3rd grade nonfiction passage about the north star: 167 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionthe north star167 words
The Star That Stays Put in the North
Most stars seem to travel across the sky during the night. One star does not. It is called Polaris, or the North Star. It stays in almost the same spot, high above the north.
Why does it stay still? Earth spins like a top. The line that Earth spins around points very close to Polaris. So the star does not move around the sky like the others do. All the other stars seem to turn around it.
Long ago, travelers used Polaris to find north. If they could see the star, they knew which way was north. Then they could work out east, west and south too. It helped people on land and on the sea.
You can find Polaris with the help of the Big Dipper. Look at the two stars at the end of the Dipper's bowl. Draw a line through them, and the line leads toward Polaris. People in the northern half of Earth can see this star. People far to the south cannot.
Questions
What is another name for Polaris? in the text
Why does Polaris stay in almost the same spot? in the text
What did travelers long ago use Polaris for? in the text
Which group of stars can help you find Polaris? in the text
Who cannot see Polaris? in the text
Why would a lost traveler at night want to see Polaris? think about it
Words to know
Polaris
the star that stays in the north part of the sky
travelers
people who go from one place to another
spins
turns around and around
Dipper
a group of stars shaped like a big spoon
bowl
the round, deep part of a spoon
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Star That Stays Put in the North
3rd grade reading passage
Most stars seem to travel across the sky during the night. One star does not. It is called Polaris, or the North Star. It stays in almost the same spot, high above the north.
Why does it stay still? Earth spins like a top. The line that Earth spins around points very close to Polaris. So the star does not move around the sky like the others do. All the other stars seem to turn around it.
Long ago, travelers used Polaris to find north. If they could see the star, they knew which way was north. Then they could work out east, west and south too. It helped people on land and on the sea.
You can find Polaris with the help of the Big Dipper. Look at the two stars at the end of the Dipper's bowl. Draw a line through them, and the line leads toward Polaris. People in the northern half of Earth can see this star. People far to the south cannot.
Questions
What is another name for Polaris?
Why does Polaris stay in almost the same spot?
What did travelers long ago use Polaris for?
Which group of stars can help you find Polaris?
Who cannot see Polaris?
Why would a lost traveler at night want to see Polaris?
Words to know
Polaris: the star that stays in the north part of the sky
travelers: people who go from one place to another
spins: turns around and around
Dipper: a group of stars shaped like a big spoon
bowl: the round, deep part of a spoon
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/polaris-star-that-stays-put
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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 · 131 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2
Most stars seem to move across the sky at night. One star does not. It is called Polaris. Some people call it the North Star. It stays in the same spot in the north.
Why does it stay still? Earth spins like a top. The line Earth spins on points close to Polaris. So Polaris does not move much. The other stars seem to turn around it.
Long ago, people used Polaris to find north. If they could see it, they knew where north was. Then they knew the other ways too.
The Big Dipper can help you find Polaris. Find the two stars at the end of the bowl. Draw a line through them. It points to Polaris. People in the north can see this star. People far south cannot.
▲ This passage · 167 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2
Most stars seem to travel across the sky during the night. One star does not. It is called Polaris, or the North Star. It stays in almost the same spot, high above the north.
Why does it stay still? Earth spins like a top. The line that Earth spins around points very close to Polaris. So the star does not move around the sky like the others do. All the other stars seem to turn around it.
Long ago, travelers used Polaris to find north. If they could see the star, they knew which way was north. Then they could work out east, west and south too. It helped people on land and on the sea.
You can find Polaris with the help of the Big Dipper. Look at the two stars at the end of the Dipper's bowl. Draw a line through them, and the line leads toward Polaris. People in the northern half of Earth can see this star. People far to the south cannot.
■ Harder · 176 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.3
Throughout the night, nearly every star appears to drift slowly across the sky. One star is a remarkable exception. It is called Polaris, or the North Star, and it remains in almost exactly the same position, high above the northern horizon.
Why does it hold so still? Earth spins like a top, and the invisible line that Earth rotates around points very close to Polaris. Consequently, the star hardly moves, while all of the other stars appear to circle around it as the hours pass.
Long ago, travelers on land and at sea depended on Polaris to find north. Once they could see the star, they could work out east, west and south as well, which kept them from getting lost.
You can locate Polaris with the help of the Big Dipper. Find the two stars at the far end of the Dipper's bowl, and imagine a line passing through them. That line leads straight toward Polaris. People in the northern half of the world can see this star, but people far to the south cannot.
Most stars seem to move across the sky at night. One star does not. It is called Polaris. Some people call it the North Star. It stays in the same spot in the north.
Why does it stay still? Earth spins like a top. The line Earth spins on points close to Polaris. So Polaris does not move much. The other stars seem to turn around it.
Long ago, people used Polaris to find north. If they could see it, they knew where north was. Then they knew the other ways too.
The Big Dipper can help you find Polaris. Find the two stars at the end of the bowl. Draw a line through them. It points to Polaris. People in the north can see this star. People far south cannot.
Questions
What is another name for Polaris?
Why does Polaris stay in the same spot?
What did people long ago use Polaris for?
What group of stars helps you find Polaris?
Who cannot see Polaris?
Why would a lost traveler want to see Polaris?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Star That Stays Put in the North
Most stars seem to travel across the sky during the night. One star does not. It is called Polaris, or the North Star. It stays in almost the same spot, high above the north.
Why does it stay still? Earth spins like a top. The line that Earth spins around points very close to Polaris. So the star does not move around the sky like the others do. All the other stars seem to turn around it.
Long ago, travelers used Polaris to find north. If they could see the star, they knew which way was north. Then they could work out east, west and south too. It helped people on land and on the sea.
You can find Polaris with the help of the Big Dipper. Look at the two stars at the end of the Dipper's bowl. Draw a line through them, and the line leads toward Polaris. People in the northern half of Earth can see this star. People far to the south cannot.
Questions
What is another name for Polaris?
Why does Polaris stay in almost the same spot?
What did travelers long ago use Polaris for?
Which group of stars can help you find Polaris?
Who cannot see Polaris?
Why would a lost traveler at night want to see Polaris?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Star That Stays Put in the North
Throughout the night, nearly every star appears to drift slowly across the sky. One star is a remarkable exception. It is called Polaris, or the North Star, and it remains in almost exactly the same position, high above the northern horizon.
Why does it hold so still? Earth spins like a top, and the invisible line that Earth rotates around points very close to Polaris. Consequently, the star hardly moves, while all of the other stars appear to circle around it as the hours pass.
Long ago, travelers on land and at sea depended on Polaris to find north. Once they could see the star, they could work out east, west and south as well, which kept them from getting lost.
You can locate Polaris with the help of the Big Dipper. Find the two stars at the far end of the Dipper's bowl, and imagine a line passing through them. That line leads straight toward Polaris. People in the northern half of the world can see this star, but people far to the south cannot.
Questions
What is Polaris also called?
Why does Polaris stay in almost the same position all night?
What did travelers long ago depend on Polaris to do?
Which group of stars helps you locate Polaris?
Who is unable to see Polaris?
Why would a lost traveler at night be glad to see Polaris?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Star That Stays Put in the North
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2)
The North Star.
The line Earth spins on points close to it.
To find north.
The Big Dipper.
People far to the south.
It shows where north is, so it helps them find their way.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2)
The North Star.
The line that Earth spins around points very close to it.
To find which way was north.
The Big Dipper.
People who live far to the south.
It always shows where north is, so it can help them find their way.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.3)
The North Star.
The line that Earth rotates around points very close to it.
Find which way was north.
The Big Dipper.
People who live far to the south.
It always marks north, which helps the traveler find the way.
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 Polaris, travelers, spins, Dipper and bowl 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 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 Star That Stays Put in the North"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 167 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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