2nd grade nonfiction passage about harbor pilot: 156 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionharbor pilot156 words
A Small Boat Guides a Giant Ship
A huge ship sails across the ocean. It has a captain who knows how to steer it. But the captain may never have seen the harbor ahead. The water there can be narrow and shallow in places.
So a harbor pilot comes to help. The pilot is a worker who knows one harbor very well. A small boat carries the pilot out to the ship. Then the pilot climbs up a ladder on the side of the ship. This is a hard climb, and the pilot is trained to do it safely.
On the ship, the pilot goes to the front room where the captain stands. The pilot tells the captain where to turn and how fast to go. Together they guide the ship past rocks and sandy spots.
When the ship is safely tied up at the dock, the pilot climbs down. A small boat takes the pilot home to wait for the next ship.
Questions
Why does a ship need a harbor pilot? in the text
How does the pilot get out to the ship? in the text
What does the pilot tell the captain? in the text
What does the pilot do when the ship is tied up at the dock? in the text
Why does the pilot need to know one harbor very well? think about it
Words to know
harbor
a safe place by the shore where ships stop
pilot
a person who guides a ship or plane
narrow
not wide
shallow
not deep
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
A Small Boat Guides a Giant Ship
2nd grade reading passage
A huge ship sails across the ocean. It has a captain who knows how to steer it. But the captain may never have seen the harbor ahead. The water there can be narrow and shallow in places.
So a harbor pilot comes to help. The pilot is a worker who knows one harbor very well. A small boat carries the pilot out to the ship. Then the pilot climbs up a ladder on the side of the ship. This is a hard climb, and the pilot is trained to do it safely.
On the ship, the pilot goes to the front room where the captain stands. The pilot tells the captain where to turn and how fast to go. Together they guide the ship past rocks and sandy spots.
When the ship is safely tied up at the dock, the pilot climbs down. A small boat takes the pilot home to wait for the next ship.
Questions
Why does a ship need a harbor pilot?
How does the pilot get out to the ship?
What does the pilot tell the captain?
What does the pilot do when the ship is tied up at the dock?
Why does the pilot need to know one harbor very well?
Words to know
harbor: a safe place by the shore where ships stop
pilot: a person who guides a ship or plane
narrow: not wide
shallow: not deep
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/a-small-boat-guides-a-giant-ship
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 · 114 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.4
A huge ship sails the sea. The captain knows how to steer it. But the captain may not know the harbor. The water can be narrow. It can be shallow too.
So a harbor pilot helps. The pilot knows one harbor well. A small boat takes the pilot to the ship. The pilot climbs a ladder up the side. The pilot is trained to do this safely.
On the ship, the pilot goes to the captain. The pilot says where to turn and how fast to go. Together they guide the ship past rocks and sand.
The ship ties up at the dock. The pilot climbs down. A small boat takes the pilot home.
▲ This passage · 156 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.2
A huge ship sails across the ocean. It has a captain who knows how to steer it. But the captain may never have seen the harbor ahead. The water there can be narrow and shallow in places.
So a harbor pilot comes to help. The pilot is a worker who knows one harbor very well. A small boat carries the pilot out to the ship. Then the pilot climbs up a ladder on the side of the ship. This is a hard climb, and the pilot is trained to do it safely.
On the ship, the pilot goes to the front room where the captain stands. The pilot tells the captain where to turn and how fast to go. Together they guide the ship past rocks and sandy spots.
When the ship is safely tied up at the dock, the pilot climbs down. A small boat takes the pilot home to wait for the next ship.
■ Harder · 154 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.2
An enormous ship sails across the ocean, and its captain knows exactly how to steer it. However, the captain may never have visited the harbor ahead, where the water can be narrow and shallow in places.
For that reason, a harbor pilot comes aboard to help. The pilot is a worker who knows a single harbor extremely well. A small boat carries the pilot out to the ship, and then the pilot climbs a ladder up the ship's side. The climb is difficult, but pilots are trained to do it safely.
Once on board, the pilot joins the captain at the front of the ship and explains where to turn and how fast to travel. Together, they guide the ship past rocks and sandy spots.
After the ship is safely tied up at the dock, the pilot climbs back down. A small boat then carries the pilot home to wait for the next ship.
A huge ship sails the sea. The captain knows how to steer it. But the captain may not know the harbor. The water can be narrow. It can be shallow too.
So a harbor pilot helps. The pilot knows one harbor well. A small boat takes the pilot to the ship. The pilot climbs a ladder up the side. The pilot is trained to do this safely.
On the ship, the pilot goes to the captain. The pilot says where to turn and how fast to go. Together they guide the ship past rocks and sand.
The ship ties up at the dock. The pilot climbs down. A small boat takes the pilot home.
Questions
Why does a ship need a harbor pilot?
How does the pilot get to the ship?
What does the pilot tell the captain?
What does the pilot do when the ship is tied up?
Why must the pilot know one harbor well?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
A Small Boat Guides a Giant Ship
A huge ship sails across the ocean. It has a captain who knows how to steer it. But the captain may never have seen the harbor ahead. The water there can be narrow and shallow in places.
So a harbor pilot comes to help. The pilot is a worker who knows one harbor very well. A small boat carries the pilot out to the ship. Then the pilot climbs up a ladder on the side of the ship. This is a hard climb, and the pilot is trained to do it safely.
On the ship, the pilot goes to the front room where the captain stands. The pilot tells the captain where to turn and how fast to go. Together they guide the ship past rocks and sandy spots.
When the ship is safely tied up at the dock, the pilot climbs down. A small boat takes the pilot home to wait for the next ship.
Questions
Why does a ship need a harbor pilot?
How does the pilot get out to the ship?
What does the pilot tell the captain?
What does the pilot do when the ship is tied up at the dock?
Why does the pilot need to know one harbor very well?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
A Small Boat Guides a Giant Ship
An enormous ship sails across the ocean, and its captain knows exactly how to steer it. However, the captain may never have visited the harbor ahead, where the water can be narrow and shallow in places.
For that reason, a harbor pilot comes aboard to help. The pilot is a worker who knows a single harbor extremely well. A small boat carries the pilot out to the ship, and then the pilot climbs a ladder up the ship's side. The climb is difficult, but pilots are trained to do it safely.
Once on board, the pilot joins the captain at the front of the ship and explains where to turn and how fast to travel. Together, they guide the ship past rocks and sandy spots.
After the ship is safely tied up at the dock, the pilot climbs back down. A small boat then carries the pilot home to wait for the next ship.
Questions
Why does a ship need a harbor pilot?
How does the pilot reach the ship?
What does the pilot explain to the captain?
What does the pilot do after the ship is tied up at the dock?
Why does the pilot need to know a single harbor extremely well?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: A Small Boat Guides a Giant Ship
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.4)
The captain may not know the harbor, and the water can be narrow and shallow.
A small boat takes the pilot, who climbs a ladder.
Where to turn and how fast to go.
The pilot climbs down and goes home on a small boat.
The pilot can show the ship where the rocks and shallow spots are.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.2)
The captain may not know the harbor, and the water can be narrow and shallow.
A small boat carries the pilot, who then climbs a ladder.
Where to turn and how fast to go.
The pilot climbs down and goes home on a small boat.
He or she can show the ship where the rocks and shallow spots are.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.2)
The captain may never have visited the harbor, and the water can be narrow and shallow.
A small boat carries the pilot out, and then the pilot climbs a ladder.
Where to turn and how fast to travel.
The pilot climbs down and rides a small boat home.
The pilot can show the ship where the rocks and shallow spots are.
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 harbor, pilot, narrow and shallow 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 2 minutes 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 Small Boat Guides a Giant Ship"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 156 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.2. 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 2 minutes 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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