2nd grade nonfiction passage about telling time: 114 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictiontelling time114 words
Reading a Clock
A clock helps us know what time it is. Most clocks have a round face with the numbers one through twelve. They also have two hands that point to the numbers.
The short hand is the hour hand. It tells us the hour. The long hand is the minute hand. It tells us the minutes. The long hand moves faster than the short hand.
When the long hand points straight up to the twelve, it is exactly on the hour. If the short hand points to three, the time is three o'clock.
There are sixty minutes in one hour. When the long hand goes all the way around the clock, one hour has passed.
Questions
What numbers are on most clock faces? in the text
Which hand is the hour hand? in the text
Which hand tells us the minutes? in the text
What time is it when the long hand points to twelve and the short hand points to three? in the text
How many minutes are in one hour? in the text
The long hand goes all the way around the clock. How much time has passed? think about it
Words to know
hour
sixty minutes of time
minute
a short bit of time, sixty of them make an hour
hands
the pointers on a clock
exactly
with nothing more or less
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Reading a Clock
2nd grade reading passage
A clock helps us know what time it is. Most clocks have a round face with the numbers one through twelve. They also have two hands that point to the numbers.
The short hand is the hour hand. It tells us the hour. The long hand is the minute hand. It tells us the minutes. The long hand moves faster than the short hand.
When the long hand points straight up to the twelve, it is exactly on the hour. If the short hand points to three, the time is three o'clock.
There are sixty minutes in one hour. When the long hand goes all the way around the clock, one hour has passed.
Questions
What numbers are on most clock faces?
Which hand is the hour hand?
Which hand tells us the minutes?
What time is it when the long hand points to twelve and the short hand points to three?
How many minutes are in one hour?
The long hand goes all the way around the clock. How much time has passed?
Words to know
hour: sixty minutes of time
minute: a short bit of time, sixty of them make an hour
hands: the pointers on a clock
exactly: with nothing more or less
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/reading-a-clock
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 · 101 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.4
A clock tells us the time. Most clocks are round. They have the numbers one to twelve. They have two hands. The hands point to the numbers.
The short hand is the hour hand. It tells the hour. The long hand is the minute hand. It tells the minutes. The long hand moves faster.
The long hand may point up to the twelve. Then it is on the hour. The short hand may point to three. Then it is three o'clock.
There are sixty minutes in an hour. The long hand goes all the way around. Then one hour has passed.
▲ This passage · 114 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2
A clock helps us know what time it is. Most clocks have a round face with the numbers one through twelve. They also have two hands that point to the numbers.
The short hand is the hour hand. It tells us the hour. The long hand is the minute hand. It tells us the minutes. The long hand moves faster than the short hand.
When the long hand points straight up to the twelve, it is exactly on the hour. If the short hand points to three, the time is three o'clock.
There are sixty minutes in one hour. When the long hand goes all the way around the clock, one hour has passed.
■ Harder · 129 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.3
A clock allows us to know exactly what time it is. Most clocks have a round face marked with the numbers from one through twelve. They also have two hands that point toward those numbers.
The short hand is called the hour hand, and it shows us the hour. The long hand is called the minute hand, and it shows us the minutes. The long hand moves much faster than the short hand does.
When the long hand points straight up to the twelve, it is exactly on the hour. If the short hand is pointing to three at that moment, then the time is three o'clock.
One hour contains sixty minutes. Whenever the long hand travels all the way around the clock face, one full hour has passed.
A clock tells us the time. Most clocks are round. They have the numbers one to twelve. They have two hands. The hands point to the numbers.
The short hand is the hour hand. It tells the hour. The long hand is the minute hand. It tells the minutes. The long hand moves faster.
The long hand may point up to the twelve. Then it is on the hour. The short hand may point to three. Then it is three o'clock.
There are sixty minutes in an hour. The long hand goes all the way around. Then one hour has passed.
Questions
What numbers are on most clocks?
Which hand is the hour hand?
Which hand tells the minutes?
What time is it when the long hand is on twelve and the short hand is on three?
How many minutes are in an hour?
The long hand goes all the way around. How much time has passed?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Reading a Clock
A clock helps us know what time it is. Most clocks have a round face with the numbers one through twelve. They also have two hands that point to the numbers.
The short hand is the hour hand. It tells us the hour. The long hand is the minute hand. It tells us the minutes. The long hand moves faster than the short hand.
When the long hand points straight up to the twelve, it is exactly on the hour. If the short hand points to three, the time is three o'clock.
There are sixty minutes in one hour. When the long hand goes all the way around the clock, one hour has passed.
Questions
What numbers are on most clock faces?
Which hand is the hour hand?
Which hand tells us the minutes?
What time is it when the long hand points to twelve and the short hand points to three?
How many minutes are in one hour?
The long hand goes all the way around the clock. How much time has passed?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Reading a Clock
A clock allows us to know exactly what time it is. Most clocks have a round face marked with the numbers from one through twelve. They also have two hands that point toward those numbers.
The short hand is called the hour hand, and it shows us the hour. The long hand is called the minute hand, and it shows us the minutes. The long hand moves much faster than the short hand does.
When the long hand points straight up to the twelve, it is exactly on the hour. If the short hand is pointing to three at that moment, then the time is three o'clock.
One hour contains sixty minutes. Whenever the long hand travels all the way around the clock face, one full hour has passed.
Questions
Which numbers are marked on the face of most clocks?
Which hand is called the hour hand?
Which hand shows the minutes?
What time is it when the long hand points to twelve and the short hand points to three?
How many minutes does one hour contain?
The long hand travels all the way around the clock face. How much time has passed, and how do you know?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Reading a Clock
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.4)
One to twelve.
The short hand.
The long hand.
Three o'clock.
Sixty.
One hour, because sixty minutes make an hour.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2)
The numbers one through twelve.
The short hand.
The long hand.
Three o'clock.
Sixty minutes.
One hour, because the long hand is the minute hand and sixty minutes make an hour.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.3)
The numbers from one through twelve.
The short hand.
The long hand.
Three o'clock.
Sixty minutes.
One hour, because the long hand shows minutes and there are sixty minutes in an hour.
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 hour, minute, hands and exactly 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 6 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.
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 114 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 1.2. 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 six. 5 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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