3rd grade nonfiction passage about naming streets: 150 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionnaming streets150 words
How a Street Gets Its Name
Every street in a town needs a name. When builders plan a new neighborhood, they pick names and send them to the town. Leaders in the town look at the list before anything is final.
Many streets are named for things people can see nearby. A road by a river might be River Road. A street with maple trees might be Maple Lane. Other streets honor a person who did good work for the town, or a place that matters to the people who live there.
Leaders check one rule carefully. Two streets in the same town should not have the same name. If they did, a mail carrier could take a letter to the wrong house. A fire truck could even go the wrong way.
Once a name is chosen, workers put up a sign at each corner. Then the new street is ready for visitors, mail and helpers.
Questions
Who sends a list of street names to the town? in the text
What might a street with maple trees be called? in the text
Besides things you can see, what else can a street name honor? in the text
What rule do leaders check carefully? in the text
Why would a fire truck need a street name that no other street has? think about it
What do workers do after a name is chosen? in the text
Words to know
neighborhood
a part of a town where people live near each other
builders
people who make houses and other buildings
honor
to show respect for someone or something
final
settled, with no more changes
mail carrier
a worker who brings letters to homes
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
How a Street Gets Its Name
3rd grade reading passage
Every street in a town needs a name. When builders plan a new neighborhood, they pick names and send them to the town. Leaders in the town look at the list before anything is final.
Many streets are named for things people can see nearby. A road by a river might be River Road. A street with maple trees might be Maple Lane. Other streets honor a person who did good work for the town, or a place that matters to the people who live there.
Leaders check one rule carefully. Two streets in the same town should not have the same name. If they did, a mail carrier could take a letter to the wrong house. A fire truck could even go the wrong way.
Once a name is chosen, workers put up a sign at each corner. Then the new street is ready for visitors, mail and helpers.
Questions
Who sends a list of street names to the town?
What might a street with maple trees be called?
Besides things you can see, what else can a street name honor?
What rule do leaders check carefully?
Why would a fire truck need a street name that no other street has?
What do workers do after a name is chosen?
Words to know
neighborhood: a part of a town where people live near each other
builders: people who make houses and other buildings
honor: to show respect for someone or something
final: settled, with no more changes
mail carrier: a worker who brings letters to homes
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/how-a-street-gets-its-name
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 · 106 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7
Every street needs a name. Builders plan a new neighborhood. They pick names and send them to the town. Town leaders look at the list.
Many streets are named for things nearby. A road by a river might be River Road. A street with maple trees might be Maple Lane. Some streets honor a person who helped the town.
Leaders check one rule. No two streets in a town can have the same name. A mail carrier could take a letter to the wrong house. A fire truck could go the wrong way.
When a name is chosen, workers put up a sign at each corner.
▲ This passage · 150 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.8
Every street in a town needs a name. When builders plan a new neighborhood, they pick names and send them to the town. Leaders in the town look at the list before anything is final.
Many streets are named for things people can see nearby. A road by a river might be River Road. A street with maple trees might be Maple Lane. Other streets honor a person who did good work for the town, or a place that matters to the people who live there.
Leaders check one rule carefully. Two streets in the same town should not have the same name. If they did, a mail carrier could take a letter to the wrong house. A fire truck could even go the wrong way.
Once a name is chosen, workers put up a sign at each corner. Then the new street is ready for visitors, mail and helpers.
■ Harder · 163 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.2
Every street in a town needs a name. When builders design a new neighborhood, they choose names for its streets and submit them to the town. Town leaders review the list carefully before any name becomes final.
Many streets are named after features that people can see nearby. A road that follows a river might be called River Road, while a street lined with maple trees could be named Maple Lane. Other streets honor a person who did good work for the town, or a place that holds special meaning for the families who live there.
Leaders pay close attention to one important rule. No two streets in the same town should share a name. Otherwise, a mail carrier might deliver a letter to the wrong house, and a fire truck might even head in the wrong direction.
After a name has been chosen, workers install a sign at every corner, and the new street is ready for visitors, mail and emergency helpers.
Every street needs a name. Builders plan a new neighborhood. They pick names and send them to the town. Town leaders look at the list.
Many streets are named for things nearby. A road by a river might be River Road. A street with maple trees might be Maple Lane. Some streets honor a person who helped the town.
Leaders check one rule. No two streets in a town can have the same name. A mail carrier could take a letter to the wrong house. A fire truck could go the wrong way.
When a name is chosen, workers put up a sign at each corner.
Questions
Who sends the list of names to the town?
What might a street with maple trees be named?
Who might a street honor?
What rule do leaders check?
Why must each street have its own name?
What do workers do after a name is chosen?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
How a Street Gets Its Name
Every street in a town needs a name. When builders plan a new neighborhood, they pick names and send them to the town. Leaders in the town look at the list before anything is final.
Many streets are named for things people can see nearby. A road by a river might be River Road. A street with maple trees might be Maple Lane. Other streets honor a person who did good work for the town, or a place that matters to the people who live there.
Leaders check one rule carefully. Two streets in the same town should not have the same name. If they did, a mail carrier could take a letter to the wrong house. A fire truck could even go the wrong way.
Once a name is chosen, workers put up a sign at each corner. Then the new street is ready for visitors, mail and helpers.
Questions
Who sends a list of street names to the town?
What might a street with maple trees be called?
Besides things you can see, what else can a street name honor?
What rule do leaders check carefully?
Why would a fire truck need a street name that no other street has?
What do workers do after a name is chosen?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
How a Street Gets Its Name
Every street in a town needs a name. When builders design a new neighborhood, they choose names for its streets and submit them to the town. Town leaders review the list carefully before any name becomes final.
Many streets are named after features that people can see nearby. A road that follows a river might be called River Road, while a street lined with maple trees could be named Maple Lane. Other streets honor a person who did good work for the town, or a place that holds special meaning for the families who live there.
Leaders pay close attention to one important rule. No two streets in the same town should share a name. Otherwise, a mail carrier might deliver a letter to the wrong house, and a fire truck might even head in the wrong direction.
After a name has been chosen, workers install a sign at every corner, and the new street is ready for visitors, mail and emergency helpers.
Questions
Who submits a list of street names to the town?
What might a street lined with maple trees be named?
Besides nearby features, what else can a street name honor?
Which rule do town leaders check carefully?
Why could a repeated street name be a danger in an emergency?
What do workers do after a name has been chosen?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: How a Street Gets Its Name
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7)
The builders.
Maple Lane.
A person who helped the town.
No two streets can have the same name.
Helpers could go to the wrong place if two streets had one name.
They put up a sign at each corner.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.8)
The builders who plan the new neighborhood.
Maple Lane.
A person who did good work for the town, or an important place.
Two streets in the same town should not have the same name.
A street with a name all its own keeps helpers from going to the wrong place.
They put up a sign at each corner.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.2)
The builders who design the new neighborhood.
Maple Lane.
A person who did good work for the town, or a place with special meaning.
No two streets in the same town should share a name.
A fire truck might head to the wrong street and arrive late.
They install a sign at every corner.
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 neighborhood, builders, honor, final and mail carrier 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 Street Gets Its Name"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 150 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.8. 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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