2nd grade nonfiction passage about escalators: 147 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionescalators147 words
Escalator Stairs That Never Stop
An escalator is a set of stairs that moves. You step on at the bottom and ride up to the next floor. You do not have to climb at all.
How does it work? The steps are joined together in one long loop, like a chain. A strong motor turns the loop around and around. The steps you see going up are just one side of the loop. Below them, the other steps ride back down, out of sight.
At the bottom, each step comes out flat, so it is easy to step on. As it rises, it forms a stair. At the top, it flattens out again and slides away under the floor.
There is also a black handrail that moves along at the same speed as the steps. Hold on to it, and stand still on the step. Keep your shoes away from the sides.
Questions
What is an escalator? in the text
What turns the loop of steps? in the text
Where do the steps go after they slide under the floor at the top? in the text
What does a step look like when it first comes out at the bottom? in the text
How fast does the handrail move? in the text
Why is it safe to stand still on an escalator step? think about it
Words to know
escalator
a moving set of stairs that carries people up or down
motor
a machine part that makes things turn
loop
a chain or path that goes around in a circle
handrail
a bar to hold on to while you ride or climb
flattens
becomes flat like a floor
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Escalator Stairs That Never Stop
2nd grade reading passage
An escalator is a set of stairs that moves. You step on at the bottom and ride up to the next floor. You do not have to climb at all.
How does it work? The steps are joined together in one long loop, like a chain. A strong motor turns the loop around and around. The steps you see going up are just one side of the loop. Below them, the other steps ride back down, out of sight.
At the bottom, each step comes out flat, so it is easy to step on. As it rises, it forms a stair. At the top, it flattens out again and slides away under the floor.
There is also a black handrail that moves along at the same speed as the steps. Hold on to it, and stand still on the step. Keep your shoes away from the sides.
Questions
What is an escalator?
What turns the loop of steps?
Where do the steps go after they slide under the floor at the top?
What does a step look like when it first comes out at the bottom?
How fast does the handrail move?
Why is it safe to stand still on an escalator step?
Words to know
escalator: a moving set of stairs that carries people up or down
motor: a machine part that makes things turn
loop: a chain or path that goes around in a circle
handrail: a bar to hold on to while you ride or climb
flattens: becomes flat like a floor
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/escalator-stairs-that-never-stop
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 · 123 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.3
An escalator is a set of stairs that moves. You step on at the bottom. You ride up to the next floor. You do not climb.
How does it work? The steps are joined in one long loop, like a chain. A strong motor turns the loop. The steps you see going up are one side of the loop. The other steps ride down below, out of sight.
At the bottom, each step is flat. It is easy to step on. As it rises, it makes a stair. At the top, it goes flat and slides under the floor.
A black handrail moves at the same speed as the steps. Hold on to it. Stand still. Keep your shoes away from the sides.
▲ This passage · 147 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.1
An escalator is a set of stairs that moves. You step on at the bottom and ride up to the next floor. You do not have to climb at all.
How does it work? The steps are joined together in one long loop, like a chain. A strong motor turns the loop around and around. The steps you see going up are just one side of the loop. Below them, the other steps ride back down, out of sight.
At the bottom, each step comes out flat, so it is easy to step on. As it rises, it forms a stair. At the top, it flattens out again and slides away under the floor.
There is also a black handrail that moves along at the same speed as the steps. Hold on to it, and stand still on the step. Keep your shoes away from the sides.
■ Harder · 158 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4
An escalator is a set of stairs that moves all by itself. You step on at the bottom, and it carries you up to the next floor, so you never have to climb at all.
How does it work? The steps are linked together in one long loop, much like the links of a chain. A strong motor turns the loop around and around. The steps that you see traveling upward are only one side of the loop. Underneath them, the other steps ride back down, hidden from view.
At the bottom, each step comes out flat, which makes it easy to step onto. As it rises, it turns into a stair. When it reaches the top, it flattens out again and slides away beneath the floor.
A black handrail also moves along at exactly the same speed as the steps. Hold on to it, stand still on your step, and keep your shoes away from the sides.
An escalator is a set of stairs that moves. You step on at the bottom. You ride up to the next floor. You do not climb.
How does it work? The steps are joined in one long loop, like a chain. A strong motor turns the loop. The steps you see going up are one side of the loop. The other steps ride down below, out of sight.
At the bottom, each step is flat. It is easy to step on. As it rises, it makes a stair. At the top, it goes flat and slides under the floor.
A black handrail moves at the same speed as the steps. Hold on to it. Stand still. Keep your shoes away from the sides.
Questions
What is an escalator?
What turns the loop of steps?
Where do the steps go after they slide under the floor at the top?
What does a step look like at the bottom?
How fast does the handrail move?
Why can you stand still on an escalator?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Escalator Stairs That Never Stop
An escalator is a set of stairs that moves. You step on at the bottom and ride up to the next floor. You do not have to climb at all.
How does it work? The steps are joined together in one long loop, like a chain. A strong motor turns the loop around and around. The steps you see going up are just one side of the loop. Below them, the other steps ride back down, out of sight.
At the bottom, each step comes out flat, so it is easy to step on. As it rises, it forms a stair. At the top, it flattens out again and slides away under the floor.
There is also a black handrail that moves along at the same speed as the steps. Hold on to it, and stand still on the step. Keep your shoes away from the sides.
Questions
What is an escalator?
What turns the loop of steps?
Where do the steps go after they slide under the floor at the top?
What does a step look like when it first comes out at the bottom?
How fast does the handrail move?
Why is it safe to stand still on an escalator step?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Escalator Stairs That Never Stop
An escalator is a set of stairs that moves all by itself. You step on at the bottom, and it carries you up to the next floor, so you never have to climb at all.
How does it work? The steps are linked together in one long loop, much like the links of a chain. A strong motor turns the loop around and around. The steps that you see traveling upward are only one side of the loop. Underneath them, the other steps ride back down, hidden from view.
At the bottom, each step comes out flat, which makes it easy to step onto. As it rises, it turns into a stair. When it reaches the top, it flattens out again and slides away beneath the floor.
A black handrail also moves along at exactly the same speed as the steps. Hold on to it, stand still on your step, and keep your shoes away from the sides.
Questions
What is an escalator?
What turns the loop of steps around and around?
Where do the steps go after they slide beneath the floor at the top?
What does a step look like when it first comes out at the bottom?
How fast does the handrail travel?
Why is it safe to stand still on an escalator step?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Escalator Stairs That Never Stop
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.3)
A set of stairs that moves.
A strong motor.
They ride down below, out of sight.
It is flat.
At the same speed as the steps.
The steps carry you up, so you do not climb.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.1)
A set of stairs that moves.
A strong motor.
They ride back down below, out of sight.
It is flat.
At the same speed as the steps.
The steps carry you up, so you do not have to climb.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4)
A set of stairs that moves by itself.
A strong motor.
They ride back down, hidden from view.
It is flat, which makes it easy to step onto.
At exactly the same speed as the steps.
The steps carry you upward, so you never have to climb.
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 escalator, motor, loop, handrail and flattens 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 "Escalator Stairs That Never Stop"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 147 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.1. 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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