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Counting the Jelly Beans by Layers

4th grade nonfiction passage about estimating big counts: 215 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

4th grade nonfiction estimating big counts 215 words

Counting the Jelly Beans by Layers

At the school fair, Priya found a clear box packed with jelly beans, and a sign said, "Guess how many and win the box." Counting every bean was not allowed because the box was too full and the line behind her was growing.

Priya remembered a trick from math class, which is that when you cannot count everything, you estimate. An estimate is a smart guess that is close to the real answer. She began with one layer, and when she looked through the front she counted 5 beans across, and when she looked through the side she counted 4 beans deep. So one layer held about 5 times 4, which is 20 beans.

Next she counted the layers from the bottom to the top. There were 6. Now she multiplied again. Twenty beans in each layer times 6 layers is about 120 beans.

Priya knew her answer might not be exact because beans are not perfect squares and some of them bend into the gaps, but a guess of 120 was far better than a wild guess of 1,000 or 30. She wrote 120 on her slip.

When the fair ended, the winner was a boy who guessed 118. He had used the same layer trick. Priya was not upset. She had learned that a good estimate comes from breaking a big job into small, easy parts.

Questions

  1. What was Priya allowed to do with the jelly beans? in the text

  2. What is an estimate? in the text

  3. How many beans did Priya count across the front and deep along the side? in the text

  4. How did Priya get about 120 beans? in the text

  5. Why might Priya's answer not be exact? think about it

  6. What did Priya learn from the fair? in the text

Words to know

estimate
a careful guess that is close to the real amount
layer
one flat level of something that is stacked up
multiplied
found the total of equal groups added together
exact
perfectly correct, with nothing off at all
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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 · 153 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.8

At the school fair, Priya saw a clear box of jelly beans. A sign said, "Guess how many and win the box." You could not count every bean. The box was too full, and the line was long.

Priya knew a math trick. When you cannot count it all, you estimate. An estimate is a smart guess that is close. She started with one layer. From the front, she counted 5 beans across. From the side, she counted 4 beans deep. So one layer had about 5 times 4, which is 20 beans.

Next she counted the layers. There were 6. Twenty beans in a layer times 6 layers is about 120 beans.

Her answer might not be exact. Beans are not square, and some fill the gaps. But 120 was a better guess than 1,000 or 30. She wrote 120.

The winner guessed 118. He had used the same trick. Priya was not upset. She learned that a big job is easier in small parts.

▲ This passage · 215 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4

At the school fair, Priya found a clear box packed with jelly beans, and a sign said, "Guess how many and win the box." Counting every bean was not allowed because the box was too full and the line behind her was growing.

Priya remembered a trick from math class, which is that when you cannot count everything, you estimate. An estimate is a smart guess that is close to the real answer. She began with one layer, and when she looked through the front she counted 5 beans across, and when she looked through the side she counted 4 beans deep. So one layer held about 5 times 4, which is 20 beans.

Next she counted the layers from the bottom to the top. There were 6. Now she multiplied again. Twenty beans in each layer times 6 layers is about 120 beans.

Priya knew her answer might not be exact because beans are not perfect squares and some of them bend into the gaps, but a guess of 120 was far better than a wild guess of 1,000 or 30. She wrote 120 on her slip.

When the fair ended, the winner was a boy who guessed 118. He had used the same layer trick. Priya was not upset. She had learned that a good estimate comes from breaking a big job into small, easy parts.

■ Harder · 233 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.5

At the school fair, Priya discovered a clear box crammed full of jelly beans. A cheerful sign invited everyone to guess how many beans were inside and win the whole box. Counting each bean individually was not permitted, because the box was too full and the line behind her was steadily growing.

Priya remembered a clever strategy from her math class. When it is impossible to count everything, you estimate. An estimate is a thoughtful guess that lands close to the real answer. She began with a single layer. Looking through the front, she counted 5 beans across, and looking through the side, she counted 4 beans deep. One layer therefore held about 5 times 4, which is 20 beans.

Next she counted the layers stacked from the bottom to the top, and there were 6 of them. She multiplied once more. Twenty beans in each layer times 6 layers comes to about 120 beans.

Priya understood that her answer might not be exact, since beans are not perfect squares and some of them tuck into the gaps. Even so, a guess of 120 was far wiser than a wild guess of 1,000 or 30. She wrote 120 on her slip of paper.

When the fair ended, the winner turned out to be a boy who had guessed 118, using the very same layer strategy. Priya was not disappointed. She had learned that a good estimate comes from breaking a large job into small, manageable parts.

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 estimate, layer, multiplied and exact 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 "Counting the Jelly Beans by Layers"?

It was written for 4th grade. It has 215 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.0. 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?

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

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