2nd grade fiction passage about learning to juggle: 131 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradefictionlearning to juggle131 words
Marcus Juggles Three Silk Scarves
Marcus wanted to learn how to juggle. His uncle gave him three silk scarves. "Start with scarves," said Uncle Ray. "They fall slowly, so you have time to catch them."
Marcus tossed one scarf up and caught it. Then he tossed two. One floated down to the floor. He tried again and again. The scarves landed on the rug. They landed on the chair. Once, a scarf landed on the cat.
On the fifth day, Marcus tossed all three. Up went the red one. Up went the blue one. Up went the green one. He caught them, one, two, three!
"I did it!" he shouted. Uncle Ray clapped. Marcus took a big bow, and the scarves slipped out of his hand. He laughed and picked them up to try once more.
Questions
What did Uncle Ray give Marcus? in the text
Why did Uncle Ray say to start with scarves? in the text
On which day did Marcus toss all three scarves? in the text
Where did one scarf land that was funny? in the text
Why did Marcus keep trying after the scarves fell? think about it
Words to know
juggle
to toss things in the air and catch them again and again
silk
a soft, smooth cloth that is very light
bow
to bend your body forward to show thanks
tossed
threw something gently through the air
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Marcus Juggles Three Silk Scarves
2nd grade reading passage
Marcus wanted to learn how to juggle. His uncle gave him three silk scarves. "Start with scarves," said Uncle Ray. "They fall slowly, so you have time to catch them."
Marcus tossed one scarf up and caught it. Then he tossed two. One floated down to the floor. He tried again and again. The scarves landed on the rug. They landed on the chair. Once, a scarf landed on the cat.
On the fifth day, Marcus tossed all three. Up went the red one. Up went the blue one. Up went the green one. He caught them, one, two, three!
"I did it!" he shouted. Uncle Ray clapped. Marcus took a big bow, and the scarves slipped out of his hand. He laughed and picked them up to try once more.
Questions
What did Uncle Ray give Marcus?
Why did Uncle Ray say to start with scarves?
On which day did Marcus toss all three scarves?
Where did one scarf land that was funny?
Why did Marcus keep trying after the scarves fell?
Words to know
juggle: to toss things in the air and catch them again and again
silk: a soft, smooth cloth that is very light
bow: to bend your body forward to show thanks
tossed: threw something gently through the air
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/marcus-juggles-three-silk-scarves
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 · 96 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0
Marcus wanted to juggle. His uncle gave him three silk scarves. "Start with scarves," said Uncle Ray. "They fall slowly."
Marcus tossed one scarf and caught it. He tossed two. One fell on the floor. He tried again and again. A scarf landed on the rug. One landed on the chair. One landed on the cat.
On day five, Marcus tossed all three. Red went up. Blue went up. Green went up. He caught them all!
"I did it!" he said. Uncle Ray clapped. Marcus took a bow. The scarves fell. He laughed and tried again.
▲ This passage · 131 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.3
Marcus wanted to learn how to juggle. His uncle gave him three silk scarves. "Start with scarves," said Uncle Ray. "They fall slowly, so you have time to catch them."
Marcus tossed one scarf up and caught it. Then he tossed two. One floated down to the floor. He tried again and again. The scarves landed on the rug. They landed on the chair. Once, a scarf landed on the cat.
On the fifth day, Marcus tossed all three. Up went the red one. Up went the blue one. Up went the green one. He caught them, one, two, three!
"I did it!" he shouted. Uncle Ray clapped. Marcus took a big bow, and the scarves slipped out of his hand. He laughed and picked them up to try once more.
■ Harder · 150 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.3
Marcus had always wanted to learn how to juggle. For his birthday, his uncle gave him three silk scarves. "Begin with scarves," Uncle Ray advised. "They drift down slowly, so you have plenty of time to catch them."
Marcus tossed a single scarf high and caught it. Then he tried two at once, and one of them floated to the floor. He kept trying, over and over. The scarves landed on the rug, on the chair, and, one time, right on top of the sleepy cat.
On the fifth day, Marcus finally tossed all three together. The red one went up, then the blue one, then the green one. He caught them, one, two, three!
"I did it!" he shouted with joy. Uncle Ray clapped loudly. Marcus took a very big bow, and the scarves slipped out of his hand. He laughed and picked them up to try once more.
Marcus wanted to juggle. His uncle gave him three silk scarves. "Start with scarves," said Uncle Ray. "They fall slowly."
Marcus tossed one scarf and caught it. He tossed two. One fell on the floor. He tried again and again. A scarf landed on the rug. One landed on the chair. One landed on the cat.
On day five, Marcus tossed all three. Red went up. Blue went up. Green went up. He caught them all!
"I did it!" he said. Uncle Ray clapped. Marcus took a bow. The scarves fell. He laughed and tried again.
Questions
What did Uncle Ray give Marcus?
How do scarves fall?
On which day did Marcus toss all three?
Where did one scarf land that was funny?
Why did Marcus try again and again?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Marcus Juggles Three Silk Scarves
Marcus wanted to learn how to juggle. His uncle gave him three silk scarves. "Start with scarves," said Uncle Ray. "They fall slowly, so you have time to catch them."
Marcus tossed one scarf up and caught it. Then he tossed two. One floated down to the floor. He tried again and again. The scarves landed on the rug. They landed on the chair. Once, a scarf landed on the cat.
On the fifth day, Marcus tossed all three. Up went the red one. Up went the blue one. Up went the green one. He caught them, one, two, three!
"I did it!" he shouted. Uncle Ray clapped. Marcus took a big bow, and the scarves slipped out of his hand. He laughed and picked them up to try once more.
Questions
What did Uncle Ray give Marcus?
Why did Uncle Ray say to start with scarves?
On which day did Marcus toss all three scarves?
Where did one scarf land that was funny?
Why did Marcus keep trying after the scarves fell?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Marcus Juggles Three Silk Scarves
Marcus had always wanted to learn how to juggle. For his birthday, his uncle gave him three silk scarves. "Begin with scarves," Uncle Ray advised. "They drift down slowly, so you have plenty of time to catch them."
Marcus tossed a single scarf high and caught it. Then he tried two at once, and one of them floated to the floor. He kept trying, over and over. The scarves landed on the rug, on the chair, and, one time, right on top of the sleepy cat.
On the fifth day, Marcus finally tossed all three together. The red one went up, then the blue one, then the green one. He caught them, one, two, three!
"I did it!" he shouted with joy. Uncle Ray clapped loudly. Marcus took a very big bow, and the scarves slipped out of his hand. He laughed and picked them up to try once more.
Questions
What did Uncle Ray give Marcus for his birthday?
Why did Uncle Ray say to begin with scarves?
On which day did Marcus toss all three scarves together?
Where did one scarf land that was funny?
Why did Marcus keep trying after the scarves fell?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Marcus Juggles Three Silk Scarves
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0)
Three silk scarves.
Slowly.
On day five.
On the cat.
He wanted to learn to juggle.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.3)
Three silk scarves.
Scarves fall slowly, so Marcus has time to catch them.
On the fifth day.
On the cat.
He wanted to learn to juggle, and he kept practicing until he could do it.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.3)
Three silk scarves.
Scarves drift down slowly, so Marcus has plenty of time to catch them.
On the fifth day.
Right on top of the sleepy cat.
He really wanted to learn to juggle, and he knew practice would help him get better.
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 juggle, silk, bow and tossed 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 "Marcus Juggles Three Silk Scarves"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 131 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 0.3. 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.
Nothing you do here is sent to us. No sign-in, no ads.