1st grade nonfiction passage about how a doorknob opens a door: 107 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
1st gradenonfictionhow a doorknob opens a door107 words
The Secret Bolt Inside a Doorknob
You turn a doorknob and the door opens. How does it work? Part of the work is hidden inside the door.
On the edge of the door sticks out a little piece of metal. It is called a latch. The latch slides into a hole in the wall frame. That keeps the door shut.
When you turn the knob, a rod inside turns too. The rod pulls the latch back into the door. Now nothing holds the door, so you can push it open.
When you let go of the knob, a spring pushes the latch out again. Click! The door can lock itself when it shuts.
Questions
What is the little piece of metal on the door's edge called? in the text
Where does the latch slide? in the text
What happens inside the door when you turn the knob? in the text
What pushes the latch out again? in the text
Why does the door stay shut when nobody is holding the knob? think about it
Words to know
latch
a metal piece that holds a door shut
frame
the part that goes around the edge of a door
rod
a long, thin bar
spring
a coil of metal that pushes back after you press it
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Secret Bolt Inside a Doorknob
1st grade reading passage
You turn a doorknob and the door opens. How does it work? Part of the work is hidden inside the door.
On the edge of the door sticks out a little piece of metal. It is called a latch. The latch slides into a hole in the wall frame. That keeps the door shut.
When you turn the knob, a rod inside turns too. The rod pulls the latch back into the door. Now nothing holds the door, so you can push it open.
When you let go of the knob, a spring pushes the latch out again. Click! The door can lock itself when it shuts.
Questions
What is the little piece of metal on the door's edge called?
Where does the latch slide?
What happens inside the door when you turn the knob?
What pushes the latch out again?
Why does the door stay shut when nobody is holding the knob?
Words to know
latch: a metal piece that holds a door shut
frame: the part that goes around the edge of a door
rod: a long, thin bar
spring: a coil of metal that pushes back after you press it
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/1/the-secret-bolt-inside-a-doorknob
Share
One passage, three levels
The same topic and facts written three ways, so a mixed class can read and talk about one text. Each group’s sheet shows only a shape; the key says which is which.
● Easier · 80 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.5
You turn a doorknob. The door opens. How? Some of the work is hidden in the door.
A little piece of metal sticks out of the door's edge. It is a latch. The latch slides into a hole in the wall frame. That keeps the door shut.
Turn the knob. A rod inside turns. The rod pulls the latch back. The door is free. You can push it.
Let go of the knob. A spring pushes the latch out. Click!
▲ This passage · 107 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.1
You turn a doorknob and the door opens. How does it work? Part of the work is hidden inside the door.
On the edge of the door sticks out a little piece of metal. It is called a latch. The latch slides into a hole in the wall frame. That keeps the door shut.
When you turn the knob, a rod inside turns too. The rod pulls the latch back into the door. Now nothing holds the door, so you can push it open.
When you let go of the knob, a spring pushes the latch out again. Click! The door can lock itself when it shuts.
■ Harder · 128 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2
When you turn a doorknob, the door swings open, but you may not realize that much of the work happens out of sight, inside the door itself.
A small piece of metal called a latch sticks out of the edge of the door. The latch slides into a hole in the wall frame, and that is what keeps the door shut.
As you turn the knob, a rod inside the door turns along with it. The rod pulls the latch back into the door, so nothing holds the door in place any longer, and you can push it open.
When you let go of the knob, a spring pushes the latch out again with a click. That is why a door can lock itself whenever it is shut.
You turn a doorknob. The door opens. How? Some of the work is hidden in the door.
A little piece of metal sticks out of the door's edge. It is a latch. The latch slides into a hole in the wall frame. That keeps the door shut.
Turn the knob. A rod inside turns. The rod pulls the latch back. The door is free. You can push it.
Let go of the knob. A spring pushes the latch out. Click!
Questions
What is the metal piece on the door's edge called?
Where does the latch slide?
What does the rod do when you turn the knob?
What pushes the latch out again?
Why does the door stay shut?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Secret Bolt Inside a Doorknob
You turn a doorknob and the door opens. How does it work? Part of the work is hidden inside the door.
On the edge of the door sticks out a little piece of metal. It is called a latch. The latch slides into a hole in the wall frame. That keeps the door shut.
When you turn the knob, a rod inside turns too. The rod pulls the latch back into the door. Now nothing holds the door, so you can push it open.
When you let go of the knob, a spring pushes the latch out again. Click! The door can lock itself when it shuts.
Questions
What is the little piece of metal on the door's edge called?
Where does the latch slide?
What happens inside the door when you turn the knob?
What pushes the latch out again?
Why does the door stay shut when nobody is holding the knob?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Secret Bolt Inside a Doorknob
When you turn a doorknob, the door swings open, but you may not realize that much of the work happens out of sight, inside the door itself.
A small piece of metal called a latch sticks out of the edge of the door. The latch slides into a hole in the wall frame, and that is what keeps the door shut.
As you turn the knob, a rod inside the door turns along with it. The rod pulls the latch back into the door, so nothing holds the door in place any longer, and you can push it open.
When you let go of the knob, a spring pushes the latch out again with a click. That is why a door can lock itself whenever it is shut.
Questions
What is the small piece of metal on the edge of the door called?
Where does the latch slide to keep the door shut?
What happens inside the door as you turn the knob?
What pushes the latch out again when you let go?
Why does the door stay shut when nobody is holding the knob?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Secret Bolt Inside a Doorknob
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.5)
A latch.
Into a hole in the wall frame.
It pulls the latch back.
A spring.
The latch sticks out into the wall frame and holds it.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.1)
A latch.
Into a hole in the wall frame.
A rod turns and pulls the latch back.
A spring.
The latch sticks out into the wall frame and holds the door.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2)
A latch.
Into a hole in the wall frame.
A rod turns and pulls the latch back into the door.
A spring.
The latch sticks out into the wall frame and holds the door in place.
Free at teach.peabody.kids
How to use it
Press Read it big (or B) to put the text on the projector, or Full screen (F) to fill the whole screen.
Ask the questions one at a time and use Show answer when the class has decided. A shows or hides every answer.
Print student copy for the class, or Print with answers for yourself.
Ideas for class
Before reading, put latch, frame, rod and spring on the board with their meanings from the Words to know section and have students predict what the text will be about.
Read it aloud once while students follow along, then have them reread it alone or with a partner. At a calm 100 words a minute it takes about 1 minute to read aloud.
Use the Read it big button (or B) to put the text on the projector, and Show answer on one question at a time so the class commits to an answer first.
Question 5 asks the reader to infer. Ask students to point to the words in the passage that led them to their answer.
Ask students to write one question the passage did not answer, then look for the answer in a book or on a classroom screen.
Print the student copy for independent work and keep the answer-key copy for yourself.
What reading level is "The Secret Bolt Inside a Doorknob"?
It was written for 1st grade. It has 107 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 1.1. That is a formula's estimate from sentence length and syllables, and it is not a Lexile or a guided reading level, so check it against your students.
What do the questions ask?
There are five. 4 ask for something the text says directly and 1 ask the reader to work something out from clues. Each has an answer in the key, and the answers are written as a teacher would accept them, not as the only possible wording.
How long does it take to read?
About 1 minute read aloud at 100 words a minute. For a one-minute fluency check, paste it into the fluency timer and use the word count.
Can I print it?
Yes. Print student copy gives the passage, the questions with lines to write on, and the word meanings. Print with answers gives the same page with the answers filled in. Both are made in your browser.
Is this passage from a published book?
No. It was written for Peabody Teach, so there is no book to buy and no login to read it.
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