3rd grade nonfiction passage about eyeglass lens maker: 147 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictioneyeglass lens maker147 words
From Eye Test to Glasses: The Lens Maker's Day
When you wear glasses, a lens maker has helped you see. How does that happen?
It starts at the eye doctor. The doctor tests your eyes. Then she writes down what kind of lens you need. This note is called a prescription.
The prescription goes to a lab. A lens is a clear piece of glass or plastic with a curved shape. The curve bends light a little. Different eyes need different curves, so the lens maker follows the note with great care.
She starts with a plain, round blank. A machine shapes the blank to the right curve. Then she polishes it until it is smooth and clear.
Next, she trims the lens so it fits inside the frame. She checks it with a special tool to see if it matches the prescription.
At last, the glasses go back to you. The world looks sharp again.
Questions
Who tests your eyes first? in the text
What is a prescription? in the text
What does the curve of a lens do to light? in the text
What does the lens maker do after she shapes the blank? in the text
Why must the lens maker follow the prescription with care? think about it
Why does she check the finished lens with a special tool? think about it
Words to know
lens
a clear, curved piece of glass or plastic that bends light
prescription
a note from a doctor that says what a person needs
blank
a plain piece that has not been shaped yet
polishes
rubs something until it is smooth and shiny
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
From Eye Test to Glasses: The Lens Maker's Day
3rd grade reading passage
When you wear glasses, a lens maker has helped you see. How does that happen?
It starts at the eye doctor. The doctor tests your eyes. Then she writes down what kind of lens you need. This note is called a prescription.
The prescription goes to a lab. A lens is a clear piece of glass or plastic with a curved shape. The curve bends light a little. Different eyes need different curves, so the lens maker follows the note with great care.
She starts with a plain, round blank. A machine shapes the blank to the right curve. Then she polishes it until it is smooth and clear.
Next, she trims the lens so it fits inside the frame. She checks it with a special tool to see if it matches the prescription.
At last, the glasses go back to you. The world looks sharp again.
Questions
Who tests your eyes first?
What is a prescription?
What does the curve of a lens do to light?
What does the lens maker do after she shapes the blank?
Why must the lens maker follow the prescription with care?
Why does she check the finished lens with a special tool?
Words to know
lens: a clear, curved piece of glass or plastic that bends light
prescription: a note from a doctor that says what a person needs
blank: a plain piece that has not been shaped yet
polishes: rubs something until it is smooth and shiny
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/lens-maker-from-eye-test-to-glasses
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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 · 140 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.5
When you wear glasses, a lens maker helped you see. How does it work?
It starts at the eye doctor. She tests your eyes. Then she writes down the kind of lens you need. The note is a prescription.
The note goes to a lab. A lens is a clear piece of glass or plastic. It has a curve. The curve bends light a little. Each pair of eyes needs a different curve. So the lens maker follows the note with care.
She starts with a plain round blank. A machine shapes it to the right curve. Then she polishes it until it is smooth and clear.
Next, she trims the lens to fit the frame. She checks it with a tool. It must match the prescription.
At last, the glasses go back to you. Now the world looks sharp.
▲ This passage · 147 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.9
When you wear glasses, a lens maker has helped you see. How does that happen?
It starts at the eye doctor. The doctor tests your eyes. Then she writes down what kind of lens you need. This note is called a prescription.
The prescription goes to a lab. A lens is a clear piece of glass or plastic with a curved shape. The curve bends light a little. Different eyes need different curves, so the lens maker follows the note with great care.
She starts with a plain, round blank. A machine shapes the blank to the right curve. Then she polishes it until it is smooth and clear.
Next, she trims the lens so it fits inside the frame. She checks it with a special tool to see if it matches the prescription.
At last, the glasses go back to you. The world looks sharp again.
■ Harder · 164 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.1
Whenever you put on a pair of glasses, a lens maker has played a part in helping you see. How does the process unfold?
It begins at the eye doctor's office. The doctor examines your eyes and then records exactly what kind of lens you need. This written note is called a prescription.
The prescription is sent to a laboratory. A lens is a clear piece of glass or plastic with a curved shape, and the curve bends light slightly. Because different eyes need different curves, the lens maker follows the prescription with great precision.
She starts with a plain, round blank. A machine shapes the blank into the correct curve, and then she polishes it until it is perfectly smooth and clear.
Afterward, she trims the lens so that it fits inside the frame, and she examines it with a special instrument to confirm that it matches the prescription.
Finally, the glasses are returned to you, and the world looks sharp once again.
When you wear glasses, a lens maker helped you see. How does it work?
It starts at the eye doctor. She tests your eyes. Then she writes down the kind of lens you need. The note is a prescription.
The note goes to a lab. A lens is a clear piece of glass or plastic. It has a curve. The curve bends light a little. Each pair of eyes needs a different curve. So the lens maker follows the note with care.
She starts with a plain round blank. A machine shapes it to the right curve. Then she polishes it until it is smooth and clear.
Next, she trims the lens to fit the frame. She checks it with a tool. It must match the prescription.
At last, the glasses go back to you. Now the world looks sharp.
Questions
Who tests your eyes first?
What is a prescription?
What does the curve of a lens do to light?
What does the lens maker do after the machine shapes the blank?
Why must the lens maker follow the note with care?
Why does she check the lens with a tool?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
From Eye Test to Glasses: The Lens Maker's Day
When you wear glasses, a lens maker has helped you see. How does that happen?
It starts at the eye doctor. The doctor tests your eyes. Then she writes down what kind of lens you need. This note is called a prescription.
The prescription goes to a lab. A lens is a clear piece of glass or plastic with a curved shape. The curve bends light a little. Different eyes need different curves, so the lens maker follows the note with great care.
She starts with a plain, round blank. A machine shapes the blank to the right curve. Then she polishes it until it is smooth and clear.
Next, she trims the lens so it fits inside the frame. She checks it with a special tool to see if it matches the prescription.
At last, the glasses go back to you. The world looks sharp again.
Questions
Who tests your eyes first?
What is a prescription?
What does the curve of a lens do to light?
What does the lens maker do after she shapes the blank?
Why must the lens maker follow the prescription with care?
Why does she check the finished lens with a special tool?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
From Eye Test to Glasses: The Lens Maker's Day
Whenever you put on a pair of glasses, a lens maker has played a part in helping you see. How does the process unfold?
It begins at the eye doctor's office. The doctor examines your eyes and then records exactly what kind of lens you need. This written note is called a prescription.
The prescription is sent to a laboratory. A lens is a clear piece of glass or plastic with a curved shape, and the curve bends light slightly. Because different eyes need different curves, the lens maker follows the prescription with great precision.
She starts with a plain, round blank. A machine shapes the blank into the correct curve, and then she polishes it until it is perfectly smooth and clear.
Afterward, she trims the lens so that it fits inside the frame, and she examines it with a special instrument to confirm that it matches the prescription.
Finally, the glasses are returned to you, and the world looks sharp once again.
Questions
Who examines your eyes first?
What is a prescription?
What does the curve of a lens do to light?
What does the lens maker do after a machine shapes the blank?
Why must the lens maker follow the prescription with great precision?
Why does she examine the finished lens with a special instrument?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: From Eye Test to Glasses: The Lens Maker's Day
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.5)
The eye doctor.
A note that says what kind of lens a person needs.
It bends it a little.
She polishes it until it is smooth and clear.
Each pair of eyes needs a different curve.
To be sure it matches the prescription.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.9)
The eye doctor.
A note that says what kind of lens a person needs.
It bends the light a little.
She polishes it until it is smooth and clear.
Different eyes need different curves.
To make sure it matches the prescription.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.1)
The eye doctor.
A written note that says what kind of lens a person needs.
It bends the light slightly.
She polishes it until it is smooth and clear.
Different eyes need different curves.
To confirm that it matches the prescription.
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 lens, prescription, blank and polishes 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 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 "From Eye Test to Glasses: The Lens Maker's Day"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 147 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 1.9. 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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