4th grade fiction passage about magical ink that makes maps real: 185 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
4th gradefictionmagical ink that makes maps real185 words
Nell's Hill Ink and the Runaway River
Nell found a little blue bottle at the back of her grandmother's desk. The label said Hill Ink. She dipped a pen and drew a bump on her map of the town. The paper rose up into a tiny hill, soft and green, with grass as thin as eyelashes.
Nell grinned. She drew a second hill, then a third. Soon her desk had a whole range of bumps. But when she drew a wiggly river between them, trouble began. The river ran off the edge of the map and dripped onto the floor.
"Too much water," Nell said. She thought hard. Everything she drew became real, but it still followed the rules of a map. A river needed somewhere to go. So she drew a small round lake at the end of the river, with a ring of reeds around it.
The water poured into the lake and stopped. Nell mopped the floor with an old sock. Then she drew a path up the tallest hill, and a bench at the top, just big enough for a beetle to sit on and enjoy the view.
Questions
Where did Nell find the bottle of Hill Ink? in the text
What happened when Nell drew a bump on her map? in the text
What went wrong when Nell drew the river? in the text
What did Nell draw to solve the problem? in the text
Why did the water stop after Nell drew the lake? think about it
Who was the bench at the top of the hill made for? in the text
Words to know
range
a row or group of hills or mountains
wiggly
bending and twisting from side to side
reeds
tall thin plants that grow near water
label
a small piece of paper that tells what is inside
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Nell's Hill Ink and the Runaway River
4th grade reading passage
Nell found a little blue bottle at the back of her grandmother's desk. The label said Hill Ink. She dipped a pen and drew a bump on her map of the town. The paper rose up into a tiny hill, soft and green, with grass as thin as eyelashes.
Nell grinned. She drew a second hill, then a third. Soon her desk had a whole range of bumps. But when she drew a wiggly river between them, trouble began. The river ran off the edge of the map and dripped onto the floor.
"Too much water," Nell said. She thought hard. Everything she drew became real, but it still followed the rules of a map. A river needed somewhere to go. So she drew a small round lake at the end of the river, with a ring of reeds around it.
The water poured into the lake and stopped. Nell mopped the floor with an old sock. Then she drew a path up the tallest hill, and a bench at the top, just big enough for a beetle to sit on and enjoy the view.
Questions
Where did Nell find the bottle of Hill Ink?
What happened when Nell drew a bump on her map?
What went wrong when Nell drew the river?
What did Nell draw to solve the problem?
Why did the water stop after Nell drew the lake?
Who was the bench at the top of the hill made for?
Words to know
range: a row or group of hills or mountains
wiggly: bending and twisting from side to side
reeds: tall thin plants that grow near water
label: a small piece of paper that tells what is inside
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/4/nells-hill-ink-and-the-runaway-river
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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 · 126 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3
Nell found a little blue bottle in her grandmother's desk. The label said Hill Ink. She dipped a pen and drew a bump on her map of the town. The paper rose up into a tiny green hill.
Nell grinned. She drew two more hills. Then she drew a wiggly river. The river ran off the map and dripped on the floor.
"Too much water," Nell said. She thought hard. A river needs somewhere to go. So she drew a small round lake at the end of the river.
The water poured into the lake and stopped. Nell mopped the floor with a sock. Then she drew a path up the tallest hill. At the top she drew a bench, just big enough for a beetle.
▲ This passage · 185 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9
Nell found a little blue bottle at the back of her grandmother's desk. The label said Hill Ink. She dipped a pen and drew a bump on her map of the town. The paper rose up into a tiny hill, soft and green, with grass as thin as eyelashes.
Nell grinned. She drew a second hill, then a third. Soon her desk had a whole range of bumps. But when she drew a wiggly river between them, trouble began. The river ran off the edge of the map and dripped onto the floor.
"Too much water," Nell said. She thought hard. Everything she drew became real, but it still followed the rules of a map. A river needed somewhere to go. So she drew a small round lake at the end of the river, with a ring of reeds around it.
The water poured into the lake and stopped. Nell mopped the floor with an old sock. Then she drew a path up the tallest hill, and a bench at the top, just big enough for a beetle to sit on and enjoy the view.
■ Harder · 197 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.8
Tucked at the back of her grandmother's desk, Nell discovered a little blue bottle whose label read Hill Ink. She dipped a pen into it and drew a single bump on her map of the town. At once the paper swelled into a tiny hill, soft and green, covered in grass as thin as eyelashes.
Nell grinned and drew a second hill, then a third, until her desk held an entire range of bumps. Trouble began, however, when she sketched a wiggly river winding between them. The river ran straight off the edge of the map and dripped onto the floor.
"Too much water," Nell muttered, thinking hard. Everything she drew became real, but it still obeyed the rules of a map, and a river must always have somewhere to go. So she drew a small round lake at the end of the river, surrounded by a ring of reeds.
The water poured into the lake and settled. Nell mopped the floor with an old sock. Then she drew a path spiraling up the tallest hill, and at the top she added a bench, just large enough for a beetle to sit on and admire the view.
Nell found a little blue bottle in her grandmother's desk. The label said Hill Ink. She dipped a pen and drew a bump on her map of the town. The paper rose up into a tiny green hill.
Nell grinned. She drew two more hills. Then she drew a wiggly river. The river ran off the map and dripped on the floor.
"Too much water," Nell said. She thought hard. A river needs somewhere to go. So she drew a small round lake at the end of the river.
The water poured into the lake and stopped. Nell mopped the floor with a sock. Then she drew a path up the tallest hill. At the top she drew a bench, just big enough for a beetle.
Questions
Where did Nell find the bottle of Hill Ink?
What happened when Nell drew a bump on her map?
What went wrong when Nell drew the river?
What did Nell draw to solve the problem?
Why did the water stop after Nell drew the lake?
Who was the bench at the top of the hill made for?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Nell's Hill Ink and the Runaway River
Nell found a little blue bottle at the back of her grandmother's desk. The label said Hill Ink. She dipped a pen and drew a bump on her map of the town. The paper rose up into a tiny hill, soft and green, with grass as thin as eyelashes.
Nell grinned. She drew a second hill, then a third. Soon her desk had a whole range of bumps. But when she drew a wiggly river between them, trouble began. The river ran off the edge of the map and dripped onto the floor.
"Too much water," Nell said. She thought hard. Everything she drew became real, but it still followed the rules of a map. A river needed somewhere to go. So she drew a small round lake at the end of the river, with a ring of reeds around it.
The water poured into the lake and stopped. Nell mopped the floor with an old sock. Then she drew a path up the tallest hill, and a bench at the top, just big enough for a beetle to sit on and enjoy the view.
Questions
Where did Nell find the bottle of Hill Ink?
What happened when Nell drew a bump on her map?
What went wrong when Nell drew the river?
What did Nell draw to solve the problem?
Why did the water stop after Nell drew the lake?
Who was the bench at the top of the hill made for?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Nell's Hill Ink and the Runaway River
Tucked at the back of her grandmother's desk, Nell discovered a little blue bottle whose label read Hill Ink. She dipped a pen into it and drew a single bump on her map of the town. At once the paper swelled into a tiny hill, soft and green, covered in grass as thin as eyelashes.
Nell grinned and drew a second hill, then a third, until her desk held an entire range of bumps. Trouble began, however, when she sketched a wiggly river winding between them. The river ran straight off the edge of the map and dripped onto the floor.
"Too much water," Nell muttered, thinking hard. Everything she drew became real, but it still obeyed the rules of a map, and a river must always have somewhere to go. So she drew a small round lake at the end of the river, surrounded by a ring of reeds.
The water poured into the lake and settled. Nell mopped the floor with an old sock. Then she drew a path spiraling up the tallest hill, and at the top she added a bench, just large enough for a beetle to sit on and admire the view.
Questions
Where did Nell find the bottle of Hill Ink?
What happened when Nell drew a bump on her map?
What went wrong when Nell drew the river?
What did Nell draw to solve the problem?
Why did the water stop after Nell drew the lake?
Who was the bench at the top of the hill made for?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Nell's Hill Ink and the Runaway River
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3)
In her grandmother's desk.
The paper rose up into a tiny green hill.
It ran off the map and dripped on the floor.
A small round lake at the end of the river.
The river had somewhere to go, so the water had a place to rest.
A beetle.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9)
At the back of her grandmother's desk.
The paper rose up into a tiny green hill.
It ran off the edge of the map and dripped onto the floor.
A small round lake at the end of the river.
The river finally had somewhere to go, so the water had a place to rest.
A beetle.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.8)
Tucked at the back of her grandmother's desk.
The paper swelled into a tiny green hill covered in thin grass.
It ran straight off the edge of the map and dripped onto the floor.
A small round lake at the end of the river, with reeds around it.
A river must have somewhere to go, and the lake gave the water a place to settle.
A beetle.
Free at teach.peabody.kids
How to use it
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 range, wiggly, reeds and label on the board with their meanings from the Words to know section and have students predict what the story 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 retell the story in three sentences: how it began, what the problem was, and how it ended.
Print the student copy for independent work and keep the answer-key copy for yourself.
What reading level is "Nell's Hill Ink and the Runaway River"?
It was written for 4th grade. It has 185 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.9. 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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