4th grade nonfiction passage about zoning and land use: 195 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
4th gradenonfictionzoning and land use195 words
Colored Patches on the Town Zoning Map
Many towns keep a special map that looks like a patchwork quilt. Each patch has a color, and each color stands for a way the land can be used. Maybe green is for parks, yellow is for homes, and gray is for factories. This is called a zoning map, and it helps a town plan where things can be built.
Why not let people build anything anywhere? Picture a loud factory right next to a quiet row of houses. The families would hear machines all day, and trucks would rumble down their street. Zoning keeps noisy places in one part of town and homes in another. Stores usually go where many people can reach them easily. Schools and parks are often placed close to neighborhoods.
The town government makes the zoning rules, but people can speak up. If an owner wants to build something that does not match the color on the map, the owner must ask for permission. The town usually holds a meeting first. Neighbors can attend, listen and share what they think. Then the officials decide. Zoning will not make every choice easy, but it gives a town a plan to follow.
Questions
What does each color on a zoning map stand for? in the text
Who makes the zoning rules? in the text
Why would a factory next to quiet houses be a problem? in the text
What must an owner do to build something that does not match the map? in the text
What usually happens before the town officials decide? in the text
Why do stores usually go where many people can reach them easily? think about it
Words to know
patchwork
made of many small pieces joined together
zoning
a town's plan for where homes, shops and factories may go
permission
a yes from someone in charge that says you may do something
factories
big buildings where machines make things
officials
people who hold jobs in the government
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Colored Patches on the Town Zoning Map
4th grade reading passage
Many towns keep a special map that looks like a patchwork quilt. Each patch has a color, and each color stands for a way the land can be used. Maybe green is for parks, yellow is for homes, and gray is for factories. This is called a zoning map, and it helps a town plan where things can be built.
Why not let people build anything anywhere? Picture a loud factory right next to a quiet row of houses. The families would hear machines all day, and trucks would rumble down their street. Zoning keeps noisy places in one part of town and homes in another. Stores usually go where many people can reach them easily. Schools and parks are often placed close to neighborhoods.
The town government makes the zoning rules, but people can speak up. If an owner wants to build something that does not match the color on the map, the owner must ask for permission. The town usually holds a meeting first. Neighbors can attend, listen and share what they think. Then the officials decide. Zoning will not make every choice easy, but it gives a town a plan to follow.
Questions
What does each color on a zoning map stand for?
Who makes the zoning rules?
Why would a factory next to quiet houses be a problem?
What must an owner do to build something that does not match the map?
What usually happens before the town officials decide?
Why do stores usually go where many people can reach them easily?
Words to know
patchwork: made of many small pieces joined together
zoning: a town's plan for where homes, shops and factories may go
permission: a yes from someone in charge that says you may do something
factories: big buildings where machines make things
officials: people who hold jobs in the government
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/4/colored-patches-zoning-map
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 · 182 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7
Many towns keep a special map. It looks like a patchwork quilt. Each patch has a color. Each color shows how the land can be used. Green may be for parks. Yellow may be for homes. Gray may be for factories. This is called a zoning map. It helps a town plan where things can be built.
Why not build anything anywhere? Think of a loud factory next to quiet houses. The families would hear machines all day. Trucks would rumble down their street. Zoning keeps noisy places in one part of town. Homes go in another part. Stores usually go where many people can get to them. Schools and parks are often near homes.
The town government makes the zoning rules. But people can speak up. Say an owner wants to build something that does not match the map. The owner must ask for permission. The town usually holds a meeting first. Neighbors can come and listen. They can say what they think. Then the officials decide. Zoning does not make every choice easy. But it gives the town a plan.
▲ This passage · 195 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2
Many towns keep a special map that looks like a patchwork quilt. Each patch has a color, and each color stands for a way the land can be used. Maybe green is for parks, yellow is for homes, and gray is for factories. This is called a zoning map, and it helps a town plan where things can be built.
Why not let people build anything anywhere? Picture a loud factory right next to a quiet row of houses. The families would hear machines all day, and trucks would rumble down their street. Zoning keeps noisy places in one part of town and homes in another. Stores usually go where many people can reach them easily. Schools and parks are often placed close to neighborhoods.
The town government makes the zoning rules, but people can speak up. If an owner wants to build something that does not match the color on the map, the owner must ask for permission. The town usually holds a meeting first. Neighbors can attend, listen and share what they think. Then the officials decide. Zoning will not make every choice easy, but it gives a town a plan to follow.
■ Harder · 223 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 9.4
Many towns maintain a special map that resembles a patchwork quilt. Every patch is shaded a particular color, and each color represents an approved way of using the land. Green might designate parks, yellow might designate homes, and gray might designate factories. This document is called a zoning map, and it allows a town to plan carefully where different kinds of buildings may be constructed.
Why not simply allow people to build anything anywhere? Consider what would happen if a loud factory were built right beside a quiet row of houses. The families would hear machinery all day long, and heavy trucks would rumble down their street. Zoning keeps noisy businesses in one section of town and homes in another. Stores are usually located where large numbers of people can reach them easily, while schools and parks are often placed close to neighborhoods.
The town government writes the zoning rules, yet ordinary people are still able to speak up. If an owner wants to construct something that does not match the color on the map, the owner must request permission. The town usually holds a public meeting beforehand, where neighbors can attend, listen and share their opinions. Only then do the officials make their decision. Zoning will never make every choice easy, but it does provide a town with a plan to follow.
Many towns keep a special map. It looks like a patchwork quilt. Each patch has a color. Each color shows how the land can be used. Green may be for parks. Yellow may be for homes. Gray may be for factories. This is called a zoning map. It helps a town plan where things can be built.
Why not build anything anywhere? Think of a loud factory next to quiet houses. The families would hear machines all day. Trucks would rumble down their street. Zoning keeps noisy places in one part of town. Homes go in another part. Stores usually go where many people can get to them. Schools and parks are often near homes.
The town government makes the zoning rules. But people can speak up. Say an owner wants to build something that does not match the map. The owner must ask for permission. The town usually holds a meeting first. Neighbors can come and listen. They can say what they think. Then the officials decide. Zoning does not make every choice easy. But it gives the town a plan.
Questions
What does each color on a zoning map show?
Who makes the zoning rules?
Why is a factory next to quiet houses a problem?
What must an owner do to build something that does not match the map?
What does the town usually do before the officials decide?
Why do stores usually go where many people can get to them?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Colored Patches on the Town Zoning Map
Many towns keep a special map that looks like a patchwork quilt. Each patch has a color, and each color stands for a way the land can be used. Maybe green is for parks, yellow is for homes, and gray is for factories. This is called a zoning map, and it helps a town plan where things can be built.
Why not let people build anything anywhere? Picture a loud factory right next to a quiet row of houses. The families would hear machines all day, and trucks would rumble down their street. Zoning keeps noisy places in one part of town and homes in another. Stores usually go where many people can reach them easily. Schools and parks are often placed close to neighborhoods.
The town government makes the zoning rules, but people can speak up. If an owner wants to build something that does not match the color on the map, the owner must ask for permission. The town usually holds a meeting first. Neighbors can attend, listen and share what they think. Then the officials decide. Zoning will not make every choice easy, but it gives a town a plan to follow.
Questions
What does each color on a zoning map stand for?
Who makes the zoning rules?
Why would a factory next to quiet houses be a problem?
What must an owner do to build something that does not match the map?
What usually happens before the town officials decide?
Why do stores usually go where many people can reach them easily?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Colored Patches on the Town Zoning Map
Many towns maintain a special map that resembles a patchwork quilt. Every patch is shaded a particular color, and each color represents an approved way of using the land. Green might designate parks, yellow might designate homes, and gray might designate factories. This document is called a zoning map, and it allows a town to plan carefully where different kinds of buildings may be constructed.
Why not simply allow people to build anything anywhere? Consider what would happen if a loud factory were built right beside a quiet row of houses. The families would hear machinery all day long, and heavy trucks would rumble down their street. Zoning keeps noisy businesses in one section of town and homes in another. Stores are usually located where large numbers of people can reach them easily, while schools and parks are often placed close to neighborhoods.
The town government writes the zoning rules, yet ordinary people are still able to speak up. If an owner wants to construct something that does not match the color on the map, the owner must request permission. The town usually holds a public meeting beforehand, where neighbors can attend, listen and share their opinions. Only then do the officials make their decision. Zoning will never make every choice easy, but it does provide a town with a plan to follow.
Questions
What does each color on a zoning map represent?
Who writes the zoning rules?
Why would a factory beside quiet houses cause trouble for the families?
What must an owner do before building something that does not match the map?
What usually happens before the officials make their decision?
Why are stores usually located where many people can reach them easily?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Colored Patches on the Town Zoning Map
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7)
A way the land can be used, such as parks, homes or factories.
The town government.
The families would hear machines and trucks all day.
Ask for permission.
It holds a meeting where neighbors can listen and speak.
Stores need customers, so it helps if people can reach them easily.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2)
A way the land can be used, such as parks, homes or factories.
The town government.
The families would hear machines and trucks all day.
Ask for permission.
The town holds a meeting where neighbors can listen and share their thoughts.
Stores need customers, so being easy to reach helps people shop there.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 9.4)
An approved way of using the land, such as parks, homes or factories.
The town government.
They would hear machinery and heavy trucks all day long.
Request permission.
The town holds a public meeting where neighbors can attend, listen and share opinions.
Stores depend on customers, so being easy to reach helps people shop there.
Free at teach.peabody.kids
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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 patchwork, zoning, permission, factories and officials 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 "Colored Patches on the Town Zoning Map"?
It was written for 4th grade. It has 195 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 5.2. 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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