3rd grade nonfiction passage about stained glass: 141 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionstained glass141 words
How Stained Glass Windows Get Their Glow
A stained glass window looks like a puzzle made of light. It is built from many small pieces of colored glass. When the sun shines through, the colors seem to glow.
An artist starts with a drawing of the whole window. Then the artist cuts the glass into pieces that fit the drawing. Each piece is a different color, such as red, blue or gold.
The pieces are set into thin strips of soft metal called lead. The strips hold the glass in place, like the lines on a coloring page. A thin line of dark metal around each shape makes the colors stand out.
At night, a stained glass window can look dull. In the daytime, light passes through the glass and fills the room with color. That is why many of these windows are made to face the sun.
Questions
What is a stained glass window made from? in the text
What does the artist begin with? in the text
What holds the pieces of glass in place? in the text
Why is the window called a puzzle made of light? think about it
When does a stained glass window look its best? in the text
Why might builders put these windows where they face the sun? think about it
Words to know
stained
colored with a dye or tint
lead
a soft, heavy metal that is easy to bend
glow
to shine with a soft light
pieces
parts that are cut from something bigger
artist
a person who makes art
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
How Stained Glass Windows Get Their Glow
3rd grade reading passage
A stained glass window looks like a puzzle made of light. It is built from many small pieces of colored glass. When the sun shines through, the colors seem to glow.
An artist starts with a drawing of the whole window. Then the artist cuts the glass into pieces that fit the drawing. Each piece is a different color, such as red, blue or gold.
The pieces are set into thin strips of soft metal called lead. The strips hold the glass in place, like the lines on a coloring page. A thin line of dark metal around each shape makes the colors stand out.
At night, a stained glass window can look dull. In the daytime, light passes through the glass and fills the room with color. That is why many of these windows are made to face the sun.
Questions
What is a stained glass window made from?
What does the artist begin with?
What holds the pieces of glass in place?
Why is the window called a puzzle made of light?
When does a stained glass window look its best?
Why might builders put these windows where they face the sun?
Words to know
stained: colored with a dye or tint
lead: a soft, heavy metal that is easy to bend
glow: to shine with a soft light
pieces: parts that are cut from something bigger
artist: a person who makes art
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/how-stained-glass-windows-get-their-glow
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 · 105 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.1
A stained glass window looks like a puzzle made of light. It is made of many small pieces of colored glass. When the sun shines through, the colors glow.
First, an artist makes a drawing of the window. Then the artist cuts the glass to fit. Each piece is a different color, like red, blue or gold.
The pieces sit in thin strips of soft metal called lead. The strips hold the glass in place. They look like the lines on a coloring page.
At night, the window can look dull. In the day, light goes through the glass and fills the room with color.
▲ This passage · 141 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.4
A stained glass window looks like a puzzle made of light. It is built from many small pieces of colored glass. When the sun shines through, the colors seem to glow.
An artist starts with a drawing of the whole window. Then the artist cuts the glass into pieces that fit the drawing. Each piece is a different color, such as red, blue or gold.
The pieces are set into thin strips of soft metal called lead. The strips hold the glass in place, like the lines on a coloring page. A thin line of dark metal around each shape makes the colors stand out.
At night, a stained glass window can look dull. In the daytime, light passes through the glass and fills the room with color. That is why many of these windows are made to face the sun.
■ Harder · 149 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.9
A stained glass window resembles a puzzle made entirely of light. It is assembled from countless small pieces of colored glass, and when the sun shines through them, the colors seem to glow from within.
The artist begins with a detailed drawing of the whole window. Next, the artist cuts the glass into pieces that fit the drawing exactly. Every piece has its own color, such as red, blue or gold.
The pieces are then set into thin strips of soft metal called lead. These strips hold the glass firmly in place, much like the outlines on a coloring page. The dark metal around each shape also helps the colors stand out.
After dark, a stained glass window can appear dull. During the day, however, light passes through the glass and floods the room with color, which is why many of these windows are built to face the sun.
A stained glass window looks like a puzzle made of light. It is made of many small pieces of colored glass. When the sun shines through, the colors glow.
First, an artist makes a drawing of the window. Then the artist cuts the glass to fit. Each piece is a different color, like red, blue or gold.
The pieces sit in thin strips of soft metal called lead. The strips hold the glass in place. They look like the lines on a coloring page.
At night, the window can look dull. In the day, light goes through the glass and fills the room with color.
Questions
What is a stained glass window made of?
What does the artist start with?
What holds the glass in place?
Why is the window like a puzzle made of light?
When does the window look its best?
Why might a window be put where it faces the sun?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
How Stained Glass Windows Get Their Glow
A stained glass window looks like a puzzle made of light. It is built from many small pieces of colored glass. When the sun shines through, the colors seem to glow.
An artist starts with a drawing of the whole window. Then the artist cuts the glass into pieces that fit the drawing. Each piece is a different color, such as red, blue or gold.
The pieces are set into thin strips of soft metal called lead. The strips hold the glass in place, like the lines on a coloring page. A thin line of dark metal around each shape makes the colors stand out.
At night, a stained glass window can look dull. In the daytime, light passes through the glass and fills the room with color. That is why many of these windows are made to face the sun.
Questions
What is a stained glass window made from?
What does the artist begin with?
What holds the pieces of glass in place?
Why is the window called a puzzle made of light?
When does a stained glass window look its best?
Why might builders put these windows where they face the sun?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
How Stained Glass Windows Get Their Glow
A stained glass window resembles a puzzle made entirely of light. It is assembled from countless small pieces of colored glass, and when the sun shines through them, the colors seem to glow from within.
The artist begins with a detailed drawing of the whole window. Next, the artist cuts the glass into pieces that fit the drawing exactly. Every piece has its own color, such as red, blue or gold.
The pieces are then set into thin strips of soft metal called lead. These strips hold the glass firmly in place, much like the outlines on a coloring page. The dark metal around each shape also helps the colors stand out.
After dark, a stained glass window can appear dull. During the day, however, light passes through the glass and floods the room with color, which is why many of these windows are built to face the sun.
Questions
What is a stained glass window assembled from?
What does the artist begin with?
What substance holds the glass pieces in place?
Why does the window resemble a puzzle made of light?
When does a stained glass window look its best?
Why would builders want these windows to face the sun?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: How Stained Glass Windows Get Their Glow
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.1)
Many small pieces of colored glass.
A drawing of the window.
Thin strips of soft metal called lead.
Many pieces fit together and light makes them glow.
In the day, when the sun shines through.
The sunlight makes the colors glow.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.4)
Many small pieces of colored glass.
A drawing of the whole window.
Thin strips of soft metal called lead.
It is built from many pieces that fit together, and light makes the colors glow.
In the daytime, when sunlight shines through it.
The sun's light passing through the glass makes the colors glow.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.9)
Countless small pieces of colored glass.
A detailed drawing of the whole window.
Thin strips of soft metal called lead.
It is made of many fitted pieces, and sunlight makes their colors glow.
During the day, when light passes through it.
More sunlight passes through the glass and fills the room with color.
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 stained, lead, glow, pieces and artist 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 4 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 Stained Glass Windows Get Their Glow"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 141 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. 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 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?
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