3rd grade nonfiction passage about libraries: 158 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionlibraries158 words
How a Library Keeps Books in Order
A library may hold thousands of books. How do you find the one you want? Libraries put books in an order that works like a map.
Many story books are shelved in order by the author's last name. Nonfiction books, which tell facts, are sorted by subject. Many libraries use the Dewey Decimal System. Each subject has a number. Books about animals share one group of numbers, and books about space are in another.
Each book has a label on its spine with its number. The label tells you exactly where the book belongs on the shelf. When you return a book, the librarian puts it back where its number says.
You can also search on the library computer. Type in a title, an author, or a topic, and it shows the book's number. Then follow the numbers to the shelf. If you get stuck, ask a librarian. Helping people find books is part of the librarian's job.
Questions
How are nonfiction books sorted? in the text
What is on a book's spine label? in the text
What does the label tell you? in the text
What can you type into the library computer to find a book? in the text
Why do libraries keep their books in order? think about it
You want a book about space. What would you do first? think about it
Words to know
library
a place where people borrow books
subject
what a book is about
label
a small sticker with words or numbers on it
spine
the narrow edge of a book that shows on the shelf
librarian
a person who works in a library
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
How a Library Keeps Books in Order
3rd grade reading passage
A library may hold thousands of books. How do you find the one you want? Libraries put books in an order that works like a map.
Many story books are shelved in order by the author's last name. Nonfiction books, which tell facts, are sorted by subject. Many libraries use the Dewey Decimal System. Each subject has a number. Books about animals share one group of numbers, and books about space are in another.
Each book has a label on its spine with its number. The label tells you exactly where the book belongs on the shelf. When you return a book, the librarian puts it back where its number says.
You can also search on the library computer. Type in a title, an author, or a topic, and it shows the book's number. Then follow the numbers to the shelf. If you get stuck, ask a librarian. Helping people find books is part of the librarian's job.
Questions
How are nonfiction books sorted?
What is on a book's spine label?
What does the label tell you?
What can you type into the library computer to find a book?
Why do libraries keep their books in order?
You want a book about space. What would you do first?
Words to know
library: a place where people borrow books
subject: what a book is about
label: a small sticker with words or numbers on it
spine: the narrow edge of a book that shows on the shelf
librarian: a person who works in a library
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/how-a-library-keeps-books-in-order
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 · 143 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.8
A library has thousands of books. How can you find the one you want? The books are in an order. The order works like a map.
Many story books are in order by the author's last name. Books with facts are sorted by subject. Many libraries use the Dewey Decimal System. Each subject has a number. Animal books share some numbers. Space books have other numbers.
Each book has a label on its spine. The label has the book's number. It tells you where the book goes on the shelf. When you return a book, the librarian puts it back by its number.
You can also use the library computer. Type a title, an author, or a topic. It shows the book's number. Follow the numbers to the shelf. Need help? Ask a librarian. Helping you find books is part of the job.
▲ This passage · 158 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.6
A library may hold thousands of books. How do you find the one you want? Libraries put books in an order that works like a map.
Many story books are shelved in order by the author's last name. Nonfiction books, which tell facts, are sorted by subject. Many libraries use the Dewey Decimal System. Each subject has a number. Books about animals share one group of numbers, and books about space are in another.
Each book has a label on its spine with its number. The label tells you exactly where the book belongs on the shelf. When you return a book, the librarian puts it back where its number says.
You can also search on the library computer. Type in a title, an author, or a topic, and it shows the book's number. Then follow the numbers to the shelf. If you get stuck, ask a librarian. Helping people find books is part of the librarian's job.
■ Harder · 174 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 9.2
A library may contain thousands of books, so how can you possibly locate the one you are looking for? Libraries arrange their books in a careful order that works much like a map.
Many story books are shelved alphabetically by the author's last name, while nonfiction books, which present facts, are sorted by subject. Numerous libraries follow the Dewey Decimal System, in which every subject is assigned a number. Books about animals share one group of numbers, and books about space belong to another.
Each book carries a label on its spine showing its number, and that label tells you precisely where the book belongs on the shelf. When you return a book, the librarian puts it back according to its number.
You can also search on the library computer by typing in a title, an author, or a topic, and it will display the book's number. Then you simply follow the numbers to the shelf. If you become stuck, ask a librarian, because helping people find books is part of the librarian's job.
A library has thousands of books. How can you find the one you want? The books are in an order. The order works like a map.
Many story books are in order by the author's last name. Books with facts are sorted by subject. Many libraries use the Dewey Decimal System. Each subject has a number. Animal books share some numbers. Space books have other numbers.
Each book has a label on its spine. The label has the book's number. It tells you where the book goes on the shelf. When you return a book, the librarian puts it back by its number.
You can also use the library computer. Type a title, an author, or a topic. It shows the book's number. Follow the numbers to the shelf. Need help? Ask a librarian. Helping you find books is part of the job.
Questions
How are books with facts sorted?
What is on a book's spine label?
What does the label tell you?
What can you type into the library computer?
Why do libraries keep books in order?
You want a book about space. What can you do first?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
How a Library Keeps Books in Order
A library may hold thousands of books. How do you find the one you want? Libraries put books in an order that works like a map.
Many story books are shelved in order by the author's last name. Nonfiction books, which tell facts, are sorted by subject. Many libraries use the Dewey Decimal System. Each subject has a number. Books about animals share one group of numbers, and books about space are in another.
Each book has a label on its spine with its number. The label tells you exactly where the book belongs on the shelf. When you return a book, the librarian puts it back where its number says.
You can also search on the library computer. Type in a title, an author, or a topic, and it shows the book's number. Then follow the numbers to the shelf. If you get stuck, ask a librarian. Helping people find books is part of the librarian's job.
Questions
How are nonfiction books sorted?
What is on a book's spine label?
What does the label tell you?
What can you type into the library computer to find a book?
Why do libraries keep their books in order?
You want a book about space. What would you do first?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
How a Library Keeps Books in Order
A library may contain thousands of books, so how can you possibly locate the one you are looking for? Libraries arrange their books in a careful order that works much like a map.
Many story books are shelved alphabetically by the author's last name, while nonfiction books, which present facts, are sorted by subject. Numerous libraries follow the Dewey Decimal System, in which every subject is assigned a number. Books about animals share one group of numbers, and books about space belong to another.
Each book carries a label on its spine showing its number, and that label tells you precisely where the book belongs on the shelf. When you return a book, the librarian puts it back according to its number.
You can also search on the library computer by typing in a title, an author, or a topic, and it will display the book's number. Then you simply follow the numbers to the shelf. If you become stuck, ask a librarian, because helping people find books is part of the librarian's job.
Questions
How are nonfiction books organized?
What appears on the label on a book's spine?
What does the label tell you precisely?
What can you search for on the library computer?
Why do libraries arrange their books in order?
If you wanted a book about space, what would be a sensible first step?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: How a Library Keeps Books in Order
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.8)
By subject.
The book's number.
Where the book goes on the shelf.
A title, an author, or a topic.
So people can find a book and the librarian can put it back in the right place.
Look for the space numbers, or search the computer.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.6)
By subject.
The book's number.
Exactly where the book belongs on the shelf.
A title, an author, or a topic.
So people can find a book and the librarian can put it back in the right place.
Look for the group of numbers for space books, or search the computer.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 9.2)
By subject.
The book's number.
Where the book belongs on the shelf.
A title, an author, or a topic.
So people can find books and the librarian can return each one to its proper place.
Find the group of numbers for space books, or search the computer.
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 library, subject, label, spine and librarian 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 "How a Library Keeps Books in Order"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 158 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.6. 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. 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.
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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