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Why the Oboe Gives the Orchestra Its Note

5th grade nonfiction passage about tuning an orchestra: 200 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.

5th grade nonfiction tuning an orchestra 200 words

Why the Oboe Gives the Orchestra Its Note

Before a concert begins, an orchestra does something that may sound strange. A single note rings out from the stage, and then dozens of instruments join it, making a wide hum. This is the tuning of the orchestra, and it follows a careful order.

The first note usually comes from the oboe. The oboe is a thin wooden instrument played with a double reed, and it sounds the note A. Next, the other woodwinds and the brass add their A. Last, the strings tune to it, and each string player turns pegs or small screws until the sound matches.

Why the oboe? Its tone is clear and strong, so it can be heard over many other instruments. An oboe also holds its pitch well, because it cannot be bent easily as a string can. Strings often slip out of tune as the room warms up or a player moves. Starting with an instrument that stays steady gives everybody the same target.

Tuning matters because even a tiny difference between two instruments makes a wobbly, uneasy sound. When every instrument matches the same A, the music joins together. Then the lights lower, the conductor steps in, and the concert can begin.

Questions

  1. Which instrument usually plays the first note for tuning? in the text

  2. What note does the oboe sound? in the text

  3. Who tunes last? in the text

  4. Why is the oboe a good choice for the first note? think about it

  5. What can make strings slip out of tune? in the text

  6. What happens when two instruments are only slightly different in pitch? in the text

Words to know

orchestra
a large group of musicians who play together
tuning
adjusting an instrument so its notes are correct
woodwinds
instruments such as flutes and oboes that are blown
pegs
small knobs that are turned to tighten strings
conductor
the person who leads an orchestra
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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 · 186 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.3

Before a concert, an orchestra does something that may sound odd. One note rings out from the stage. Then many instruments join it in a wide hum. This is the tuning of the orchestra. It follows a set order.

The first note usually comes from the oboe. The oboe is a thin wooden instrument with a double reed. It plays the note A. Next, the other woodwinds and the brass play their A. Last, the strings tune to it. Each string player turns pegs or small screws until the sound matches.

Why the oboe? Its tone is clear and strong, so it can be heard over many instruments. An oboe also holds its pitch well. It cannot be bent as easily as a string. Strings often slip out of tune when the room warms up or a player moves. An instrument that stays steady gives everyone the same target.

Tuning matters. Even a tiny gap between two instruments makes a wobbly sound. When all match the same A, the music joins together. Then the lights go down, the conductor steps in, and the concert can start.

▲ This passage · 200 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.1

Before a concert begins, an orchestra does something that may sound strange. A single note rings out from the stage, and then dozens of instruments join it, making a wide hum. This is the tuning of the orchestra, and it follows a careful order.

The first note usually comes from the oboe. The oboe is a thin wooden instrument played with a double reed, and it sounds the note A. Next, the other woodwinds and the brass add their A. Last, the strings tune to it, and each string player turns pegs or small screws until the sound matches.

Why the oboe? Its tone is clear and strong, so it can be heard over many other instruments. An oboe also holds its pitch well, because it cannot be bent easily as a string can. Strings often slip out of tune as the room warms up or a player moves. Starting with an instrument that stays steady gives everybody the same target.

Tuning matters because even a tiny difference between two instruments makes a wobbly, uneasy sound. When every instrument matches the same A, the music joins together. Then the lights lower, the conductor steps in, and the concert can begin.

■ Harder · 209 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 9.2

Before a concert commences, an orchestra does something that may seem rather peculiar. A single note rings out from the stage, and then dozens of instruments gradually join it, producing a broad, swelling hum. This ritual is the tuning of the orchestra, and it follows a careful sequence.

The first note generally comes from the oboe, a slender wooden instrument played with a double reed, which sounds the note A. Next, the remaining woodwinds and the brass sections add their A, and finally the strings tune to it, with each string player turning pegs or tiny screws until the sound matches precisely.

Why the oboe? Its tone is clear and penetrating, so it can be heard above many other instruments. The oboe also holds its pitch remarkably well, because it cannot be bent as easily as a string can. Strings frequently slip out of tune as the room warms up or as a player moves. Beginning with an instrument that stays steady gives everybody an identical target.

Tuning is important because even a minuscule difference between two instruments creates a wobbly, uneasy sound. When every instrument matches the same A, the music fuses together. Then the lights lower, the conductor steps forward, and the concert is ready to begin.

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 orchestra, tuning, woodwinds, pegs and conductor 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 4 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 the Oboe Gives the Orchestra Its Note"?

It was written for 5th grade. It has 200 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 6.1. 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. 5 ask for something the text says directly and 1 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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