Article
Art by Shane Rebenschied; Shutterstock.com (Background, Thor); Cindy Hopkins/Alamy Stock Photo (Bracelet); Olivier Bourguet/Alamy Stock Photo (mask); FOST/Alamy Stock Photo (Comb); Album/Alamy Stock Photo (Game)
Time Machine,

Visit a Viking Village

Thrilling games. Dazzling jewels. Mighty ships. Discover what life was like in the year 900!  

By Alex Winnick
From the September 2024 Issue
Lexiles: 600-700L; Easier level
Featured Skill: Knowledge Building,

Presentation View
See Student View

Lexile® measure

  • On Level
  • Easier Level
Download and Print
Easier Level
New Viking Clues

The sea surrounds you. Your stomach growls with hunger. You’ve been on a ship for days. Will you ever find land?

Finally, you see it: a beautiful village ahead. As you reach the shore, you spot something that makes your heart sink. It’s a giant dragon-headed ship. Oh no. You’ve heard stories about the terrifying people who sail these ships.

They’re Vikings!

You’ve been on a ship for days. The sea surrounds you. Your stomach growls with hunger. Will you ever find land? 

Finally, you see a beautiful village ahead. As you reach the shore, you spot something that makes your heart sink. It’s a giant ship with a dragon head. Oh no. You’ve heard stories about the scary people who sail these ships. 

They’re Vikings! 

Powerful People

Powerful People

In the year 900, Vikings are some of the most powerful people in the world. They sail the seas exploring faraway places. Sometimes they attack towns and steal land and riches. 

But many Vikings are also farmers, traders, and craftspeople. They are often kind to people who visit their villages. 

Will these Vikings welcome you? 

It’s the year 900. Vikings are some of the most powerful people in the world. They sail the seas. They explore faraway places. Sometimes they attack towns and steal land and riches. 

But many Vikings are also farmers, traders, and craftspeople. They are often kind to people who visit their villages. 

Will these Vikings welcome you? 

Into the Village

Into the Village

A group of fierce-looking people walks toward you.  

“I’m Frida,” says one of the women. “All visitors are welcome here!” 

You let out a sigh of relief. Frida hands you a large animal horn filled with water. Then she offers you a colorful dress to wear and a comb made out of animal bones! 

Together, you enter the village. It’s bursting with life! Men bang their hammers on wooden planks that will become ships. Women craft necklaces from gold, silver, and jewels that sparkle in the sunlight. 

Frida invites you into a long wooden house that’s packed wall to wall with people and . . . moo! A herd of smelly cows flattens you against a wall. You squeeze past and step outside—straight into a sword fight! 

Two kids circle each other. They lunge forward and clash swords. 

Look out! 

A group of people walks toward you. They look scary. 

“I’m Frida,” says one of the women. “All visitors are welcome here!” 

You’re relieved. Frida hands you a large animal horn filled with water. Then she offers you a colorful dress to wear and a comb made out of animal bones! 

You enter the village together. It’s bursting with life! Men hit their hammers on wooden planks that will become ships. Women make necklaces from gold, silver, and jewels that sparkle in the sunlight.

Frida invites you into a long wooden house. It’s packed wall to wall with people. Moo! You quickly move so a herd of smelly cows can pass through. You squeeze past and step outside. You walk straight into a sword fight! 

Two kids circle each other. They lunge forward and clash swords. 

Look out! 

Pieces from the Past

Vikings lived in Northern Europe. They left behind some amazing items! Vikings played board games similar to chess (like this one!). They also held swimming contests to see who could stay under freezing water the longest.

Games and Thunder

Games and Thunder

But then the Vikings start laughing. They are only practicing. Phew! 

The kids invite you to join a game called knattleikr (kuh-NAHT-lay-kur). Whack! You smack a ball with a large stick and send it flying into the air as lightning flashes across the sky. Seconds later . . . BOOM! Thunder rumbles through the village. 

Freezing rain splatters down, chilling you to the bone. But the Vikings look up excitedly. They believe that thunder is the sound of the great god Thor smashing monsters with his giant hammer!

You duck inside, where a storyteller is dazzling a crowd with the popular tale of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer. Nearby, a group is gathered around a blazing fire discussing where they’ll explore next. 

Suddenly, the biggest man spots you. He looks angry. Time to get out of here! 

But then the Vikings start laughing. They are only practicing. Phew! 

The kids invite you to join a game called knattleikr (kuh-NAHT-lay-kur). Whack! You smack a ball with a large stick and send it flying into the air. Moments later, you see lightning in the sky. BOOM! The sound of thunder roars through the village. 

Freezing rain splatters down. Your whole body shivers. But the Vikings are excited. They believe that thunder is the sound of the great god Thor. Thor smashes monsters with his giant hammer!

You go inside and hear a storyteller tell a crowd the popular tale of Sigurd the Dragon Slayer. Nearby, you see a group gathered around a blazing fire. They’re discussing where they’ll explore next. 

Suddenly, the biggest man spots you. He looks angry. Time to get out of here! 

Vikings created fancy masks and jewelry from gold and silver. They also made hair combs out of animal bones!

A Thrilling World

A Thrilling World

By the year 1100, Vikings stopped sailing to new lands. They built bigger villages and joined other groups of people. Their traditions slowly died out. 

But people today remain fascinated by Vikings. And experts have found their games, jewelry, and even boats buried in the ground. Each discovery helps open up the thrilling world of the Vikings from long ago. 

By the year 1100, Vikings stopped sailing to new lands. They built bigger villages. They joined other groups of people. Their traditions slowly died out. 

But people today remain interested in Vikings. And experts have found their games, jewelry, and even boats buried in the ground. Each discovery helps open up the thrilling world of the Vikings from long ago.  

THINK AND WRITE

Would you want to visit a Viking village? Write a paragraph explaining why or why not. 

THINK AND WRITE

Would you want to visit a Viking village? Write a paragraph explaining why or why not. 

video (1)
Audio ()
Activities (7)
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
video (1)
Audio ()
Activities (7) Download All Quizzes and Activities
Skills Activities
Answer Key (1)
Can't Miss Teaching Extras

Looking for more adventure? Throw on your shining armor in “Life in a Castle,” a Time Machine full of tasty feasts, scary dungeons, and knights.

For more boat-related time travel, read “A Pirate’s Life for You!,” a time machine that’ll take you on a thrilling ride aboard a pirate ship in the year 1700, when pirates ruled the seas.

Don’t get out of your time machine just yet! Head to another action-packed world in “Journey to the First Olympics” to meet barefoot athletes, enjoy huge feasts, and witness the first-ever Olympic race. 

Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
Download the Lesson Plan

Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read

2. Close Reading

3. SEL Focus

4. Skill Building and Writing

5. Differentiate and Customize

Struggling Readers, Multilingual Learners, Advanced Readers, Creative Writing

1. Preparing to Read

Set a Purpose for Reading

  • Ask students to predict what this article will be about based on the headline, subhead, and image on pages 16-17. Review the predictions after reading.
  • To provide your students with helpful background information about this time period, play the video “Who Were the Vikings?”

Preview Text Features and Vocabulary

  • Before reading, point out the terms surrounds (is on every side of something), growls (makes a loud, low sound), terrifying (scary), craftspeople (artists or makers), sparkle (shine), herd (a group of animals that live together), lunge (move forward suddenly), and splatters (falls in large drops) and review their definitions. Go over any other vocabulary terms that may be challenging for your students.
  • Point out the illustration on pages 16-17. Ask students to call out any details they notice about this image.

2. Close Reading

  • Read the article as a class or have students follow along as they listen to the audio Read-Aloud.
  • Project or assign the Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions.
  • You may challenge students to either underline or highlight any details that are specific (or unique) to the particular time or place visited in the Time Machine.

Close-Reading Questions

  • Read the opening section. Who are the people who live in the beautiful village? How do you know? The people who live in the beautiful village are Vikings. You know because you have heard stories about the people who sail on dragon-headed ships. (key details)
  • How does the author describe the Vikings in the section “Powerful People”? The author describes the Vikings as some of the most powerful people in the world who attack towns. But they are also kind farmers, traders, and craftspeople. (descriptive details) 
  • Read the section “Into the Village.” Which details in this section support the phrase “bursting with life!”? The details in this section that support this phrase are the men banging hammers, the women crafting necklaces, the herd of cows, and the two kids in a sword fight. (key details, author’s craft)
  • Read the section “Games and Thunder.” Why do the Vikings behave differently than you when it starts to rain and thunder? The Vikings look up at the sky excitedly when it starts to rain and thunder. They do this because they believe that thunder is the sound of the god Thor hitting monsters with his hammer. (compare and contrast)
  • Read the section “A Thrilling World.” What had happened to the Vikings by the year 1100? By the year 1100, the Vikings stopped sailing to new lands. They built larger villages and joined other people. Their traditions died out. (cause and effect)
  • Read the sidebar “Pieces From the Past.” Why do you think the author included this information in the article? Answers will vary but may include: The author included this information to show real items that were used or owned by the Vikings. This helps you understand what life was actually like for them in the year 900. (text features, author’s purpose)
  • This article is written in second person. That means it’s told from the point of view of a “you.” Who does the “you” describe in this article? The “you” describes a person who is lost at sea and has been searching for land for days. That person ends up visiting a Viking village. (point of view)

Critical-Thinking Question

  • Would you want to visit a Viking village in the year 900? Use details from the article to support your answer. Answers will vary. Sample responses: Yes, because it was an exciting and incredible place. I would get to meet interesting people, play new games, and learn to build crafts and ships. No, because the Vikings were sometimes dangerous people. They practiced sword fighting and sometimes attacked other villages. (supporting an opinion)

3. Skill Building and Writing

Featured Skill: Knowledge Building

  • Discuss the writing assignment in the Think and Write box on page 18. Our online skill builder will show students how to complete the paragraph.
  • Distribute our Where Should We Go Next? Skill Builder and have students complete it in class or for homework.

Text-to-Speech