4th grade nonfiction passage about yeast and bread: 184 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
4th gradenonfictionyeast and bread184 words
The Slow Rise: Bread Dough in a Cold Fridge
A loaf of bread puffs up thanks to yeast. Yeast is a living thing so small that you could never spot a single one. Once it is mixed with water and flour, it munches on the flour's sugar and breathes out carbon dioxide. This gas gets trapped in the sticky dough. Millions of bubbles form, and the lump grows bigger.
Warmth speeds yeast up. Set a bowl of dough on a sunny counter, and it may double in size within an hour. Cold does the opposite. Put the bowl in the refrigerator, and the yeast crawls along. The dough could take all night to finish rising.
Some bakers pick the slow way on purpose. While the dough rests in the cold, it builds up new flavors. Bakers say the bread tastes richer and a bit tangy. A slow rise also lets the baker bake at any hour, because the dough is ready whenever the baker wants it.
Yeast is not harmed by the cold. It only slows down. When the dough comes out and warms up, the yeast wakes up and gets busy again.
Questions
What makes bread dough rise? in the text
What gas does yeast make? in the text
How does warmth change the way yeast works? in the text
How long might dough take to rise in a refrigerator? in the text
Why do some bakers choose a slow, cold rise? think about it
What happens to yeast when cold dough warms up again? in the text
Words to know
yeast
a tiny living thing that makes dough rise
gas
something like air that is not a solid or a liquid
refrigerator
a cold kitchen box that keeps food fresh
tangy
having a sharp, slightly sour taste
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Slow Rise: Bread Dough in a Cold Fridge
4th grade reading passage
A loaf of bread puffs up thanks to yeast. Yeast is a living thing so small that you could never spot a single one. Once it is mixed with water and flour, it munches on the flour's sugar and breathes out carbon dioxide. This gas gets trapped in the sticky dough. Millions of bubbles form, and the lump grows bigger.
Warmth speeds yeast up. Set a bowl of dough on a sunny counter, and it may double in size within an hour. Cold does the opposite. Put the bowl in the refrigerator, and the yeast crawls along. The dough could take all night to finish rising.
Some bakers pick the slow way on purpose. While the dough rests in the cold, it builds up new flavors. Bakers say the bread tastes richer and a bit tangy. A slow rise also lets the baker bake at any hour, because the dough is ready whenever the baker wants it.
Yeast is not harmed by the cold. It only slows down. When the dough comes out and warms up, the yeast wakes up and gets busy again.
Questions
What makes bread dough rise?
What gas does yeast make?
How does warmth change the way yeast works?
How long might dough take to rise in a refrigerator?
Why do some bakers choose a slow, cold rise?
What happens to yeast when cold dough warms up again?
Words to know
yeast: a tiny living thing that makes dough rise
gas: something like air that is not a solid or a liquid
refrigerator: a cold kitchen box that keeps food fresh
tangy: having a sharp, slightly sour taste
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/4/the-slow-rise-bread-dough-in-a-cold-fridge
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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 · 130 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6
Yeast makes bread dough rise. Yeast is a tiny living thing. When it gets wet, it eats the sugar in the flour. As it eats, it makes a gas called carbon dioxide. The gas fills the dough with bubbles. The dough puffs up.
Yeast works fastest when it is warm. On a warm counter, dough can double in about an hour. In a cold refrigerator, yeast works slowly. The dough may take a whole night to rise.
Some bakers pick the slow way on purpose. In the cold, the dough builds new flavors. It tastes rich and a little tangy. The baker can also bake at any hour.
Cold does not hurt yeast. It only slows it down. When the dough warms up, the yeast wakes up and gets busy.
▲ This passage · 184 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.3
A loaf of bread puffs up thanks to yeast. Yeast is a living thing so small that you could never spot a single one. Once it is mixed with water and flour, it munches on the flour's sugar and breathes out carbon dioxide. This gas gets trapped in the sticky dough. Millions of bubbles form, and the lump grows bigger.
Warmth speeds yeast up. Set a bowl of dough on a sunny counter, and it may double in size within an hour. Cold does the opposite. Put the bowl in the refrigerator, and the yeast crawls along. The dough could take all night to finish rising.
Some bakers pick the slow way on purpose. While the dough rests in the cold, it builds up new flavors. Bakers say the bread tastes richer and a bit tangy. A slow rise also lets the baker bake at any hour, because the dough is ready whenever the baker wants it.
Yeast is not harmed by the cold. It only slows down. When the dough comes out and warms up, the yeast wakes up and gets busy again.
■ Harder · 194 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.7
Bread dough rises because of yeast, a microscopic living organism that is far too small to see one at a time. Once yeast becomes wet and finds the natural sugar in flour, it begins to feed, and as it feeds it releases a gas called carbon dioxide. The gas fills the dough with countless bubbles, and the whole lump puffs up.
Yeast is most active in warm surroundings. On a warm kitchen counter, a lump of dough may double in size in about an hour. Cold has the opposite effect: inside a refrigerator, yeast works extremely slowly, and the dough might need an entire night to rise.
Some bakers deliberately choose the slow method. While the dough rests in the cold, other changes take place inside it, and it gradually develops new flavors that bakers describe as richer and slightly tangy. A slow rise also gives the baker freedom to bake at any hour, since the dough will be ready whenever it is wanted.
The cold does not harm the yeast; it merely slows it down. As soon as the dough comes out and warms up, the yeast wakes and becomes busy once more.
Yeast makes bread dough rise. Yeast is a tiny living thing. When it gets wet, it eats the sugar in the flour. As it eats, it makes a gas called carbon dioxide. The gas fills the dough with bubbles. The dough puffs up.
Yeast works fastest when it is warm. On a warm counter, dough can double in about an hour. In a cold refrigerator, yeast works slowly. The dough may take a whole night to rise.
Some bakers pick the slow way on purpose. In the cold, the dough builds new flavors. It tastes rich and a little tangy. The baker can also bake at any hour.
Cold does not hurt yeast. It only slows it down. When the dough warms up, the yeast wakes up and gets busy.
Questions
What makes bread dough rise?
What gas does yeast make?
When does yeast work fastest?
How long might dough take to rise in a refrigerator?
Why do some bakers pick a slow, cold rise?
What happens to yeast when cold dough warms up?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Slow Rise: Bread Dough in a Cold Fridge
A loaf of bread puffs up thanks to yeast. Yeast is a living thing so small that you could never spot a single one. Once it is mixed with water and flour, it munches on the flour's sugar and breathes out carbon dioxide. This gas gets trapped in the sticky dough. Millions of bubbles form, and the lump grows bigger.
Warmth speeds yeast up. Set a bowl of dough on a sunny counter, and it may double in size within an hour. Cold does the opposite. Put the bowl in the refrigerator, and the yeast crawls along. The dough could take all night to finish rising.
Some bakers pick the slow way on purpose. While the dough rests in the cold, it builds up new flavors. Bakers say the bread tastes richer and a bit tangy. A slow rise also lets the baker bake at any hour, because the dough is ready whenever the baker wants it.
Yeast is not harmed by the cold. It only slows down. When the dough comes out and warms up, the yeast wakes up and gets busy again.
Questions
What makes bread dough rise?
What gas does yeast make?
How does warmth change the way yeast works?
How long might dough take to rise in a refrigerator?
Why do some bakers choose a slow, cold rise?
What happens to yeast when cold dough warms up again?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Slow Rise: Bread Dough in a Cold Fridge
Bread dough rises because of yeast, a microscopic living organism that is far too small to see one at a time. Once yeast becomes wet and finds the natural sugar in flour, it begins to feed, and as it feeds it releases a gas called carbon dioxide. The gas fills the dough with countless bubbles, and the whole lump puffs up.
Yeast is most active in warm surroundings. On a warm kitchen counter, a lump of dough may double in size in about an hour. Cold has the opposite effect: inside a refrigerator, yeast works extremely slowly, and the dough might need an entire night to rise.
Some bakers deliberately choose the slow method. While the dough rests in the cold, other changes take place inside it, and it gradually develops new flavors that bakers describe as richer and slightly tangy. A slow rise also gives the baker freedom to bake at any hour, since the dough will be ready whenever it is wanted.
The cold does not harm the yeast; it merely slows it down. As soon as the dough comes out and warms up, the yeast wakes and becomes busy once more.
Questions
What causes bread dough to rise?
What gas does yeast release as it feeds?
How does warmth affect the way yeast works?
How long might dough need to rise inside a refrigerator?
Why do some bakers deliberately choose a slow, cold rise?
What does yeast do once cold dough warms up again?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Slow Rise: Bread Dough in a Cold Fridge
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6)
Yeast eats sugar and makes a gas that fills the dough with bubbles.
Carbon dioxide.
When it is warm.
A whole night.
The dough gets richer, tangy flavors, and the baker can bake at any hour.
The yeast wakes up and gets busy.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.3)
Yeast eating sugar and making a gas that fills the dough with bubbles.
Carbon dioxide.
Yeast works fastest when it is warm.
A whole night.
The dough builds richer, tangier flavors, and the baker can bake at any hour.
The yeast wakes up and gets busy again.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.7)
Yeast feeds on sugar and releases a gas that fills the dough with bubbles.
Carbon dioxide.
Yeast is most active in warm surroundings.
An entire night.
The dough develops richer, tangier flavors, and the baker may bake at any hour.
It wakes and becomes busy once more.
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 yeast, gas, refrigerator and tangy 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 "The Slow Rise: Bread Dough in a Cold Fridge"?
It was written for 4th grade. It has 184 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.3. 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?
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