4th grade nonfiction passage about snow plow plans: 194 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
4th gradenonfictionsnow plow plans194 words
Which Street Does the Snowplow Reach First?
After a big snowfall, a town cannot plow every street at once. There are only so many plows and drivers. So many public works crews follow a plan that lists which roads come first.
The plan usually puts the most important roads at the top. These are the wide main streets that carry the most cars, along with the routes to hospitals, fire stations and police stations. Ambulances and fire trucks must be able to get through, so clearing their paths is the first job. Roads where buses travel often come next, so that people can get to work and school.
Small side streets and dead ends come later, which is why your own street may have to wait. This order can feel unfair if you live on a quiet street. But the plan is built to keep people safe and to help the most people first.
Residents can help too. In many towns, they are asked to move parked cars off the street so the plow can pass. They can also shovel the sidewalk in front of their homes. Some towns even share a map online that shows which streets have been plowed.
Questions
Why can a town not plow every street at once? in the text
Which roads does the plan usually put first? in the text
Why are routes to fire stations cleared first? in the text
When are small side streets usually plowed? in the text
How can residents help the plows? in the text
Why might the plan feel unfair but still be a sensible one? think about it
Words to know
crews
groups of workers who do a job together
routes
the roads or paths used to get somewhere
ambulances
vehicles that rush sick or hurt people to the hospital
residents
people who live in a certain place
sidewalk
a paved path beside a street for people on foot
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Which Street Does the Snowplow Reach First?
4th grade reading passage
After a big snowfall, a town cannot plow every street at once. There are only so many plows and drivers. So many public works crews follow a plan that lists which roads come first.
The plan usually puts the most important roads at the top. These are the wide main streets that carry the most cars, along with the routes to hospitals, fire stations and police stations. Ambulances and fire trucks must be able to get through, so clearing their paths is the first job. Roads where buses travel often come next, so that people can get to work and school.
Small side streets and dead ends come later, which is why your own street may have to wait. This order can feel unfair if you live on a quiet street. But the plan is built to keep people safe and to help the most people first.
Residents can help too. In many towns, they are asked to move parked cars off the street so the plow can pass. They can also shovel the sidewalk in front of their homes. Some towns even share a map online that shows which streets have been plowed.
Questions
Why can a town not plow every street at once?
Which roads does the plan usually put first?
Why are routes to fire stations cleared first?
When are small side streets usually plowed?
How can residents help the plows?
Why might the plan feel unfair but still be a sensible one?
Words to know
crews: groups of workers who do a job together
routes: the roads or paths used to get somewhere
ambulances: vehicles that rush sick or hurt people to the hospital
residents: people who live in a certain place
sidewalk: a paved path beside a street for people on foot
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/4/snowplow-street-order
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 · 174 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2
After a big snowfall, a town cannot plow every street at once. It has only so many plows and drivers. So public works crews follow a plan. The plan lists which roads come first.
The most important roads go at the top. These are the wide main streets with the most cars. They also include the routes to hospitals, fire stations and police stations. Ambulances and fire trucks must get through. So those paths are cleared first. Roads with buses come next. Then people can get to work and school.
Small side streets and dead ends come later. Your own street may have to wait. That can feel unfair if you live on a quiet street. But the plan is made to keep people safe. It helps the most people first.
Residents can help too. In many towns, they are asked to move parked cars off the street. Then the plow can pass. They can also shovel the sidewalk by their homes. Some towns share a map online. It shows which streets are plowed.
▲ This passage · 194 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.7
After a big snowfall, a town cannot plow every street at once. There are only so many plows and drivers. So many public works crews follow a plan that lists which roads come first.
The plan usually puts the most important roads at the top. These are the wide main streets that carry the most cars, along with the routes to hospitals, fire stations and police stations. Ambulances and fire trucks must be able to get through, so clearing their paths is the first job. Roads where buses travel often come next, so that people can get to work and school.
Small side streets and dead ends come later, which is why your own street may have to wait. This order can feel unfair if you live on a quiet street. But the plan is built to keep people safe and to help the most people first.
Residents can help too. In many towns, they are asked to move parked cars off the street so the plow can pass. They can also shovel the sidewalk in front of their homes. Some towns even share a map online that shows which streets have been plowed.
■ Harder · 217 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 8.3
Following a heavy snowfall, a town cannot possibly plow every street at the same moment, because it owns only a limited number of plows and drivers. For that reason, many public works crews follow a detailed plan that specifies which roads must be cleared first.
The plan typically places the most essential roads at the top. These include the wide main streets that carry the greatest number of cars, along with the routes leading to hospitals, fire stations and police stations. Ambulances and fire trucks must be able to travel through without delay, so clearing their paths is the initial task. Roads used by buses generally come next, so that people can reach their jobs and schools.
Small side streets and dead ends are handled later, which explains why your own street might have to wait. This order can seem unfair to anyone living on a quiet street. However, the plan is designed to protect safety and to assist the largest number of people first.
Residents are able to cooperate as well. In many towns, they are asked to move parked cars off the street so that the plow can pass, and they can shovel the sidewalk in front of their homes. Certain towns even publish an online map that shows which streets have already been plowed.
After a big snowfall, a town cannot plow every street at once. It has only so many plows and drivers. So public works crews follow a plan. The plan lists which roads come first.
The most important roads go at the top. These are the wide main streets with the most cars. They also include the routes to hospitals, fire stations and police stations. Ambulances and fire trucks must get through. So those paths are cleared first. Roads with buses come next. Then people can get to work and school.
Small side streets and dead ends come later. Your own street may have to wait. That can feel unfair if you live on a quiet street. But the plan is made to keep people safe. It helps the most people first.
Residents can help too. In many towns, they are asked to move parked cars off the street. Then the plow can pass. They can also shovel the sidewalk by their homes. Some towns share a map online. It shows which streets are plowed.
Questions
Why can a town not plow every street at once?
Which roads does the plan put first?
Why are routes to fire stations cleared first?
When are small side streets usually plowed?
How can residents help the plows?
Why might the plan feel unfair but still make sense?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Which Street Does the Snowplow Reach First?
After a big snowfall, a town cannot plow every street at once. There are only so many plows and drivers. So many public works crews follow a plan that lists which roads come first.
The plan usually puts the most important roads at the top. These are the wide main streets that carry the most cars, along with the routes to hospitals, fire stations and police stations. Ambulances and fire trucks must be able to get through, so clearing their paths is the first job. Roads where buses travel often come next, so that people can get to work and school.
Small side streets and dead ends come later, which is why your own street may have to wait. This order can feel unfair if you live on a quiet street. But the plan is built to keep people safe and to help the most people first.
Residents can help too. In many towns, they are asked to move parked cars off the street so the plow can pass. They can also shovel the sidewalk in front of their homes. Some towns even share a map online that shows which streets have been plowed.
Questions
Why can a town not plow every street at once?
Which roads does the plan usually put first?
Why are routes to fire stations cleared first?
When are small side streets usually plowed?
How can residents help the plows?
Why might the plan feel unfair but still be a sensible one?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Which Street Does the Snowplow Reach First?
Following a heavy snowfall, a town cannot possibly plow every street at the same moment, because it owns only a limited number of plows and drivers. For that reason, many public works crews follow a detailed plan that specifies which roads must be cleared first.
The plan typically places the most essential roads at the top. These include the wide main streets that carry the greatest number of cars, along with the routes leading to hospitals, fire stations and police stations. Ambulances and fire trucks must be able to travel through without delay, so clearing their paths is the initial task. Roads used by buses generally come next, so that people can reach their jobs and schools.
Small side streets and dead ends are handled later, which explains why your own street might have to wait. This order can seem unfair to anyone living on a quiet street. However, the plan is designed to protect safety and to assist the largest number of people first.
Residents are able to cooperate as well. In many towns, they are asked to move parked cars off the street so that the plow can pass, and they can shovel the sidewalk in front of their homes. Certain towns even publish an online map that shows which streets have already been plowed.
Questions
Why can a town not plow every street at the same moment?
Which roads does the plan typically place first?
Why are routes to fire stations cleared first?
When are small side streets usually handled?
How can residents cooperate with the plows?
Why might the plan seem unfair but still be sensible?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Which Street Does the Snowplow Reach First?
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2)
It has only so many plows and drivers.
Wide main streets and routes to hospitals, fire stations and police stations.
Ambulances and fire trucks must get through.
Later, after the more important roads.
They can move parked cars off the street and shovel their sidewalks.
It keeps people safe and helps the most people first, even if some streets wait.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.7)
There are only so many plows and drivers.
Wide main streets and routes to hospitals, fire stations and police stations.
Ambulances and fire trucks must be able to get through.
Later, after the more important roads.
They can move parked cars off the street and shovel their sidewalks.
It keeps people safe and helps the most people first, even if some streets wait.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 8.3)
It owns only a limited number of plows and drivers.
Wide main streets and routes leading to hospitals, fire stations and police stations.
Ambulances and fire trucks must be able to travel through without delay.
Later, after the more essential roads.
They can move parked cars off the street and shovel the sidewalk in front of their homes.
It protects safety and assists the largest number of people first, even if some streets must wait.
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 crews, routes, ambulances, residents and sidewalk 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 "Which Street Does the Snowplow Reach First?"?
It was written for 4th grade. It has 194 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.7. 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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