3rd grade nonfiction passage about poll workers: 161 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionpoll workers161 words
Poll Workers Run Election Day
On Election Day, grown-ups go to a place to vote. It might be a school gym or a church hall or a library. Who makes sure everything goes smoothly? Poll workers do.
Poll workers are people from the community who learn the job first. Before the doors open, they set up tables, signs and voting booths. They check that every machine and paper ballot is ready.
When a voter arrives, a poll worker finds the person's name on a list. Then the voter gets a ballot. A ballot is the paper or screen where a person makes a choice. If a voter has a question, a poll worker is there to help. Poll workers do not tell anyone who to vote for.
At the end of the day, the workers close the doors, count the ballots with care, and send the results to town leaders. Voting works well because many neighbors give their time to make it fair for all.
Questions
What do poll workers do before the doors open? in the text
What is a ballot? in the text
What do poll workers do when a voter arrives? in the text
Do poll workers tell people who to vote for? in the text
Why do you think poll workers learn the job first? think about it
Why does it matter that poll workers count the ballots with care? think about it
Words to know
ballot
the paper or screen used to make a vote
poll workers
helpers who run a place where people vote
community
a group of people who live in the same area
booths
small private spaces for voting
results
the final answer after counting votes
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Poll Workers Run Election Day
3rd grade reading passage
On Election Day, grown-ups go to a place to vote. It might be a school gym or a church hall or a library. Who makes sure everything goes smoothly? Poll workers do.
Poll workers are people from the community who learn the job first. Before the doors open, they set up tables, signs and voting booths. They check that every machine and paper ballot is ready.
When a voter arrives, a poll worker finds the person's name on a list. Then the voter gets a ballot. A ballot is the paper or screen where a person makes a choice. If a voter has a question, a poll worker is there to help. Poll workers do not tell anyone who to vote for.
At the end of the day, the workers close the doors, count the ballots with care, and send the results to town leaders. Voting works well because many neighbors give their time to make it fair for all.
Questions
What do poll workers do before the doors open?
What is a ballot?
What do poll workers do when a voter arrives?
Do poll workers tell people who to vote for?
Why do you think poll workers learn the job first?
Why does it matter that poll workers count the ballots with care?
Words to know
ballot: the paper or screen used to make a vote
poll workers: helpers who run a place where people vote
community: a group of people who live in the same area
booths: small private spaces for voting
results: the final answer after counting votes
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/poll-workers-run-election-day
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 · 123 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.5
On Election Day, grown-ups go to a place to vote. It may be a school gym or a library. Poll workers help everything go well.
Poll workers are people from the town. They learn the job first. Before the doors open, they set up tables, signs and voting booths. They check each machine and ballot.
A voter arrives. A poll worker finds the name on a list. Then the voter gets a ballot. A ballot is where a person makes a choice. Poll workers help with questions. They never tell anyone who to vote for.
At the end of the day, workers count the ballots with care. They send the results to town leaders. Neighbors give their time to make voting fair.
▲ This passage · 161 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1
On Election Day, grown-ups go to a place to vote. It might be a school gym or a church hall or a library. Who makes sure everything goes smoothly? Poll workers do.
Poll workers are people from the community who learn the job first. Before the doors open, they set up tables, signs and voting booths. They check that every machine and paper ballot is ready.
When a voter arrives, a poll worker finds the person's name on a list. Then the voter gets a ballot. A ballot is the paper or screen where a person makes a choice. If a voter has a question, a poll worker is there to help. Poll workers do not tell anyone who to vote for.
At the end of the day, the workers close the doors, count the ballots with care, and send the results to town leaders. Voting works well because many neighbors give their time to make it fair for all.
■ Harder · 173 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.9
On Election Day, adults travel to a special place to cast their votes. It might be a school gymnasium, a church hall or a library. Who makes sure that everything goes smoothly? Poll workers do.
Poll workers are members of the community who receive training before they begin the job. Early in the morning, before the doors open, they arrange tables, signs and voting booths. They also confirm that every machine and paper ballot is ready for the day.
When a voter arrives, a poll worker locates the person's name on an official list, and then the voter receives a ballot. A ballot is the paper or screen on which a person records a choice. If a voter has a question, a poll worker is there to help, but poll workers never tell anyone how to vote.
When the day ends, the workers close the doors, count the ballots carefully, and send the results to town leaders. Voting works well because so many neighbors give their time to make it fair for everyone.
On Election Day, grown-ups go to a place to vote. It may be a school gym or a library. Poll workers help everything go well.
Poll workers are people from the town. They learn the job first. Before the doors open, they set up tables, signs and voting booths. They check each machine and ballot.
A voter arrives. A poll worker finds the name on a list. Then the voter gets a ballot. A ballot is where a person makes a choice. Poll workers help with questions. They never tell anyone who to vote for.
At the end of the day, workers count the ballots with care. They send the results to town leaders. Neighbors give their time to make voting fair.
Questions
What do poll workers do before the doors open?
What is a ballot?
What happens when a voter arrives?
Do poll workers tell people who to vote for?
Why do poll workers learn the job first?
Why do poll workers count ballots with care?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Poll Workers Run Election Day
On Election Day, grown-ups go to a place to vote. It might be a school gym or a church hall or a library. Who makes sure everything goes smoothly? Poll workers do.
Poll workers are people from the community who learn the job first. Before the doors open, they set up tables, signs and voting booths. They check that every machine and paper ballot is ready.
When a voter arrives, a poll worker finds the person's name on a list. Then the voter gets a ballot. A ballot is the paper or screen where a person makes a choice. If a voter has a question, a poll worker is there to help. Poll workers do not tell anyone who to vote for.
At the end of the day, the workers close the doors, count the ballots with care, and send the results to town leaders. Voting works well because many neighbors give their time to make it fair for all.
Questions
What do poll workers do before the doors open?
What is a ballot?
What do poll workers do when a voter arrives?
Do poll workers tell people who to vote for?
Why do you think poll workers learn the job first?
Why does it matter that poll workers count the ballots with care?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Poll Workers Run Election Day
On Election Day, adults travel to a special place to cast their votes. It might be a school gymnasium, a church hall or a library. Who makes sure that everything goes smoothly? Poll workers do.
Poll workers are members of the community who receive training before they begin the job. Early in the morning, before the doors open, they arrange tables, signs and voting booths. They also confirm that every machine and paper ballot is ready for the day.
When a voter arrives, a poll worker locates the person's name on an official list, and then the voter receives a ballot. A ballot is the paper or screen on which a person records a choice. If a voter has a question, a poll worker is there to help, but poll workers never tell anyone how to vote.
When the day ends, the workers close the doors, count the ballots carefully, and send the results to town leaders. Voting works well because so many neighbors give their time to make it fair for everyone.
Questions
What do poll workers do before the doors open?
What is a ballot?
What happens when a voter arrives at the voting place?
Will poll workers tell a person how to vote?
Why do poll workers receive training before the job?
Why is it important to count the ballots carefully?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Poll Workers Run Election Day
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.5)
They set up tables, signs and voting booths.
The paper or screen where a person makes a choice.
A poll worker finds the name on a list and gives the voter a ballot.
No, they never do.
They need to know how to help voters and keep voting fair.
So the results are correct and fair.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1)
They set up tables, signs and voting booths.
The paper or screen where a person makes a choice.
They find the voter's name on a list and give the voter a ballot.
No, they never tell anyone who to vote for.
They need to know how to help voters and keep voting fair.
A careful count helps the results be correct and fair.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.9)
They arrange tables, signs and voting booths, and check that machines and ballots are ready.
The paper or screen on which a person records a choice.
A poll worker finds the person's name on a list and gives the voter a ballot.
No, they never tell anyone how to vote.
They need to know how to help voters and keep the voting fair.
A careful count helps the results be correct and fair.
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 ballot, poll workers, community, booths and results 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 "Poll Workers Run Election Day"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 161 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.1. 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 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?
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