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 · 216 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1
On Sunday morning, Ines found four flat gray stones in a row on the dock at Harrow Pond. Each stone had a different number of white dots. A small black arrow on the first stone pointed left. From left to right, the dots counted nine, six, five, and ten.
"A code," Ines said. She looked around for a key. At the end of the dock stood an old sign. It said HARROW POND in tall letters.
She counted the letters. H was one, A was two, R was three, and the next R was four. O was five, W was six, P was seven, the second O was eight, N was nine, and D was ten.
Nine gave her N. Six gave her W. Five gave her O. Ten gave her D. She wrote them down. NWOD.
"That is nonsense," she said. Then she looked at the little arrow. It pointed left, away from the nine. So the message started at the other end.
She read the stones backward. Ten, five, six, nine. D, O, W, N.
DOWN.
Ines lay on her tummy and looked under the dock. Tied to a post, in a plastic bag, was a bright whistle and a note from her grandfather. It said, Join the paddle club on Saturday. Bring this.
▲ This passage · 228 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.3
On Sunday morning, Ines found four flat gray stones lined up on the dock at Harrow Pond, and each one had a different number of white dots painted on it. A small black arrow on the first stone pointed left. From left to right, the dots counted nine, six, five, and ten.
"That must be a code," Ines said, and she looked around for a key. At the end of the dock stood the old wooden sign that read HARROW POND in tall letters.
She numbered the letters from the beginning of the sign, so that H was one and A was two, and she kept going until D was ten. Nine matched the letter N, six matched W, five matched O, and ten matched D. She wrote them down in order and got NWOD, which was complete nonsense.
Then she looked at the little arrow again. It pointed left, away from the number nine, which meant that the message might begin at the other end. She read the stones backward and got D, O, W, N.
Down! Ines lay on her stomach and peered under the dock, because she suspected that the message was telling her where to look. Tied to a post, inside a plastic bag, hung a bright whistle and a note from her grandfather. It said, Join the paddle club on Saturday. Bring this.
■ Harder · 247 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.5
On Sunday morning, Ines discovered four flat gray stones arranged in a row on the dock at Harrow Pond, and each one bore a different number of white dots that someone had painted with great care. A small black arrow on the first stone pointed left. From left to right, the dots counted nine, six, five, and ten.
"That must be a code," Ines declared, and she looked around for a key. At the far end of the dock stood the weathered wooden sign that read HARROW POND in tall letters.
She numbered the letters from the beginning of the sign, so that H was one and A was two, and she continued counting until she reached D, which was ten. The number nine matched the letter N, six matched W, five matched O, and ten matched D. She wrote them down in order and ended up with NWOD, which was complete nonsense.
Then she studied the little arrow once more. It pointed left, away from the number nine, which suggested that the message might actually begin at the opposite end. When she read the stones backward, she got D, O, W, N.
Down! Ines stretched out on her stomach and peered beneath the dock, because she suspected that the message was telling her exactly where to search. Tied to a post, sealed inside a plastic bag, hung a bright whistle and a note from her grandfather. It read, Join the paddle club on Saturday. Bring this.
Name ____________________●
Four Painted Stones on Harrow Pond
On Sunday morning, Ines found four flat gray stones in a row on the dock at Harrow Pond. Each stone had a different number of white dots. A small black arrow on the first stone pointed left. From left to right, the dots counted nine, six, five, and ten.
"A code," Ines said. She looked around for a key. At the end of the dock stood an old sign. It said HARROW POND in tall letters.
She counted the letters. H was one, A was two, R was three, and the next R was four. O was five, W was six, P was seven, the second O was eight, N was nine, and D was ten.
Nine gave her N. Six gave her W. Five gave her O. Ten gave her D. She wrote them down. NWOD.
"That is nonsense," she said. Then she looked at the little arrow. It pointed left, away from the nine. So the message started at the other end.
She read the stones backward. Ten, five, six, nine. D, O, W, N.
DOWN.
Ines lay on her tummy and looked under the dock. Tied to a post, in a plastic bag, was a bright whistle and a note from her grandfather. It said, Join the paddle club on Saturday. Bring this.
Questions
- How many stones did Ines find?
- What was the key to the code?
- What nonsense word did she get reading left to right?
- How did the arrow help her fix the message?
- Why did the word DOWN make Ines look under the dock?
- What was hanging from the post?
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Name ____________________▲
Four Painted Stones on Harrow Pond
On Sunday morning, Ines found four flat gray stones lined up on the dock at Harrow Pond, and each one had a different number of white dots painted on it. A small black arrow on the first stone pointed left. From left to right, the dots counted nine, six, five, and ten.
"That must be a code," Ines said, and she looked around for a key. At the end of the dock stood the old wooden sign that read HARROW POND in tall letters.
She numbered the letters from the beginning of the sign, so that H was one and A was two, and she kept going until D was ten. Nine matched the letter N, six matched W, five matched O, and ten matched D. She wrote them down in order and got NWOD, which was complete nonsense.
Then she looked at the little arrow again. It pointed left, away from the number nine, which meant that the message might begin at the other end. She read the stones backward and got D, O, W, N.
Down! Ines lay on her stomach and peered under the dock, because she suspected that the message was telling her where to look. Tied to a post, inside a plastic bag, hung a bright whistle and a note from her grandfather. It said, Join the paddle club on Saturday. Bring this.
Questions
- How many stones did Ines find on the dock?
- What did Ines use as the key to the code?
- What nonsense word did she get when she read the stones from left to right?
- How did the arrow help her fix the message?
- Why did the word DOWN make Ines look under the dock?
- What did Ines find hanging from the post?
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Name ____________________■
Four Painted Stones on Harrow Pond
On Sunday morning, Ines discovered four flat gray stones arranged in a row on the dock at Harrow Pond, and each one bore a different number of white dots that someone had painted with great care. A small black arrow on the first stone pointed left. From left to right, the dots counted nine, six, five, and ten.
"That must be a code," Ines declared, and she looked around for a key. At the far end of the dock stood the weathered wooden sign that read HARROW POND in tall letters.
She numbered the letters from the beginning of the sign, so that H was one and A was two, and she continued counting until she reached D, which was ten. The number nine matched the letter N, six matched W, five matched O, and ten matched D. She wrote them down in order and ended up with NWOD, which was complete nonsense.
Then she studied the little arrow once more. It pointed left, away from the number nine, which suggested that the message might actually begin at the opposite end. When she read the stones backward, she got D, O, W, N.
Down! Ines stretched out on her stomach and peered beneath the dock, because she suspected that the message was telling her exactly where to search. Tied to a post, sealed inside a plastic bag, hung a bright whistle and a note from her grandfather. It read, Join the paddle club on Saturday. Bring this.
Questions
- How many stones did Ines discover on the dock?
- What served as the key to the code?
- What nonsense word did Ines get when she read the stones from left to right?
- How did the arrow help Ines correct her mistake?
- Why did the word DOWN lead Ines to look beneath the dock?
- What was hanging from the post inside the plastic bag?
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Answer key: Four Painted Stones on Harrow Pond
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1)
- Four.
- The letters on the HARROW POND sign.
- NWOD.
- It pointed left, so she read the stones from the other end.
- She guessed it was telling her where to look.
- A bright whistle and a note from her grandfather.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.3)
- Four.
- The letters on the HARROW POND sign.
- NWOD.
- It pointed left, so she knew to read the stones from the other end.
- She guessed the message was telling her where to look.
- A bright whistle and a note from her grandfather.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.5)
- Four.
- The letters on the HARROW POND sign.
- NWOD.
- It pointed left, which told her to read the stones from the other end.
- She guessed that the message was telling her where to search.
- A bright whistle and a note from her grandfather.
Free at teach.peabody.kids