2nd grade fiction passage about being line leader: 129 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradefictionbeing line leader129 words
Ezra and the Wrong Door Parade
It was Ezra's turn to be line leader. He had waited all week. He stood at the front with his head held high.
"We are going to the music room," said Ms. Park. "Follow Ezra."
Ezra marched down the hall. The class marched behind him. He turned left and pushed open a door. Inside were mops, buckets, and a very surprised janitor.
"Oh!" said Ezra. His face turned red. A few kids snickered.
Ms. Park smiled. "That is the supply closet," she said. "The music room is next door, Ezra. Many leaders take a wrong turn."
Ezra took a breath. He closed the closet door and led the line one door down. This time he read the sign first. The class marched in, and Ezra felt a little braver.
Questions
Whose turn was it to be line leader? in the text
Where was the class supposed to go? in the text
What did Ezra find behind the wrong door? in the text
What did Ezra do the second time before opening a door? in the text
Why did Ms. Park say many leaders take a wrong turn? think about it
Words to know
leader
the person who goes first and shows others the way
marched
walked in a steady beat, like in a parade
janitor
a person who keeps a building clean
snickered
laughed quietly in a way that was not very kind
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Ezra and the Wrong Door Parade
2nd grade reading passage
It was Ezra's turn to be line leader. He had waited all week. He stood at the front with his head held high.
"We are going to the music room," said Ms. Park. "Follow Ezra."
Ezra marched down the hall. The class marched behind him. He turned left and pushed open a door. Inside were mops, buckets, and a very surprised janitor.
"Oh!" said Ezra. His face turned red. A few kids snickered.
Ms. Park smiled. "That is the supply closet," she said. "The music room is next door, Ezra. Many leaders take a wrong turn."
Ezra took a breath. He closed the closet door and led the line one door down. This time he read the sign first. The class marched in, and Ezra felt a little braver.
Questions
Whose turn was it to be line leader?
Where was the class supposed to go?
What did Ezra find behind the wrong door?
What did Ezra do the second time before opening a door?
Why did Ms. Park say many leaders take a wrong turn?
Words to know
leader: the person who goes first and shows others the way
marched: walked in a steady beat, like in a parade
janitor: a person who keeps a building clean
snickered: laughed quietly in a way that was not very kind
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/ezra-and-the-wrong-door-parade
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 · 100 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.9
It was Ezra's turn to be line leader. He had waited all week. He stood at the front.
"We go to the music room," said Ms. Park. "Follow Ezra."
Ezra marched down the hall. He turned left and opened a door. Inside were mops, buckets, and a surprised janitor.
"Oh!" said Ezra. His face turned red. Some kids snickered.
Ms. Park smiled. "That is the supply closet," she said. "The music room is next door. Many leaders take a wrong turn."
Ezra shut the door. He led the line to the next door. This time he read the sign first.
▲ This passage · 129 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3
It was Ezra's turn to be line leader. He had waited all week. He stood at the front with his head held high.
"We are going to the music room," said Ms. Park. "Follow Ezra."
Ezra marched down the hall. The class marched behind him. He turned left and pushed open a door. Inside were mops, buckets, and a very surprised janitor.
"Oh!" said Ezra. His face turned red. A few kids snickered.
Ms. Park smiled. "That is the supply closet," she said. "The music room is next door, Ezra. Many leaders take a wrong turn."
Ezra took a breath. He closed the closet door and led the line one door down. This time he read the sign first. The class marched in, and Ezra felt a little braver.
■ Harder · 157 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7
At long last, it was Ezra's turn to be the line leader. He had been waiting for this moment all week, and he stood at the front of the line with his head held high.
"We are heading to the music room," announced Ms. Park. "Please follow Ezra."
Ezra marched proudly down the hall, and the whole class marched behind him. He turned left and pushed open a door. Inside were mops, buckets, and a very surprised janitor.
"Oh!" gasped Ezra. His face turned bright red, and a few kids snickered.
Ms. Park smiled kindly. "That is the supply closet," she said. "The music room is right next door, Ezra. Many fine leaders take a wrong turn."
Ezra took a deep breath. He closed the closet door and led the line one door farther down the hall. This time he read the sign first, and as the class marched in, he felt a little braver than before.
It was Ezra's turn to be line leader. He had waited all week. He stood at the front.
"We go to the music room," said Ms. Park. "Follow Ezra."
Ezra marched down the hall. He turned left and opened a door. Inside were mops, buckets, and a surprised janitor.
"Oh!" said Ezra. His face turned red. Some kids snickered.
Ms. Park smiled. "That is the supply closet," she said. "The music room is next door. Many leaders take a wrong turn."
Ezra shut the door. He led the line to the next door. This time he read the sign first.
Questions
Whose turn was it to be line leader?
Where did the class need to go?
What was behind the wrong door?
What did Ezra do the second time?
Why did Ms. Park say many leaders take a wrong turn?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Ezra and the Wrong Door Parade
It was Ezra's turn to be line leader. He had waited all week. He stood at the front with his head held high.
"We are going to the music room," said Ms. Park. "Follow Ezra."
Ezra marched down the hall. The class marched behind him. He turned left and pushed open a door. Inside were mops, buckets, and a very surprised janitor.
"Oh!" said Ezra. His face turned red. A few kids snickered.
Ms. Park smiled. "That is the supply closet," she said. "The music room is next door, Ezra. Many leaders take a wrong turn."
Ezra took a breath. He closed the closet door and led the line one door down. This time he read the sign first. The class marched in, and Ezra felt a little braver.
Questions
Whose turn was it to be line leader?
Where was the class supposed to go?
What did Ezra find behind the wrong door?
What did Ezra do the second time before opening a door?
Why did Ms. Park say many leaders take a wrong turn?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Ezra and the Wrong Door Parade
At long last, it was Ezra's turn to be the line leader. He had been waiting for this moment all week, and he stood at the front of the line with his head held high.
"We are heading to the music room," announced Ms. Park. "Please follow Ezra."
Ezra marched proudly down the hall, and the whole class marched behind him. He turned left and pushed open a door. Inside were mops, buckets, and a very surprised janitor.
"Oh!" gasped Ezra. His face turned bright red, and a few kids snickered.
Ms. Park smiled kindly. "That is the supply closet," she said. "The music room is right next door, Ezra. Many fine leaders take a wrong turn."
Ezra took a deep breath. He closed the closet door and led the line one door farther down the hall. This time he read the sign first, and as the class marched in, he felt a little braver than before.
Questions
Whose turn was it to be the line leader?
Where was the class supposed to go?
What did Ezra find behind the wrong door?
What did Ezra do before opening the door the second time?
Why did Ms. Park say that many fine leaders take a wrong turn?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Ezra and the Wrong Door Parade
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.9)
Ezra's.
To the music room.
Mops, buckets, and a janitor.
He read the sign first.
So Ezra would know that everyone makes mistakes.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.3)
Ezra's.
To the music room.
Mops, buckets, and a surprised janitor.
He read the sign first.
She wanted Ezra to know that mistakes happen to everyone, so he would not feel bad.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7)
Ezra's.
To the music room.
Mops, buckets, and a very surprised janitor.
He read the sign first.
She wanted Ezra to understand that everyone makes mistakes, so he would not feel embarrassed.
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 leader, marched, janitor and snickered on the board with their meanings from the Words to know section and have students predict what the story 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 retell the story in three sentences: how it began, what the problem was, and how it ended.
Print the student copy for independent work and keep the answer-key copy for yourself.
What reading level is "Ezra and the Wrong Door Parade"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 129 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 1.3. 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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