2nd grade nonfiction passage about pottery wheel: 121 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionpottery wheel121 words
How a Lump of Clay Becomes a Bowl
A potter can turn a plain lump of clay into a bowl. The tool is a spinning wheel.
First, the potter drops the clay in the middle of the wheel. The wheel begins to turn. The potter wets both hands to keep the clay slick.
Next, the potter presses a thumb into the center. This makes a hole. Then the potter squeezes the sides gently. As the wheel spins, the walls rise up and the bowl takes shape.
When the bowl is ready, it dries for a few days. Then it is baked in a very hot oven called a kiln. The heat makes the clay hard and strong. At last, the potter may paint the bowl and bake it again.
Questions
What tool does a potter use to shape a bowl? in the text
Why does the potter wet both hands? in the text
What does the potter do with a thumb? in the text
What is the hot oven for baking clay called? in the text
Why does the bowl dry before it goes in the kiln? think about it
Words to know
potter
a person who makes bowls and pots from clay
wheel
a round disk that spins
kiln
a very hot oven for baking clay
slick
smooth and a little slippery
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
How a Lump of Clay Becomes a Bowl
2nd grade reading passage
A potter can turn a plain lump of clay into a bowl. The tool is a spinning wheel.
First, the potter drops the clay in the middle of the wheel. The wheel begins to turn. The potter wets both hands to keep the clay slick.
Next, the potter presses a thumb into the center. This makes a hole. Then the potter squeezes the sides gently. As the wheel spins, the walls rise up and the bowl takes shape.
When the bowl is ready, it dries for a few days. Then it is baked in a very hot oven called a kiln. The heat makes the clay hard and strong. At last, the potter may paint the bowl and bake it again.
Questions
What tool does a potter use to shape a bowl?
Why does the potter wet both hands?
What does the potter do with a thumb?
What is the hot oven for baking clay called?
Why does the bowl dry before it goes in the kiln?
Words to know
potter: a person who makes bowls and pots from clay
wheel: a round disk that spins
kiln: a very hot oven for baking clay
slick: smooth and a little slippery
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/how-a-lump-of-clay-becomes-a-bowl
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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 · 97 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.4
A potter can turn a lump of clay into a bowl. The tool is a spinning wheel.
First, the potter puts the clay on the middle of the wheel. The wheel turns. The potter wets both hands. This keeps the clay slick.
Next, the potter presses a thumb in the middle. That makes a hole. Then the potter squeezes the sides. The wheel spins. The walls rise up. It is a bowl!
The bowl dries for a few days. Then it is baked in a very hot oven called a kiln. The heat makes the clay hard.
▲ This passage · 121 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.8
A potter can turn a plain lump of clay into a bowl. The tool is a spinning wheel.
First, the potter drops the clay in the middle of the wheel. The wheel begins to turn. The potter wets both hands to keep the clay slick.
Next, the potter presses a thumb into the center. This makes a hole. Then the potter squeezes the sides gently. As the wheel spins, the walls rise up and the bowl takes shape.
When the bowl is ready, it dries for a few days. Then it is baked in a very hot oven called a kiln. The heat makes the clay hard and strong. At last, the potter may paint the bowl and bake it again.
■ Harder · 141 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4
A skilled potter can transform a plain lump of clay into a graceful bowl. The most important tool is a spinning wheel.
To begin, the potter drops the clay onto the center of the wheel, and the wheel starts to turn. The potter wets both hands so that the clay stays slick and smooth.
Next, the potter presses a thumb into the middle of the clay to make a hole. Then the potter gently squeezes the sides between both hands. As the wheel keeps spinning, the walls rise upward and the bowl slowly takes shape.
Once the bowl is finished, it must dry for a few days. After that, it is baked in a very hot oven called a kiln. The heat makes the clay hard and strong. Finally, the potter may paint the bowl and bake it a second time.
A potter can turn a lump of clay into a bowl. The tool is a spinning wheel.
First, the potter puts the clay on the middle of the wheel. The wheel turns. The potter wets both hands. This keeps the clay slick.
Next, the potter presses a thumb in the middle. That makes a hole. Then the potter squeezes the sides. The wheel spins. The walls rise up. It is a bowl!
The bowl dries for a few days. Then it is baked in a very hot oven called a kiln. The heat makes the clay hard.
Questions
What does a potter use to shape a bowl?
Why does the potter wet both hands?
What does the potter do with a thumb?
What is the hot oven called?
Why does the bowl dry before the kiln?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
How a Lump of Clay Becomes a Bowl
A potter can turn a plain lump of clay into a bowl. The tool is a spinning wheel.
First, the potter drops the clay in the middle of the wheel. The wheel begins to turn. The potter wets both hands to keep the clay slick.
Next, the potter presses a thumb into the center. This makes a hole. Then the potter squeezes the sides gently. As the wheel spins, the walls rise up and the bowl takes shape.
When the bowl is ready, it dries for a few days. Then it is baked in a very hot oven called a kiln. The heat makes the clay hard and strong. At last, the potter may paint the bowl and bake it again.
Questions
What tool does a potter use to shape a bowl?
Why does the potter wet both hands?
What does the potter do with a thumb?
What is the hot oven for baking clay called?
Why does the bowl dry before it goes in the kiln?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
How a Lump of Clay Becomes a Bowl
A skilled potter can transform a plain lump of clay into a graceful bowl. The most important tool is a spinning wheel.
To begin, the potter drops the clay onto the center of the wheel, and the wheel starts to turn. The potter wets both hands so that the clay stays slick and smooth.
Next, the potter presses a thumb into the middle of the clay to make a hole. Then the potter gently squeezes the sides between both hands. As the wheel keeps spinning, the walls rise upward and the bowl slowly takes shape.
Once the bowl is finished, it must dry for a few days. After that, it is baked in a very hot oven called a kiln. The heat makes the clay hard and strong. Finally, the potter may paint the bowl and bake it a second time.
Questions
What is the most important tool a potter uses to shape a bowl?
Why does the potter wet both hands?
What does the potter do with a thumb at the start?
What is the very hot oven used to bake clay called?
Why must the bowl dry before it goes into the kiln?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: How a Lump of Clay Becomes a Bowl
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.4)
A spinning wheel.
To keep the clay slick.
Presses it in the middle to make a hole.
A kiln.
Wet clay could be harmed by the heat, so it dries first.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.8)
A spinning wheel.
To keep the clay slick.
Presses it into the center to make a hole.
A kiln.
Clay that is still wet could be harmed by the heat, so it dries first.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4)
A spinning wheel.
So that the clay stays slick and smooth.
Presses it into the middle of the clay to make a hole.
A kiln.
Clay that is still wet could be harmed by the heat, so it dries first.
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 potter, wheel, kiln and slick 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 Lump of Clay Becomes a Bowl"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 121 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 1.8. 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?
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