Ra Sails the Sky
People in Egypt told a story about the sun. They said it was a golden boat.
A sailor named Ra sailed the boat. Each morning, it rose over the river.
Up, up, up went the boat. Ra sailed high in the blue sky.
Down below, farmers waved at the light. The corn grew warm and green.
Then the sky turned red. The boat slid down behind the hills.
Now it was night. Ra's boat sailed on, down a dark river.
It was very, very dark. But the golden boat had a bright glow.
Helpers pulled the boat with a long rope. Slowly, slowly, it moved on.
Then a huge snake rose up. His name was Apep, and he did not like light.
Apep curled across the river. "Stop!" he hissed. "No more morning for you!"
But Ra's crew was brave. They shouted, and the bright light shone on the snake.
Apep slid back into the dark. He was driven off, and nobody was hurt.
The boat sailed on and on. The sky turned pink and gold.
The sun came up! People in Egypt smiled. The night had ended, as it always did.
Questions
- A golden boat
- A big bird
- A round stone
- A king
- A snake named Apep
- A farmer
- It sailed around him
- It waited all day
- The crew shouted and the light shone
- Why the sun comes back each morning
- Why the river is long
- Why farmers plant corn
- He was given a gift
- He was sent away
- He fell asleep
Words to know
- Apep: a big snake
- rope: a thick string
- hiss: a snake's sound
- glow: a soft light
Answer key: Ra Sails the Sky
- A. A golden boat
- B. A snake named Apep
- C. The crew shouted and the light shone
- A. Why the sun comes back each morning
- B. He was sent away
For the teacher: how this passage is levelled
“Ra Sails the Sky” 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 | 192 words, 14 screens, 5 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.