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 · 235 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6
The new substitute came into Room 14 in a tweed jacket. He had a big grin. He wrote his name on the board and then he spoke. "I'm Mr. Quill, and I will do my best, to teach you all and pass the test."
Nobody moved. Maya whispered to her friend Jonah, "Did he just rhyme?"
"I did," said Mr. Quill, "and I'll do it all day, because it helps me remember the things that I say."
Soon the class opened their math books. He meant it. "Fractions are parts of a whole," he sang. "Top is the number you hold, bottom is the number the pieces are told." He tapped the board. "Now who can say what a half might be?"
Jonah loved a challenge. He raised his hand. "One of two pieces, as equal as can be," he said. The class gasped. Mr. Quill bowed.
Soon the whole room was rhyming. Maya wanted a pencil. She said, "I need a lead, or I can't proceed." The bell rang, and someone shouted, "Lunch has come, and we are hungry!" Mr. Quill said it was a poor rhyme but a fine sentiment.
At the end of the day, he gave a quiz on fractions. Everyone did well. Jonah said, "I don't know how, but I learned a lot." Mr. Quill grinned. "A rhyme in the head helps the lesson stay, so you'll remember it another day."
▲ This passage · 281 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.6
The new substitute walked into Room 14 wearing a tweed jacket and a very large grin, and after he wrote his name on the board, he turned to face the class and spoke. "I'm Mr. Quill, and I will do my best, to teach you all and pass the test."
Nobody moved a muscle, and the whole room was silent until Maya leaned over and whispered to her friend Jonah, "Did he just rhyme?"
"I did," said Mr. Quill, "and I'll do it all day, because it helps me remember the things that I say."
By the time the class opened their math books, they realized that he truly meant it. "Fractions are parts of a whole," he sang cheerfully. "Top is the number you hold, bottom is the number the pieces are told." He tapped the board with a marker and asked, "Now who can say what a half might be?"
Jonah, who loved a challenge, raised his hand. "One of two pieces, as equal as can be," he replied. The entire class gasped in amazement, and Mr. Quill bowed deeply to congratulate him.
Soon the whole classroom was rhyming enthusiastically. When Maya wanted a pencil, she said, "I need a lead, or I can't proceed." When the bell rang, someone shouted, "Lunch has come, and we are hungry!" and Mr. Quill declared it a poor rhyme but a fine sentiment.
At the end of the day, he gave the class a quiz about fractions, and everyone did remarkably well. Walking out, Jonah said, "I don't know how, but I learned a lot." Mr. Quill grinned. "A rhyme in the head helps the lesson stay, so you'll remember it another day."
■ Harder · 282 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.2
The new substitute strode into Room 14 wearing a tweed jacket and an extraordinarily large grin, and after he wrote his name on the board, he turned to face the class and spoke. "I'm Mr. Quill, and I will do my best, to teach you all and pass the test."
Nobody moved a muscle, and the whole room remained silent until Maya leaned toward her friend Jonah and whispered, "Did he just rhyme?"
"I did," said Mr. Quill, "and I'll do it all day, because it helps me remember the things that I say."
By the time the class opened their math books, they understood that he was absolutely serious. "Fractions are parts of a whole," he sang cheerfully. "Top is the number you hold, bottom is the number the pieces are told." He tapped the board with a marker and asked, "Now who can say what a half might be?"
Jonah, who relished any challenge, raised his hand. "One of two pieces, as equal as can be," he replied. The entire class gasped in amazement, and Mr. Quill bowed deeply to congratulate him.
Soon the whole classroom was rhyming enthusiastically. When Maya needed a pencil, she said, "I need a lead, or I can't proceed." When the bell rang, someone shouted, "Lunch has come, and we are hungry!" and Mr. Quill pronounced it a poor rhyme but an admirable sentiment.
At the end of the day, he gave the class a quiz about fractions, and everyone performed remarkably well. As he walked out, Jonah said, "I don't know how, but I learned a lot." Mr. Quill grinned. "A rhyme in the head helps the lesson stay, so you'll remember it another day."
Name ____________________●
Mr. Quill Teaches in Rhyme
The new substitute came into Room 14 in a tweed jacket. He had a big grin. He wrote his name on the board and then he spoke. "I'm Mr. Quill, and I will do my best, to teach you all and pass the test."
Nobody moved. Maya whispered to her friend Jonah, "Did he just rhyme?"
"I did," said Mr. Quill, "and I'll do it all day, because it helps me remember the things that I say."
Soon the class opened their math books. He meant it. "Fractions are parts of a whole," he sang. "Top is the number you hold, bottom is the number the pieces are told." He tapped the board. "Now who can say what a half might be?"
Jonah loved a challenge. He raised his hand. "One of two pieces, as equal as can be," he said. The class gasped. Mr. Quill bowed.
Soon the whole room was rhyming. Maya wanted a pencil. She said, "I need a lead, or I can't proceed." The bell rang, and someone shouted, "Lunch has come, and we are hungry!" Mr. Quill said it was a poor rhyme but a fine sentiment.
At the end of the day, he gave a quiz on fractions. Everyone did well. Jonah said, "I don't know how, but I learned a lot." Mr. Quill grinned. "A rhyme in the head helps the lesson stay, so you'll remember it another day."
Questions
- How did Mr. Quill speak to the class?
- What subject did the class study with Mr. Quill?
- How did Jonah answer the question about a half?
- Why did Mr. Quill speak in rhyme?
- How did the students feel about the rhyming by the end of the day?
- Why did Mr. Quill call the lunch rhyme poor but fine?
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Name ____________________▲
Mr. Quill Teaches in Rhyme
The new substitute walked into Room 14 wearing a tweed jacket and a very large grin, and after he wrote his name on the board, he turned to face the class and spoke. "I'm Mr. Quill, and I will do my best, to teach you all and pass the test."
Nobody moved a muscle, and the whole room was silent until Maya leaned over and whispered to her friend Jonah, "Did he just rhyme?"
"I did," said Mr. Quill, "and I'll do it all day, because it helps me remember the things that I say."
By the time the class opened their math books, they realized that he truly meant it. "Fractions are parts of a whole," he sang cheerfully. "Top is the number you hold, bottom is the number the pieces are told." He tapped the board with a marker and asked, "Now who can say what a half might be?"
Jonah, who loved a challenge, raised his hand. "One of two pieces, as equal as can be," he replied. The entire class gasped in amazement, and Mr. Quill bowed deeply to congratulate him.
Soon the whole classroom was rhyming enthusiastically. When Maya wanted a pencil, she said, "I need a lead, or I can't proceed." When the bell rang, someone shouted, "Lunch has come, and we are hungry!" and Mr. Quill declared it a poor rhyme but a fine sentiment.
At the end of the day, he gave the class a quiz about fractions, and everyone did remarkably well. Walking out, Jonah said, "I don't know how, but I learned a lot." Mr. Quill grinned. "A rhyme in the head helps the lesson stay, so you'll remember it another day."
Questions
- How did Mr. Quill speak to the class?
- What subject did the class study with Mr. Quill?
- How did Jonah answer the question about a half?
- Why did Mr. Quill speak in rhyme?
- How did the students feel about the rhyming by the end of the day?
- Why did Mr. Quill call the lunch rhyme poor but fine?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Mr. Quill Teaches in Rhyme
The new substitute strode into Room 14 wearing a tweed jacket and an extraordinarily large grin, and after he wrote his name on the board, he turned to face the class and spoke. "I'm Mr. Quill, and I will do my best, to teach you all and pass the test."
Nobody moved a muscle, and the whole room remained silent until Maya leaned toward her friend Jonah and whispered, "Did he just rhyme?"
"I did," said Mr. Quill, "and I'll do it all day, because it helps me remember the things that I say."
By the time the class opened their math books, they understood that he was absolutely serious. "Fractions are parts of a whole," he sang cheerfully. "Top is the number you hold, bottom is the number the pieces are told." He tapped the board with a marker and asked, "Now who can say what a half might be?"
Jonah, who relished any challenge, raised his hand. "One of two pieces, as equal as can be," he replied. The entire class gasped in amazement, and Mr. Quill bowed deeply to congratulate him.
Soon the whole classroom was rhyming enthusiastically. When Maya needed a pencil, she said, "I need a lead, or I can't proceed." When the bell rang, someone shouted, "Lunch has come, and we are hungry!" and Mr. Quill pronounced it a poor rhyme but an admirable sentiment.
At the end of the day, he gave the class a quiz about fractions, and everyone performed remarkably well. As he walked out, Jonah said, "I don't know how, but I learned a lot." Mr. Quill grinned. "A rhyme in the head helps the lesson stay, so you'll remember it another day."
Questions
- How did Mr. Quill speak to the class?
- What subject did the class study with Mr. Quill?
- How did Jonah answer the question about a half?
- Why did Mr. Quill speak in rhyme?
- How did the students feel about the rhyming by the end of the day?
- Why did Mr. Quill call the lunch rhyme poor but admirable?
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Answer key: Mr. Quill Teaches in Rhyme
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6)
- He spoke only in rhymes.
- Math, with fractions.
- He said it is one of two equal pieces, and he used a rhyme.
- He said rhymes help him remember what he says.
- They liked it and joined in, and it helped them learn.
- The words did not rhyme well, but he liked the feeling behind them.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.6)
- He spoke only in rhymes.
- Math, specifically fractions.
- He said it is one of two equal pieces, and he answered in a rhyme.
- He said rhymes help him, and the students, remember what is said.
- They enjoyed it and joined in, and it helped them learn.
- The words did not rhyme well, but he liked how the idea showed their enthusiasm.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.2)
- He spoke only in rhymes.
- Math, and in particular fractions.
- He said it is one of two equal pieces, and he answered in a rhyme.
- He said that rhymes help him remember the things that he says.
- They enjoyed it and joined in enthusiastically, and it helped them learn.
- The words did not rhyme well, but he appreciated the enthusiasm behind them.
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