Buster and the Pail
Buster Bear sat in a big patch of berries.
He ate and ate. The berries were sweet.
"I will be quick," said Buster. He was shy of boys.
But the berries were so good! He forgot to be quick.
The sun came up high. Buster did not look up.
He went to a new patch of berries.
There sat a pail! It was full of big berries.
A boy had picked them. The boy was far off.
Buster sniffed the pail. He gave it a little poke.
A few berries fell out. Nothing else happened.
"Hm," said Buster. "Berries, and no leaves!"
He sat down by the pail. He was so glad.
Buster ate every last berry.
Questions
- Berries
- Fish
- Pie
- A tent
- A pail of berries
- A boy
- He ran off
- He sat on it
- He gave it a poke
- The berries were so good
- He fell asleep
- He lost his way
Words to know
- patch: small garden spot
- sniffed: smelled
- pail: a bucket
Answer key: Buster and the Pail
- A. Berries
- B. A pail of berries
- C. He gave it a poke
- A. The berries were so good
For the teacher: how this passage is levelled
“Buster and the Pail” is a reading level 5 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 5 words a sentence, and to show 1 to 12 words on a screen. At most 6% of its words may be off the familiar-word list. Children in 2nd grade start at this level.
| This passage | 117 words, 13 screens, 4 multiple-choice questions with an answer key, and 3 vocabulary words with kid-sized meanings |
|---|---|
| Longest sentence at this level | 10 words |
| Words on a screen | 1 to 12 |
| Skills practised at this level | phonics (sounding words out), first sounds, sight words |
Reading level 5: 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.