5th grade nonfiction passage about floating ice: 191 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
5th gradenonfictionfloating ice191 words
Why Most of an Iceberg Hides Below the Waves
When people see an iceberg, they see only the top. Most of the ice is hidden under the water. The reason has to do with how heavy things are for their size. Scientists call this idea density.
Ice is made of frozen water, but it is a little less dense than liquid water. As water freezes, its tiny parts lock into a pattern that takes up a bit more room. The same amount of water becomes slightly larger as ice, so ice is lighter for its size. That is why ice floats. But it floats low in the water, with only a small part sticking out. You can see the same thing when an ice cube bobs in a glass of water, mostly below the surface.
Icebergs are not made from frozen sea water. They break off from glaciers, which are huge rivers of ice built from snow that fell on land. When a piece breaks off and falls into the sea, it drifts away on the currents. Sailors have long known that an iceberg is much bigger than the part they can see, so ships stay well away from them.
Questions
What do scientists call how heavy something is for its size? in the text
Why does ice take up more room than the same amount of liquid water? in the text
Why does ice float? in the text
Where do icebergs come from? in the text
Why do ships stay far away from icebergs? think about it
What does an ice cube in a glass of water show? think about it
Words to know
iceberg
a huge piece of ice that floats in the sea
density
how much matter is packed into a certain amount of space
glaciers
huge, slow rivers of ice that form on land
drifts
floats along slowly, carried by water or wind
bobs
moves up and down in the water
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Why Most of an Iceberg Hides Below the Waves
5th grade reading passage
When people see an iceberg, they see only the top. Most of the ice is hidden under the water. The reason has to do with how heavy things are for their size. Scientists call this idea density.
Ice is made of frozen water, but it is a little less dense than liquid water. As water freezes, its tiny parts lock into a pattern that takes up a bit more room. The same amount of water becomes slightly larger as ice, so ice is lighter for its size. That is why ice floats. But it floats low in the water, with only a small part sticking out. You can see the same thing when an ice cube bobs in a glass of water, mostly below the surface.
Icebergs are not made from frozen sea water. They break off from glaciers, which are huge rivers of ice built from snow that fell on land. When a piece breaks off and falls into the sea, it drifts away on the currents. Sailors have long known that an iceberg is much bigger than the part they can see, so ships stay well away from them.
Questions
What do scientists call how heavy something is for its size?
Why does ice take up more room than the same amount of liquid water?
Why does ice float?
Where do icebergs come from?
Why do ships stay far away from icebergs?
What does an ice cube in a glass of water show?
Words to know
iceberg: a huge piece of ice that floats in the sea
density: how much matter is packed into a certain amount of space
glaciers: huge, slow rivers of ice that form on land
drifts: floats along slowly, carried by water or wind
bobs: moves up and down in the water
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/5/why-most-of-an-iceberg-hides-below-the-waves
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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 · 154 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2
You see only the top of an iceberg. Most of the ice is under the water. The reason is density. Density is how heavy something is for its size.
Ice is frozen water. But ice is a little less dense than liquid water. When water freezes, its tiny parts lock into a pattern. The pattern takes up more room. So the ice is lighter for its size. That is why ice floats. But it floats low. Only a small part sticks out. An ice cube in a glass of water does the same. Most of it is below the top.
Icebergs are not frozen sea water. They break off from glaciers. A glacier is a huge river of ice made from snow that fell on land. A piece breaks off and falls in the sea. It drifts away. Sailors know an iceberg is much bigger than it looks. Ships stay far away from them.
▲ This passage · 191 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.7
When people see an iceberg, they see only the top. Most of the ice is hidden under the water. The reason has to do with how heavy things are for their size. Scientists call this idea density.
Ice is made of frozen water, but it is a little less dense than liquid water. As water freezes, its tiny parts lock into a pattern that takes up a bit more room. The same amount of water becomes slightly larger as ice, so ice is lighter for its size. That is why ice floats. But it floats low in the water, with only a small part sticking out. You can see the same thing when an ice cube bobs in a glass of water, mostly below the surface.
Icebergs are not made from frozen sea water. They break off from glaciers, which are huge rivers of ice built from snow that fell on land. When a piece breaks off and falls into the sea, it drifts away on the currents. Sailors have long known that an iceberg is much bigger than the part they can see, so ships stay well away from them.
■ Harder · 211 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 8.5
When people look at an iceberg, they notice only its peak, because the great majority of the ice lies hidden beneath the water. The explanation has to do with how heavy a material is for its size, a property that scientists call density.
Ice is made of frozen water, yet it is slightly less dense than liquid water. As water freezes, its tiny particles lock into a regular pattern that occupies a bit more space. The same amount of water therefore becomes somewhat larger when it turns to ice, which makes ice lighter for its size, and that is exactly why it floats. Even so, it floats low in the water, with only a small portion rising above the surface. You can observe the same thing when an ice cube bobs in a glass of water, sitting mostly below the surface.
Icebergs are not formed from frozen sea water. Instead, they break away from glaciers, which are enormous rivers of ice built up from snow that fell on land. When a chunk breaks off and tumbles into the sea, it drifts away on the currents. Sailors have long understood that an iceberg is far larger than the part they can see, so ships take care to keep well away from them.
You see only the top of an iceberg. Most of the ice is under the water. The reason is density. Density is how heavy something is for its size.
Ice is frozen water. But ice is a little less dense than liquid water. When water freezes, its tiny parts lock into a pattern. The pattern takes up more room. So the ice is lighter for its size. That is why ice floats. But it floats low. Only a small part sticks out. An ice cube in a glass of water does the same. Most of it is below the top.
Icebergs are not frozen sea water. They break off from glaciers. A glacier is a huge river of ice made from snow that fell on land. A piece breaks off and falls in the sea. It drifts away. Sailors know an iceberg is much bigger than it looks. Ships stay far away from them.
Questions
What do scientists call how heavy something is for its size?
Why does ice take up more room than liquid water?
Why does ice float?
Where do icebergs come from?
Why do ships stay far from icebergs?
What does an ice cube in a glass of water show?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Why Most of an Iceberg Hides Below the Waves
When people see an iceberg, they see only the top. Most of the ice is hidden under the water. The reason has to do with how heavy things are for their size. Scientists call this idea density.
Ice is made of frozen water, but it is a little less dense than liquid water. As water freezes, its tiny parts lock into a pattern that takes up a bit more room. The same amount of water becomes slightly larger as ice, so ice is lighter for its size. That is why ice floats. But it floats low in the water, with only a small part sticking out. You can see the same thing when an ice cube bobs in a glass of water, mostly below the surface.
Icebergs are not made from frozen sea water. They break off from glaciers, which are huge rivers of ice built from snow that fell on land. When a piece breaks off and falls into the sea, it drifts away on the currents. Sailors have long known that an iceberg is much bigger than the part they can see, so ships stay well away from them.
Questions
What do scientists call how heavy something is for its size?
Why does ice take up more room than the same amount of liquid water?
Why does ice float?
Where do icebergs come from?
Why do ships stay far away from icebergs?
What does an ice cube in a glass of water show?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Why Most of an Iceberg Hides Below the Waves
When people look at an iceberg, they notice only its peak, because the great majority of the ice lies hidden beneath the water. The explanation has to do with how heavy a material is for its size, a property that scientists call density.
Ice is made of frozen water, yet it is slightly less dense than liquid water. As water freezes, its tiny particles lock into a regular pattern that occupies a bit more space. The same amount of water therefore becomes somewhat larger when it turns to ice, which makes ice lighter for its size, and that is exactly why it floats. Even so, it floats low in the water, with only a small portion rising above the surface. You can observe the same thing when an ice cube bobs in a glass of water, sitting mostly below the surface.
Icebergs are not formed from frozen sea water. Instead, they break away from glaciers, which are enormous rivers of ice built up from snow that fell on land. When a chunk breaks off and tumbles into the sea, it drifts away on the currents. Sailors have long understood that an iceberg is far larger than the part they can see, so ships take care to keep well away from them.
Questions
What do scientists call how heavy a material is for its size?
Why does ice occupy more space than the same amount of liquid water?
Why does ice float?
Where do icebergs come from?
Why do ships keep well away from icebergs?
What does an ice cube bobbing in a glass of water show?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Why Most of an Iceberg Hides Below the Waves
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2)
Density.
When water freezes, its tiny parts lock into a pattern that needs more space.
It is less dense than liquid water.
They break off from glaciers.
Most of an iceberg is hidden under the water, so it is much bigger than it looks.
Ice floats low, with most of it below the top.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.7)
Density.
As water freezes, its tiny parts lock into a pattern that needs more space.
It is less dense than liquid water.
They break off from glaciers.
Most of an iceberg is hidden underwater, so it is much bigger than it looks.
Ice floats low, with most of it below the surface.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 8.5)
Density.
As water freezes, its tiny particles lock into a pattern that needs more room.
It is less dense than liquid water.
They break away from glaciers.
Most of an iceberg is hidden underwater, so it is far larger than it looks.
Ice floats low, with most of it below the surface.
Free at teach.peabody.kids
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Ideas for class
Before reading, put iceberg, density, glaciers, drifts and bobs 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 "Why Most of an Iceberg Hides Below the Waves"?
It was written for 5th grade. It has 191 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 4.7. 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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