pizza.
Measuring cups use fractions too. A recipe might ask for one half cup of milk. That means you fill the cup only halfway. Two halves make one whole cup. A recipe might also ask for one fourth cup of sugar. It takes four fourths to fill a whole cup.
Fractions can help you share fairly. To share a sandwich with a friend, cut it into two equal pieces. Each of you gets one half. The pieces must be equal, or the sharing would not be fair.
Questions
What is a fraction? in the text
A pizza is cut into eight equal slices. What fraction of the pizza is one slice? in the text
What does one half cup of milk mean? in the text
How many fourths does it take to fill a whole cup? in the text
Why must the pieces of a sandwich be equal when you share? in the text
A pizza has eight equal slices and you eat three. What fraction is left? think about it
Words to know
fractions
numbers that name parts of a whole
whole
all of something, with no parts missing
equal
the same in size or amount
half
one of two equal parts
measuring
finding out how much of something there is
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Fractions in the Kitchen
3rd grade reading passage
Fractions are parts of a whole. In the kitchen, you use them all the time.
Say a pizza is cut into eight equal slices. If you eat one slice, you have eaten one eighth of the pizza. If you eat two slices, you have eaten two eighths. If you eat all eight slices, you have eaten eight eighths, which is the whole pizza.
Measuring cups use fractions too. A recipe might ask for one half cup of milk. That means you fill the cup only halfway. Two halves make one whole cup. A recipe might also ask for one fourth cup of sugar. It takes four fourths to fill a whole cup.
Fractions can help you share fairly. To share a sandwich with a friend, cut it into two equal pieces. Each of you gets one half. The pieces must be equal, or the sharing would not be fair.
Questions
What is a fraction?
A pizza is cut into eight equal slices. What fraction of the pizza is one slice?
What does one half cup of milk mean?
How many fourths does it take to fill a whole cup?
Why must the pieces of a sandwich be equal when you share?
A pizza has eight equal slices and you eat three. What fraction is left?
Words to know
fractions: numbers that name parts of a whole
whole: all of something, with no parts missing
equal: the same in size or amount
half: one of two equal parts
measuring: finding out how much of something there is
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/fractions-in-the-kitchen
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 · 125 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7
A fraction is a part of a whole. You use fractions in the kitchen all the time.
A pizza is cut into eight equal slices. You eat one slice. That is one eighth of the pizza. You eat two slices. That is two eighths. You eat all eight slices. That is eight eighths. You ate the whole pizza.
Measuring cups use fractions. A recipe may say one half cup of milk. You fill the cup halfway. Two halves make one whole cup. A recipe may say one fourth cup of sugar. Four fourths fill a whole cup.
Fractions help you share fairly. Cut a sandwich into two equal pieces. Each friend gets one half. The pieces must be equal. If not, it is not fair.
▲ This passage · 149 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9
Fractions are parts of a whole. In the kitchen, you use them all the time.
Say a pizza is cut into eight equal slices. If you eat one slice, you have eaten one eighth of the pizza. If you eat two slices, you have eaten two eighths. If you eat all eight slices, you have eaten eight eighths, which is the whole pizza.
Measuring cups use fractions too. A recipe might ask for one half cup of milk. That means you fill the cup only halfway. Two halves make one whole cup. A recipe might also ask for one fourth cup of sugar. It takes four fourths to fill a whole cup.
Fractions can help you share fairly. To share a sandwich with a friend, cut it into two equal pieces. Each of you gets one half. The pieces must be equal, or the sharing would not be fair.
■ Harder · 155 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.5
Fractions describe parts of a whole, and anyone who cooks uses them constantly.
Imagine a pizza that has been cut into eight equal slices. Eating a single slice means you have eaten one eighth of the pizza, and eating two slices means you have eaten two eighths. If you finish all eight slices, you have eaten eight eighths, which is exactly the whole pizza.
Measuring cups rely on fractions as well. A recipe might call for one half cup of milk, which means filling the cup only halfway, since two halves make one whole cup. It might also require one fourth cup of sugar, and it takes four fourths to fill a whole cup.
Fractions can even help people share fairly. To split a sandwich with a friend, cut it into two equal pieces so that each of you receives one half. The pieces have to be equal, or the sharing would not be fair.
A fraction is a part of a whole. You use fractions in the kitchen all the time.
A pizza is cut into eight equal slices. You eat one slice. That is one eighth of the pizza. You eat two slices. That is two eighths. You eat all eight slices. That is eight eighths. You ate the whole pizza.
Measuring cups use fractions. A recipe may say one half cup of milk. You fill the cup halfway. Two halves make one whole cup. A recipe may say one fourth cup of sugar. Four fourths fill a whole cup.
Fractions help you share fairly. Cut a sandwich into two equal pieces. Each friend gets one half. The pieces must be equal. If not, it is not fair.
Questions
What is a fraction?
A pizza has eight equal slices. What fraction is one slice?
What does one half cup of milk mean?
How many fourths fill a whole cup?
Why must the sandwich pieces be equal?
A pizza has eight equal slices and you eat three. What fraction is left?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Fractions in the Kitchen
Fractions are parts of a whole. In the kitchen, you use them all the time.
Say a pizza is cut into eight equal slices. If you eat one slice, you have eaten one eighth of the pizza. If you eat two slices, you have eaten two eighths. If you eat all eight slices, you have eaten eight eighths, which is the whole pizza.
Measuring cups use fractions too. A recipe might ask for one half cup of milk. That means you fill the cup only halfway. Two halves make one whole cup. A recipe might also ask for one fourth cup of sugar. It takes four fourths to fill a whole cup.
Fractions can help you share fairly. To share a sandwich with a friend, cut it into two equal pieces. Each of you gets one half. The pieces must be equal, or the sharing would not be fair.
Questions
What is a fraction?
A pizza is cut into eight equal slices. What fraction of the pizza is one slice?
What does one half cup of milk mean?
How many fourths does it take to fill a whole cup?
Why must the pieces of a sandwich be equal when you share?
A pizza has eight equal slices and you eat three. What fraction is left?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Fractions in the Kitchen
Fractions describe parts of a whole, and anyone who cooks uses them constantly.
Imagine a pizza that has been cut into eight equal slices. Eating a single slice means you have eaten one eighth of the pizza, and eating two slices means you have eaten two eighths. If you finish all eight slices, you have eaten eight eighths, which is exactly the whole pizza.
Measuring cups rely on fractions as well. A recipe might call for one half cup of milk, which means filling the cup only halfway, since two halves make one whole cup. It might also require one fourth cup of sugar, and it takes four fourths to fill a whole cup.
Fractions can even help people share fairly. To split a sandwich with a friend, cut it into two equal pieces so that each of you receives one half. The pieces have to be equal, or the sharing would not be fair.
Questions
What do fractions describe?
If a pizza is cut into eight equal slices, what fraction is a single slice?
What does it mean when a recipe calls for one half cup of milk?
How many fourths does it take to fill a whole cup?
Why do the pieces of a shared sandwich have to be equal?
If you eat three slices of an eight-slice pizza, what fraction remains?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Fractions in the Kitchen
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7)
A part of a whole.
One eighth.
You fill the cup halfway.
Four.
If they are not equal, it is not fair.
Five eighths.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9)
A part of a whole.
One eighth.
You fill the cup only halfway.
Four.
If they are not equal, the sharing is not fair.
Five eighths.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.5)
Parts of a whole.
One eighth.
You fill the cup only halfway.
Four.
If they were not equal, the sharing would not be fair.
Five eighths.
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 fractions, whole, equal, half and measuring 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 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 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.
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 149 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.9. 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 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.
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