3rd grade nonfiction passage about how sailboats tack: 171 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionhow sailboats tack171 words
Sailing Into the Wind in a Zigzag
A sailboat has no motor. It moves because the wind pushes on its sails. If the wind blows from behind the boat, it is easy to see how that works. But what if the sailor wants to go to a place that is in the direction the wind is coming from?
A sailboat cannot go straight into the wind. The sails would flap and the boat would stop. But a sailor can still get there. The trick is to zigzag.
The sailor steers the boat at an angle to the wind, a bit to the left of the goal. A curved sail catches the wind and the boat moves forward. After a while, the sailor turns the boat across the wind so that it points a bit to the right of the goal. The sail swings to the other side.
Each turn is called a tack. A long line of zigzags can bring the boat to its goal, one tack after another.
It takes longer than going straight, but it works.
Questions
What makes a sailboat move? in the text
What happens if a boat points straight into the wind? in the text
What is the trick for reaching a place the wind is coming from? in the text
What is each turn in the zigzag called? in the text
Does the zigzag path take longer or less time than a straight path? in the text
Why might a sailor use zigzags on a windy day to reach a harbor? think about it
Words to know
sails
large sheets of cloth that catch the wind to move a boat
motor
an engine that makes a machine move
direction
the way something is pointing or going
zigzag
a path that turns sharply one way and then the other
tack
one leg of a zigzag path made by a sailboat
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Sailing Into the Wind in a Zigzag
3rd grade reading passage
A sailboat has no motor. It moves because the wind pushes on its sails. If the wind blows from behind the boat, it is easy to see how that works. But what if the sailor wants to go to a place that is in the direction the wind is coming from?
A sailboat cannot go straight into the wind. The sails would flap and the boat would stop. But a sailor can still get there. The trick is to zigzag.
The sailor steers the boat at an angle to the wind, a bit to the left of the goal. A curved sail catches the wind and the boat moves forward. After a while, the sailor turns the boat across the wind so that it points a bit to the right of the goal. The sail swings to the other side.
Each turn is called a tack. A long line of zigzags can bring the boat to its goal, one tack after another.
It takes longer than going straight, but it works.
Questions
What makes a sailboat move?
What happens if a boat points straight into the wind?
What is the trick for reaching a place the wind is coming from?
What is each turn in the zigzag called?
Does the zigzag path take longer or less time than a straight path?
Why might a sailor use zigzags on a windy day to reach a harbor?
Words to know
sails: large sheets of cloth that catch the wind to move a boat
motor: an engine that makes a machine move
direction: the way something is pointing or going
zigzag: a path that turns sharply one way and then the other
tack: one leg of a zigzag path made by a sailboat
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/sailing-into-the-wind-zigzag
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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 · 156 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1
A sailboat has no motor. The wind pushes on its sails, and the boat moves. If the wind blows from behind, this is easy to see. But what if a sailor wants to go to a place that is where the wind comes from?
A sailboat cannot go straight into the wind. The sails would flap, and the boat would stop. But the sailor can still get there. The trick is to zigzag.
The sailor steers at an angle to the wind. The boat points a bit to the left of the goal. The curved sail catches the wind, and the boat moves on. Later, the sailor turns the boat. Now it points a bit to the right of the goal. The sail swings to the other side.
Each turn is called a tack. Many tacks in a row bring the boat to its goal.
It takes more time than a straight line. But it works.
▲ This passage · 171 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7
A sailboat has no motor. It moves because the wind pushes on its sails. If the wind blows from behind the boat, it is easy to see how that works. But what if the sailor wants to go to a place that is in the direction the wind is coming from?
A sailboat cannot go straight into the wind. The sails would flap and the boat would stop. But a sailor can still get there. The trick is to zigzag.
The sailor steers the boat at an angle to the wind, a bit to the left of the goal. A curved sail catches the wind and the boat moves forward. After a while, the sailor turns the boat across the wind so that it points a bit to the right of the goal. The sail swings to the other side.
Each turn is called a tack. A long line of zigzags can bring the boat to its goal, one tack after another.
It takes longer than going straight, but it works.
■ Harder · 192 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2
A sailboat has no motor of any kind. It moves because the wind pushes against its sails. When the wind blows from behind the boat, it is easy to understand how that works. But what happens when the sailor wants to reach a place that lies in the very direction the wind is coming from?
A sailboat cannot travel straight into the wind, because the sails would flap uselessly and the boat would come to a halt. Even so, a skilled sailor can still arrive at the goal. The secret is to zigzag.
The sailor steers the boat at an angle to the wind, aiming a little to the left of the goal. The curved sail catches the wind, and the boat glides forward. After a while, the sailor turns the boat across the wind so that it points a little to the right of the goal, and the sail swings over to the opposite side.
Each of these turns is called a tack. A long series of zigzags, one tack after another, will carry the boat to its destination.
This takes longer than sailing in a straight line, but it works.
A sailboat has no motor. The wind pushes on its sails, and the boat moves. If the wind blows from behind, this is easy to see. But what if a sailor wants to go to a place that is where the wind comes from?
A sailboat cannot go straight into the wind. The sails would flap, and the boat would stop. But the sailor can still get there. The trick is to zigzag.
The sailor steers at an angle to the wind. The boat points a bit to the left of the goal. The curved sail catches the wind, and the boat moves on. Later, the sailor turns the boat. Now it points a bit to the right of the goal. The sail swings to the other side.
Each turn is called a tack. Many tacks in a row bring the boat to its goal.
It takes more time than a straight line. But it works.
Questions
What makes a sailboat move?
What happens if a boat points straight into the wind?
What is the trick to reach a place the wind comes from?
What is each turn in the zigzag called?
Does a zigzag path take more or less time than a straight path?
Why might a sailor zigzag to reach a harbor on a windy day?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Sailing Into the Wind in a Zigzag
A sailboat has no motor. It moves because the wind pushes on its sails. If the wind blows from behind the boat, it is easy to see how that works. But what if the sailor wants to go to a place that is in the direction the wind is coming from?
A sailboat cannot go straight into the wind. The sails would flap and the boat would stop. But a sailor can still get there. The trick is to zigzag.
The sailor steers the boat at an angle to the wind, a bit to the left of the goal. A curved sail catches the wind and the boat moves forward. After a while, the sailor turns the boat across the wind so that it points a bit to the right of the goal. The sail swings to the other side.
Each turn is called a tack. A long line of zigzags can bring the boat to its goal, one tack after another.
It takes longer than going straight, but it works.
Questions
What makes a sailboat move?
What happens if a boat points straight into the wind?
What is the trick for reaching a place the wind is coming from?
What is each turn in the zigzag called?
Does the zigzag path take longer or less time than a straight path?
Why might a sailor use zigzags on a windy day to reach a harbor?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Sailing Into the Wind in a Zigzag
A sailboat has no motor of any kind. It moves because the wind pushes against its sails. When the wind blows from behind the boat, it is easy to understand how that works. But what happens when the sailor wants to reach a place that lies in the very direction the wind is coming from?
A sailboat cannot travel straight into the wind, because the sails would flap uselessly and the boat would come to a halt. Even so, a skilled sailor can still arrive at the goal. The secret is to zigzag.
The sailor steers the boat at an angle to the wind, aiming a little to the left of the goal. The curved sail catches the wind, and the boat glides forward. After a while, the sailor turns the boat across the wind so that it points a little to the right of the goal, and the sail swings over to the opposite side.
Each of these turns is called a tack. A long series of zigzags, one tack after another, will carry the boat to its destination.
This takes longer than sailing in a straight line, but it works.
Questions
What makes a sailboat move?
What happens when a boat points straight into the wind?
What is the secret to reaching a place that lies in the direction the wind is coming from?
What is each turn in the zigzag called?
Does a zigzag path take more or less time than a straight path?
Why might a sailor use zigzags to reach a harbor on a windy day?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Sailing Into the Wind in a Zigzag
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1)
The wind pushing on its sails.
The sails flap and the boat stops.
The sailor zigzags.
A tack.
It takes more time.
The harbor may be where the wind is coming from, so the boat cannot go straight there.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7)
The wind pushing on its sails.
The sails flap and the boat stops.
The sailor zigzags.
A tack.
It takes longer.
The harbor may be in the direction the wind is blowing from, and the boat cannot go straight there.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2)
The wind pushing against its sails.
The sails flap and the boat comes to a halt.
The sailor zigzags.
A tack.
It takes longer.
The harbor may lie in the direction the wind is blowing from, so the boat cannot head straight there.
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 sails, motor, direction, zigzag and tack 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 "Sailing Into the Wind in a Zigzag"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 171 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 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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