The Sword in the Stone: read-along
The Sword in the Stone as a read-along for the projector: 16 pages, 1872 words, level 13, grade 8.
Page 1 of 16
When King Uther Pendragon died without naming an heir, the kingdom of England fell into a long and furious argument. Every powerful lord was absolutely certain that the crown belonged on his own head, preferably the day before yesterday. Armies gathered along the borders, quarrels turned into skirmishes, and ordinary farmers learned to dread the sound of horses approaching their villages. Only the old wizard Merlin understood what the country truly needed. Years earlier, he had carried Uther's baby son away in secret and handed him to a good knight, and he intended to reveal the boy at precisely the right moment, when the realm was weary enough to listen. Merlin could sometimes see what was coming, but even he could not hurry a whole kingdom into listening.
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 13, Grade 8
- 16 pages, 1872 words, about 14 minutes aloud
- A classic tale, gentle
Related
About The Sword in the Stone
Arthur is a clumsy squire who just wants to find his brother a sword, so he politely borrows the one stuck in a stone. When the lords of England try to make him prove it, a very strange old wizard in disguise has already seen how the story ends.
Words to preview
- squire (SKWYR)
- knight's helper
- tournament (TUR-nuh-ment)
- knight contest
- heir (AIR)
- one who inherits
- hilt
- sword handle
- enchanted (en-CHAN-ted)
- under a spell
- circlet (SUR-klet)
- small crown
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 The Sword in the Stone take to read aloud?
It has 16 pages and 1872 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 The Sword in the Stone?
Level 13, Grade 8. The library numbers its levels from 0 to 18 and puts the level of a book on its cover; level 13 sits at grade 8. 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.