4th grade nonfiction passage about rock pillars and erosion: 176 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
4th gradenonfictionrock pillars and erosion176 words
Hoodoos Are Rock Pillars Wearing Stone Hats
In some dry parts of the world, tall rock pillars stand together in crowded groups. They are called hoodoos. Many of them look as if they are wearing a flat stone hat.
A hoodoo begins as a big wall of rock. Some layers of the wall are hard. Other layers are soft and crumble easily. Rain and melting snow run down the wall and wear it away. Water also seeps into small cracks. When that water freezes, it grows larger and pushes the cracks wider. Over a very long time, pieces break off and fall.
The soft layers wear away faster than the hard ones. A hard piece on top can shelter the rock just below it from the rain. That sheltered rock stays standing while the rock around it is carried off. At last, a narrow pillar is left with a hard cap on top.
Hoodoos do not last forever. The same rain, snow and ice keep working on them. One day the cap will fall, and the pillar under it will slowly crumble too.
Questions
What do many hoodoos look as if they are wearing? in the text
Which layers of rock wear away faster, the hard ones or the soft ones? in the text
What does water do when it freezes inside a crack? in the text
How does the hard cap help the rock below it? in the text
Why does a hoodoo end up tall and narrow? think about it
What will probably happen to a hoodoo in the end? think about it
Words to know
pillars
tall, thin columns that stand up straight
crumble
to break into small pieces
seeps
flows slowly through a tiny opening
shelter
to cover and protect from weather
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Hoodoos Are Rock Pillars Wearing Stone Hats
4th grade reading passage
In some dry parts of the world, tall rock pillars stand together in crowded groups. They are called hoodoos. Many of them look as if they are wearing a flat stone hat.
A hoodoo begins as a big wall of rock. Some layers of the wall are hard. Other layers are soft and crumble easily. Rain and melting snow run down the wall and wear it away. Water also seeps into small cracks. When that water freezes, it grows larger and pushes the cracks wider. Over a very long time, pieces break off and fall.
The soft layers wear away faster than the hard ones. A hard piece on top can shelter the rock just below it from the rain. That sheltered rock stays standing while the rock around it is carried off. At last, a narrow pillar is left with a hard cap on top.
Hoodoos do not last forever. The same rain, snow and ice keep working on them. One day the cap will fall, and the pillar under it will slowly crumble too.
Questions
What do many hoodoos look as if they are wearing?
Which layers of rock wear away faster, the hard ones or the soft ones?
What does water do when it freezes inside a crack?
How does the hard cap help the rock below it?
Why does a hoodoo end up tall and narrow?
What will probably happen to a hoodoo in the end?
Words to know
pillars: tall, thin columns that stand up straight
crumble: to break into small pieces
seeps: flows slowly through a tiny opening
shelter: to cover and protect from weather
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/4/hoodoos-rock-pillars-stone-hats
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 · 131 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.1
Hoodoos are tall rock pillars. They stand in groups in dry places. Many look like they wear a flat stone hat.
A hoodoo starts as a big wall of rock. Some layers are hard. Some layers are soft. Rain and snow wear the wall away. Water gets into cracks. When it freezes, it gets bigger and pushes the cracks open. Pieces break off.
The soft rock wears away fast. The hard rock wears away slowly. A hard piece on top keeps rain off the rock below it. That rock stays up. The rock around it is washed away. Soon there is a thin pillar with a hard cap.
Hoodoos do not last forever. Rain, snow and ice keep working. One day the cap will fall. Then the pillar will crumble too.
▲ This passage · 176 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.3
In some dry parts of the world, tall rock pillars stand together in crowded groups. They are called hoodoos. Many of them look as if they are wearing a flat stone hat.
A hoodoo begins as a big wall of rock. Some layers of the wall are hard. Other layers are soft and crumble easily. Rain and melting snow run down the wall and wear it away. Water also seeps into small cracks. When that water freezes, it grows larger and pushes the cracks wider. Over a very long time, pieces break off and fall.
The soft layers wear away faster than the hard ones. A hard piece on top can shelter the rock just below it from the rain. That sheltered rock stays standing while the rock around it is carried off. At last, a narrow pillar is left with a hard cap on top.
Hoodoos do not last forever. The same rain, snow and ice keep working on them. One day the cap will fall, and the pillar under it will slowly crumble too.
■ Harder · 189 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.4
In certain dry regions of the world, tall pillars of rock stand together in crowded clusters. These formations are called hoodoos, and many of them appear to be wearing a flat stone hat.
Every hoodoo begins as a massive wall of rock made of different layers. Some layers are hard and resistant, while others are soft and crumble easily. Rain and melting snow run down the wall and gradually wear it away. Water also seeps into small cracks, and when it freezes, it expands and forces the cracks wider. Over an extremely long time, pieces break off and tumble down.
Because the soft layers wear away faster than the hard ones, a hard piece near the top can shelter the rock directly beneath it from the rain. That protected rock remains standing while the surrounding rock is carried off by water and wind. Eventually, a narrow pillar is left behind with a hard cap resting on top.
Hoodoos are not permanent. The same rain, snow and ice continue working on them, and one day the cap will fall, after which the pillar beneath it will slowly crumble as well.
Hoodoos are tall rock pillars. They stand in groups in dry places. Many look like they wear a flat stone hat.
A hoodoo starts as a big wall of rock. Some layers are hard. Some layers are soft. Rain and snow wear the wall away. Water gets into cracks. When it freezes, it gets bigger and pushes the cracks open. Pieces break off.
The soft rock wears away fast. The hard rock wears away slowly. A hard piece on top keeps rain off the rock below it. That rock stays up. The rock around it is washed away. Soon there is a thin pillar with a hard cap.
Hoodoos do not last forever. Rain, snow and ice keep working. One day the cap will fall. Then the pillar will crumble too.
Questions
What do many hoodoos look like they are wearing?
Which rock wears away fast, the hard rock or the soft rock?
What does freezing water do in a crack?
What does the hard cap keep off the rock below?
Why is a hoodoo tall and thin?
What will happen to a hoodoo one day?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Hoodoos Are Rock Pillars Wearing Stone Hats
In some dry parts of the world, tall rock pillars stand together in crowded groups. They are called hoodoos. Many of them look as if they are wearing a flat stone hat.
A hoodoo begins as a big wall of rock. Some layers of the wall are hard. Other layers are soft and crumble easily. Rain and melting snow run down the wall and wear it away. Water also seeps into small cracks. When that water freezes, it grows larger and pushes the cracks wider. Over a very long time, pieces break off and fall.
The soft layers wear away faster than the hard ones. A hard piece on top can shelter the rock just below it from the rain. That sheltered rock stays standing while the rock around it is carried off. At last, a narrow pillar is left with a hard cap on top.
Hoodoos do not last forever. The same rain, snow and ice keep working on them. One day the cap will fall, and the pillar under it will slowly crumble too.
Questions
What do many hoodoos look as if they are wearing?
Which layers of rock wear away faster, the hard ones or the soft ones?
What does water do when it freezes inside a crack?
How does the hard cap help the rock below it?
Why does a hoodoo end up tall and narrow?
What will probably happen to a hoodoo in the end?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Hoodoos Are Rock Pillars Wearing Stone Hats
In certain dry regions of the world, tall pillars of rock stand together in crowded clusters. These formations are called hoodoos, and many of them appear to be wearing a flat stone hat.
Every hoodoo begins as a massive wall of rock made of different layers. Some layers are hard and resistant, while others are soft and crumble easily. Rain and melting snow run down the wall and gradually wear it away. Water also seeps into small cracks, and when it freezes, it expands and forces the cracks wider. Over an extremely long time, pieces break off and tumble down.
Because the soft layers wear away faster than the hard ones, a hard piece near the top can shelter the rock directly beneath it from the rain. That protected rock remains standing while the surrounding rock is carried off by water and wind. Eventually, a narrow pillar is left behind with a hard cap resting on top.
Hoodoos are not permanent. The same rain, snow and ice continue working on them, and one day the cap will fall, after which the pillar beneath it will slowly crumble as well.
Questions
What do many hoodoos appear to be wearing?
Which layers of rock wear away faster, the hard layers or the soft ones?
What happens to water when it freezes inside a small crack?
How does a hard cap protect the rock beneath it?
Why does a hoodoo end up with such a tall, narrow shape?
What will most likely happen to a hoodoo in the end?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Hoodoos Are Rock Pillars Wearing Stone Hats
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.1)
A flat stone hat.
The soft rock wears away fast.
It gets bigger and pushes the crack open.
It keeps the rain off.
The soft rock around it was washed away, but the rock under the cap stayed.
The cap will fall and the pillar will crumble.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.3)
A flat stone hat.
The soft ones wear away faster.
It grows larger and pushes the crack wider.
It shelters that rock from the rain.
The soft rock around it was carried away while the sheltered rock stayed standing.
Its cap will fall and the pillar will slowly crumble.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.4)
A flat stone hat.
The soft layers wear away faster.
It expands and forces the crack wider.
It shelters that rock from the rain.
The surrounding soft rock was carried away while the sheltered rock remained standing.
Its cap will fall and the pillar will slowly crumble.
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 pillars, crumble, seeps and shelter 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.
What reading level is "Hoodoos Are Rock Pillars Wearing Stone Hats"?
It was written for 4th grade. It has 176 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.3. 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.
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