2nd grade nonfiction passage about two kinds of drawbridge: 123 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictiontwo kinds of drawbridge123 words
Castle Drawbridges and River Drawbridges
A drawbridge is a bridge that can move. Long ago, many castles had one. It stretched over a deep ditch of water called a moat. People pulled it up with chains, and then the gate was blocked. At night, a castle could lift its bridge to keep strangers out.
Today, you can see drawbridges over rivers. They are not for keeping anyone out. They are made for tall boats. The bridge sits low, so it is easy for cars to reach. When a boat with a tall top comes, the bridge opens, and the boat sails through.
The two kinds look different, but they share one idea. Each bridge can be a road at one time and an open space at another time.
Questions
What is a drawbridge? in the text
What was a castle drawbridge built over? in the text
What did people use to pull up a castle drawbridge? in the text
Why did a castle lift its bridge at night? in the text
What does a river drawbridge let pass underneath? in the text
Why would a river town want a bridge that opens instead of a very high one? think about it
Words to know
drawbridge
a bridge that can lift up to let boats pass
chains
metal rings linked together to pull or hold
moat
a deep ditch of water around a castle
strangers
people you do not know
tall
high from the bottom to the top
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Castle Drawbridges and River Drawbridges
2nd grade reading passage
A drawbridge is a bridge that can move. Long ago, many castles had one. It stretched over a deep ditch of water called a moat. People pulled it up with chains, and then the gate was blocked. At night, a castle could lift its bridge to keep strangers out.
Today, you can see drawbridges over rivers. They are not for keeping anyone out. They are made for tall boats. The bridge sits low, so it is easy for cars to reach. When a boat with a tall top comes, the bridge opens, and the boat sails through.
The two kinds look different, but they share one idea. Each bridge can be a road at one time and an open space at another time.
Questions
What is a drawbridge?
What was a castle drawbridge built over?
What did people use to pull up a castle drawbridge?
Why did a castle lift its bridge at night?
What does a river drawbridge let pass underneath?
Why would a river town want a bridge that opens instead of a very high one?
Words to know
drawbridge: a bridge that can lift up to let boats pass
chains: metal rings linked together to pull or hold
moat: a deep ditch of water around a castle
strangers: people you do not know
tall: high from the bottom to the top
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/castle-and-river-drawbridges
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 · 110 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3
A drawbridge is a bridge that moves. Long ago, many castles had one. It crossed a deep ditch of water called a moat. People pulled it up with chains. Then the gate was blocked. At night, a castle could lift its bridge to keep strangers out.
Today, drawbridges cross rivers. They do not keep anyone out. They help tall boats. The bridge sits low, so cars reach it easily. When a boat with a tall top comes, the bridge opens. The boat sails through.
The two kinds look different. But they share one idea. Each bridge is a road at one time. It is an open space at another time.
▲ This passage · 123 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.5
A drawbridge is a bridge that can move. Long ago, many castles had one. It stretched over a deep ditch of water called a moat. People pulled it up with chains, and then the gate was blocked. At night, a castle could lift its bridge to keep strangers out.
Today, you can see drawbridges over rivers. They are not for keeping anyone out. They are made for tall boats. The bridge sits low, so it is easy for cars to reach. When a boat with a tall top comes, the bridge opens, and the boat sails through.
The two kinds look different, but they share one idea. Each bridge can be a road at one time and an open space at another time.
■ Harder · 160 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.8
Cars need a road to cross a river, but boats need the river to stay open so that they can pass through. A drawbridge is built to take care of both of those jobs.
Most of the time, a drawbridge lies flat like any other bridge, and cars and trucks drive across it. When a tall boat comes near, a bell rings and lights begin to flash. Gates come down across the road to stop the cars.
Then the bridge opens. Some drawbridges lift up in the middle, like two enormous doors swinging apart. Strong machines with gears or heavy weights do the lifting, and the boat sails through the gap.
After the boat has gone by, the bridge comes back down. The gates rise, and the cars are able to cross once more.
A drawbridge is especially useful in a place with a great many boats and a great many cars. It makes sure that everyone gets a turn.
A drawbridge is a bridge that moves. Long ago, many castles had one. It crossed a deep ditch of water called a moat. People pulled it up with chains. Then the gate was blocked. At night, a castle could lift its bridge to keep strangers out.
Today, drawbridges cross rivers. They do not keep anyone out. They help tall boats. The bridge sits low, so cars reach it easily. When a boat with a tall top comes, the bridge opens. The boat sails through.
The two kinds look different. But they share one idea. Each bridge is a road at one time. It is an open space at another time.
Questions
What is a drawbridge?
What was a castle drawbridge built over?
What did people use to pull it up?
Why did a castle lift its bridge at night?
What do river drawbridges let pass?
Why does a river bridge sit low and open only for tall boats?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Castle Drawbridges and River Drawbridges
A drawbridge is a bridge that can move. Long ago, many castles had one. It stretched over a deep ditch of water called a moat. People pulled it up with chains, and then the gate was blocked. At night, a castle could lift its bridge to keep strangers out.
Today, you can see drawbridges over rivers. They are not for keeping anyone out. They are made for tall boats. The bridge sits low, so it is easy for cars to reach. When a boat with a tall top comes, the bridge opens, and the boat sails through.
The two kinds look different, but they share one idea. Each bridge can be a road at one time and an open space at another time.
Questions
What is a drawbridge?
What was a castle drawbridge built over?
What did people use to pull up a castle drawbridge?
Why did a castle lift its bridge at night?
What does a river drawbridge let pass underneath?
Why would a river town want a bridge that opens instead of a very high one?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Castle Drawbridges and River Drawbridges
Cars need a road to cross a river, but boats need the river to stay open so that they can pass through. A drawbridge is built to take care of both of those jobs.
Most of the time, a drawbridge lies flat like any other bridge, and cars and trucks drive across it. When a tall boat comes near, a bell rings and lights begin to flash. Gates come down across the road to stop the cars.
Then the bridge opens. Some drawbridges lift up in the middle, like two enormous doors swinging apart. Strong machines with gears or heavy weights do the lifting, and the boat sails through the gap.
After the boat has gone by, the bridge comes back down. The gates rise, and the cars are able to cross once more.
A drawbridge is especially useful in a place with a great many boats and a great many cars. It makes sure that everyone gets a turn.
Questions
What two jobs does a drawbridge take care of?
What happens before the bridge opens?
What do the gates do?
What does the bridge look like when it opens?
What lifts a drawbridge?
Why must the cars wait when a tall boat comes by?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Castle Drawbridges and River Drawbridges
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3)
A bridge that moves.
A deep ditch of water called a moat.
Chains.
To keep strangers out.
Tall boats.
Cars reach it easily, and it opens only when a boat needs room.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.5)
A bridge that can lift up or open.
A deep ditch of water called a moat.
Chains.
To block the gate and keep strangers out.
Tall boats.
An opening bridge can stay low for cars, and it lifts only when a tall boat needs room.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.8)
It lets cars cross a river and lets boats pass through.
A bell rings, lights flash, and gates come down across the road.
They stop the cars.
Two parts lift up in the middle, like enormous doors swinging apart.
Strong machines with gears or heavy weights.
The bridge is open, so the road has a gap and cars cannot cross.
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 drawbridge, chains, moat, strangers and tall 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 "Castle Drawbridges and River Drawbridges"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 123 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.5. 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 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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