2nd grade nonfiction passage about school long ago: 116 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionschool long ago116 words
A Slate and a Rag for School
Long ago, many children did not have paper at school. Paper was hard to get. So each child had a slate. A slate is a thin piece of gray stone in a wooden frame.
Children wrote on the slate with a stick of chalk. When the slate was full, they rubbed it clean with a rag. Then they could use it again.
A slate was good for practice. A child could add numbers or spell a word. Then the child could wipe it away and try again. The teacher could look at the work in a moment, too.
Today most children use paper and pencils. But some classrooms still keep a small slate on the wall.
Questions
What is a slate? in the text
What did children write with? in the text
How did children clean a full slate? in the text
Why was a slate good for practice? in the text
Why did children use slates instead of paper? think about it
Words to know
slate
a thin piece of gray stone used to write on
frame
a border that holds something in place
chalk
a soft white stick that leaves marks
rag
a piece of old cloth for wiping
practice
doing something again and again to get better
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
A Slate and a Rag for School
2nd grade reading passage
Long ago, many children did not have paper at school. Paper was hard to get. So each child had a slate. A slate is a thin piece of gray stone in a wooden frame.
Children wrote on the slate with a stick of chalk. When the slate was full, they rubbed it clean with a rag. Then they could use it again.
A slate was good for practice. A child could add numbers or spell a word. Then the child could wipe it away and try again. The teacher could look at the work in a moment, too.
Today most children use paper and pencils. But some classrooms still keep a small slate on the wall.
Questions
What is a slate?
What did children write with?
How did children clean a full slate?
Why was a slate good for practice?
Why did children use slates instead of paper?
Words to know
slate: a thin piece of gray stone used to write on
frame: a border that holds something in place
chalk: a soft white stick that leaves marks
rag: a piece of old cloth for wiping
practice: doing something again and again to get better
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/a-slate-and-a-rag-for-school
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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 · 88 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.3
Long ago, many kids had no paper at school. Paper was hard to get. So each kid had a slate. A slate is a thin gray stone in a wooden frame.
Kids wrote on the slate with chalk. When it was full, they rubbed it clean with a rag. Then they used it again.
A slate was good for practice. A kid could add numbers. Then the kid could wipe it and try again.
Now most kids use paper. Some rooms keep a small slate on the wall.
▲ This passage · 116 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.5
Long ago, many children did not have paper at school. Paper was hard to get. So each child had a slate. A slate is a thin piece of gray stone in a wooden frame.
Children wrote on the slate with a stick of chalk. When the slate was full, they rubbed it clean with a rag. Then they could use it again.
A slate was good for practice. A child could add numbers or spell a word. Then the child could wipe it away and try again. The teacher could look at the work in a moment, too.
Today most children use paper and pencils. But some classrooms still keep a small slate on the wall.
■ Harder · 133 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.1
Long ago, many children did not have paper at school, because paper was hard to get and cost a good deal. Instead, each child was given a slate, which is a thin piece of gray stone set inside a wooden frame.
Children wrote on the slate with a stick of chalk. Whenever the slate became full, they rubbed it clean with a rag, and then they were able to use it over and over again.
A slate was especially good for practice. A child could add up numbers or spell a difficult word, then wipe the answer away and try once more. The teacher could also look over the work in a moment.
Today most children use paper and pencils, although a few classrooms still keep a small slate hanging on the wall.
Long ago, many kids had no paper at school. Paper was hard to get. So each kid had a slate. A slate is a thin gray stone in a wooden frame.
Kids wrote on the slate with chalk. When it was full, they rubbed it clean with a rag. Then they used it again.
A slate was good for practice. A kid could add numbers. Then the kid could wipe it and try again.
Now most kids use paper. Some rooms keep a small slate on the wall.
Questions
What is a slate?
What did kids write with?
How did kids clean a full slate?
Why was a slate good for practice?
Why did kids use slates and not paper?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
A Slate and a Rag for School
Long ago, many children did not have paper at school. Paper was hard to get. So each child had a slate. A slate is a thin piece of gray stone in a wooden frame.
Children wrote on the slate with a stick of chalk. When the slate was full, they rubbed it clean with a rag. Then they could use it again.
A slate was good for practice. A child could add numbers or spell a word. Then the child could wipe it away and try again. The teacher could look at the work in a moment, too.
Today most children use paper and pencils. But some classrooms still keep a small slate on the wall.
Questions
What is a slate?
What did children write with?
How did children clean a full slate?
Why was a slate good for practice?
Why did children use slates instead of paper?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
A Slate and a Rag for School
Long ago, many children did not have paper at school, because paper was hard to get and cost a good deal. Instead, each child was given a slate, which is a thin piece of gray stone set inside a wooden frame.
Children wrote on the slate with a stick of chalk. Whenever the slate became full, they rubbed it clean with a rag, and then they were able to use it over and over again.
A slate was especially good for practice. A child could add up numbers or spell a difficult word, then wipe the answer away and try once more. The teacher could also look over the work in a moment.
Today most children use paper and pencils, although a few classrooms still keep a small slate hanging on the wall.
Questions
What is a slate?
What did children write on the slate with?
How did children clean a slate that was full?
Why was a slate especially good for practice?
Why were slates given to children instead of paper?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: A Slate and a Rag for School
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.3)
A thin gray stone in a wooden frame.
Chalk.
They rubbed it with a rag.
A kid could wipe it and try again.
Paper was hard to get, and a slate could be used again.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.5)
A thin piece of gray stone in a wooden frame.
A stick of chalk.
They rubbed it clean with a rag.
A child could wipe it away and try again.
Paper was hard to get, and a slate could be used again.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.1)
A thin piece of gray stone set inside a wooden frame.
A stick of chalk.
They rubbed it clean with a rag.
A child could wipe the answer away and try once more.
Paper was hard to get, and a slate could be used over and over.
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 slate, frame, chalk, rag and practice 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 "A Slate and a Rag for School"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 116 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 1.5. 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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