3rd grade nonfiction passage about sound vibrations on a string: 181 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionsound vibrations on a string181 words
How to Build a Tin Can Telephone
You can make a phone with two empty cans and a long string. A grown-up should help with the cans, so that no sharp edges are left.
First, ask a grown-up to make a small hole in the bottom of each can. Next, push one end of the string through the hole in the first can. Tie a big knot inside so the string cannot slip out. Do the same with the second can on the other end.
Now ask a friend to hold one can. Walk backward until the string is tight. Do not let the string touch the ground or anything else.
Speak softly into your can while your friend holds the other can to an ear. Your friend will hear you!
Here is why it works. Your voice makes the bottom of the can shake. The shaking is called a vibration. The vibration runs along the tight string to the other can. That can shakes too, and your friend's ear hears the sound. If the string goes slack, the vibration stops and the sound fades away.
Questions
What two things do you need for a tin can telephone? in the text
Why do you tie a big knot inside each can? in the text
What must the string be like when you talk? in the text
What does your voice make the bottom of the can do? in the text
Why does the sound fade if the string goes slack? think about it
Who should help make the holes in the cans? in the text
Words to know
vibration
a fast shaking back and forth
knot
a tie made by looping string around itself
tight
pulled straight and not loose
slack
loose, not pulled tight
sharp
able to cut or poke you
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
How to Build a Tin Can Telephone
3rd grade reading passage
You can make a phone with two empty cans and a long string. A grown-up should help with the cans, so that no sharp edges are left.
First, ask a grown-up to make a small hole in the bottom of each can. Next, push one end of the string through the hole in the first can. Tie a big knot inside so the string cannot slip out. Do the same with the second can on the other end.
Now ask a friend to hold one can. Walk backward until the string is tight. Do not let the string touch the ground or anything else.
Speak softly into your can while your friend holds the other can to an ear. Your friend will hear you!
Here is why it works. Your voice makes the bottom of the can shake. The shaking is called a vibration. The vibration runs along the tight string to the other can. That can shakes too, and your friend's ear hears the sound. If the string goes slack, the vibration stops and the sound fades away.
Questions
What two things do you need for a tin can telephone?
Why do you tie a big knot inside each can?
What must the string be like when you talk?
What does your voice make the bottom of the can do?
Why does the sound fade if the string goes slack?
Who should help make the holes in the cans?
Words to know
vibration: a fast shaking back and forth
knot: a tie made by looping string around itself
tight: pulled straight and not loose
slack: loose, not pulled tight
sharp: able to cut or poke you
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/how-to-build-a-tin-can-telephone
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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 · 155 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.3
You can make a phone with two cans and a long string. Ask a grown-up to help with the cans. Then no sharp edges are left.
First, a grown-up makes a small hole in the bottom of each can. Next, push one end of the string through the hole in the first can. Tie a big knot inside. The string cannot slip out. Do the same on the other can.
Now a friend holds one can. Walk back until the string is tight. Do not let the string touch the ground.
Speak softly into your can. Your friend holds the other can to an ear. Your friend hears you!
Here is why. Your voice makes the bottom of the can shake. This shaking is a vibration. It runs down the tight string to the other can. That can shakes too. Your friend hears the sound. If the string is slack, the sound fades.
▲ This passage · 181 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2
You can make a phone with two empty cans and a long string. A grown-up should help with the cans, so that no sharp edges are left.
First, ask a grown-up to make a small hole in the bottom of each can. Next, push one end of the string through the hole in the first can. Tie a big knot inside so the string cannot slip out. Do the same with the second can on the other end.
Now ask a friend to hold one can. Walk backward until the string is tight. Do not let the string touch the ground or anything else.
Speak softly into your can while your friend holds the other can to an ear. Your friend will hear you!
Here is why it works. Your voice makes the bottom of the can shake. The shaking is called a vibration. The vibration runs along the tight string to the other can. That can shakes too, and your friend's ear hears the sound. If the string goes slack, the vibration stops and the sound fades away.
■ Harder · 206 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.5
With nothing more than two empty cans and a long piece of string, you can build a working telephone. A grown-up should handle the preparation of the cans, so that no sharp edges are left behind.
To begin, have a grown-up poke a small hole through the bottom of each can. Then thread one end of the string through the hole in the first can, and tie a large knot inside so that the string cannot pull free. Repeat the same steps with the second can on the opposite end.
Next, ask a friend to hold one can while you walk backward until the string is stretched tight. Be careful not to let the string touch the ground or any other object.
Speak softly into your can while your friend presses the other can against an ear. Your friend will clearly hear your words!
The explanation is simple. Your voice makes the bottom of the can shake, and this rapid shaking is called a vibration. The vibration travels along the tight string to the other can, which begins to shake as well, and your friend's ear picks up the sound. If the string goes slack, the vibration stops and the sound quickly fades away.
You can make a phone with two cans and a long string. Ask a grown-up to help with the cans. Then no sharp edges are left.
First, a grown-up makes a small hole in the bottom of each can. Next, push one end of the string through the hole in the first can. Tie a big knot inside. The string cannot slip out. Do the same on the other can.
Now a friend holds one can. Walk back until the string is tight. Do not let the string touch the ground.
Speak softly into your can. Your friend holds the other can to an ear. Your friend hears you!
Here is why. Your voice makes the bottom of the can shake. This shaking is a vibration. It runs down the tight string to the other can. That can shakes too. Your friend hears the sound. If the string is slack, the sound fades.
Questions
What two things do you need for a tin can phone?
Why do you tie a big knot in each can?
How must the string be when you talk?
What does your voice make the bottom of the can do?
Why does the sound fade if the string is slack?
Who should help make the holes?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
How to Build a Tin Can Telephone
You can make a phone with two empty cans and a long string. A grown-up should help with the cans, so that no sharp edges are left.
First, ask a grown-up to make a small hole in the bottom of each can. Next, push one end of the string through the hole in the first can. Tie a big knot inside so the string cannot slip out. Do the same with the second can on the other end.
Now ask a friend to hold one can. Walk backward until the string is tight. Do not let the string touch the ground or anything else.
Speak softly into your can while your friend holds the other can to an ear. Your friend will hear you!
Here is why it works. Your voice makes the bottom of the can shake. The shaking is called a vibration. The vibration runs along the tight string to the other can. That can shakes too, and your friend's ear hears the sound. If the string goes slack, the vibration stops and the sound fades away.
Questions
What two things do you need for a tin can telephone?
Why do you tie a big knot inside each can?
What must the string be like when you talk?
What does your voice make the bottom of the can do?
Why does the sound fade if the string goes slack?
Who should help make the holes in the cans?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
How to Build a Tin Can Telephone
With nothing more than two empty cans and a long piece of string, you can build a working telephone. A grown-up should handle the preparation of the cans, so that no sharp edges are left behind.
To begin, have a grown-up poke a small hole through the bottom of each can. Then thread one end of the string through the hole in the first can, and tie a large knot inside so that the string cannot pull free. Repeat the same steps with the second can on the opposite end.
Next, ask a friend to hold one can while you walk backward until the string is stretched tight. Be careful not to let the string touch the ground or any other object.
Speak softly into your can while your friend presses the other can against an ear. Your friend will clearly hear your words!
The explanation is simple. Your voice makes the bottom of the can shake, and this rapid shaking is called a vibration. The vibration travels along the tight string to the other can, which begins to shake as well, and your friend's ear picks up the sound. If the string goes slack, the vibration stops and the sound quickly fades away.
Questions
What two things do you need to build a tin can telephone?
Why do you tie a large knot inside each can?
What must the string be like while you talk?
What does your voice make the bottom of the can do?
Why does the sound fade away if the string goes slack?
Who should prepare the cans?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: How to Build a Tin Can Telephone
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.3)
Two cans and a long string.
So the string cannot slip out.
Tight.
It makes it shake.
The shaking cannot run down a loose string.
A grown-up.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2)
Two empty cans and a long string.
So the string cannot slip out.
Tight.
It makes the bottom of the can shake.
The vibration cannot run along a loose string to the other can.
A grown-up.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.5)
Two empty cans and a long piece of string.
So the string cannot pull free.
Stretched tight.
It makes the bottom of the can shake in a vibration.
The vibration cannot travel along a loose string to the other can.
A grown-up.
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 vibration, knot, tight, slack and sharp 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 to Build a Tin Can Telephone"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 181 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.2. 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?
No. It was written for Peabody Teach, so there is no book to buy and no login to read it.
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