2nd grade nonfiction passage about rubber bands: 143 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionrubber bands143 words
A Rubber Band Stretches and Snaps Back
A rubber band is a small loop that can stretch. Pull it, and it gets long and thin. Let go, and it snaps back to its first size.
Why does it do that? Rubber is made of very long, tiny strands. When the strands are not pulled, they sit all bunched up. When you stretch the band, the strands straighten out. They want to bunch up again, so they pull back as hard as they can.
That pulling back is what makes a rubber band so useful. It can hold a stack of papers together. It can keep a ponytail in place. It can even keep a bundle of pencils tight.
A rubber band does have limits. If you pull it too far, it can break. If it sits in the hot sun for a long time, it can become dry and weak.
Questions
What does a rubber band do when you let go? in the text
What are the strands in rubber like when they are not pulled? in the text
What happens to the strands when you stretch the band? in the text
What is one job a rubber band can do? in the text
What can happen if a rubber band sits in the hot sun for a long time? in the text
Why does a stretched rubber band feel like it is pulling on your fingers? think about it
Words to know
stretch
to pull something so it gets longer
loop
a shape like a circle or ring
strands
long, thin pieces, like threads
bunched
gathered close together in a clump
limits
the most that something can do
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
A Rubber Band Stretches and Snaps Back
2nd grade reading passage
A rubber band is a small loop that can stretch. Pull it, and it gets long and thin. Let go, and it snaps back to its first size.
Why does it do that? Rubber is made of very long, tiny strands. When the strands are not pulled, they sit all bunched up. When you stretch the band, the strands straighten out. They want to bunch up again, so they pull back as hard as they can.
That pulling back is what makes a rubber band so useful. It can hold a stack of papers together. It can keep a ponytail in place. It can even keep a bundle of pencils tight.
A rubber band does have limits. If you pull it too far, it can break. If it sits in the hot sun for a long time, it can become dry and weak.
Questions
What does a rubber band do when you let go?
What are the strands in rubber like when they are not pulled?
What happens to the strands when you stretch the band?
What is one job a rubber band can do?
What can happen if a rubber band sits in the hot sun for a long time?
Why does a stretched rubber band feel like it is pulling on your fingers?
Words to know
stretch: to pull something so it gets longer
loop: a shape like a circle or ring
strands: long, thin pieces, like threads
bunched: gathered close together in a clump
limits: the most that something can do
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/a-rubber-band-stretches-and-snaps-back
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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 · 105 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.4
A rubber band is a small loop. It can stretch. Pull it, and it gets long. Let go, and it snaps back.
Why? Rubber has tiny strands. They are long. When you do not pull, the strands are bunched up. When you pull, they straighten out. They want to bunch up again. So they pull back.
A rubber band is very useful. It can hold papers together. It can keep a ponytail in place. It can hold pencils tight.
A rubber band has limits. If you pull too far, it can break. If it sits in the hot sun, it can get dry and weak.
▲ This passage · 143 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7
A rubber band is a small loop that can stretch. Pull it, and it gets long and thin. Let go, and it snaps back to its first size.
Why does it do that? Rubber is made of very long, tiny strands. When the strands are not pulled, they sit all bunched up. When you stretch the band, the strands straighten out. They want to bunch up again, so they pull back as hard as they can.
That pulling back is what makes a rubber band so useful. It can hold a stack of papers together. It can keep a ponytail in place. It can even keep a bundle of pencils tight.
A rubber band does have limits. If you pull it too far, it can break. If it sits in the hot sun for a long time, it can become dry and weak.
■ Harder · 158 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.3
A rubber band is a small loop of material that is able to stretch. When you pull it, it becomes long and thin, and when you let go, it quickly snaps back to the size it started with.
Why does it behave this way? Rubber is made of extremely long, tiny strands. While nobody is pulling on them, the strands sit all bunched together. Once you stretch the band, the strands are forced to straighten out. They would rather bunch up again, so they pull back with all of their strength.
That pulling back is exactly what makes a rubber band so useful. It can hold a stack of papers together, keep a ponytail in place, or keep a whole bundle of pencils tight.
Even so, a rubber band has limits. If you pull it much too far, it can break. If it sits in the hot sun for a long time, it can turn dry and weak.
A rubber band is a small loop. It can stretch. Pull it, and it gets long. Let go, and it snaps back.
Why? Rubber has tiny strands. They are long. When you do not pull, the strands are bunched up. When you pull, they straighten out. They want to bunch up again. So they pull back.
A rubber band is very useful. It can hold papers together. It can keep a ponytail in place. It can hold pencils tight.
A rubber band has limits. If you pull too far, it can break. If it sits in the hot sun, it can get dry and weak.
Questions
What does a rubber band do when you let go?
What are the strands like when they are not pulled?
What happens to the strands when you pull?
What is one job a rubber band can do?
What can the hot sun do to a rubber band?
Why does a stretched band pull on your fingers?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
A Rubber Band Stretches and Snaps Back
A rubber band is a small loop that can stretch. Pull it, and it gets long and thin. Let go, and it snaps back to its first size.
Why does it do that? Rubber is made of very long, tiny strands. When the strands are not pulled, they sit all bunched up. When you stretch the band, the strands straighten out. They want to bunch up again, so they pull back as hard as they can.
That pulling back is what makes a rubber band so useful. It can hold a stack of papers together. It can keep a ponytail in place. It can even keep a bundle of pencils tight.
A rubber band does have limits. If you pull it too far, it can break. If it sits in the hot sun for a long time, it can become dry and weak.
Questions
What does a rubber band do when you let go?
What are the strands in rubber like when they are not pulled?
What happens to the strands when you stretch the band?
What is one job a rubber band can do?
What can happen if a rubber band sits in the hot sun for a long time?
Why does a stretched rubber band feel like it is pulling on your fingers?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
A Rubber Band Stretches and Snaps Back
A rubber band is a small loop of material that is able to stretch. When you pull it, it becomes long and thin, and when you let go, it quickly snaps back to the size it started with.
Why does it behave this way? Rubber is made of extremely long, tiny strands. While nobody is pulling on them, the strands sit all bunched together. Once you stretch the band, the strands are forced to straighten out. They would rather bunch up again, so they pull back with all of their strength.
That pulling back is exactly what makes a rubber band so useful. It can hold a stack of papers together, keep a ponytail in place, or keep a whole bundle of pencils tight.
Even so, a rubber band has limits. If you pull it much too far, it can break. If it sits in the hot sun for a long time, it can turn dry and weak.
Questions
What does a rubber band do when you let go of it?
What are the strands in rubber like while nobody is pulling them?
What happens to the strands once you stretch the band?
What is one job that a rubber band can do?
What can happen to a rubber band that sits in the hot sun for a long time?
Why does a stretched rubber band seem to pull on your fingers?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: A Rubber Band Stretches and Snaps Back
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.4)
It snaps back.
They are bunched up.
They straighten out.
It can hold papers, keep a ponytail, or hold pencils.
It can make it dry and weak.
The strands want to bunch up again.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7)
It snaps back to its first size.
They are bunched up.
They straighten out.
It can hold papers together, keep a ponytail in place, or bundle pencils.
It can become dry and weak.
The strands want to bunch up again, so they pull back.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.3)
It snaps back to the size it started with.
They are bunched together.
They are forced to straighten out.
It can hold papers together, keep a ponytail in place, or bundle pencils.
It can turn dry and weak.
The strands would rather bunch up again, so they pull back.
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 stretch, loop, strands, bunched and limits 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 6 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 "A Rubber Band Stretches and Snaps Back"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 143 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 1.7. 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 six. 5 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?
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