3rd grade nonfiction passage about plants in space: 188 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionplants in space188 words
Growing Lettuce on the Space Station
Astronauts on the space station eat food that is packed and sent up from Earth. Much of it is dried or sealed. So fresh, crunchy food is a special treat. That is one reason astronauts have grown lettuce in space.
Growing a plant in space is not like growing one in a garden. There is no rain and no wind. Plants have no ground to push roots into. So the astronauts use a small growing box. Seeds sit in little bags of growing material. Special lights shine on the leaves, like a sun inside the box.
The astronauts have to water the plants carefully. Water in space does not pour down. It floats and clings in blobs, so it must be added a little at a time.
After a few weeks, the leaves grow big enough to pick. Some of the lettuce was eaten by the crew. Some was sent back to Earth so scientists could study it.
Gardens in space cheer up the astronauts and give them something living to care for. They also teach us how people might grow food on long trips far from home.
Questions
Where do astronauts get most of their food? in the text
What did the astronauts grow on the space station? in the text
What shines on the plants instead of the Sun? in the text
Why must water be added a little at a time? in the text
What happened to some of the lettuce that was grown? in the text
Why might growing food in space matter for long trips? think about it
Words to know
astronauts
people who travel and work in space
crunchy
making a snapping sound when you bite it
roots
the parts of a plant that grow down to find water
clings
holds tightly onto something
crew
a group of people who work together
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Growing Lettuce on the Space Station
3rd grade reading passage
Astronauts on the space station eat food that is packed and sent up from Earth. Much of it is dried or sealed. So fresh, crunchy food is a special treat. That is one reason astronauts have grown lettuce in space.
Growing a plant in space is not like growing one in a garden. There is no rain and no wind. Plants have no ground to push roots into. So the astronauts use a small growing box. Seeds sit in little bags of growing material. Special lights shine on the leaves, like a sun inside the box.
The astronauts have to water the plants carefully. Water in space does not pour down. It floats and clings in blobs, so it must be added a little at a time.
After a few weeks, the leaves grow big enough to pick. Some of the lettuce was eaten by the crew. Some was sent back to Earth so scientists could study it.
Gardens in space cheer up the astronauts and give them something living to care for. They also teach us how people might grow food on long trips far from home.
Questions
Where do astronauts get most of their food?
What did the astronauts grow on the space station?
What shines on the plants instead of the Sun?
Why must water be added a little at a time?
What happened to some of the lettuce that was grown?
Why might growing food in space matter for long trips?
Words to know
astronauts: people who travel and work in space
crunchy: making a snapping sound when you bite it
roots: the parts of a plant that grow down to find water
clings: holds tightly onto something
crew: a group of people who work together
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/growing-lettuce-on-the-space-station
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 · 168 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.3
Astronauts on the space station eat food sent up from Earth. Much of it is dried or sealed. So fresh, crunchy food is a treat. That is one reason astronauts grew lettuce in space.
Growing a plant in space is not like gardening at home. There is no rain and no wind. Roots have no ground to grow in. So the astronauts use a small growing box. Seeds sit in little bags of growing material. Special lights shine on the leaves, like a sun in the box.
The astronauts water the plants with care. Water in space does not pour down. It floats and clings in blobs. So they add a little at a time.
After a few weeks, the leaves are big enough to pick. The crew ate some of the lettuce. Some went back to Earth so scientists could study it.
Gardens cheer up the astronauts. They give them something alive to care for. They also show us how people might grow food on long trips.
▲ This passage · 188 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.4
Astronauts on the space station eat food that is packed and sent up from Earth. Much of it is dried or sealed. So fresh, crunchy food is a special treat. That is one reason astronauts have grown lettuce in space.
Growing a plant in space is not like growing one in a garden. There is no rain and no wind. Plants have no ground to push roots into. So the astronauts use a small growing box. Seeds sit in little bags of growing material. Special lights shine on the leaves, like a sun inside the box.
The astronauts have to water the plants carefully. Water in space does not pour down. It floats and clings in blobs, so it must be added a little at a time.
After a few weeks, the leaves grow big enough to pick. Some of the lettuce was eaten by the crew. Some was sent back to Earth so scientists could study it.
Gardens in space cheer up the astronauts and give them something living to care for. They also teach us how people might grow food on long trips far from home.
■ Harder · 199 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7
The astronauts living on the space station eat food that is packaged and launched from Earth, and much of it is dried or sealed in pouches. Consequently, fresh, crunchy food is a special treat, which is one reason astronauts have experimented with growing lettuce in space.
Growing a plant in space is nothing like tending a backyard garden. There is no rain and no wind, and the roots have no soil to push into. The astronauts therefore use a small growing box in which seeds rest in little bags of growing material. Special lights shine down on the leaves, acting like a sun inside the box.
The plants must be watered very carefully, because water in space does not pour downward. Instead it floats and clings together in blobs, so it has to be added a little at a time.
After several weeks, the leaves grow large enough to harvest. The crew ate some of the lettuce, and some was sent back to Earth so scientists could study it.
Gardens in space cheer up the astronauts and give them something living to look after. They also teach us how people might grow food on long journeys far from home.
Astronauts on the space station eat food sent up from Earth. Much of it is dried or sealed. So fresh, crunchy food is a treat. That is one reason astronauts grew lettuce in space.
Growing a plant in space is not like gardening at home. There is no rain and no wind. Roots have no ground to grow in. So the astronauts use a small growing box. Seeds sit in little bags of growing material. Special lights shine on the leaves, like a sun in the box.
The astronauts water the plants with care. Water in space does not pour down. It floats and clings in blobs. So they add a little at a time.
After a few weeks, the leaves are big enough to pick. The crew ate some of the lettuce. Some went back to Earth so scientists could study it.
Gardens cheer up the astronauts. They give them something alive to care for. They also show us how people might grow food on long trips.
Questions
Where do astronauts get most of their food?
What did the astronauts grow?
What shines on the plants instead of the Sun?
Why is water added a little at a time?
What happened to some of the lettuce?
Why might growing food in space matter on long trips?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Growing Lettuce on the Space Station
Astronauts on the space station eat food that is packed and sent up from Earth. Much of it is dried or sealed. So fresh, crunchy food is a special treat. That is one reason astronauts have grown lettuce in space.
Growing a plant in space is not like growing one in a garden. There is no rain and no wind. Plants have no ground to push roots into. So the astronauts use a small growing box. Seeds sit in little bags of growing material. Special lights shine on the leaves, like a sun inside the box.
The astronauts have to water the plants carefully. Water in space does not pour down. It floats and clings in blobs, so it must be added a little at a time.
After a few weeks, the leaves grow big enough to pick. Some of the lettuce was eaten by the crew. Some was sent back to Earth so scientists could study it.
Gardens in space cheer up the astronauts and give them something living to care for. They also teach us how people might grow food on long trips far from home.
Questions
Where do astronauts get most of their food?
What did the astronauts grow on the space station?
What shines on the plants instead of the Sun?
Why must water be added a little at a time?
What happened to some of the lettuce that was grown?
Why might growing food in space matter for long trips?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Growing Lettuce on the Space Station
The astronauts living on the space station eat food that is packaged and launched from Earth, and much of it is dried or sealed in pouches. Consequently, fresh, crunchy food is a special treat, which is one reason astronauts have experimented with growing lettuce in space.
Growing a plant in space is nothing like tending a backyard garden. There is no rain and no wind, and the roots have no soil to push into. The astronauts therefore use a small growing box in which seeds rest in little bags of growing material. Special lights shine down on the leaves, acting like a sun inside the box.
The plants must be watered very carefully, because water in space does not pour downward. Instead it floats and clings together in blobs, so it has to be added a little at a time.
After several weeks, the leaves grow large enough to harvest. The crew ate some of the lettuce, and some was sent back to Earth so scientists could study it.
Gardens in space cheer up the astronauts and give them something living to look after. They also teach us how people might grow food on long journeys far from home.
Questions
Where do the astronauts get most of their food?
What did the astronauts experiment with growing?
What shines on the plants in place of the Sun?
Why must water be added only a little at a time?
What was done with some of the lettuce after it was grown?
Why might space gardens be important for long journeys?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Growing Lettuce on the Space Station
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.3)
It is sent up from Earth.
Lettuce.
Special lights.
Water in space floats and clings in blobs.
It went back to Earth for scientists to study.
Crews far from home could grow fresh food.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.4)
It is packed and sent up from Earth.
Lettuce.
Special lights.
Water in space floats and clings in blobs instead of pouring down.
Some was sent back to Earth for scientists to study.
Crews far from home could grow fresh food instead of only carrying it.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 7)
It is packaged and launched from Earth.
Lettuce.
Special lights.
Water in space floats and clings in blobs instead of pouring down.
It was sent back to Earth for scientists to study.
Crews far from home could grow fresh food rather than only carrying it.
Free at teach.peabody.kids
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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 astronauts, crunchy, roots, clings and crew 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 "Growing Lettuce on the Space Station"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 188 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.4. 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.
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