5th grade nonfiction passage about inca quipu records: 163 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
5th gradenonfictioninca quipu records163 words
Reading the Knots: Inca Cord Records
The Inca built a huge empire in the Andes mountains of South America. They did not have a writing system like ours. Instead, they kept records with a tool called a quipu. A quipu was a set of cords with knots tied in them.
Each quipu had one main cord. Many thinner cords hung down from it like a fringe. Knots were tied in groups along the hanging cords. The type of knot, the place where it sat, and the color of the cord all carried meaning. Experts believe that rows of knots showed numbers, using a system built on tens.
Officials used quipus to keep track of things like workers, goods in storehouses, and herds of llamas. Special record keepers were trained to tie and read them. Runners carried quipus along mountain roads to leaders in faraway places.
Some quipus may hold more than numbers, perhaps even stories. Scholars still study them today, because many of their secrets have not been solved.
Questions
What did the Inca use to keep records? in the text
Where did the Inca build their empire? in the text
What three things on a quipu could carry meaning? in the text
What kinds of things did officials count with quipus? in the text
Why did the Inca need special record keepers? think about it
Why do scholars still study quipus today? think about it
Words to know
empire
a large land with many peoples under one ruler
quipu
a set of knotted cords used to keep records
cords
thin ropes or strong strings
officials
people who do important jobs for a government
scholars
people who study a subject very closely
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Reading the Knots: Inca Cord Records
5th grade reading passage
The Inca built a huge empire in the Andes mountains of South America. They did not have a writing system like ours. Instead, they kept records with a tool called a quipu. A quipu was a set of cords with knots tied in them.
Each quipu had one main cord. Many thinner cords hung down from it like a fringe. Knots were tied in groups along the hanging cords. The type of knot, the place where it sat, and the color of the cord all carried meaning. Experts believe that rows of knots showed numbers, using a system built on tens.
Officials used quipus to keep track of things like workers, goods in storehouses, and herds of llamas. Special record keepers were trained to tie and read them. Runners carried quipus along mountain roads to leaders in faraway places.
Some quipus may hold more than numbers, perhaps even stories. Scholars still study them today, because many of their secrets have not been solved.
Questions
What did the Inca use to keep records?
Where did the Inca build their empire?
What three things on a quipu could carry meaning?
What kinds of things did officials count with quipus?
Why did the Inca need special record keepers?
Why do scholars still study quipus today?
Words to know
empire: a large land with many peoples under one ruler
quipu: a set of knotted cords used to keep records
cords: thin ropes or strong strings
officials: people who do important jobs for a government
scholars: people who study a subject very closely
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/5/inca-knotted-cord-records
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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 · 120 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.1
The Inca lived in the Andes mountains of South America. They built a big empire. They did not write with letters. They kept records with a quipu. A quipu was a set of cords with knots.
A quipu had one main cord. Thin cords hung down from it. The cords had knots in groups. The kind of knot, its spot, and the color of the cord all had meaning. Rows of knots showed numbers.
Officials used quipus to count workers, goods in storehouses, and llamas. Special record keepers learned to tie and read them. Runners carried quipus along mountain roads to leaders far away.
Some quipus may hold stories too. Scholars still study them. Many secrets are not solved yet.
▲ This passage · 163 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5
The Inca built a huge empire in the Andes mountains of South America. They did not have a writing system like ours. Instead, they kept records with a tool called a quipu. A quipu was a set of cords with knots tied in them.
Each quipu had one main cord. Many thinner cords hung down from it like a fringe. Knots were tied in groups along the hanging cords. The type of knot, the place where it sat, and the color of the cord all carried meaning. Experts believe that rows of knots showed numbers, using a system built on tens.
Officials used quipus to keep track of things like workers, goods in storehouses, and herds of llamas. Special record keepers were trained to tie and read them. Runners carried quipus along mountain roads to leaders in faraway places.
Some quipus may hold more than numbers, perhaps even stories. Scholars still study them today, because many of their secrets have not been solved.
■ Harder · 169 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 9.8
The Inca constructed an enormous empire in the Andes mountains of South America, yet they never developed a writing system like the one we use. Instead, they preserved their records with a device called a quipu, which consisted of cords with knots tied along them.
Every quipu had a single main cord, from which many thinner cords dangled like a fringe. Knots were tied in clusters along these hanging cords, and the style of the knot, its position, and the color of the cord all carried meaning. Experts believe that the rows of knots represented numbers, according to a system based on tens.
Government officials relied on quipus to keep track of workers, goods stored in warehouses, and herds of llamas. Specially trained record keepers learned how to tie and interpret them, and runners carried quipus along mountain roads to leaders in distant places.
Certain quipus may contain more than numbers, perhaps even stories. Scholars continue to study them today, because many of their secrets have never been solved.
The Inca lived in the Andes mountains of South America. They built a big empire. They did not write with letters. They kept records with a quipu. A quipu was a set of cords with knots.
A quipu had one main cord. Thin cords hung down from it. The cords had knots in groups. The kind of knot, its spot, and the color of the cord all had meaning. Rows of knots showed numbers.
Officials used quipus to count workers, goods in storehouses, and llamas. Special record keepers learned to tie and read them. Runners carried quipus along mountain roads to leaders far away.
Some quipus may hold stories too. Scholars still study them. Many secrets are not solved yet.
Questions
What did the Inca use to keep records?
Where did the Inca live?
What three things on a quipu had meaning?
What did officials count with quipus?
Why were there special record keepers?
Why do scholars still study quipus?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Reading the Knots: Inca Cord Records
The Inca built a huge empire in the Andes mountains of South America. They did not have a writing system like ours. Instead, they kept records with a tool called a quipu. A quipu was a set of cords with knots tied in them.
Each quipu had one main cord. Many thinner cords hung down from it like a fringe. Knots were tied in groups along the hanging cords. The type of knot, the place where it sat, and the color of the cord all carried meaning. Experts believe that rows of knots showed numbers, using a system built on tens.
Officials used quipus to keep track of things like workers, goods in storehouses, and herds of llamas. Special record keepers were trained to tie and read them. Runners carried quipus along mountain roads to leaders in faraway places.
Some quipus may hold more than numbers, perhaps even stories. Scholars still study them today, because many of their secrets have not been solved.
Questions
What did the Inca use to keep records?
Where did the Inca build their empire?
What three things on a quipu could carry meaning?
What kinds of things did officials count with quipus?
Why did the Inca need special record keepers?
Why do scholars still study quipus today?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Reading the Knots: Inca Cord Records
The Inca constructed an enormous empire in the Andes mountains of South America, yet they never developed a writing system like the one we use. Instead, they preserved their records with a device called a quipu, which consisted of cords with knots tied along them.
Every quipu had a single main cord, from which many thinner cords dangled like a fringe. Knots were tied in clusters along these hanging cords, and the style of the knot, its position, and the color of the cord all carried meaning. Experts believe that the rows of knots represented numbers, according to a system based on tens.
Government officials relied on quipus to keep track of workers, goods stored in warehouses, and herds of llamas. Specially trained record keepers learned how to tie and interpret them, and runners carried quipus along mountain roads to leaders in distant places.
Certain quipus may contain more than numbers, perhaps even stories. Scholars continue to study them today, because many of their secrets have never been solved.
Questions
What device did the Inca use to preserve their records?
In what part of the world did the Inca construct their empire?
Which three features of a quipu carried meaning?
What did government officials keep track of with quipus?
Why were specially trained record keepers necessary?
Why do scholars continue to study quipus?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Reading the Knots: Inca Cord Records
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.1)
A quipu, a set of cords with knots.
In the Andes mountains of South America.
The kind of knot, its spot, and the color of the cord.
Workers, goods in storehouses, and llamas.
It took training to tie and read a quipu.
Many of their secrets are not solved yet.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5)
A tool called a quipu, made of cords with knots tied in them.
In the Andes mountains of South America.
The type of knot, where it sat, and the color of the cord.
Workers, goods in storehouses, and herds of llamas.
Tying and reading a quipu took training.
Many of their secrets have not been solved yet.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 9.8)
A quipu, which was made of cords with knots tied along them.
In the Andes mountains of South America.
The style of the knot, its position, and the color of the cord.
Workers, goods stored in warehouses, and herds of llamas.
Tying and interpreting a quipu required training and skill.
Many of the secrets of the quipus have never been solved.
Free at teach.peabody.kids
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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 empire, quipu, cords, officials and scholars 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 "Reading the Knots: Inca Cord Records"?
It was written for 5th 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.
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