4th grade nonfiction passage about world history: 163 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
4th gradenonfictionworld history163 words
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the longest structures ever built. It stretches across northern China for thousands of miles, over mountains, deserts, and grasslands.
The wall was not built all at once. Different rulers built and repaired sections over many hundreds of years. Early parts were made of packed earth. Later builders used stone and brick, which lasted longer. In places the wall is about twenty feet high, and the top is wide enough for people to walk along.
The wall had a purpose. It helped defend the land against armies coming from the north. Soldiers lived in towers built along the wall. When they spotted danger, they sent signals with smoke and fire to warn the next tower. Guards also used the top of the wall as a road to move soldiers and supplies.
Today, much of the wall still stands. Millions of visitors walk along its ancient stones each year to see its towers and enjoy the views.
Questions
How long is the Great Wall of China? in the text
Was the wall built all at once? in the text
Why did later builders use stone and brick? think about it
What was the wall meant to do? in the text
How did soldiers warn the next tower of danger? in the text
Why would a wall wide enough to walk on be useful? think about it
Words to know
structures
things that have been built, such as walls and bridges
defend
to protect from attack
supplies
things people need, such as food and tools
ancient
very, very old
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Great Wall of China
4th grade reading passage
The Great Wall of China is one of the longest structures ever built. It stretches across northern China for thousands of miles, over mountains, deserts, and grasslands.
The wall was not built all at once. Different rulers built and repaired sections over many hundreds of years. Early parts were made of packed earth. Later builders used stone and brick, which lasted longer. In places the wall is about twenty feet high, and the top is wide enough for people to walk along.
The wall had a purpose. It helped defend the land against armies coming from the north. Soldiers lived in towers built along the wall. When they spotted danger, they sent signals with smoke and fire to warn the next tower. Guards also used the top of the wall as a road to move soldiers and supplies.
Today, much of the wall still stands. Millions of visitors walk along its ancient stones each year to see its towers and enjoy the views.
Questions
How long is the Great Wall of China?
Was the wall built all at once?
Why did later builders use stone and brick?
What was the wall meant to do?
How did soldiers warn the next tower of danger?
Why would a wall wide enough to walk on be useful?
Words to know
structures: things that have been built, such as walls and bridges
defend: to protect from attack
supplies: things people need, such as food and tools
ancient: very, very old
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/4/the-great-wall-of-china
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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 · 154 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.6
The Great Wall of China is one of the longest things ever built. It stretches across northern China for thousands of miles. It goes over mountains, deserts, and grasslands.
The wall was not built all at once. Different rulers built and fixed parts of it over many hundreds of years. Early parts were packed earth. Later builders used stone and brick, which lasted longer. In some places the wall is about twenty feet high. The top is wide enough for people to walk on.
The wall had a job. It helped guard the land from armies that came from the north. Soldiers lived in towers along the wall. If they saw danger, they sent signals with smoke and fire to warn the next tower. Guards also used the top of the wall as a road for soldiers and supplies.
Today, much of the wall still stands. Millions of visitors walk on it each year.
▲ This passage · 163 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5
The Great Wall of China is one of the longest structures ever built. It stretches across northern China for thousands of miles, over mountains, deserts, and grasslands.
The wall was not built all at once. Different rulers built and repaired sections over many hundreds of years. Early parts were made of packed earth. Later builders used stone and brick, which lasted longer. In places the wall is about twenty feet high, and the top is wide enough for people to walk along.
The wall had a purpose. It helped defend the land against armies coming from the north. Soldiers lived in towers built along the wall. When they spotted danger, they sent signals with smoke and fire to warn the next tower. Guards also used the top of the wall as a road to move soldiers and supplies.
Today, much of the wall still stands. Millions of visitors walk along its ancient stones each year to see its towers and enjoy the views.
■ Harder · 178 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7
The Great Wall of China is among the longest structures ever constructed. It extends across northern China for thousands of miles, winding over rugged mountains, scorching deserts, and open grasslands.
The wall was not built all at once. Successive rulers built and repaired sections of it over many hundreds of years. The earliest portions were made of packed earth, whereas later builders used stone and brick, which proved far more durable. In places the wall rises about twenty feet high, and the top is wide enough for people to walk along it.
The wall served an important purpose. It helped defend the land against armies approaching from the north. Soldiers lived in towers built at intervals along the wall, and when they spotted danger, they sent signals with smoke and fire to warn the next tower. Guards also used the top of the wall as a road to move soldiers and supplies.
Today, much of the wall still stands. Millions of visitors walk along its ancient stones each year to admire its towers and enjoy the breathtaking views.
The Great Wall of China is one of the longest things ever built. It stretches across northern China for thousands of miles. It goes over mountains, deserts, and grasslands.
The wall was not built all at once. Different rulers built and fixed parts of it over many hundreds of years. Early parts were packed earth. Later builders used stone and brick, which lasted longer. In some places the wall is about twenty feet high. The top is wide enough for people to walk on.
The wall had a job. It helped guard the land from armies that came from the north. Soldiers lived in towers along the wall. If they saw danger, they sent signals with smoke and fire to warn the next tower. Guards also used the top of the wall as a road for soldiers and supplies.
Today, much of the wall still stands. Millions of visitors walk on it each year.
Questions
How long is the Great Wall of China?
Was the wall built all at once?
Why did later builders use stone and brick?
What was the wall meant to do?
How did soldiers warn the next tower of danger?
Why is a wall wide enough to walk on useful?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the longest structures ever built. It stretches across northern China for thousands of miles, over mountains, deserts, and grasslands.
The wall was not built all at once. Different rulers built and repaired sections over many hundreds of years. Early parts were made of packed earth. Later builders used stone and brick, which lasted longer. In places the wall is about twenty feet high, and the top is wide enough for people to walk along.
The wall had a purpose. It helped defend the land against armies coming from the north. Soldiers lived in towers built along the wall. When they spotted danger, they sent signals with smoke and fire to warn the next tower. Guards also used the top of the wall as a road to move soldiers and supplies.
Today, much of the wall still stands. Millions of visitors walk along its ancient stones each year to see its towers and enjoy the views.
Questions
How long is the Great Wall of China?
Was the wall built all at once?
Why did later builders use stone and brick?
What was the wall meant to do?
How did soldiers warn the next tower of danger?
Why would a wall wide enough to walk on be useful?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is among the longest structures ever constructed. It extends across northern China for thousands of miles, winding over rugged mountains, scorching deserts, and open grasslands.
The wall was not built all at once. Successive rulers built and repaired sections of it over many hundreds of years. The earliest portions were made of packed earth, whereas later builders used stone and brick, which proved far more durable. In places the wall rises about twenty feet high, and the top is wide enough for people to walk along it.
The wall served an important purpose. It helped defend the land against armies approaching from the north. Soldiers lived in towers built at intervals along the wall, and when they spotted danger, they sent signals with smoke and fire to warn the next tower. Guards also used the top of the wall as a road to move soldiers and supplies.
Today, much of the wall still stands. Millions of visitors walk along its ancient stones each year to admire its towers and enjoy the breathtaking views.
Questions
How long is the Great Wall of China?
Was the wall built all at once?
Why did later builders use stone and brick?
What purpose did the wall serve?
How did soldiers warn the next tower of danger?
Why would a wall wide enough to walk along be useful?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Great Wall of China
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.6)
Thousands of miles.
No. Different rulers built and fixed parts of it over many hundreds of years.
They lasted longer than packed earth.
Guard the land from armies from the north.
With smoke and fire signals.
Guards could use the top like a road for soldiers and supplies.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5)
Thousands of miles.
No. Different rulers built and repaired sections over many hundreds of years.
They lasted longer than packed earth.
Help defend the land against armies from the north.
With signals made of smoke and fire.
Guards could use the top like a road to move soldiers and supplies.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 7)
Thousands of miles.
No. Successive rulers built and repaired sections over many hundreds of years.
They were far more durable than packed earth.
It helped defend the land against armies approaching from the north.
They sent signals with smoke and fire.
Guards could use the top as a road to move soldiers and supplies.
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 structures, defend, supplies and ancient 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 3 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.
It was written for 4th grade. It has 163 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 5.0. 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.
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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