2nd grade nonfiction passage about how dolphins communicate: 134 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionhow dolphins communicate134 words
Dolphins Click and Whistle
Dolphins live in the sea, and they love to talk. They do not use words like we do. They use sounds and moves.
A dolphin can whistle. Each dolphin has its own whistle, a bit like a name. Other dolphins in the group know who is calling.
A dolphin can also make clicks. The clicks travel through the water and bounce off things, like a fish or a rock. The dolphin listens for the echo. This tells it where things are, even in cloudy water.
Dolphins use their bodies to send messages too. They may slap their tails on the water. They may leap high into the air. They may also rub against each other to show they are friends.
A group of dolphins is called a pod. Talking helps the pod stay together.
Questions
What kinds of sounds can a dolphin make? in the text
How is a dolphin's whistle like a name? in the text
What does a dolphin listen for after it clicks? in the text
What is a group of dolphins called? in the text
Why are clicks helpful in cloudy water? think about it
Words to know
echo
a sound that bounces back to you
pod
a group of dolphins
whistle
a high sound made by blowing air
leap
to jump high
message
information you send to someone
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Dolphins Click and Whistle
2nd grade reading passage
Dolphins live in the sea, and they love to talk. They do not use words like we do. They use sounds and moves.
A dolphin can whistle. Each dolphin has its own whistle, a bit like a name. Other dolphins in the group know who is calling.
A dolphin can also make clicks. The clicks travel through the water and bounce off things, like a fish or a rock. The dolphin listens for the echo. This tells it where things are, even in cloudy water.
Dolphins use their bodies to send messages too. They may slap their tails on the water. They may leap high into the air. They may also rub against each other to show they are friends.
A group of dolphins is called a pod. Talking helps the pod stay together.
Questions
What kinds of sounds can a dolphin make?
How is a dolphin's whistle like a name?
What does a dolphin listen for after it clicks?
What is a group of dolphins called?
Why are clicks helpful in cloudy water?
Words to know
echo: a sound that bounces back to you
pod: a group of dolphins
whistle: a high sound made by blowing air
leap: to jump high
message: information you send to someone
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/dolphins-click-and-whistle
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 · 121 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3
Dolphins live in the sea. They love to talk. They do not use words like we do. They use sounds and moves.
A dolphin can whistle. Each dolphin has its own whistle, like a name. The other dolphins know who is calling.
A dolphin can also click. The clicks go through the water. They hit a fish or a rock and bounce back. The dolphin hears the echo. It tells the dolphin where things are, even in cloudy water.
Dolphins use their bodies too. They may slap the water with a tail. They may leap in the air. They rub on each other to show they are friends.
A group of dolphins is a pod. Talking helps the pod stay together.
▲ This passage · 134 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2
Dolphins live in the sea, and they love to talk. They do not use words like we do. They use sounds and moves.
A dolphin can whistle. Each dolphin has its own whistle, a bit like a name. Other dolphins in the group know who is calling.
A dolphin can also make clicks. The clicks travel through the water and bounce off things, like a fish or a rock. The dolphin listens for the echo. This tells it where things are, even in cloudy water.
Dolphins use their bodies to send messages too. They may slap their tails on the water. They may leap high into the air. They may also rub against each other to show they are friends.
A group of dolphins is called a pod. Talking helps the pod stay together.
■ Harder · 151 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.6
Dolphins live in the sea, and they are remarkably good at communicating. Instead of words, they rely on a mix of sounds and movements.
A dolphin can whistle, and each dolphin has its own special whistle that works somewhat like a name. When one calls out, the other dolphins in the group recognize exactly who it is.
Dolphins also make rapid clicking sounds. The clicks travel through the water, strike objects such as a fish or a rock, and bounce back. The dolphin listens carefully for the echo, which tells it where things are, even when the water is too cloudy to see clearly.
Dolphins send messages with their bodies as well. They may slap their tails against the water, leap high into the air, or rub against one another to show friendship.
A group of dolphins is called a pod, and all of this talking helps the pod stay together.
Dolphins live in the sea. They love to talk. They do not use words like we do. They use sounds and moves.
A dolphin can whistle. Each dolphin has its own whistle, like a name. The other dolphins know who is calling.
A dolphin can also click. The clicks go through the water. They hit a fish or a rock and bounce back. The dolphin hears the echo. It tells the dolphin where things are, even in cloudy water.
Dolphins use their bodies too. They may slap the water with a tail. They may leap in the air. They rub on each other to show they are friends.
A group of dolphins is a pod. Talking helps the pod stay together.
Questions
What sounds can a dolphin make?
How is a dolphin's whistle like a name?
What does a dolphin listen for after it clicks?
What is a group of dolphins called?
Why are clicks helpful in cloudy water?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Dolphins Click and Whistle
Dolphins live in the sea, and they love to talk. They do not use words like we do. They use sounds and moves.
A dolphin can whistle. Each dolphin has its own whistle, a bit like a name. Other dolphins in the group know who is calling.
A dolphin can also make clicks. The clicks travel through the water and bounce off things, like a fish or a rock. The dolphin listens for the echo. This tells it where things are, even in cloudy water.
Dolphins use their bodies to send messages too. They may slap their tails on the water. They may leap high into the air. They may also rub against each other to show they are friends.
A group of dolphins is called a pod. Talking helps the pod stay together.
Questions
What kinds of sounds can a dolphin make?
How is a dolphin's whistle like a name?
What does a dolphin listen for after it clicks?
What is a group of dolphins called?
Why are clicks helpful in cloudy water?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Dolphins Click and Whistle
Dolphins live in the sea, and they are remarkably good at communicating. Instead of words, they rely on a mix of sounds and movements.
A dolphin can whistle, and each dolphin has its own special whistle that works somewhat like a name. When one calls out, the other dolphins in the group recognize exactly who it is.
Dolphins also make rapid clicking sounds. The clicks travel through the water, strike objects such as a fish or a rock, and bounce back. The dolphin listens carefully for the echo, which tells it where things are, even when the water is too cloudy to see clearly.
Dolphins send messages with their bodies as well. They may slap their tails against the water, leap high into the air, or rub against one another to show friendship.
A group of dolphins is called a pod, and all of this talking helps the pod stay together.
Questions
What kinds of sounds does a dolphin make?
In what way is a dolphin's whistle like a name?
What does a dolphin listen for after it makes a click?
What word is used for a group of dolphins?
Why are clicks so useful when the water is cloudy?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Dolphins Click and Whistle
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3)
Whistles and clicks.
Each dolphin has its own whistle, so others know who is calling.
The echo.
A pod.
The echo tells the dolphin where things are when it cannot see well.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2)
Whistles and clicks.
Each dolphin has its own whistle, so other dolphins know who is calling.
The echo that bounces back.
A pod.
The echo tells the dolphin where things are, even when it cannot see well.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 6.6)
Whistles and rapid clicking sounds.
Each dolphin has its own special whistle, so the group knows exactly who is calling.
The echo that bounces back from objects.
A pod.
The echo shows the dolphin where things are, even when it cannot see clearly.
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 echo, pod, whistle, leap and message 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 "Dolphins Click and Whistle"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 134 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.2. 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 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.
Nothing you do here is sent to us. No sign-in, no ads.