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Brain Freeze: The Ice Cream Headache

5th grade nonfiction passage about brain freeze: 213 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

5th grade nonfiction brain freeze 213 words

Brain Freeze: The Ice Cream Headache

Picture a hot day and a big bowl of ice cream. You take a huge bite and swallow it fast, and then a sharp ache bursts across your forehead. Many people call this feeling brain freeze, but your brain is not freezing at all, because the trouble actually starts in your mouth.

The top of your mouth is full of nerves and blood vessels. When something icy touches that spot, the blood vessels there shrink to hold in heat, and a moment later they open wide again. This quick change seems to set off nearby nerves, and those nerves carry a message to the brain, which gets mixed up about where the pain began. It feels as if the ache comes from your forehead, even though the cold touched your mouth.

The ache is harmless, and it usually fades fast. You can help it along. Press your tongue flat against the top of your mouth so it warms that spot. A small sip of water that is not cold can also help.

The best plan is to avoid the problem in the first place. Take small bites of frozen treats and let each one rest in your mouth for a moment. Then you can finish the whole cone without any ache at all.

Questions

  1. What do many people call the ache that follows a huge bite of ice cream? in the text

  2. Where does the cold really touch your body to start the trouble? in the text

  3. What do the blood vessels do when something icy touches them? in the text

  4. Why does the pain seem to come from your forehead? think about it

  5. How does pressing your tongue against the top of your mouth help? in the text

  6. Why do small bites of a frozen treat help you avoid the ache? think about it

Words to know

nerves
thin pathways that carry messages to the brain
vessels
the tiny tubes that carry blood around the body
harmless
not able to cause real damage
frozen
made hard by being very, very cold
avoid
to stay away from something
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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 · 156 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.5

It is a hot day. You eat a big bite of ice cream, and fast. Then it hits you. Your forehead hurts! Many people call this brain freeze. But your brain is not freezing. The cold touches your mouth.

The top of your mouth has nerves and blood vessels. When ice touches it, the blood vessels shrink. Then they open wide again. This change seems to wake up the nerves close by. The nerves send a message to your brain. Your brain gets mixed up. It thinks the pain started in your forehead.

The ache is harmless. It goes away fast. You can help it. Press your tongue to the top of your mouth. That warms the spot. A sip of water that is not cold helps too.

The best plan is to take small bites. Let each bite sit in your mouth for a moment. Then you can eat the whole cone with no ache.

▲ This passage · 213 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.8

Picture a hot day and a big bowl of ice cream. You take a huge bite and swallow it fast, and then a sharp ache bursts across your forehead. Many people call this feeling brain freeze, but your brain is not freezing at all, because the trouble actually starts in your mouth.

The top of your mouth is full of nerves and blood vessels. When something icy touches that spot, the blood vessels there shrink to hold in heat, and a moment later they open wide again. This quick change seems to set off nearby nerves, and those nerves carry a message to the brain, which gets mixed up about where the pain began. It feels as if the ache comes from your forehead, even though the cold touched your mouth.

The ache is harmless, and it usually fades fast. You can help it along. Press your tongue flat against the top of your mouth so it warms that spot. A small sip of water that is not cold can also help.

The best plan is to avoid the problem in the first place. Take small bites of frozen treats and let each one rest in your mouth for a moment. Then you can finish the whole cone without any ache at all.

■ Harder · 224 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.9

Imagine a sweltering afternoon and an enormous bowl of ice cream. You take a giant bite, swallow it quickly, and suddenly a sharp ache bursts across your forehead. People commonly call this sensation brain freeze, although your brain is not freezing at all. The real trouble begins inside your mouth.

The roof of your mouth is crowded with nerves and blood vessels. When something icy presses against that spot, the blood vessels there shrink in order to conserve heat, and a moment later they open wide again. Scientists believe this rapid change sets off nearby nerves. Those nerves relay a message to the brain, and the brain becomes confused about where the pain originated. It feels as if the ache comes from your forehead, even though the cold only touched your mouth.

Fortunately, the ache is harmless, and it usually fades within a short time. You can speed things along by pressing your tongue flat against the roof of your mouth, which warms the chilled area. Taking a small sip of water that is not cold can also bring relief.

The wisest strategy, however, is to prevent the problem altogether. Take small bites of frozen treats, and allow each one to rest in your mouth for a moment before you swallow. That way you can finish the entire cone without any ache at all.

Download as one PDF

How to use it

  1. Press Read it big (or B) to put the text on the projector, or Full screen (F) to fill the whole screen.
  2. Ask the questions one at a time and use Show answer when the class has decided. A shows or hides every answer.
  3. Print student copy for the class, or Print with answers for yourself.

Ideas for class

  • Before reading, put nerves, vessels, harmless, frozen and avoid 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 4 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.

Related

Questions

What reading level is "Brain Freeze: The Ice Cream Headache"?

It was written for 5th grade. It has 213 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.8. 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.

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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