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 · 197 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9
Tilda and Otis did not know that their lunch boxes were alike. Both were blue with a silver zipper and a dent in one corner. They hung on hooks side by side in Room Twelve. On Monday, a very hungry Otis grabbed the wrong one.
At lunch, he unzipped it. Inside were three felt puppets and a tiny cardboard theater. "That's not a sandwich," he whispered.
Across the table, Tilda opened her box. She found a squashed banana sandwich, a pickle, and a note that said, "Have a great day, Otis!"
"Otis," said Tilda slowly. "I think we traded."
They looked at their food. Otis's stomach growled. Tilda's face turned pink.
"I need my puppets for the library show," she said. "But I'm hungry too."
Otis thought. Then he slid the sandwich across the table. "Let's split it. You use your puppets, and I'll be the announcer."
They split the sandwich and the pickle and shared the banana. After lunch, Otis called out the show in a booming voice. The class cheered when the felt dragon tripped over his tail.
The next day, Tilda tied a red ribbon on her lunch box. Otis tied a green one.
▲ This passage · 213 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1
Tilda and Otis had never noticed that their lunch boxes were exactly alike. Both were blue with a silver zipper and a dent in one corner. They hung on neighboring hooks in Room Twelve, and on Monday, a very hungry Otis grabbed the wrong one.
At lunch, he unzipped it and pulled out three felt hand puppets and a tiny cardboard theater. "That's not a sandwich," he whispered.
Across the table, Tilda opened her box and found a squashed banana sandwich, a pickle, and a note that said, "Have a great day, Otis!"
"Otis," said Tilda slowly. "I think we traded."
They both looked down at their food. Otis's stomach growled. Tilda's face turned pink.
"I need my puppets for the library show," she said. "But I'm starving too."
Otis thought for a moment. Then he slid the sandwich across the table. "Let's split it. You can use your puppets, and I'll be the announcer."
They split the sandwich and the pickle and shared the banana. After lunch, Otis introduced the puppet show with a booming voice, and the whole class cheered when the felt dragon tripped over his own tail.
The next day, Tilda tied a red ribbon on her lunch box handle. Otis tied on a green one, just in case.
■ Harder · 218 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.4
Tilda and Otis had never realized that their lunch boxes were identical. Both were blue with a silver zipper and a dent in one corner. They dangled from neighboring hooks in Room Twelve, and on Monday, a ravenous Otis seized the wrong one.
At lunch, he unzipped it and pulled out three felt hand puppets and a miniature cardboard theater. "That is definitely not a sandwich," he whispered.
Across the table, Tilda opened her box and discovered a squashed banana sandwich, a pickle, and a note that read, "Have a great day, Otis!"
"Otis," said Tilda slowly. "I think we accidentally traded."
They both stared down at their food. Otis's stomach growled loudly, and Tilda's cheeks turned pink.
"I need my puppets for the library show," she explained. "But I'm starving, too."
Otis considered the problem. Then he slid the sandwich across the table. "Let's split it. You can use your puppets, and I'll be the announcer."
They divided the sandwich and the pickle and shared the banana. After lunch, Otis introduced the puppet show in a booming voice, and the whole class cheered when the felt dragon tripped over his own tail.
The following day, Tilda tied a red ribbon to the handle of her lunch box. Otis tied on a green one, just to be safe.
Name ____________________●
Lunch Box Swap in Room Twelve
Tilda and Otis did not know that their lunch boxes were alike. Both were blue with a silver zipper and a dent in one corner. They hung on hooks side by side in Room Twelve. On Monday, a very hungry Otis grabbed the wrong one.
At lunch, he unzipped it. Inside were three felt puppets and a tiny cardboard theater. "That's not a sandwich," he whispered.
Across the table, Tilda opened her box. She found a squashed banana sandwich, a pickle, and a note that said, "Have a great day, Otis!"
"Otis," said Tilda slowly. "I think we traded."
They looked at their food. Otis's stomach growled. Tilda's face turned pink.
"I need my puppets for the library show," she said. "But I'm hungry too."
Otis thought. Then he slid the sandwich across the table. "Let's split it. You use your puppets, and I'll be the announcer."
They split the sandwich and the pickle and shared the banana. After lunch, Otis called out the show in a booming voice. The class cheered when the felt dragon tripped over his tail.
The next day, Tilda tied a red ribbon on her lunch box. Otis tied a green one.
Questions
- What did the two lunch boxes have in common?
- What did Otis find inside the box he opened?
- What was in Tilda's box by mistake?
- What was Otis's job at the puppet show?
- How do you know they fixed the problem kindly?
- Why did they tie ribbons on the lunch boxes?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Lunch Box Swap in Room Twelve
Tilda and Otis had never noticed that their lunch boxes were exactly alike. Both were blue with a silver zipper and a dent in one corner. They hung on neighboring hooks in Room Twelve, and on Monday, a very hungry Otis grabbed the wrong one.
At lunch, he unzipped it and pulled out three felt hand puppets and a tiny cardboard theater. "That's not a sandwich," he whispered.
Across the table, Tilda opened her box and found a squashed banana sandwich, a pickle, and a note that said, "Have a great day, Otis!"
"Otis," said Tilda slowly. "I think we traded."
They both looked down at their food. Otis's stomach growled. Tilda's face turned pink.
"I need my puppets for the library show," she said. "But I'm starving too."
Otis thought for a moment. Then he slid the sandwich across the table. "Let's split it. You can use your puppets, and I'll be the announcer."
They split the sandwich and the pickle and shared the banana. After lunch, Otis introduced the puppet show with a booming voice, and the whole class cheered when the felt dragon tripped over his own tail.
The next day, Tilda tied a red ribbon on her lunch box handle. Otis tied on a green one, just in case.
Questions
- What did the two lunch boxes have in common?
- What did Otis find inside the lunch box he opened?
- What was in Tilda's box by mistake?
- What did Otis do to the puppet show?
- How do you know Tilda and Otis worked out the problem kindly?
- Why did they tie ribbons on the lunch boxes?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Lunch Box Swap in Room Twelve
Tilda and Otis had never realized that their lunch boxes were identical. Both were blue with a silver zipper and a dent in one corner. They dangled from neighboring hooks in Room Twelve, and on Monday, a ravenous Otis seized the wrong one.
At lunch, he unzipped it and pulled out three felt hand puppets and a miniature cardboard theater. "That is definitely not a sandwich," he whispered.
Across the table, Tilda opened her box and discovered a squashed banana sandwich, a pickle, and a note that read, "Have a great day, Otis!"
"Otis," said Tilda slowly. "I think we accidentally traded."
They both stared down at their food. Otis's stomach growled loudly, and Tilda's cheeks turned pink.
"I need my puppets for the library show," she explained. "But I'm starving, too."
Otis considered the problem. Then he slid the sandwich across the table. "Let's split it. You can use your puppets, and I'll be the announcer."
They divided the sandwich and the pickle and shared the banana. After lunch, Otis introduced the puppet show in a booming voice, and the whole class cheered when the felt dragon tripped over his own tail.
The following day, Tilda tied a red ribbon to the handle of her lunch box. Otis tied on a green one, just to be safe.
Questions
- What did the two lunch boxes have in common?
- What did Otis pull out of the lunch box he opened?
- What did Tilda find in her box by mistake?
- What role did Otis take in the puppet show?
- What shows that Tilda and Otis solved the problem kindly?
- Why did the two children tie ribbons to their lunch boxes?
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Answer key: Lunch Box Swap in Room Twelve
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9)
- Both were blue with a silver zipper and a dent.
- Three felt puppets and a tiny cardboard theater.
- A squashed banana sandwich, a pickle, and a note for Otis.
- He was the announcer.
- They shared the food and Tilda still used her puppets.
- The ribbons would help them tell the boxes apart.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1)
- Both were blue with a silver zipper and a dent in one corner.
- Three felt hand puppets and a tiny cardboard theater.
- A squashed banana sandwich, a pickle, and a note for Otis.
- He was the announcer and introduced it.
- They shared the food and Tilda still got to use her puppets.
- The ribbons would help them tell the two boxes apart.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.4)
- Both were blue with a silver zipper and a dent in one corner.
- Three felt hand puppets and a miniature cardboard theater.
- A squashed banana sandwich, a pickle, and a note for Otis.
- He was the announcer.
- They shared the food, and Tilda was still able to use her puppets.
- The ribbons would let them tell the two matching boxes apart.
Free at teach.peabody.kids