5th grade nonfiction passage about timing pushes to a rhythm: 212 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
5th gradenonfictiontiming pushes to a rhythm212 words
Pushing a Swing at Just the Right Moment
At the park, Dev pushed his little sister Lila on a swing. For a while he pushed whenever he felt like it, and the swing wobbled and barely rose. Then Dev noticed something. Each trip back and forth took about the same amount of time. When he waited until Lila had floated back to the top of her arc and then gave a gentle shove, she soared higher with almost no effort.
Dev had found the swing's natural rhythm. A swing is a kind of pendulum. A pendulum keeps nearly the same beat as long as it moves in small arcs. The beat depends mostly on the length of the chains, not on how high the swing goes. Long chains give a slow beat, and short chains give a quick one.
When you push at the same beat as the swing's own, each push adds to the motion that is already there. A push at the wrong moment works against the swing and slows it down. Small pushes that come in rhythm pile up, a little like coins dropping one by one into a jar.
Scientists call this idea resonance. It is why a few well-timed pushes can do more than one giant shove. Timing matters just as much as strength.
Questions
Who is Lila? in the text
What did Dev notice about each trip back and forth? in the text
What does the beat of a swing depend on most? in the text
Which swing has a quicker beat, one with short chains or one with long chains? in the text
What happens when a push comes at the wrong moment? think about it
Why does the passage compare small pushes to coins in a jar? think about it
Words to know
pendulum
a weight that swings back and forth from a fixed point
rhythm
a steady, repeating beat
arc
a curved path, like part of a circle
resonance
a big motion built up by pushes that match a natural beat
wobble
to move unsteadily from side to side
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Pushing a Swing at Just the Right Moment
5th grade reading passage
At the park, Dev pushed his little sister Lila on a swing. For a while he pushed whenever he felt like it, and the swing wobbled and barely rose. Then Dev noticed something. Each trip back and forth took about the same amount of time. When he waited until Lila had floated back to the top of her arc and then gave a gentle shove, she soared higher with almost no effort.
Dev had found the swing's natural rhythm. A swing is a kind of pendulum. A pendulum keeps nearly the same beat as long as it moves in small arcs. The beat depends mostly on the length of the chains, not on how high the swing goes. Long chains give a slow beat, and short chains give a quick one.
When you push at the same beat as the swing's own, each push adds to the motion that is already there. A push at the wrong moment works against the swing and slows it down. Small pushes that come in rhythm pile up, a little like coins dropping one by one into a jar.
Scientists call this idea resonance. It is why a few well-timed pushes can do more than one giant shove. Timing matters just as much as strength.
Questions
Who is Lila?
What did Dev notice about each trip back and forth?
What does the beat of a swing depend on most?
Which swing has a quicker beat, one with short chains or one with long chains?
What happens when a push comes at the wrong moment?
Why does the passage compare small pushes to coins in a jar?
Words to know
pendulum: a weight that swings back and forth from a fixed point
rhythm: a steady, repeating beat
arc: a curved path, like part of a circle
resonance: a big motion built up by pushes that match a natural beat
wobble: to move unsteadily from side to side
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/5/pushing-a-swing-at-just-the-right-moment
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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 · 192 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.8
At the park, Dev pushed his little sister Lila on a swing. At first he pushed when he felt like it. The swing wobbled and hardly rose. Then Dev saw something. Each trip back and forth took about the same time. When he waited until Lila floated back to the top of her arc and then gave a gentle shove, she went much higher.
Dev had found the swing's natural rhythm. A swing is a kind of pendulum. A pendulum keeps nearly the same beat when it moves in small arcs. The beat depends mostly on the length of the chains, not on how high the swing goes. Long chains give a slow beat. Short chains give a quick beat.
If you push at the same beat as the swing, each push adds to the motion that is already there. A push at the wrong moment works against the swing and slows it down. Small pushes in rhythm pile up, like coins dropping into a jar.
Scientists call this idea resonance. It is why a few well-timed pushes can do more than one giant shove. Timing matters as much as strength.
▲ This passage · 212 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1
At the park, Dev pushed his little sister Lila on a swing. For a while he pushed whenever he felt like it, and the swing wobbled and barely rose. Then Dev noticed something. Each trip back and forth took about the same amount of time. When he waited until Lila had floated back to the top of her arc and then gave a gentle shove, she soared higher with almost no effort.
Dev had found the swing's natural rhythm. A swing is a kind of pendulum. A pendulum keeps nearly the same beat as long as it moves in small arcs. The beat depends mostly on the length of the chains, not on how high the swing goes. Long chains give a slow beat, and short chains give a quick one.
When you push at the same beat as the swing's own, each push adds to the motion that is already there. A push at the wrong moment works against the swing and slows it down. Small pushes that come in rhythm pile up, a little like coins dropping one by one into a jar.
Scientists call this idea resonance. It is why a few well-timed pushes can do more than one giant shove. Timing matters just as much as strength.
■ Harder · 224 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.8
At the park one afternoon, Dev was pushing his little sister Lila on a swing. For a while he pushed whenever the mood struck him, and the swing merely wobbled and scarcely climbed. Then Dev noticed something curious. Every trip back and forth consumed roughly the same amount of time. When he waited until Lila had drifted back to the very top of her arc and only then delivered a gentle shove, she soared considerably higher with almost no effort.
Dev had discovered the swing's natural rhythm. A swing is a type of pendulum, and a pendulum maintains nearly the same beat so long as it travels in small arcs. That beat depends chiefly on the length of the chains rather than on how high the swing rises. Long chains produce a slow beat, whereas short chains produce a quick one.
When you push in step with the swing's own beat, each push adds to the motion that already exists. A push delivered at the wrong moment, however, works against the swing and slows it down. Small pushes that arrive in rhythm accumulate, a little like coins dropping one at a time into a jar.
Scientists call this principle resonance. It explains why a few well-timed pushes can accomplish more than a single enormous shove. Timing matters every bit as much as strength.
At the park, Dev pushed his little sister Lila on a swing. At first he pushed when he felt like it. The swing wobbled and hardly rose. Then Dev saw something. Each trip back and forth took about the same time. When he waited until Lila floated back to the top of her arc and then gave a gentle shove, she went much higher.
Dev had found the swing's natural rhythm. A swing is a kind of pendulum. A pendulum keeps nearly the same beat when it moves in small arcs. The beat depends mostly on the length of the chains, not on how high the swing goes. Long chains give a slow beat. Short chains give a quick beat.
If you push at the same beat as the swing, each push adds to the motion that is already there. A push at the wrong moment works against the swing and slows it down. Small pushes in rhythm pile up, like coins dropping into a jar.
Scientists call this idea resonance. It is why a few well-timed pushes can do more than one giant shove. Timing matters as much as strength.
Questions
Who is Lila?
What did Dev see about each trip back and forth?
What does the beat of a swing depend on most?
Which swing has a quicker beat, one with short chains or long chains?
What happens when a push comes at the wrong moment?
Why are small pushes like coins in a jar?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Pushing a Swing at Just the Right Moment
At the park, Dev pushed his little sister Lila on a swing. For a while he pushed whenever he felt like it, and the swing wobbled and barely rose. Then Dev noticed something. Each trip back and forth took about the same amount of time. When he waited until Lila had floated back to the top of her arc and then gave a gentle shove, she soared higher with almost no effort.
Dev had found the swing's natural rhythm. A swing is a kind of pendulum. A pendulum keeps nearly the same beat as long as it moves in small arcs. The beat depends mostly on the length of the chains, not on how high the swing goes. Long chains give a slow beat, and short chains give a quick one.
When you push at the same beat as the swing's own, each push adds to the motion that is already there. A push at the wrong moment works against the swing and slows it down. Small pushes that come in rhythm pile up, a little like coins dropping one by one into a jar.
Scientists call this idea resonance. It is why a few well-timed pushes can do more than one giant shove. Timing matters just as much as strength.
Questions
Who is Lila?
What did Dev notice about each trip back and forth?
What does the beat of a swing depend on most?
Which swing has a quicker beat, one with short chains or one with long chains?
What happens when a push comes at the wrong moment?
Why does the passage compare small pushes to coins in a jar?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Pushing a Swing at Just the Right Moment
At the park one afternoon, Dev was pushing his little sister Lila on a swing. For a while he pushed whenever the mood struck him, and the swing merely wobbled and scarcely climbed. Then Dev noticed something curious. Every trip back and forth consumed roughly the same amount of time. When he waited until Lila had drifted back to the very top of her arc and only then delivered a gentle shove, she soared considerably higher with almost no effort.
Dev had discovered the swing's natural rhythm. A swing is a type of pendulum, and a pendulum maintains nearly the same beat so long as it travels in small arcs. That beat depends chiefly on the length of the chains rather than on how high the swing rises. Long chains produce a slow beat, whereas short chains produce a quick one.
When you push in step with the swing's own beat, each push adds to the motion that already exists. A push delivered at the wrong moment, however, works against the swing and slows it down. Small pushes that arrive in rhythm accumulate, a little like coins dropping one at a time into a jar.
Scientists call this principle resonance. It explains why a few well-timed pushes can accomplish more than a single enormous shove. Timing matters every bit as much as strength.
Questions
Who is Lila to Dev?
What did Dev notice about every trip back and forth?
What does the beat of a swing depend on chiefly?
Which type of chains produces a quick beat, long chains or short chains?
What happens when a push is delivered at the wrong moment?
What does the comparison to coins dropping into a jar suggest about small pushes?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Pushing a Swing at Just the Right Moment
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.8)
Dev's little sister.
Each one took about the same time.
The length of the chains.
One with short chains.
It works against the swing and slows it down.
Pushes in rhythm add up over time.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.1)
Dev's little sister.
Each one took about the same amount of time.
The length of the chains.
One with short chains.
It works against the swing and slows it down.
Pushes in rhythm add up and pile up over time.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.8)
His little sister.
Each one took roughly the same amount of time.
The length of the chains.
Short chains.
It works against the swing and slows it down.
They accumulate when they arrive in rhythm.
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 pendulum, rhythm, arc, resonance and wobble 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 "Pushing a Swing at Just the Right Moment"?
It was written for 5th grade. It has 212 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.0. 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.
Is this passage from a published book?
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