2nd grade nonfiction passage about making a new rule together: 128 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionmaking a new rule together128 words
How a Class Idea Becomes a Rule
Rules do not just appear. A town makes a new rule in steps. A class can do it in a small way, and the steps are much the same.
First, someone has a problem. Maybe the line for the water fountain is too long and loud. That student has an idea for a new rule.
Next, the class talks about the idea. Some students may like it. Others may ask questions or want to change it. Everybody gets a turn to speak.
Then the class votes. If more students say yes, the idea becomes a rule. Someone writes it on a chart so that it is easy to see.
Later, the class can look at the rule again. If it does not work well, they can change it.
Questions
What is the problem at the water fountain? in the text
What does the class do after it hears the idea? in the text
How does the class decide if the idea becomes a rule? in the text
Where does someone write the new rule? in the text
Why might a class look at a rule again later? think about it
Words to know
rule
a thing that tells people what they may or may not do
vote
to choose by saying yes or no
idea
a thought about what to do
steps
parts of a job that you do one after another
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
How a Class Idea Becomes a Rule
2nd grade reading passage
Rules do not just appear. A town makes a new rule in steps. A class can do it in a small way, and the steps are much the same.
First, someone has a problem. Maybe the line for the water fountain is too long and loud. That student has an idea for a new rule.
Next, the class talks about the idea. Some students may like it. Others may ask questions or want to change it. Everybody gets a turn to speak.
Then the class votes. If more students say yes, the idea becomes a rule. Someone writes it on a chart so that it is easy to see.
Later, the class can look at the rule again. If it does not work well, they can change it.
Questions
What is the problem at the water fountain?
What does the class do after it hears the idea?
How does the class decide if the idea becomes a rule?
Where does someone write the new rule?
Why might a class look at a rule again later?
Words to know
rule: a thing that tells people what they may or may not do
vote: to choose by saying yes or no
idea: a thought about what to do
steps: parts of a job that you do one after another
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/how-a-class-idea-becomes-a-rule
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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 · 107 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.5
Rules do not just appear. A town makes a new rule in steps. A class can do the same in a small way.
First, someone has a problem. The line at the water fountain is too long and loud. A student has an idea for a rule.
Next, the class talks about the idea. Some like it. Others ask questions or want to change it. Each person gets a turn.
Then the class votes. If more say yes, the idea is a rule. Someone writes it on a chart.
Later, the class can look at the rule again. If it does not work, they can change it.
▲ This passage · 128 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.3
Rules do not just appear. A town makes a new rule in steps. A class can do it in a small way, and the steps are much the same.
First, someone has a problem. Maybe the line for the water fountain is too long and loud. That student has an idea for a new rule.
Next, the class talks about the idea. Some students may like it. Others may ask questions or want to change it. Everybody gets a turn to speak.
Then the class votes. If more students say yes, the idea becomes a rule. Someone writes it on a chart so that it is easy to see.
Later, the class can look at the rule again. If it does not work well, they can change it.
■ Harder · 149 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.7
Rules do not simply appear out of nowhere. A town makes a new rule by following a series of steps, and a class can do much the same thing on a smaller scale.
To begin with, someone notices a problem. Perhaps the line for the water fountain has become much too long and noisy, so one student comes up with an idea for a new rule.
After that, the class discusses the idea. Some students may like it, while others may ask questions or want to change it. Everybody is given a turn to speak.
Then the class takes a vote. If more students say yes, the idea becomes a rule, and someone writes it on a chart where it is easy to see.
At a later time, the class can look at the rule again, and if it does not work well, they are free to change it.
Rules do not just appear. A town makes a new rule in steps. A class can do the same in a small way.
First, someone has a problem. The line at the water fountain is too long and loud. A student has an idea for a rule.
Next, the class talks about the idea. Some like it. Others ask questions or want to change it. Each person gets a turn.
Then the class votes. If more say yes, the idea is a rule. Someone writes it on a chart.
Later, the class can look at the rule again. If it does not work, they can change it.
Questions
What is the problem at the water fountain?
What does the class do after it hears the idea?
How does the class decide?
Where does someone write the new rule?
Why might the class look at a rule again?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
How a Class Idea Becomes a Rule
Rules do not just appear. A town makes a new rule in steps. A class can do it in a small way, and the steps are much the same.
First, someone has a problem. Maybe the line for the water fountain is too long and loud. That student has an idea for a new rule.
Next, the class talks about the idea. Some students may like it. Others may ask questions or want to change it. Everybody gets a turn to speak.
Then the class votes. If more students say yes, the idea becomes a rule. Someone writes it on a chart so that it is easy to see.
Later, the class can look at the rule again. If it does not work well, they can change it.
Questions
What is the problem at the water fountain?
What does the class do after it hears the idea?
How does the class decide if the idea becomes a rule?
Where does someone write the new rule?
Why might a class look at a rule again later?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
How a Class Idea Becomes a Rule
Rules do not simply appear out of nowhere. A town makes a new rule by following a series of steps, and a class can do much the same thing on a smaller scale.
To begin with, someone notices a problem. Perhaps the line for the water fountain has become much too long and noisy, so one student comes up with an idea for a new rule.
After that, the class discusses the idea. Some students may like it, while others may ask questions or want to change it. Everybody is given a turn to speak.
Then the class takes a vote. If more students say yes, the idea becomes a rule, and someone writes it on a chart where it is easy to see.
At a later time, the class can look at the rule again, and if it does not work well, they are free to change it.
Questions
What is the problem at the water fountain?
What does the class do after it hears the idea?
How does the class decide whether the idea becomes a rule?
Where does someone write down the new rule?
Why might a class look at a rule again at a later time?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: How a Class Idea Becomes a Rule
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.5)
The line is too long and loud.
It talks about the idea.
It votes.
On a chart.
If it does not work, they can change it.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.3)
The line is too long and loud.
It talks about the idea.
It votes.
On a chart.
If the rule does not work well, they can change it.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.7)
The line has become much too long and noisy.
It discusses the idea.
It takes a vote.
On a chart where it is easy to see.
If the rule does not work well, they are free to change it.
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 rule, vote, idea and steps 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 "How a Class Idea Becomes a Rule"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 128 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.3. 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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