3rd grade nonfiction passage about stone arch bridges: 149 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionstone arch bridges149 words
The Keystone at the Top of a Stone Bridge
Long ago, builders made bridges out of stone. Stone is very strong, but a flat stone laid across a wide river can crack. So the builders used a curve called an arch.
An arch is built from many stones cut to fit together. First, workers make a wooden frame in the shape of the curve. They set the stones on the frame one at a time, working up from both sides. The last stone goes in at the very top. It is called the keystone.
When the keystone is in place, the stones press against each other. The weight of the bridge pushes down and out along the curve. The stones at the bottom push back and hold the arch firm. Then the wooden frame can be taken away, and the arch stands on its own.
Some stone arch bridges that were built long ago are still used today.
Questions
What shape did builders use to carry a stone bridge over a wide river? in the text
What is the last stone in an arch called? in the text
What do workers build first to hold the stones? in the text
Where does the keystone go? in the text
What happens to the wooden frame when the arch is finished? in the text
Why might an arch last longer than a flat stone laid across a river? think about it
Words to know
arch
a curved shape that holds up the weight above it
keystone
the last stone placed at the top of an arch
frame
a structure that holds something in place while it is built
weight
how heavy something is
bridge
a path built to carry people over water or a gap
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Keystone at the Top of a Stone Bridge
3rd grade reading passage
Long ago, builders made bridges out of stone. Stone is very strong, but a flat stone laid across a wide river can crack. So the builders used a curve called an arch.
An arch is built from many stones cut to fit together. First, workers make a wooden frame in the shape of the curve. They set the stones on the frame one at a time, working up from both sides. The last stone goes in at the very top. It is called the keystone.
When the keystone is in place, the stones press against each other. The weight of the bridge pushes down and out along the curve. The stones at the bottom push back and hold the arch firm. Then the wooden frame can be taken away, and the arch stands on its own.
Some stone arch bridges that were built long ago are still used today.
Questions
What shape did builders use to carry a stone bridge over a wide river?
What is the last stone in an arch called?
What do workers build first to hold the stones?
Where does the keystone go?
What happens to the wooden frame when the arch is finished?
Why might an arch last longer than a flat stone laid across a river?
Words to know
arch: a curved shape that holds up the weight above it
keystone: the last stone placed at the top of an arch
frame: a structure that holds something in place while it is built
weight: how heavy something is
bridge: a path built to carry people over water or a gap
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/keystone-top-of-stone-bridge
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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 · 122 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.5
Long ago, builders made bridges from stone. Stone is strong. But a flat stone over a wide river can crack. So builders used an arch. An arch is a curve.
An arch is made of many stones. First, workers build a wooden frame in the shape of the curve. They set the stones on the frame. They start at both sides and go up. The last stone goes at the top. It is the keystone.
Now the stones press on each other. The weight of the bridge pushes down and out. The stones at the bottom push back. This holds the arch firm. Then the frame is taken away. The arch stands by itself.
Some old stone bridges are still used today.
▲ This passage · 149 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7
Long ago, builders made bridges out of stone. Stone is very strong, but a flat stone laid across a wide river can crack. So the builders used a curve called an arch.
An arch is built from many stones cut to fit together. First, workers make a wooden frame in the shape of the curve. They set the stones on the frame one at a time, working up from both sides. The last stone goes in at the very top. It is called the keystone.
When the keystone is in place, the stones press against each other. The weight of the bridge pushes down and out along the curve. The stones at the bottom push back and hold the arch firm. Then the wooden frame can be taken away, and the arch stands on its own.
Some stone arch bridges that were built long ago are still used today.
■ Harder · 166 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.7
Centuries ago, builders constructed bridges out of stone. Although stone is remarkably strong, a flat slab laid across a wide river can crack under its own weight. To solve this problem, builders turned to a graceful curve known as an arch.
An arch is assembled from many carefully cut stones. First, workers construct a wooden frame in the shape of the curve. They set the stones upon the frame one at a time, working upward from both sides until they meet in the middle. The final stone, which is placed at the very top, is called the keystone.
Once the keystone is in place, the stones press firmly against one another. The weight of the bridge pushes down and outward along the curve, and the stones at the bottom push back and hold the arch steady. At that point the wooden frame can be removed, and the arch supports itself.
A number of stone arch bridges that were built long ago are still in use today.
Long ago, builders made bridges from stone. Stone is strong. But a flat stone over a wide river can crack. So builders used an arch. An arch is a curve.
An arch is made of many stones. First, workers build a wooden frame in the shape of the curve. They set the stones on the frame. They start at both sides and go up. The last stone goes at the top. It is the keystone.
Now the stones press on each other. The weight of the bridge pushes down and out. The stones at the bottom push back. This holds the arch firm. Then the frame is taken away. The arch stands by itself.
Some old stone bridges are still used today.
Questions
What shape did builders use for a stone bridge over a wide river?
What is the last stone in an arch called?
What do workers build first to hold the stones?
Where does the keystone go?
What happens to the wooden frame at the end?
Why is an arch strong?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Keystone at the Top of a Stone Bridge
Long ago, builders made bridges out of stone. Stone is very strong, but a flat stone laid across a wide river can crack. So the builders used a curve called an arch.
An arch is built from many stones cut to fit together. First, workers make a wooden frame in the shape of the curve. They set the stones on the frame one at a time, working up from both sides. The last stone goes in at the very top. It is called the keystone.
When the keystone is in place, the stones press against each other. The weight of the bridge pushes down and out along the curve. The stones at the bottom push back and hold the arch firm. Then the wooden frame can be taken away, and the arch stands on its own.
Some stone arch bridges that were built long ago are still used today.
Questions
What shape did builders use to carry a stone bridge over a wide river?
What is the last stone in an arch called?
What do workers build first to hold the stones?
Where does the keystone go?
What happens to the wooden frame when the arch is finished?
Why might an arch last longer than a flat stone laid across a river?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Keystone at the Top of a Stone Bridge
Centuries ago, builders constructed bridges out of stone. Although stone is remarkably strong, a flat slab laid across a wide river can crack under its own weight. To solve this problem, builders turned to a graceful curve known as an arch.
An arch is assembled from many carefully cut stones. First, workers construct a wooden frame in the shape of the curve. They set the stones upon the frame one at a time, working upward from both sides until they meet in the middle. The final stone, which is placed at the very top, is called the keystone.
Once the keystone is in place, the stones press firmly against one another. The weight of the bridge pushes down and outward along the curve, and the stones at the bottom push back and hold the arch steady. At that point the wooden frame can be removed, and the arch supports itself.
A number of stone arch bridges that were built long ago are still in use today.
Questions
What shape did builders use to carry a stone bridge across a wide river?
What is the final stone placed in an arch called?
What do workers construct first to hold the stones while they work?
Where is the keystone placed?
What happens to the wooden frame once the arch is complete?
Why might an arch last longer than a flat slab of stone across a river?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Keystone at the Top of a Stone Bridge
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.5)
An arch.
The keystone.
A wooden frame.
At the top of the arch.
It is taken away, and the arch stands by itself.
The stones press on each other and hold each other up.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7)
An arch.
The keystone.
A wooden frame in the shape of the curve.
At the very top of the arch.
It is taken away, and the arch stands on its own.
The stones in an arch press against each other and hold each other up, but a flat stone can crack.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.7)
An arch.
The keystone.
A wooden frame in the shape of the curve.
At the very top of the arch.
It is removed, and the arch supports itself.
The stones in an arch press against one another and hold each other up, while a flat slab can crack.
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 arch, keystone, frame, weight and bridge 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 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 "The Keystone at the Top of a Stone Bridge"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 149 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.7. 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 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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