Beowulf and Grendel: read-along
Beowulf and Grendel as a read-along for the projector: 13 pages, 1931 words, level 16, beyond grade 8.
Page 1 of 13
On the northern shore of the Danish kingdom there stood a magnificent hall called Heorot, the most celebrated building ever constructed in that country, whose towering gabled roof glittered with gold and whose enormous beams were carved with the legendary achievements of ancestors. Every evening King Hrothgar assembled his warriors beneath it so that they might celebrate their victories, listen to the poets, and receive generous gifts of treasure, and the music traveled across the cultivated fields and into the desolate marshes beyond. There, in complete isolation, lived a creature named Grendel, who had never been invited to a single party in his life. He despised every cheerful sound that the hall produced, from the harps to the hiccups, and he felt each outburst of laughter like a pebble thrown at his window. For twelve years the singing went on, night after night, and for twelve years something in the marsh lay awake and listened.
Keys: ← → or Page Up and Page Down turn the page, Space starts and pauses the voice, Home and End jump, F fills the screen. Tapping the right side of a page goes on; the left side goes back.
How to use it
- Press Full screen (F) to put the book on the projector.
- Press Read to me (Space), or read it yourself and turn pages with the arrow keys or a tap. Pick the Pace that suits the class.
- After the last page, three questions come up to talk about.
About this book
- Level 16, beyond grade 8
- 13 pages, 1931 words, about 14 minutes aloud
- A classic tale, a little spooky
Related
About Beowulf and Grendel
For twelve years a monster has been stealing the sleepers from the great hall of Heorot, and nobody dares even to hum. Then Beowulf sails in, takes off his armor, and waits in the dark for the footsteps, but the monster has a mother, and she has been listening too.
Words to preview
- serpents (SUR-punts)
- large snakes
- mere (meer)
- a lake
- gabled (GAY-buld)
- with pointed ends
- hilt
- sword handle
- trophy (TROH-fee)
- prize of victory
Questions that fit any book
- What happened at the beginning, in the middle and at the end?
- Which page was your favorite? Why?
- How did the main character feel at the end? What tells you?
Questions
How long does Beowulf and Grendel take to read aloud?
It has 13 pages and 1931 words, so about 14 minutes at the Steady pace and a little less at Quick. If you stop to talk on the way, plan for more.
What reading level is Beowulf and Grendel?
Level 16, beyond grade 8. The library numbers its levels from 0 to 18 and puts the level of a book on its cover; levels above 13 are beyond grade 8 and have no grade. A level is a guide for choosing, so look at the pages yourself.
Whose voice is it?
Your browser's own. Read to me uses a speaking voice already on the computer, so it sounds like that computer and works without a sign-in. Voices differ: some light each word as it is spoken, and some do not, in which case the highlight follows a steady pace instead. Some browsers use an online voice; if yours does, the browser, not us, sends the words of the page to its speech service. If no voice is installed, turn the pages and read it aloud yourself.
Do students need an account?
No. Nothing is asked of anyone and nothing is sent to us. Project the page, or share the link and let students open it on their own screens.
Is this the original text?
No. It is a retelling in Peabody's own words at this reading level, so it may differ from the edition you know.
Nothing you do here is sent to us. The voice is your browser's own. No sign-in, no ads.