3rd grade nonfiction passage about animal migration: 127 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionanimal migration127 words
Monarch Butterflies on the Move
Most butterflies stay near home all year, but monarch butterflies take a long trip. In the fall, monarchs in the United States and Canada fly south to Mexico. Some fly two thousand miles or more. That is a long way for an insect that weighs less than a paper clip.
Monarchs go south because it gets cold in the north. They cannot live through freezing weather. In Mexico, they rest in tall trees, packed close together to stay warm.
In spring, the monarchs begin to fly north again. They lay eggs on milkweed plants along the way. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, and the caterpillars eat only milkweed. Later, the new butterflies fly on. It takes more than one group of butterflies to finish the trip north.
Questions
Where do monarchs fly in the fall? in the text
Why do monarchs go south? in the text
Why do monarchs pack close together in the trees? in the text
What do monarch caterpillars eat? in the text
Why do you think monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed? think about it
Why is the trip a big one for such a small insect? think about it
Words to know
monarch
an orange and black butterfly known for its long trip
freezing
so cold that water turns to ice
milkweed
a plant that monarch caterpillars eat
hatch
to break out of an egg
caterpillars
the wormlike young of butterflies
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Monarch Butterflies on the Move
3rd grade reading passage
Most butterflies stay near home all year, but monarch butterflies take a long trip. In the fall, monarchs in the United States and Canada fly south to Mexico. Some fly two thousand miles or more. That is a long way for an insect that weighs less than a paper clip.
Monarchs go south because it gets cold in the north. They cannot live through freezing weather. In Mexico, they rest in tall trees, packed close together to stay warm.
In spring, the monarchs begin to fly north again. They lay eggs on milkweed plants along the way. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, and the caterpillars eat only milkweed. Later, the new butterflies fly on. It takes more than one group of butterflies to finish the trip north.
Questions
Where do monarchs fly in the fall?
Why do monarchs go south?
Why do monarchs pack close together in the trees?
What do monarch caterpillars eat?
Why do you think monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed?
Why is the trip a big one for such a small insect?
Words to know
monarch: an orange and black butterfly known for its long trip
freezing: so cold that water turns to ice
milkweed: a plant that monarch caterpillars eat
hatch: to break out of an egg
caterpillars: the wormlike young of butterflies
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/monarch-butterflies-on-the-move
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 · 116 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.1
Most butterflies stay near home. But monarch butterflies take a long trip. In the fall, monarchs in the United States and Canada fly south to Mexico. Some fly two thousand miles or more. That is far for a bug lighter than a paper clip.
Monarchs go south because the north gets cold. They can not live in freezing weather. In Mexico, they rest in tall trees. They sit close together to stay warm.
In spring, monarchs fly north again. They lay eggs on milkweed plants on the way. The eggs hatch into caterpillars. The caterpillars eat only milkweed. Later, new butterflies fly on. One group can not finish the trip north. It takes more than one.
▲ This passage · 127 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.5
Most butterflies stay near home all year, but monarch butterflies take a long trip. In the fall, monarchs in the United States and Canada fly south to Mexico. Some fly two thousand miles or more. That is a long way for an insect that weighs less than a paper clip.
Monarchs go south because it gets cold in the north. They cannot live through freezing weather. In Mexico, they rest in tall trees, packed close together to stay warm.
In spring, the monarchs begin to fly north again. They lay eggs on milkweed plants along the way. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, and the caterpillars eat only milkweed. Later, the new butterflies fly on. It takes more than one group of butterflies to finish the trip north.
■ Harder · 136 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 8.2
Most butterflies remain close to home throughout the year, but monarch butterflies undertake an extraordinary journey. Each fall, monarchs in the United States and Canada fly south to Mexico, and some of them cover two thousand miles or more. That is a remarkable distance for an insect that weighs less than a paper clip.
Monarchs travel south because the northern winters grow cold, and these delicate butterflies cannot survive freezing weather. In Mexico, they rest in tall trees, packed tightly together to keep each other warm.
When spring arrives, the monarchs begin flying north again. Along the way, they lay their eggs on milkweed plants. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, which eat nothing but milkweed, and later the new butterflies continue the journey. It takes more than one group of butterflies to complete the trip north.
Most butterflies stay near home. But monarch butterflies take a long trip. In the fall, monarchs in the United States and Canada fly south to Mexico. Some fly two thousand miles or more. That is far for a bug lighter than a paper clip.
Monarchs go south because the north gets cold. They can not live in freezing weather. In Mexico, they rest in tall trees. They sit close together to stay warm.
In spring, monarchs fly north again. They lay eggs on milkweed plants on the way. The eggs hatch into caterpillars. The caterpillars eat only milkweed. Later, new butterflies fly on. One group can not finish the trip north. It takes more than one.
Questions
Where do monarchs fly in the fall?
Why do monarchs go south?
Why do monarchs sit close together in the trees?
What do monarch caterpillars eat?
Why do monarchs lay eggs on milkweed?
Why is the trip so big for a monarch?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Monarch Butterflies on the Move
Most butterflies stay near home all year, but monarch butterflies take a long trip. In the fall, monarchs in the United States and Canada fly south to Mexico. Some fly two thousand miles or more. That is a long way for an insect that weighs less than a paper clip.
Monarchs go south because it gets cold in the north. They cannot live through freezing weather. In Mexico, they rest in tall trees, packed close together to stay warm.
In spring, the monarchs begin to fly north again. They lay eggs on milkweed plants along the way. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, and the caterpillars eat only milkweed. Later, the new butterflies fly on. It takes more than one group of butterflies to finish the trip north.
Questions
Where do monarchs fly in the fall?
Why do monarchs go south?
Why do monarchs pack close together in the trees?
What do monarch caterpillars eat?
Why do you think monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed?
Why is the trip a big one for such a small insect?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Monarch Butterflies on the Move
Most butterflies remain close to home throughout the year, but monarch butterflies undertake an extraordinary journey. Each fall, monarchs in the United States and Canada fly south to Mexico, and some of them cover two thousand miles or more. That is a remarkable distance for an insect that weighs less than a paper clip.
Monarchs travel south because the northern winters grow cold, and these delicate butterflies cannot survive freezing weather. In Mexico, they rest in tall trees, packed tightly together to keep each other warm.
When spring arrives, the monarchs begin flying north again. Along the way, they lay their eggs on milkweed plants. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, which eat nothing but milkweed, and later the new butterflies continue the journey. It takes more than one group of butterflies to complete the trip north.
Questions
Where do monarchs travel each fall?
Why do monarchs travel south?
Why are monarchs packed tightly together in the trees?
What do monarch caterpillars eat?
Why might monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed plants?
What makes the journey remarkable for such a small insect?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Monarch Butterflies on the Move
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.1)
South to Mexico.
The north gets cold, and they can not live in freezing weather.
To stay warm.
Only milkweed.
So the caterpillars have food when they hatch.
It is very light, but it flies two thousand miles or more.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.5)
South to Mexico.
It gets cold in the north, and they cannot live through freezing weather.
To stay warm.
Only milkweed.
So the caterpillars have food right away when they hatch.
The monarch is very light, yet it flies two thousand miles or more.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 8.2)
South to Mexico.
Northern winters grow cold, and they cannot survive freezing weather.
To keep each other warm.
Nothing but milkweed.
So the caterpillars have food as soon as they hatch.
The monarch weighs very little, yet it flies two thousand miles or more.
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 monarch, freezing, milkweed, hatch and caterpillars 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 "Monarch Butterflies on the Move"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 127 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.5. 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?
No. It was written for Peabody Teach, so there is no book to buy and no login to read it.
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