The Scarecrow Moves
On Monday, the scarecrow stood by the beans. On Tuesday, he stood by the gate.
On Wednesday, he was in the pumpkins. Dara saw him from her bed. She frowned.
“Scarecrows can not walk,” she said. But he had a new spot each day.
Her brother said, “He walks at night.” Dara felt a small chill.
That night, Dara sat by the window. She had a warm blanket. She watched the yard.
The moon came up. The scarecrow stood still. He had a floppy hat and stick arms.
Hours went by. Dara's eyes got heavy. Then a tall shape moved!
It went to the scarecrow. It picked him up. It began to carry him off.
Dara held her breath. The moon lit its face. It was Grandpa!
Grandpa put the scarecrow by the berries. Then he tipped the hat. He bowed.
Dara laughed out loud. She ran out in her slippers. “It was you!” she said.
“I wanted you to smile,” said Grandpa. “You said the garden was dull.” Dara hugged him.
Now the scarecrow has a name. It is Sir Floppy. Each day, Dara finds him.
Questions
- The gate
- The scarecrow
- A cow
- Runs outside
- Calls Mom
- Watches from her window
- Grandpa
- Her brother
- The wind
- To scare birds
- To make Dara smile
- He forgot where it goes
- Ran fast
- Fell down
- A cold shiver
Words to know
- scarecrow: a figure that guards a field
- floppy: soft and loose
- chill: a cold shiver
- bowed: bent at the waist
Answer key: The Scarecrow Moves
- B. The scarecrow
- C. Watches from her window
- A. Grandpa
- B. To make Dara smile
- C. A cold shiver
For the teacher: how this passage is levelled
“The Scarecrow Moves” 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 | 187 words, 13 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.