3rd grade nonfiction passage about the sleeping brain: 166 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionthe sleeping brain166 words
What Your Brain Tidies Up While You Sleep
When you close your eyes at night, you might think your brain turns off. It does not! Your brain stays busy, and some of its work happens only during sleep.
Sleep comes in stretches called cycles. In a light part of a cycle, you are easy to wake up. In a deeper part, your body is very still and very relaxed. Dreams usually happen in another part, when your eyes move beneath your lids. Over the night, you go through these parts again and again.
Scientists think sleep helps the brain sort out what you learned during the day. It may be like a librarian putting books back on the right shelves. That could be one reason a good night's sleep helps you remember spelling words or the steps of a game.
Sleep also helps your body grow and repair itself. Kids need more sleep than grown-ups do. A regular bedtime, a quiet room, and no screens right before bed can help you drift off.
Questions
Does your brain turn off when you sleep? in the text
What are the stretches of sleep called? in the text
When do dreams usually happen? in the text
What does the story compare the brain to during sleep? in the text
Who needs more sleep, kids or grown-ups? in the text
Why might sleeping well before a spelling test help you? think about it
Words to know
cycles
sets of steps that happen over and over in the same order
relaxed
calm and loose, not tight
librarian
a person who takes care of a library and its books
repair
to fix something so it works well again
bedtime
the time you go to bed
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
What Your Brain Tidies Up While You Sleep
3rd grade reading passage
When you close your eyes at night, you might think your brain turns off. It does not! Your brain stays busy, and some of its work happens only during sleep.
Sleep comes in stretches called cycles. In a light part of a cycle, you are easy to wake up. In a deeper part, your body is very still and very relaxed. Dreams usually happen in another part, when your eyes move beneath your lids. Over the night, you go through these parts again and again.
Scientists think sleep helps the brain sort out what you learned during the day. It may be like a librarian putting books back on the right shelves. That could be one reason a good night's sleep helps you remember spelling words or the steps of a game.
Sleep also helps your body grow and repair itself. Kids need more sleep than grown-ups do. A regular bedtime, a quiet room, and no screens right before bed can help you drift off.
Questions
Does your brain turn off when you sleep?
What are the stretches of sleep called?
When do dreams usually happen?
What does the story compare the brain to during sleep?
Who needs more sleep, kids or grown-ups?
Why might sleeping well before a spelling test help you?
Words to know
cycles: sets of steps that happen over and over in the same order
relaxed: calm and loose, not tight
librarian: a person who takes care of a library and its books
repair: to fix something so it works well again
bedtime: the time you go to bed
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/what-your-brain-tidies-up-while-you-sleep
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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 · 125 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2
When you close your eyes at night, your brain does not turn off. It stays busy. Some of its work only happens in sleep.
Sleep comes in cycles. In a light part, it is easy to wake up. In a deep part, your body is still and relaxed. Dreams are usually in another part, when your eyes move under your lids. You go through these parts again and again.
Scientists think sleep helps the brain sort out what you learned. It may be like a librarian who puts books back on shelves. That may be why good sleep helps you remember spelling words.
Sleep also helps you grow and repair. Kids need more sleep than grown-ups. A set bedtime and a quiet room help.
▲ This passage · 166 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.8
When you close your eyes at night, you might think your brain turns off. It does not! Your brain stays busy, and some of its work happens only during sleep.
Sleep comes in stretches called cycles. In a light part of a cycle, you are easy to wake up. In a deeper part, your body is very still and very relaxed. Dreams usually happen in another part, when your eyes move beneath your lids. Over the night, you go through these parts again and again.
Scientists think sleep helps the brain sort out what you learned during the day. It may be like a librarian putting books back on the right shelves. That could be one reason a good night's sleep helps you remember spelling words or the steps of a game.
Sleep also helps your body grow and repair itself. Kids need more sleep than grown-ups do. A regular bedtime, a quiet room, and no screens right before bed can help you drift off.
■ Harder · 175 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.2
When you close your eyes at night, you might assume that your brain simply switches off. It does not! Your brain remains remarkably busy, and some of its most important work happens only while you are asleep.
Sleep arrives in stretches called cycles. During a light part of a cycle, you are easy to wake. During a deeper part, your body is very still and completely relaxed. Dreams usually occur in yet another part, when your eyes move beneath your eyelids. Throughout the night, you pass through these parts again and again.
Scientists believe that sleep helps the brain sort out everything you learned during the day. It may resemble a librarian carefully returning books to the proper shelves. That could be one reason a good night's sleep helps you remember spelling words or the rules of a new game.
Sleep also helps your body grow and repair itself. Kids need more sleep than grown-ups do. A regular bedtime, a quiet bedroom, and avoiding screens right before bed can help you drift off peacefully.
When you close your eyes at night, your brain does not turn off. It stays busy. Some of its work only happens in sleep.
Sleep comes in cycles. In a light part, it is easy to wake up. In a deep part, your body is still and relaxed. Dreams are usually in another part, when your eyes move under your lids. You go through these parts again and again.
Scientists think sleep helps the brain sort out what you learned. It may be like a librarian who puts books back on shelves. That may be why good sleep helps you remember spelling words.
Sleep also helps you grow and repair. Kids need more sleep than grown-ups. A set bedtime and a quiet room help.
Questions
Does your brain turn off when you sleep?
What are the stretches of sleep called?
When do dreams usually happen?
What is the brain compared to during sleep?
Who needs more sleep, kids or grown-ups?
Why might good sleep help you with spelling words?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
What Your Brain Tidies Up While You Sleep
When you close your eyes at night, you might think your brain turns off. It does not! Your brain stays busy, and some of its work happens only during sleep.
Sleep comes in stretches called cycles. In a light part of a cycle, you are easy to wake up. In a deeper part, your body is very still and very relaxed. Dreams usually happen in another part, when your eyes move beneath your lids. Over the night, you go through these parts again and again.
Scientists think sleep helps the brain sort out what you learned during the day. It may be like a librarian putting books back on the right shelves. That could be one reason a good night's sleep helps you remember spelling words or the steps of a game.
Sleep also helps your body grow and repair itself. Kids need more sleep than grown-ups do. A regular bedtime, a quiet room, and no screens right before bed can help you drift off.
Questions
Does your brain turn off when you sleep?
What are the stretches of sleep called?
When do dreams usually happen?
What does the story compare the brain to during sleep?
Who needs more sleep, kids or grown-ups?
Why might sleeping well before a spelling test help you?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
What Your Brain Tidies Up While You Sleep
When you close your eyes at night, you might assume that your brain simply switches off. It does not! Your brain remains remarkably busy, and some of its most important work happens only while you are asleep.
Sleep arrives in stretches called cycles. During a light part of a cycle, you are easy to wake. During a deeper part, your body is very still and completely relaxed. Dreams usually occur in yet another part, when your eyes move beneath your eyelids. Throughout the night, you pass through these parts again and again.
Scientists believe that sleep helps the brain sort out everything you learned during the day. It may resemble a librarian carefully returning books to the proper shelves. That could be one reason a good night's sleep helps you remember spelling words or the rules of a new game.
Sleep also helps your body grow and repair itself. Kids need more sleep than grown-ups do. A regular bedtime, a quiet bedroom, and avoiding screens right before bed can help you drift off peacefully.
Questions
Does your brain switch off when you sleep?
What are the stretches of sleep called?
When do dreams usually occur?
What is the brain compared to during sleep?
Who needs more sleep, kids or grown-ups?
Why might a good night's sleep help you before a spelling test?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: What Your Brain Tidies Up While You Sleep
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2)
No, it stays busy.
Cycles.
When your eyes move under your lids.
A librarian who puts books back on shelves.
Kids.
Sleep helps the brain sort and remember what you learned.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.8)
No, it stays busy.
Cycles.
In a part of the cycle when your eyes move beneath your lids.
A librarian putting books back on shelves.
Kids.
Sleep helps the brain sort and remember what you learned.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.2)
No, it remains busy.
Cycles.
In a part of the cycle when your eyes move beneath your eyelids.
A librarian returning books to the proper shelves.
Kids.
Sleep helps the brain sort and remember what you learned.
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 cycles, relaxed, librarian, repair and bedtime 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 "What Your Brain Tidies Up While You Sleep"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 166 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.8. 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.
Is this passage from a published book?
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