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Build a Rain Gauge from a Clear Container

4th grade nonfiction passage about measuring rainfall: 190 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

4th grade nonfiction measuring rainfall 190 words

Build a Rain Gauge from a Clear Container

Weather reporters tell us how much rain fell, but you can measure it yourself. All you need is a rain gauge, and you can make one at home with an adult's help.

Start with a clear plastic container that has straight sides, like a tall juice bottle with the top cut off. Straight sides matter, because they make the water rise by the same amount for each bit of rain. Tape a ruler to the outside, or mark lines up the side with a marker.

Next, pick a spot. Choose open ground away from trees, fences and roofs, so nothing drips into your container or blocks the rain. Set it where it will stand steady, and press it a little into the soil or place stones around the base.

After a rainy day, read the line where the water stops. Look straight at it, not from above. Write the number in a notebook with the date. Then pour out the water so the container is ready for the next storm.

If you check at the same time every day, your notes will show a pattern of wet and dry days.

Questions

  1. What do you need to make a rain gauge? in the text

  2. Why should the container have straight sides? in the text

  3. Where should you set the rain gauge? in the text

  4. What should you do with the water after you write the number down? in the text

  5. Why should the gauge be kept away from trees and roofs? think about it

  6. What will notes from many days show? think about it

Words to know

gauge
a tool that measures something
container
something that holds things inside it
steady
not wobbling or tipping over
pattern
something that repeats in a way you can notice
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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 · 164 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2

Weather reporters tell us how much rain fell. You can measure it too. You need a rain gauge. You can make one at home with an adult.

Start with a clear plastic container with straight sides. A tall juice bottle with the top cut off will work. Straight sides help the water rise the same amount for each bit of rain. Tape a ruler to the outside. Or draw lines up the side with a marker.

Next, pick a spot. Choose open ground. Stay away from trees, fences and roofs. They could drip into your container or block the rain. Put it where it will stand still. Set stones around the base.

After a rainy day, look at the line where the water stops. Look straight at it. Write the number in a notebook with the date. Pour out the water. Now it is ready for the next storm.

Check at the same time each day. Your notes will show wet and dry days.

▲ This passage · 190 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.5

Weather reporters tell us how much rain fell, but you can measure it yourself. All you need is a rain gauge, and you can make one at home with an adult's help.

Start with a clear plastic container that has straight sides, like a tall juice bottle with the top cut off. Straight sides matter, because they make the water rise by the same amount for each bit of rain. Tape a ruler to the outside, or mark lines up the side with a marker.

Next, pick a spot. Choose open ground away from trees, fences and roofs, so nothing drips into your container or blocks the rain. Set it where it will stand steady, and press it a little into the soil or place stones around the base.

After a rainy day, read the line where the water stops. Look straight at it, not from above. Write the number in a notebook with the date. Then pour out the water so the container is ready for the next storm.

If you check at the same time every day, your notes will show a pattern of wet and dry days.

■ Harder · 212 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.2

Weather reporters regularly announce how much rain has fallen, but you can measure it for yourself. All you need is a rain gauge, and with an adult's assistance you can build one at home.

Begin with a clear plastic container that has perfectly straight sides, such as a tall juice bottle with the top trimmed off. Straight sides are important, because they cause the water level to rise by an equal amount for each bit of rainfall. Tape a ruler to the outside of the container, or draw evenly spaced lines up the side with a marker.

Next, select a location. Choose open ground that is well away from trees, fences and roofs, so that nothing drips into your container or blocks the rain from reaching it. Set it where it will stand steady, and press it slightly into the soil or arrange stones around its base.

After a rainy day, read the line where the water stops, looking straight at it rather than from above. Record the number in a notebook along with the date. Then pour out the water so that the container is ready for the next storm.

If you check at the same time every day, your notes will gradually reveal a pattern of wet and dry days.

Download as one PDF

How to use it

  1. Press Read it big (or B) to put the text on the projector, or Full screen (F) to fill the whole screen.
  2. Ask the questions one at a time and use Show answer when the class has decided. A shows or hides every answer.
  3. Print student copy for the class, or Print with answers for yourself.

Ideas for class

  • Before reading, put gauge, container, steady and pattern 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.

Related

Questions

What reading level is "Build a Rain Gauge from a Clear Container"?

It was written for 4th grade. It has 190 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.5. 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?

No. It was written for Peabody Teach, so there is no book to buy and no login to read it.

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