4th grade nonfiction passage about seasons near the poles: 174 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
4th gradenonfictionseasons near the poles174 words
Summer Nights When the Sun Does Not Set
Imagine trying to go to bed while the sun is still shining at midnight. In some places very far north, that is what summer is like. People call it the midnight sun.
Earth is tilted as it travels around the sun. In summer, the top of the planet leans toward the sun. Places close to the North Pole stay in the sunlight as Earth spins. For weeks, the sun circles in the sky without dropping below the horizon. It may sink low at night and then rise again.
Families in these places find ways to cope. Some hang thick curtains to make their bedrooms dark. Others use the long bright evenings to play outside, fish, or go for a hike.
Winter shows the other side of the story. When the top of Earth leans away from the sun, the sun may not rise for a long stretch of days. The sky stays dim or dark most of the time.
The same thing happens near the South Pole, but its summer comes during our winter.
Questions
What do people call summer nights when the sun does not set? in the text
What is Earth doing as it travels around the sun? in the text
How do some families make their bedrooms dark? in the text
What happens in winter when the top of Earth leans away from the sun? in the text
Why does the sun stay up so long in far northern summers? think about it
When it is summer near the South Pole, what season is it near the North Pole? think about it
Words to know
tilted
leaning to one side instead of standing straight
horizon
the line where the sky seems to meet the land
cope
to find a way to deal with something hard
planet
a large round world that travels around a star
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Summer Nights When the Sun Does Not Set
4th grade reading passage
Imagine trying to go to bed while the sun is still shining at midnight. In some places very far north, that is what summer is like. People call it the midnight sun.
Earth is tilted as it travels around the sun. In summer, the top of the planet leans toward the sun. Places close to the North Pole stay in the sunlight as Earth spins. For weeks, the sun circles in the sky without dropping below the horizon. It may sink low at night and then rise again.
Families in these places find ways to cope. Some hang thick curtains to make their bedrooms dark. Others use the long bright evenings to play outside, fish, or go for a hike.
Winter shows the other side of the story. When the top of Earth leans away from the sun, the sun may not rise for a long stretch of days. The sky stays dim or dark most of the time.
The same thing happens near the South Pole, but its summer comes during our winter.
Questions
What do people call summer nights when the sun does not set?
What is Earth doing as it travels around the sun?
How do some families make their bedrooms dark?
What happens in winter when the top of Earth leans away from the sun?
Why does the sun stay up so long in far northern summers?
When it is summer near the South Pole, what season is it near the North Pole?
Words to know
tilted: leaning to one side instead of standing straight
horizon: the line where the sky seems to meet the land
cope: to find a way to deal with something hard
planet: a large round world that travels around a star
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/4/summer-nights-when-the-sun-does-not-set
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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 · 144 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.8
Try going to bed when the sun still shines at midnight. In some places far north, summer is like that. It is called the midnight sun.
Earth is tilted as it goes around the sun. In summer, the top of Earth leans toward the sun. Places near the North Pole stay in the light as Earth spins. For weeks, the sun goes around the sky and does not set. It may sink low at night, then rise again.
Families find ways to cope. Some hang thick curtains to make bedrooms dark. Others use the bright evenings to play outside, fish or hike.
Winter is the other side. The top of Earth leans away from the sun. The sun may not rise for many days. The sky stays dim or dark.
The same thing happens near the South Pole. Its summer comes in our winter.
▲ This passage · 174 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.8
Imagine trying to go to bed while the sun is still shining at midnight. In some places very far north, that is what summer is like. People call it the midnight sun.
Earth is tilted as it travels around the sun. In summer, the top of the planet leans toward the sun. Places close to the North Pole stay in the sunlight as Earth spins. For weeks, the sun circles in the sky without dropping below the horizon. It may sink low at night and then rise again.
Families in these places find ways to cope. Some hang thick curtains to make their bedrooms dark. Others use the long bright evenings to play outside, fish, or go for a hike.
Winter shows the other side of the story. When the top of Earth leans away from the sun, the sun may not rise for a long stretch of days. The sky stays dim or dark most of the time.
The same thing happens near the South Pole, but its summer comes during our winter.
■ Harder · 189 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.8
Imagine attempting to fall asleep while the sun is still blazing in the sky at midnight. In certain regions located very far to the north, that is exactly what summer is like. People refer to the phenomenon as the midnight sun.
Earth is tilted as it travels around the sun. During summer, the top of the planet leans toward the sun, and places close to the North Pole remain in sunlight as Earth rotates. For weeks on end, the sun circles through the sky without dropping below the horizon. It may sink low at night and then climb again.
Families in these regions find clever ways to cope. Some hang heavy curtains to darken their bedrooms, and others take advantage of the long, bright evenings to play outside, fish, or go hiking.
Winter reveals the opposite side of the story. When the top of Earth leans away from the sun, the sun may fail to rise for a long stretch of days, and the sky stays dim or dark for most of the time.
The same pattern occurs near the South Pole, although its summer arrives during our winter.
Try going to bed when the sun still shines at midnight. In some places far north, summer is like that. It is called the midnight sun.
Earth is tilted as it goes around the sun. In summer, the top of Earth leans toward the sun. Places near the North Pole stay in the light as Earth spins. For weeks, the sun goes around the sky and does not set. It may sink low at night, then rise again.
Families find ways to cope. Some hang thick curtains to make bedrooms dark. Others use the bright evenings to play outside, fish or hike.
Winter is the other side. The top of Earth leans away from the sun. The sun may not rise for many days. The sky stays dim or dark.
The same thing happens near the South Pole. Its summer comes in our winter.
Questions
What is it called when the sun does not set in summer?
What is Earth doing as it goes around the sun?
How do some families make bedrooms dark?
What happens in winter when the top of Earth leans away from the sun?
Why does the sun stay up so long in far northern summers?
When it is summer near the South Pole, what season is it near the North Pole?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Summer Nights When the Sun Does Not Set
Imagine trying to go to bed while the sun is still shining at midnight. In some places very far north, that is what summer is like. People call it the midnight sun.
Earth is tilted as it travels around the sun. In summer, the top of the planet leans toward the sun. Places close to the North Pole stay in the sunlight as Earth spins. For weeks, the sun circles in the sky without dropping below the horizon. It may sink low at night and then rise again.
Families in these places find ways to cope. Some hang thick curtains to make their bedrooms dark. Others use the long bright evenings to play outside, fish, or go for a hike.
Winter shows the other side of the story. When the top of Earth leans away from the sun, the sun may not rise for a long stretch of days. The sky stays dim or dark most of the time.
The same thing happens near the South Pole, but its summer comes during our winter.
Questions
What do people call summer nights when the sun does not set?
What is Earth doing as it travels around the sun?
How do some families make their bedrooms dark?
What happens in winter when the top of Earth leans away from the sun?
Why does the sun stay up so long in far northern summers?
When it is summer near the South Pole, what season is it near the North Pole?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Summer Nights When the Sun Does Not Set
Imagine attempting to fall asleep while the sun is still blazing in the sky at midnight. In certain regions located very far to the north, that is exactly what summer is like. People refer to the phenomenon as the midnight sun.
Earth is tilted as it travels around the sun. During summer, the top of the planet leans toward the sun, and places close to the North Pole remain in sunlight as Earth rotates. For weeks on end, the sun circles through the sky without dropping below the horizon. It may sink low at night and then climb again.
Families in these regions find clever ways to cope. Some hang heavy curtains to darken their bedrooms, and others take advantage of the long, bright evenings to play outside, fish, or go hiking.
Winter reveals the opposite side of the story. When the top of Earth leans away from the sun, the sun may fail to rise for a long stretch of days, and the sky stays dim or dark for most of the time.
The same pattern occurs near the South Pole, although its summer arrives during our winter.
Questions
What do people call a summer when the sun does not set at night?
What is Earth doing as it travels around the sun?
How do some families darken their bedrooms?
What happens in winter when the top of Earth leans away from the sun?
Why does the sun remain in the sky so long during far northern summers?
When it is summer near the South Pole, what season is it near the North Pole?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Summer Nights When the Sun Does Not Set
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.8)
The midnight sun.
It is tilted.
They hang thick curtains.
The sun may not rise for many days.
The top of Earth leans toward the sun, so those places stay in light.
Winter.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.8)
The midnight sun.
It is tilted.
They hang thick curtains.
The sun may not rise for many days.
The top of Earth leans toward the sun, so those places stay in sunlight as Earth spins.
Winter.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.8)
The midnight sun.
It is tilted.
They hang heavy curtains.
The sun may fail to rise for a long stretch of days.
The top of Earth leans toward the sun, so those places stay in sunlight as Earth rotates.
Winter.
Free at teach.peabody.kids
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Ideas for class
Before reading, put tilted, horizon, cope and planet 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 "Summer Nights When the Sun Does Not Set"?
It was written for 4th grade. It has 174 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.8. 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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