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 · 200 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.8
Every school morning, Teo got to the corner of Birch and Third at 8:10. Every morning he waited three minutes for the light and the crossing guard, Mrs. Pell. Most days, Teo looked at his shoes.
This week, a girl named Fenna stood on the corner too. She had just moved to town. She gripped her backpack straps with both hands. She looked at the street, then at the sky, and then at nothing.
Teo knew that look. Last year, he had been the new kid. The first week had felt like a very long day.
"The light is slow here," he said. "But Mrs. Pell makes up for it."
Fenna glanced over. "How?"
"Watch her whistle. She does a new tune every day."
When the light changed, Mrs. Pell stepped into the road and whistled a lively march. Fenna smiled in spite of herself.
The next day, Teo said, "Today is a mystery tune." On the third day, Fenna guessed right. It was a song about a train.
By Friday, they crossed together. Fenna still felt a little nervous about school. But she was not looking at nothing now. She had found a corner of the morning that was hers.
▲ This passage · 212 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.6
Every school morning, Teo reached the corner of Birch and Third at 8:10, and every morning he waited three minutes for the light and the crossing guard, Mrs. Pell. Usually, Teo used those minutes to look at his shoes.
This week, a girl named Fenna stood on the corner too. She had just moved to town, and she gripped her backpack straps with both hands. She looked at the street, then at the sky, and then at nothing.
Teo knew that look. Last year, he had been the new kid, and the first week had felt like a very long day with no ending.
"The light takes forever here," he said. "But Mrs. Pell makes up for it."
Fenna glanced over. "How?"
"Watch her whistle. She does a different tune every day."
When the light changed, Mrs. Pell stepped into the road and whistled a lively march. Fenna smiled in spite of herself.
On the next day, Teo said, "Today's a mystery tune." On the third day, Fenna guessed correctly that it was a song about a train.
By Friday, they walked across together. Fenna still looked a little nervous about school, but she was no longer looking at nothing. She had found a corner of the morning that already belonged to her.
■ Harder · 241 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.6
Every school morning, Teo arrived at the corner of Birch and Third at precisely 8:10, and every morning he waited three minutes for the traffic light and for the crossing guard, Mrs. Pell. Usually, Teo spent those minutes staring down at his shoes.
This week, however, a girl named Fenna was standing on the corner as well. She had only recently moved to town, and she gripped her backpack straps tightly with both hands. She looked at the street, then up at the sky, and then at nothing in particular.
Teo recognized that look immediately. Just a year earlier, he had been the new kid himself, and the first week had felt like one very long day with no ending.
"The light takes forever here," he said. "But Mrs. Pell more than makes up for it."
Fenna glanced over at him. "How?"
"Listen to her whistle. She performs a different tune every single day."
When the light changed, Mrs. Pell stepped confidently into the road and whistled a lively march. Fenna smiled in spite of herself.
On the following day, Teo announced, "Today's tune is a mystery." On the third day, Fenna correctly guessed that it was a song about a train.
By Friday, the two of them were crossing the street together. Fenna still felt somewhat nervous about school, but she was no longer staring at nothing. She had discovered a small corner of the morning that already belonged to her.
Name ____________________●
Three Minutes at the Crosswalk
Every school morning, Teo got to the corner of Birch and Third at 8:10. Every morning he waited three minutes for the light and the crossing guard, Mrs. Pell. Most days, Teo looked at his shoes.
This week, a girl named Fenna stood on the corner too. She had just moved to town. She gripped her backpack straps with both hands. She looked at the street, then at the sky, and then at nothing.
Teo knew that look. Last year, he had been the new kid. The first week had felt like a very long day.
"The light is slow here," he said. "But Mrs. Pell makes up for it."
Fenna glanced over. "How?"
"Watch her whistle. She does a new tune every day."
When the light changed, Mrs. Pell stepped into the road and whistled a lively march. Fenna smiled in spite of herself.
The next day, Teo said, "Today is a mystery tune." On the third day, Fenna guessed right. It was a song about a train.
By Friday, they crossed together. Fenna still felt a little nervous about school. But she was not looking at nothing now. She had found a corner of the morning that was hers.
Questions
- How long did Teo wait at the corner each morning?
- Who is Mrs. Pell?
- What was different about Mrs. Pell's whistling each day?
- What did Fenna guess on the third day?
- How did Teo know what Fenna was feeling?
- What does it mean that Fenna was not looking at nothing now?
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Name ____________________▲
Three Minutes at the Crosswalk
Every school morning, Teo reached the corner of Birch and Third at 8:10, and every morning he waited three minutes for the light and the crossing guard, Mrs. Pell. Usually, Teo used those minutes to look at his shoes.
This week, a girl named Fenna stood on the corner too. She had just moved to town, and she gripped her backpack straps with both hands. She looked at the street, then at the sky, and then at nothing.
Teo knew that look. Last year, he had been the new kid, and the first week had felt like a very long day with no ending.
"The light takes forever here," he said. "But Mrs. Pell makes up for it."
Fenna glanced over. "How?"
"Watch her whistle. She does a different tune every day."
When the light changed, Mrs. Pell stepped into the road and whistled a lively march. Fenna smiled in spite of herself.
On the next day, Teo said, "Today's a mystery tune." On the third day, Fenna guessed correctly that it was a song about a train.
By Friday, they walked across together. Fenna still looked a little nervous about school, but she was no longer looking at nothing. She had found a corner of the morning that already belonged to her.
Questions
- How long did Teo usually wait at the corner each morning?
- Who is Mrs. Pell?
- What was different about Mrs. Pell's whistling each day?
- What did Fenna guess on the third day?
- How did Teo know what Fenna was feeling?
- What does it mean that Fenna was no longer looking at nothing?
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Name ____________________■
Three Minutes at the Crosswalk
Every school morning, Teo arrived at the corner of Birch and Third at precisely 8:10, and every morning he waited three minutes for the traffic light and for the crossing guard, Mrs. Pell. Usually, Teo spent those minutes staring down at his shoes.
This week, however, a girl named Fenna was standing on the corner as well. She had only recently moved to town, and she gripped her backpack straps tightly with both hands. She looked at the street, then up at the sky, and then at nothing in particular.
Teo recognized that look immediately. Just a year earlier, he had been the new kid himself, and the first week had felt like one very long day with no ending.
"The light takes forever here," he said. "But Mrs. Pell more than makes up for it."
Fenna glanced over at him. "How?"
"Listen to her whistle. She performs a different tune every single day."
When the light changed, Mrs. Pell stepped confidently into the road and whistled a lively march. Fenna smiled in spite of herself.
On the following day, Teo announced, "Today's tune is a mystery." On the third day, Fenna correctly guessed that it was a song about a train.
By Friday, the two of them were crossing the street together. Fenna still felt somewhat nervous about school, but she was no longer staring at nothing. She had discovered a small corner of the morning that already belonged to her.
Questions
- How long did Teo wait at the corner each morning?
- Who is Mrs. Pell, and what does she do?
- What was different about Mrs. Pell's whistling from one day to the next?
- What did Fenna correctly guess on the third day?
- How did Teo recognize what Fenna was feeling?
- What does it suggest that Fenna was no longer staring at nothing?
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Answer key: Three Minutes at the Crosswalk
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.8)
- Three minutes.
- The crossing guard.
- She whistled a new tune every day.
- That the tune was a song about a train.
- He had been the new kid himself the year before.
- She felt less alone and had something friendly to look forward to.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.6)
- Three minutes.
- The crossing guard.
- She whistled a different tune every day.
- That the tune was a song about a train.
- He had been the new kid himself the year before.
- She felt less alone and had something friendly to look forward to.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.6)
- Three minutes.
- She is the crossing guard who helps people cross the street.
- She performed a different tune every day.
- That the tune was a song about a train.
- He had been the new kid himself just a year earlier.
- She felt less alone and had found something friendly to look forward to.
Free at teach.peabody.kids