Atalanta Runs
Atalanta grew up in the woods of Greece. A mother bear kept her warm. Then some men took her in.
Atalanta could run faster than the wind. The deer stopped to stare at her. No one could catch her.
She made a rule. "Race me," she said. "If you win, I will be your best friend."
Boys came from far away. They ran with her. Each one lost and went home.
Then Hippomenes came. He was not so fast, but he was smart. He asked a goddess for help.
She gave him three golden apples. They shone like little suns. "Roll them," she said.
The race began. She ran far ahead. He rolled an apple in front of her.
She saw the gold and stopped. She picked up the apple. He ran on.
She caught up. He rolled the next apple, then the last one. Each time, she stopped.
Hippomenes ran over the line first. Atalanta laughed and said, "Well run!" They were friends.
Questions
- A mother bear
- A big dog
- A wool coat
- Bring her gold
- Race her, and if you win, be her friend
- Run to the sea
- A fast horse
- A pair of shoes
- Three golden apples
- She saw the shining apples
- She was tired
- She lost her way
- Atalanta
- Hippomenes
- The bear
- Very fast
- Very tall
- Good at thinking
Words to know
- goddess: a woman god
- race: a contest
- shone: gave off light
- smart: good at thinking
Answer key: Atalanta Runs
- A. A mother bear
- B. Race her, and if you win, be her friend
- C. Three golden apples
- A. She saw the shining apples
- B. Hippomenes
- C. Good at thinking
For the teacher: how this passage is levelled
“Atalanta Runs” is a reading level 6 story. Every Peabody story at this level is written and checked to keep sentences to 10 words or fewer, to aim at an average of 6 words a sentence, and to show 12 to 20 words on a screen. At most 7% of its words may be off the familiar-word list. Readers reach this level by climbing, not by grade.
| This passage | 164 words, 10 screens, 6 multiple-choice questions with an answer key, and 4 vocabulary words with kid-sized meanings |
|---|---|
| Longest sentence at this level | 10 words |
| Words on a screen | 12 to 20 |
| Skills practised at this level | phonics (sounding words out), first sounds, sight words |
Reading level 6: the limits, a real sample and the free games. Peabody is a learning app, not an assessment: use the questions to talk about the story, not to grade a child.