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The Dresser Who Helps Actors Change in Seconds

5th grade nonfiction passage about backstage costume dressers: 197 words, seven questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

5th grade nonfiction backstage costume dressers 197 words

The Dresser Who Helps Actors Change in Seconds

In a play, an actor may walk off the stage as a farmer and return a moment later as a king. The audience never sees how it happens. Behind the curtain, a costume dresser makes the change possible.

A quick change has to be planned like a race. First, the dresser lays out each piece of clothing in the exact order the actor will put it on. Everything is placed in a spot that can be found in the dark, since backstage areas are kept dim so the glow does not reach the audience.

Costumes for quick changes are built differently. Instead of lots of tiny buttons, they often have snaps, zippers, or hook-and-loop fasteners that open fast. A coat might be sewn so that it can be slipped on from the back. Some hats and wigs are pinned in a way that can be fastened in one motion.

The dresser has other jobs too. Costumes are washed, mended, and checked before each show. If a seam splits during a performance, the dresser fixes it in a few stitches. Because the actor and dresser practice the change many times, they can finish it in seconds.

Questions

  1. What does a costume dresser do for an actor? in the text

  2. How does the dresser lay out the clothing for a quick change? in the text

  3. Why is the backstage area kept dim? in the text

  4. What fasteners are used instead of tiny buttons? in the text

  5. What else does the dresser do besides helping with quick changes? in the text

  6. Why does the passage compare a quick change to a race? think about it

  7. Why do the actor and dresser practice the change many times? think about it

Words to know

dresser
a person who helps actors put on their costumes
costume
clothing worn by an actor to play a part
backstage
the area behind the stage that the audience cannot see
fastener
something that holds clothing closed
mend
to fix something that is torn or broken
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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 · 189 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.8

In a play, an actor may walk off the stage as a farmer. A moment later, the actor comes back as a king. The crowd never sees how. Behind the curtain, a costume dresser makes it happen.

A quick change is planned like a race. First, the dresser lays out each piece of clothing. They go in the exact order the actor will put them on. Each piece is placed where it can be found in the dark. The backstage area is dim so the glow does not reach the crowd.

Quick-change costumes are built in a special way. They often have snaps, zippers, or hook-and-loop fasteners instead of tiny buttons. These open fast. A coat may be sewn so it slips on from the back. Some hats and wigs are pinned so they can be fixed in one move.

The dresser has other jobs too. Costumes are washed, mended, and checked before each show. If a seam splits in the show, the dresser fixes it with a few stitches. The actor and dresser practice the change many times. So they can finish it in seconds.

▲ This passage · 197 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2

In a play, an actor may walk off the stage as a farmer and return a moment later as a king. The audience never sees how it happens. Behind the curtain, a costume dresser makes the change possible.

A quick change has to be planned like a race. First, the dresser lays out each piece of clothing in the exact order the actor will put it on. Everything is placed in a spot that can be found in the dark, since backstage areas are kept dim so the glow does not reach the audience.

Costumes for quick changes are built differently. Instead of lots of tiny buttons, they often have snaps, zippers, or hook-and-loop fasteners that open fast. A coat might be sewn so that it can be slipped on from the back. Some hats and wigs are pinned in a way that can be fastened in one motion.

The dresser has other jobs too. Costumes are washed, mended, and checked before each show. If a seam splits during a performance, the dresser fixes it in a few stitches. Because the actor and dresser practice the change many times, they can finish it in seconds.

■ Harder · 209 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.9

In a play, an actor might stride off the stage as a farmer and reappear moments later as a king. The audience never witnesses how this transformation occurs. Behind the curtain, a costume dresser makes it possible.

A quick change must be planned with the precision of a race. To begin with, the dresser arranges every piece of clothing in the exact sequence in which the actor will put it on. Each item is positioned in a spot that can be located in the dark, because backstage areas are kept dim so that no glow reaches the audience.

Costumes designed for quick changes are constructed differently. Rather than numerous tiny buttons, they frequently feature snaps, zippers, or hook-and-loop fasteners that open rapidly. A coat might be sewn so that it can be slipped on from behind, and some hats and wigs are pinned in a way that allows them to be secured in a single motion.

The dresser carries out other responsibilities as well. Costumes are washed, mended, and inspected before every show. Should a seam split during a performance, the dresser repairs it with a few stitches. Since the actor and the dresser rehearse the change many times, they are able to complete it in seconds.

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 dresser, costume, backstage, fastener and mend 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.

Related

Questions

What reading level is "The Dresser Who Helps Actors Change in Seconds"?

It was written for 5th grade. It has 197 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 5.2. 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 seven. 5 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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