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Why a Spinning Top Refuses to Tip Over

5th grade nonfiction passage about how spinning keeps things upright: 213 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

5th grade nonfiction how spinning keeps things upright 213 words

Why a Spinning Top Refuses to Tip Over

Set a toy top on its point and let go. It falls over at once. Now spin it hard and set it down again. Suddenly it stands on its tiny tip and does not tip over. What changed?

The answer is the spin itself. A spinning object tends to keep turning in the same direction it started. Scientists call this effect gyroscopic stability. The faster the object spins, the harder it is to push out of its path.

As a top slows down, the stability fades. The top begins to wobble in slow circles. Then it leans over more and more until it finally topples and rolls away.

This idea is used in serious machines as well. A gyroscope is a wheel that spins very fast inside a frame. Because its spin resists changes, it can help show which way is up or which way a vehicle is pointing. Ships, airplanes, and spacecraft have used gyroscopes to help steer.

Even a bicycle gets a bit of help from spinning wheels, though most of its balance comes from the rider's steering. Next time you play with a top, notice how its steady spin works like a hidden helper. It keeps the toy standing until friction with the floor and the air slows it down.

Questions

  1. What happens when you set a toy top on its point without spinning it? in the text

  2. What do scientists call the effect that keeps a spinning object steady? in the text

  3. What does a top begin to do as it slows down? in the text

  4. What is a gyroscope? in the text

  5. Why does a faster spin keep a top standing better? think about it

  6. Why might a ship or airplane use a gyroscope? think about it

Words to know

stability
the quality of staying steady and balanced
wobble
to shake or rock unsteadily from side to side
topple
to fall over
gyroscope
a fast spinning wheel that helps show direction
friction
the rubbing force that slows things down
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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 · 167 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.4

Set a toy top on its point. Let go. It falls over. Now spin it hard. Set it down again. It stands on its tip! What changed?

The spin did it. A spinning thing likes to keep turning the same way. Scientists call this gyroscopic stability. The faster it spins, the harder it is to push.

When a top slows down, it loses this help. It starts to wobble in slow circles. Then it leans more and more. At last it topples and rolls away.

Machines use this idea too. A gyroscope is a wheel that spins very fast in a frame. Its spin resists change. So it can help show which way is up. Ships, planes, and spacecraft have used gyroscopes to help steer.

A bike gets a little help from its spinning wheels too. Most of its balance comes from the rider. Watch a top and see its steady spin at work. It stays up until friction with the floor and air slows it down.

▲ This passage · 213 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.4

Set a toy top on its point and let go. It falls over at once. Now spin it hard and set it down again. Suddenly it stands on its tiny tip and does not tip over. What changed?

The answer is the spin itself. A spinning object tends to keep turning in the same direction it started. Scientists call this effect gyroscopic stability. The faster the object spins, the harder it is to push out of its path.

As a top slows down, the stability fades. The top begins to wobble in slow circles. Then it leans over more and more until it finally topples and rolls away.

This idea is used in serious machines as well. A gyroscope is a wheel that spins very fast inside a frame. Because its spin resists changes, it can help show which way is up or which way a vehicle is pointing. Ships, airplanes, and spacecraft have used gyroscopes to help steer.

Even a bicycle gets a bit of help from spinning wheels, though most of its balance comes from the rider's steering. Next time you play with a top, notice how its steady spin works like a hidden helper. It keeps the toy standing until friction with the floor and the air slows it down.

■ Harder · 222 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 7.4

Balance a toy top on its point and release it, and it topples immediately. Now spin it vigorously and set it down once more. Remarkably, it stands on its tiny tip without tipping over. What made the difference?

The answer lies in the spin itself. A rotating object tends to keep turning in the same direction in which it started, and scientists call this effect gyroscopic stability. The faster the object spins, the more difficult it becomes to push it away from its path.

As a top slows, its stability gradually fades. It begins to wobble in slow circles, then leans further and further until it finally topples and rolls away.

This principle is put to work in serious machines as well. A gyroscope is a wheel that spins at high speed inside a frame. Because its spin resists changes, it can help reveal which way is up or which direction a vehicle is pointing. Ships, airplanes, and spacecraft have all used gyroscopes to assist with steering.

Even a bicycle receives a little help from its spinning wheels, although most of its balance comes from the rider's steering. The next time you play with a top, notice how its steady spin acts like a hidden helper, keeping the toy upright until friction with the floor and the air finally slows it down.

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 stability, wobble, topple, gyroscope and friction 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.

Related

Questions

What reading level is "Why a Spinning Top Refuses to Tip Over"?

It was written for 5th grade. It has 213 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.4. 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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