2nd grade fiction passage about learning to knit: 131 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradefictionlearning to knit131 words
Ines Knits a Scarf Full of Holes
Ines wanted to knit a scarf for her dad. Her neighbor Mrs. Chen gave her two wooden needles and a ball of green yarn. "Go slowly," said Mrs. Chen.
Ines knit one row. It looked fine. She knit another row. Then she saw a hole. Then she saw three more holes. The scarf looked like a piece of cheese.
"I dropped stitches," she groaned. She pulled out the yarn to start over.
The next time, Ines counted each stitch out loud. She kept the yarn snug on her finger. After many days, the scarf was long and even. It had one small hole near the end.
Ines gave it to her dad. He wrapped it around his neck. "I love the hole," he said. "It lets me know you made it."
Questions
Who gave Ines the needles and yarn? in the text
What color was the yarn? in the text
What did the first scarf look like? in the text
What did Ines do the second time to knit better? in the text
Why did Dad say he loved the hole? think about it
Words to know
knit
to make cloth by looping yarn with two long needles
yarn
thick thread used for knitting
stitch
one small loop of yarn in knitting
snug
held close and tight
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Ines Knits a Scarf Full of Holes
2nd grade reading passage
Ines wanted to knit a scarf for her dad. Her neighbor Mrs. Chen gave her two wooden needles and a ball of green yarn. "Go slowly," said Mrs. Chen.
Ines knit one row. It looked fine. She knit another row. Then she saw a hole. Then she saw three more holes. The scarf looked like a piece of cheese.
"I dropped stitches," she groaned. She pulled out the yarn to start over.
The next time, Ines counted each stitch out loud. She kept the yarn snug on her finger. After many days, the scarf was long and even. It had one small hole near the end.
Ines gave it to her dad. He wrapped it around his neck. "I love the hole," he said. "It lets me know you made it."
Questions
Who gave Ines the needles and yarn?
What color was the yarn?
What did the first scarf look like?
What did Ines do the second time to knit better?
Why did Dad say he loved the hole?
Words to know
knit: to make cloth by looping yarn with two long needles
yarn: thick thread used for knitting
stitch: one small loop of yarn in knitting
snug: held close and tight
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/ines-knits-a-scarf-full-of-holes
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 · 103 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.2
Ines wanted to knit a scarf for her dad. Mrs. Chen gave her two wooden needles and green yarn. "Go slowly," said Mrs. Chen.
Ines knit one row. It looked fine. She knit another row. Then she saw a hole. Then she saw more holes. The scarf looked like cheese.
"I dropped stitches," she said. She pulled out the yarn to start again.
This time, Ines counted each stitch. She held the yarn snug. After many days, the scarf was long. It had one small hole.
She gave it to her dad. "I love the hole," he said. "It shows you made it."
▲ This passage · 131 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.6
Ines wanted to knit a scarf for her dad. Her neighbor Mrs. Chen gave her two wooden needles and a ball of green yarn. "Go slowly," said Mrs. Chen.
Ines knit one row. It looked fine. She knit another row. Then she saw a hole. Then she saw three more holes. The scarf looked like a piece of cheese.
"I dropped stitches," she groaned. She pulled out the yarn to start over.
The next time, Ines counted each stitch out loud. She kept the yarn snug on her finger. After many days, the scarf was long and even. It had one small hole near the end.
Ines gave it to her dad. He wrapped it around his neck. "I love the hole," he said. "It lets me know you made it."
■ Harder · 154 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.4
Ines decided to knit a scarf for her dad. Her kind neighbor Mrs. Chen lent her two wooden needles and a ball of green yarn. "Go slowly and be patient," Mrs. Chen advised.
Ines knit one row, and it looked perfectly fine. She knit another row, and then she noticed a hole. Soon she spotted three more holes. The scarf looked just like a piece of cheese.
"I dropped some stitches," she groaned. Sadly, she pulled out all of the yarn so that she could begin again.
The second time, Ines counted every stitch out loud and kept the yarn snug around her finger. After many days of practice, the scarf was long and even. It had only one small hole, near the very end.
Ines presented it to her dad, and he wrapped it around his neck. "I love the hole," he said warmly. "It lets everyone know that you made it yourself."
Ines wanted to knit a scarf for her dad. Mrs. Chen gave her two wooden needles and green yarn. "Go slowly," said Mrs. Chen.
Ines knit one row. It looked fine. She knit another row. Then she saw a hole. Then she saw more holes. The scarf looked like cheese.
"I dropped stitches," she said. She pulled out the yarn to start again.
This time, Ines counted each stitch. She held the yarn snug. After many days, the scarf was long. It had one small hole.
She gave it to her dad. "I love the hole," he said. "It shows you made it."
Questions
Who gave Ines the needles and yarn?
What color was the yarn?
What did the first scarf look like?
What did Ines do the second time?
Why did Dad love the hole?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Ines Knits a Scarf Full of Holes
Ines wanted to knit a scarf for her dad. Her neighbor Mrs. Chen gave her two wooden needles and a ball of green yarn. "Go slowly," said Mrs. Chen.
Ines knit one row. It looked fine. She knit another row. Then she saw a hole. Then she saw three more holes. The scarf looked like a piece of cheese.
"I dropped stitches," she groaned. She pulled out the yarn to start over.
The next time, Ines counted each stitch out loud. She kept the yarn snug on her finger. After many days, the scarf was long and even. It had one small hole near the end.
Ines gave it to her dad. He wrapped it around his neck. "I love the hole," he said. "It lets me know you made it."
Questions
Who gave Ines the needles and yarn?
What color was the yarn?
What did the first scarf look like?
What did Ines do the second time to knit better?
Why did Dad say he loved the hole?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Ines Knits a Scarf Full of Holes
Ines decided to knit a scarf for her dad. Her kind neighbor Mrs. Chen lent her two wooden needles and a ball of green yarn. "Go slowly and be patient," Mrs. Chen advised.
Ines knit one row, and it looked perfectly fine. She knit another row, and then she noticed a hole. Soon she spotted three more holes. The scarf looked just like a piece of cheese.
"I dropped some stitches," she groaned. Sadly, she pulled out all of the yarn so that she could begin again.
The second time, Ines counted every stitch out loud and kept the yarn snug around her finger. After many days of practice, the scarf was long and even. It had only one small hole, near the very end.
Ines presented it to her dad, and he wrapped it around his neck. "I love the hole," he said warmly. "It lets everyone know that you made it yourself."
Questions
Who lent Ines the needles and yarn?
What color was the ball of yarn?
What did the first scarf look like?
What did Ines do differently the second time she knit?
Why did Dad say that he loved the hole?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Ines Knits a Scarf Full of Holes
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.2)
Mrs. Chen.
Green.
Cheese, because it had holes.
She counted each stitch and held the yarn snug.
It showed that Ines made the scarf.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.6)
Her neighbor Mrs. Chen.
Green.
A piece of cheese, because it had holes.
She counted each stitch out loud and kept the yarn snug.
It showed that his daughter made the scarf herself.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.4)
Her neighbor Mrs. Chen.
Green.
A piece of cheese, because it had many holes.
She counted every stitch out loud and kept the yarn snug around her finger.
It showed everyone that his daughter had made the scarf herself.
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 knit, yarn, stitch and snug 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 "Ines Knits a Scarf Full of Holes"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 131 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 0.6. 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.