3rd grade nonfiction passage about lunar eclipse: 182 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
3rd gradenonfictionlunar eclipse182 words
When the Moon Turns Coppery Red
Sometimes the full Moon does something strange. It slowly dims and turns a soft orange-red color. This is called a lunar eclipse.
The Moon makes no light itself. It shines because the Sun lights it up and the light comes back to us. In a lunar eclipse, Earth moves right between the Sun and the Moon. Earth's shadow falls across the Moon, and the Moon gets less sunlight.
You might think the Moon would vanish in the dark shadow. It does not. A little sunlight bends as it passes through the air around Earth. The blue light scatters away, and the red light bends onward and lands on the Moon. That is why the Moon glows a coppery red.
A lunar eclipse only happens at full Moon. The whole show can take a few hours. First the shadow creeps in, then the Moon turns red, and then the shadow slowly slides off.
Best of all, you can watch a lunar eclipse with your own eyes. You do not need any special glasses. You just need a clear sky and some patience.
Questions
What color does the Moon turn during a lunar eclipse? in the text
What moves between the Sun and the Moon in a lunar eclipse? in the text
Why does the Moon shine? in the text
What kind of light reaches the Moon after bending through Earth's air? in the text
When can a lunar eclipse happen? in the text
Why does the Moon not vanish when it is in Earth's shadow? think about it
Words to know
eclipse
when one object in space blocks light from another
shadow
a dark shape made when something blocks light
bends
turns from a straight path
scatters
flies apart in many directions
coppery
having the reddish color of a shiny penny
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
When the Moon Turns Coppery Red
3rd grade reading passage
Sometimes the full Moon does something strange. It slowly dims and turns a soft orange-red color. This is called a lunar eclipse.
The Moon makes no light itself. It shines because the Sun lights it up and the light comes back to us. In a lunar eclipse, Earth moves right between the Sun and the Moon. Earth's shadow falls across the Moon, and the Moon gets less sunlight.
You might think the Moon would vanish in the dark shadow. It does not. A little sunlight bends as it passes through the air around Earth. The blue light scatters away, and the red light bends onward and lands on the Moon. That is why the Moon glows a coppery red.
A lunar eclipse only happens at full Moon. The whole show can take a few hours. First the shadow creeps in, then the Moon turns red, and then the shadow slowly slides off.
Best of all, you can watch a lunar eclipse with your own eyes. You do not need any special glasses. You just need a clear sky and some patience.
Questions
What color does the Moon turn during a lunar eclipse?
What moves between the Sun and the Moon in a lunar eclipse?
Why does the Moon shine?
What kind of light reaches the Moon after bending through Earth's air?
When can a lunar eclipse happen?
Why does the Moon not vanish when it is in Earth's shadow?
Words to know
eclipse: when one object in space blocks light from another
shadow: a dark shape made when something blocks light
bends: turns from a straight path
scatters: flies apart in many directions
coppery: having the reddish color of a shiny penny
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/3/when-the-moon-turns-coppery-red
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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 · 145 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2
Sometimes the full Moon does something odd. It gets dim and turns orange-red. This is a lunar eclipse.
The Moon has no light of its own. It shines because sunlight bounces off it. In a lunar eclipse, Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon. Earth's shadow falls on the Moon. The Moon gets less sunlight.
You may think the Moon will vanish. It does not. Some sunlight bends as it goes through the air around Earth. The blue light scatters away. The red light bends on and lands on the Moon. So the Moon glows red like copper.
A lunar eclipse only happens at full Moon. It takes a few hours. The shadow creeps in. The Moon turns red. Then the shadow slides off.
You can watch with your own eyes. You do not need special glasses. You just need a clear sky.
▲ This passage · 182 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9
Sometimes the full Moon does something strange. It slowly dims and turns a soft orange-red color. This is called a lunar eclipse.
The Moon makes no light itself. It shines because the Sun lights it up and the light comes back to us. In a lunar eclipse, Earth moves right between the Sun and the Moon. Earth's shadow falls across the Moon, and the Moon gets less sunlight.
You might think the Moon would vanish in the dark shadow. It does not. A little sunlight bends as it passes through the air around Earth. The blue light scatters away, and the red light bends onward and lands on the Moon. That is why the Moon glows a coppery red.
A lunar eclipse only happens at full Moon. The whole show can take a few hours. First the shadow creeps in, then the Moon turns red, and then the shadow slowly slides off.
Best of all, you can watch a lunar eclipse with your own eyes. You do not need any special glasses. You just need a clear sky and some patience.
■ Harder · 189 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.1
Occasionally the full Moon does something remarkable. It gradually dims and takes on a soft, orange-red glow. Astronomers call this event a lunar eclipse.
The Moon produces no light of its own; it shines only because sunlight reflects off its surface. During a lunar eclipse, Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, and Earth's shadow sweeps across the Moon, so that it receives far less sunlight than usual.
You might expect the Moon to disappear completely inside that dark shadow, but it does not. A small amount of sunlight bends as it travels through the air surrounding Earth. The blue light scatters away, while the red light curves onward and reaches the Moon. That is why the Moon glows a coppery red.
A lunar eclipse can only occur at full Moon, and the entire event may last several hours. First the shadow creeps across the surface, then the Moon turns red, and finally the shadow slowly slides away.
Best of all, you can watch a lunar eclipse with your own eyes, without any special glasses. All you need is a clear sky and a little patience.
Sometimes the full Moon does something odd. It gets dim and turns orange-red. This is a lunar eclipse.
The Moon has no light of its own. It shines because sunlight bounces off it. In a lunar eclipse, Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon. Earth's shadow falls on the Moon. The Moon gets less sunlight.
You may think the Moon will vanish. It does not. Some sunlight bends as it goes through the air around Earth. The blue light scatters away. The red light bends on and lands on the Moon. So the Moon glows red like copper.
A lunar eclipse only happens at full Moon. It takes a few hours. The shadow creeps in. The Moon turns red. Then the shadow slides off.
You can watch with your own eyes. You do not need special glasses. You just need a clear sky.
Questions
What color does the Moon turn in a lunar eclipse?
What moves between the Sun and the Moon?
Why does the Moon shine?
What light reaches the Moon after it bends through Earth's air?
When does a lunar eclipse happen?
Why does the Moon not vanish in Earth's shadow?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
When the Moon Turns Coppery Red
Sometimes the full Moon does something strange. It slowly dims and turns a soft orange-red color. This is called a lunar eclipse.
The Moon makes no light itself. It shines because the Sun lights it up and the light comes back to us. In a lunar eclipse, Earth moves right between the Sun and the Moon. Earth's shadow falls across the Moon, and the Moon gets less sunlight.
You might think the Moon would vanish in the dark shadow. It does not. A little sunlight bends as it passes through the air around Earth. The blue light scatters away, and the red light bends onward and lands on the Moon. That is why the Moon glows a coppery red.
A lunar eclipse only happens at full Moon. The whole show can take a few hours. First the shadow creeps in, then the Moon turns red, and then the shadow slowly slides off.
Best of all, you can watch a lunar eclipse with your own eyes. You do not need any special glasses. You just need a clear sky and some patience.
Questions
What color does the Moon turn during a lunar eclipse?
What moves between the Sun and the Moon in a lunar eclipse?
Why does the Moon shine?
What kind of light reaches the Moon after bending through Earth's air?
When can a lunar eclipse happen?
Why does the Moon not vanish when it is in Earth's shadow?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
When the Moon Turns Coppery Red
Occasionally the full Moon does something remarkable. It gradually dims and takes on a soft, orange-red glow. Astronomers call this event a lunar eclipse.
The Moon produces no light of its own; it shines only because sunlight reflects off its surface. During a lunar eclipse, Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon, and Earth's shadow sweeps across the Moon, so that it receives far less sunlight than usual.
You might expect the Moon to disappear completely inside that dark shadow, but it does not. A small amount of sunlight bends as it travels through the air surrounding Earth. The blue light scatters away, while the red light curves onward and reaches the Moon. That is why the Moon glows a coppery red.
A lunar eclipse can only occur at full Moon, and the entire event may last several hours. First the shadow creeps across the surface, then the Moon turns red, and finally the shadow slowly slides away.
Best of all, you can watch a lunar eclipse with your own eyes, without any special glasses. All you need is a clear sky and a little patience.
Questions
What color does the Moon become during a lunar eclipse?
What passes between the Sun and the Moon in a lunar eclipse?
Why does the Moon shine at all?
What color of light reaches the Moon after bending through Earth's air?
When can a lunar eclipse occur?
Why does the Moon not disappear while inside Earth's shadow?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: When the Moon Turns Coppery Red
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2)
Orange-red, like copper.
Earth.
Sunlight bounces off it.
Red light.
Only at full Moon.
A little sunlight bends through Earth's air and still lands on it.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9)
A soft orange-red, like copper.
Earth.
Sunlight bounces off it.
Red light.
Only at full Moon.
A little sunlight bends through Earth's air and still lands on it.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.1)
A soft orange-red, like copper.
Earth.
Sunlight reflects off its surface.
Red light.
Only at full Moon.
A small amount of sunlight bends through Earth's air and still reaches it.
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 eclipse, shadow, bends, scatters and coppery 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 "When the Moon Turns Coppery Red"?
It was written for 3rd grade. It has 182 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.9. 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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