2nd grade nonfiction passage about fire hydrant rules: 129 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionfire hydrant rules129 words
Keep the Fire Hydrant Clear
Have you seen a short metal post on the side of the street? It is often red or yellow. It is called a fire hydrant.
A fire hydrant is a place to get water. Pipes under the street bring water to it. When a fire starts, the firefighters hook a big hose to the hydrant. Then they can get lots of water fast.
That is why there is a rule about hydrants. Cars may not park next to them. A parked car could block the way. The firefighters would lose time moving it, or they might need to break a window.
Snow can block a hydrant, too. In some towns, neighbors shovel around the hydrant on their street. It is a small job that can help save a house.
Questions
What is a short metal post on the street, often red or yellow, called? in the text
What do firefighters hook to the hydrant? in the text
What is the rule about cars and hydrants? in the text
What can block a hydrant besides a car? in the text
Why would a neighbor shovel around a hydrant? think about it
Words to know
hydrant
a post on the street where firefighters get water
hose
a long, bendy tube that water flows through
block
to stand in the way so nothing can pass
shovel
to dig and lift snow with a tool
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Keep the Fire Hydrant Clear
2nd grade reading passage
Have you seen a short metal post on the side of the street? It is often red or yellow. It is called a fire hydrant.
A fire hydrant is a place to get water. Pipes under the street bring water to it. When a fire starts, the firefighters hook a big hose to the hydrant. Then they can get lots of water fast.
That is why there is a rule about hydrants. Cars may not park next to them. A parked car could block the way. The firefighters would lose time moving it, or they might need to break a window.
Snow can block a hydrant, too. In some towns, neighbors shovel around the hydrant on their street. It is a small job that can help save a house.
Questions
What is a short metal post on the street, often red or yellow, called?
What do firefighters hook to the hydrant?
What is the rule about cars and hydrants?
What can block a hydrant besides a car?
Why would a neighbor shovel around a hydrant?
Words to know
hydrant: a post on the street where firefighters get water
hose: a long, bendy tube that water flows through
block: to stand in the way so nothing can pass
shovel: to dig and lift snow with a tool
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/keep-the-fire-hydrant-clear
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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 · 96 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6
Look for a short metal post by the street. It is often red or yellow. It is a fire hydrant.
A hydrant is a place to get water. Pipes under the street bring the water. When there is a fire, firefighters hook a big hose to the hydrant. They get lots of water fast.
So there is a rule. Cars may not park by a hydrant. A car could block the way. The firefighters would lose time.
Snow can block a hydrant, too. Some neighbors shovel around it. This small job can help save a house.
▲ This passage · 129 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2
Have you seen a short metal post on the side of the street? It is often red or yellow. It is called a fire hydrant.
A fire hydrant is a place to get water. Pipes under the street bring water to it. When a fire starts, the firefighters hook a big hose to the hydrant. Then they can get lots of water fast.
That is why there is a rule about hydrants. Cars may not park next to them. A parked car could block the way. The firefighters would lose time moving it, or they might need to break a window.
Snow can block a hydrant, too. In some towns, neighbors shovel around the hydrant on their street. It is a small job that can help save a house.
■ Harder · 143 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.8
Have you ever noticed the short metal post that stands beside many streets? It is often painted red or yellow, and it is known as a fire hydrant.
A fire hydrant is a place where water can be drawn. Pipes buried under the street carry water to it. When a fire breaks out, the firefighters attach a large hose to the hydrant, which gives them plenty of water very quickly.
That is the reason for a rule about hydrants. Cars are not allowed to park next to them, because a parked car could block the way. The firefighters would lose precious time moving it, or they might even need to break a window.
Snow can block a hydrant as well. In some towns, neighbors shovel around the hydrant on their street. It is a small job that can help to save a house.
Look for a short metal post by the street. It is often red or yellow. It is a fire hydrant.
A hydrant is a place to get water. Pipes under the street bring the water. When there is a fire, firefighters hook a big hose to the hydrant. They get lots of water fast.
So there is a rule. Cars may not park by a hydrant. A car could block the way. The firefighters would lose time.
Snow can block a hydrant, too. Some neighbors shovel around it. This small job can help save a house.
Questions
What is a short metal post by the street called?
What do firefighters hook to the hydrant?
What is the rule about cars?
What else can block a hydrant?
Why would a neighbor shovel around a hydrant?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Keep the Fire Hydrant Clear
Have you seen a short metal post on the side of the street? It is often red or yellow. It is called a fire hydrant.
A fire hydrant is a place to get water. Pipes under the street bring water to it. When a fire starts, the firefighters hook a big hose to the hydrant. Then they can get lots of water fast.
That is why there is a rule about hydrants. Cars may not park next to them. A parked car could block the way. The firefighters would lose time moving it, or they might need to break a window.
Snow can block a hydrant, too. In some towns, neighbors shovel around the hydrant on their street. It is a small job that can help save a house.
Questions
What is a short metal post on the street, often red or yellow, called?
What do firefighters hook to the hydrant?
What is the rule about cars and hydrants?
What can block a hydrant besides a car?
Why would a neighbor shovel around a hydrant?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Keep the Fire Hydrant Clear
Have you ever noticed the short metal post that stands beside many streets? It is often painted red or yellow, and it is known as a fire hydrant.
A fire hydrant is a place where water can be drawn. Pipes buried under the street carry water to it. When a fire breaks out, the firefighters attach a large hose to the hydrant, which gives them plenty of water very quickly.
That is the reason for a rule about hydrants. Cars are not allowed to park next to them, because a parked car could block the way. The firefighters would lose precious time moving it, or they might even need to break a window.
Snow can block a hydrant as well. In some towns, neighbors shovel around the hydrant on their street. It is a small job that can help to save a house.
Questions
What is the short metal post beside the street called?
What do firefighters attach to the hydrant?
What is the rule about cars and hydrants?
What can block a hydrant besides a parked car?
Why would a neighbor shovel around a hydrant?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Keep the Fire Hydrant Clear
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6)
A fire hydrant.
A big hose.
Cars may not park by a hydrant.
Snow.
So the firefighters can get water fast.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.2)
A fire hydrant.
A big hose.
Cars may not park next to them.
Snow.
It keeps the hydrant clear so the firefighters can get water fast.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.8)
A fire hydrant.
A large hose.
Cars are not allowed to park next to them.
Snow.
It keeps the hydrant clear so the firefighters can get water quickly.
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 hydrant, hose, block and shovel 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 "Keep the Fire Hydrant Clear"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 129 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.2. 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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