3rd grade nonfiction passage about ocean tides: 171 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionocean tides171 words
The Moon Gives the Sea a Tug
Stand on a beach at sunrise and again at sunset, and the sea may seem like a different place. At sunrise the water may lap close to the dunes. Later it may be far out, with wet sand and shells left behind. The sea moves in and out because of the tides.
Most tides begin with the Moon. The Moon is far away, but it still pulls on Earth. That pull cannot shift rocks and land. Yet it can tug on the oceans. The water on the side facing the Moon is pulled into a bulge. Water on the other side bulges too.
As Earth turns, each beach moves through these bulges. A beach inside a bulge has deep water, which is high tide. A beach between the bulges has shallow water, which is low tide.
Most beaches have about two high tides and two low tides each day. Many animals depend on this pattern. At low tide, children and birds can look in tide pools for crabs and sea stars.
Questions
What causes the water at a beach to go in and out? in the text
What mostly causes the tides? in the text
What is it called when the water is high on the beach? in the text
About how many high tides do most beaches have each day? in the text
What can people find in tide pools at low tide? in the text
Why does the Moon pull on the oceans but not move the rocks and land? think about it
Words to know
tides
the daily rise and fall of the sea
bulge
a round part that sticks out
tug
a quick, strong pull
pattern
something that happens again and again in the same way
depend
to need something in order to live or work
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Moon Gives the Sea a Tug
3rd grade reading passage
Stand on a beach at sunrise and again at sunset, and the sea may seem like a different place. At sunrise the water may lap close to the dunes. Later it may be far out, with wet sand and shells left behind. The sea moves in and out because of the tides.
Most tides begin with the Moon. The Moon is far away, but it still pulls on Earth. That pull cannot shift rocks and land. Yet it can tug on the oceans. The water on the side facing the Moon is pulled into a bulge. Water on the other side bulges too.
As Earth turns, each beach moves through these bulges. A beach inside a bulge has deep water, which is high tide. A beach between the bulges has shallow water, which is low tide.
Most beaches have about two high tides and two low tides each day. Many animals depend on this pattern. At low tide, children and birds can look in tide pools for crabs and sea stars.
Questions
What causes the water at a beach to go in and out?
What mostly causes the tides?
What is it called when the water is high on the beach?
About how many high tides do most beaches have each day?
What can people find in tide pools at low tide?
Why does the Moon pull on the oceans but not move the rocks and land?
Words to know
tides: the daily rise and fall of the sea
bulge: a round part that sticks out
tug: a quick, strong pull
pattern: something that happens again and again in the same way
depend: to need something in order to live or work
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/the-moon-gives-the-sea-a-tug
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 · 159 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7
Visit a beach in the morning and again in the afternoon. The sea may look very different. In the morning the water may be high on the sand. Later it may be far out. Wet sand and shells are left behind. The water goes in and out because of tides.
The Moon causes most tides. The Moon is far away, but it pulls on Earth. The pull cannot move rocks and land. But it can tug on the oceans. Water on the side facing the Moon is pulled into a bulge. Water on the far side bulges too.
Earth turns, so each beach moves through the bulges. In a bulge, the water is high. That is high tide. Between the bulges, the water is low. That is low tide.
Most beaches have two high tides and two low tides a day. Many animals need this. At low tide, you can look in tide pools for crabs and sea stars.
▲ This passage · 171 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.8
Stand on a beach at sunrise and again at sunset, and the sea may seem like a different place. At sunrise the water may lap close to the dunes. Later it may be far out, with wet sand and shells left behind. The sea moves in and out because of the tides.
Most tides begin with the Moon. The Moon is far away, but it still pulls on Earth. That pull cannot shift rocks and land. Yet it can tug on the oceans. The water on the side facing the Moon is pulled into a bulge. Water on the other side bulges too.
As Earth turns, each beach moves through these bulges. A beach inside a bulge has deep water, which is high tide. A beach between the bulges has shallow water, which is low tide.
Most beaches have about two high tides and two low tides each day. Many animals depend on this pattern. At low tide, children and birds can look in tide pools for crabs and sea stars.
■ Harder · 193 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.3
If you visit a beach in the morning and then return in the afternoon, the sea may look completely different. In the morning the water might reach far up the sand, while later it may have withdrawn a long way, leaving wet sand and shells behind. The water moves in and out because of the tides.
Tides are caused mostly by the Moon. Although the Moon is far away, it pulls on Earth. That pull is not strong enough to move solid rock and land, but it is strong enough to tug on the oceans. The water on the side facing the Moon is drawn into a bulge, and water on the opposite side bulges too.
As Earth turns, each beach travels through these bulges. When a beach is inside a bulge, the water is high, which is called high tide. When the beach lies between the bulges, the water is low, which is called low tide.
Most beaches experience about two high tides and two low tides every day. Many animals depend on this steady pattern. At low tide, children and birds can explore tide pools full of crabs and sea stars.
Visit a beach in the morning and again in the afternoon. The sea may look very different. In the morning the water may be high on the sand. Later it may be far out. Wet sand and shells are left behind. The water goes in and out because of tides.
The Moon causes most tides. The Moon is far away, but it pulls on Earth. The pull cannot move rocks and land. But it can tug on the oceans. Water on the side facing the Moon is pulled into a bulge. Water on the far side bulges too.
Earth turns, so each beach moves through the bulges. In a bulge, the water is high. That is high tide. Between the bulges, the water is low. That is low tide.
Most beaches have two high tides and two low tides a day. Many animals need this. At low tide, you can look in tide pools for crabs and sea stars.
Questions
What makes the water at a beach go in and out?
What causes most tides?
What is it called when the water is high?
How many high tides do most beaches have a day?
What can people see in tide pools at low tide?
Why does the Moon move the oceans but not the land?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Moon Gives the Sea a Tug
Stand on a beach at sunrise and again at sunset, and the sea may seem like a different place. At sunrise the water may lap close to the dunes. Later it may be far out, with wet sand and shells left behind. The sea moves in and out because of the tides.
Most tides begin with the Moon. The Moon is far away, but it still pulls on Earth. That pull cannot shift rocks and land. Yet it can tug on the oceans. The water on the side facing the Moon is pulled into a bulge. Water on the other side bulges too.
As Earth turns, each beach moves through these bulges. A beach inside a bulge has deep water, which is high tide. A beach between the bulges has shallow water, which is low tide.
Most beaches have about two high tides and two low tides each day. Many animals depend on this pattern. At low tide, children and birds can look in tide pools for crabs and sea stars.
Questions
What causes the water at a beach to go in and out?
What mostly causes the tides?
What is it called when the water is high on the beach?
About how many high tides do most beaches have each day?
What can people find in tide pools at low tide?
Why does the Moon pull on the oceans but not move the rocks and land?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Moon Gives the Sea a Tug
If you visit a beach in the morning and then return in the afternoon, the sea may look completely different. In the morning the water might reach far up the sand, while later it may have withdrawn a long way, leaving wet sand and shells behind. The water moves in and out because of the tides.
Tides are caused mostly by the Moon. Although the Moon is far away, it pulls on Earth. That pull is not strong enough to move solid rock and land, but it is strong enough to tug on the oceans. The water on the side facing the Moon is drawn into a bulge, and water on the opposite side bulges too.
As Earth turns, each beach travels through these bulges. When a beach is inside a bulge, the water is high, which is called high tide. When the beach lies between the bulges, the water is low, which is called low tide.
Most beaches experience about two high tides and two low tides every day. Many animals depend on this steady pattern. At low tide, children and birds can explore tide pools full of crabs and sea stars.
Questions
What causes the water at a beach to move in and out?
What mostly causes the tides?
What is it called when the water is high on the beach?
About how many high tides do most beaches experience each day?
What can children and birds find in tide pools at low tide?
Why does the Moon tug on the oceans without moving the solid land?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Moon Gives the Sea a Tug
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7)
The tides.
The pull of the Moon.
High tide.
About two.
Crabs and sea stars.
Its pull is only strong enough to move the water.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.8)
The tides.
The pull of the Moon.
High tide.
About two.
Crabs and sea stars.
Its pull is only strong enough to move the water.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.3)
The tides.
The pull of the Moon.
High tide.
About two.
Crabs and sea stars.
Its pull is strong enough only to move the water.
Free at teach.peabody.kids
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Ideas for class
Before reading, put tides, bulge, tug, pattern and depend 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 Moon Gives the Sea a Tug"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 171 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.8. 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.
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