2nd grade nonfiction passage about a frozen lake in siberia: 113 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictiona frozen lake in siberia113 words
Seeing Through the Ice of Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is a very big lake in Russia. Its water is clean and clear. In summer, people can look down and see rocks far below the boat.
In winter, it gets very cold there. The lake freezes over. The ice gets so thick that trucks can drive on it. People must ask local guides where it is safe.
In many places, the ice is as clear as glass. If you look down, you can see through it to the water below. Some ice has long cracks that glitter like white lines. Some has bubbles frozen in it, like tiny silver coins.
Visitors come to see this shining lake, even in the cold.
Questions
In which country is Lake Baikal? in the text
What can people see in the lake in summer? in the text
What happens to the lake in winter? in the text
What is some of the ice like? in the text
Why must people listen to local guides on the ice? think about it
Words to know
clear
easy to see through
freezes
turns into ice because it is very cold
glitter
shine with little flashes of light
guides
people who know a place and show it to others
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Seeing Through the Ice of Lake Baikal
2nd grade reading passage
Lake Baikal is a very big lake in Russia. Its water is clean and clear. In summer, people can look down and see rocks far below the boat.
In winter, it gets very cold there. The lake freezes over. The ice gets so thick that trucks can drive on it. People must ask local guides where it is safe.
In many places, the ice is as clear as glass. If you look down, you can see through it to the water below. Some ice has long cracks that glitter like white lines. Some has bubbles frozen in it, like tiny silver coins.
Visitors come to see this shining lake, even in the cold.
Questions
In which country is Lake Baikal?
What can people see in the lake in summer?
What happens to the lake in winter?
What is some of the ice like?
Why must people listen to local guides on the ice?
Words to know
clear: easy to see through
freezes: turns into ice because it is very cold
glitter: shine with little flashes of light
guides: people who know a place and show it to others
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/seeing-through-the-ice-of-lake-baikal
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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 · 90 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2
Lake Baikal is a big lake in Russia. Its water is clean and clear. In summer, you can see rocks far below the boat.
In winter, it gets very cold. The lake freezes. The ice gets thick. Trucks can drive on it, but people must ask local guides where it is safe.
In many places, the ice is clear like glass. You can look down and see the water below. Some ice has long cracks that glitter. Some has bubbles frozen in it.
Visitors come to see the shining ice.
▲ This passage · 113 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9
Lake Baikal is a very big lake in Russia. Its water is clean and clear. In summer, people can look down and see rocks far below the boat.
In winter, it gets very cold there. The lake freezes over. The ice gets so thick that trucks can drive on it. People must ask local guides where it is safe.
In many places, the ice is as clear as glass. If you look down, you can see through it to the water below. Some ice has long cracks that glitter like white lines. Some has bubbles frozen in it, like tiny silver coins.
Visitors come to see this shining lake, even in the cold.
■ Harder · 132 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 8.1
Lake Baikal is an immense lake in the country of Russia. Its water is remarkably clean and clear, so in summer a person in a boat can look down and spot rocks far below the surface.
In winter, the weather there turns bitterly cold, and the lake freezes over. The ice becomes thick enough for trucks to drive across, which is why people must listen carefully to local guides about where it is safe.
In many places, the ice is as transparent as glass, and you can gaze through it into the water below. Some of the ice has long cracks that glitter like white lines, and some has bubbles frozen inside it, like tiny silver coins.
Even in the cold, visitors travel from far away to admire this shining, frozen lake.
Lake Baikal is a big lake in Russia. Its water is clean and clear. In summer, you can see rocks far below the boat.
In winter, it gets very cold. The lake freezes. The ice gets thick. Trucks can drive on it, but people must ask local guides where it is safe.
In many places, the ice is clear like glass. You can look down and see the water below. Some ice has long cracks that glitter. Some has bubbles frozen in it.
Visitors come to see the shining ice.
Questions
In which country is Lake Baikal?
What can you see in summer?
What happens to the lake in winter?
What is some of the ice like?
Why must people ask local guides about the ice?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Seeing Through the Ice of Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is a very big lake in Russia. Its water is clean and clear. In summer, people can look down and see rocks far below the boat.
In winter, it gets very cold there. The lake freezes over. The ice gets so thick that trucks can drive on it. People must ask local guides where it is safe.
In many places, the ice is as clear as glass. If you look down, you can see through it to the water below. Some ice has long cracks that glitter like white lines. Some has bubbles frozen in it, like tiny silver coins.
Visitors come to see this shining lake, even in the cold.
Questions
In which country is Lake Baikal?
What can people see in the lake in summer?
What happens to the lake in winter?
What is some of the ice like?
Why must people listen to local guides on the ice?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Seeing Through the Ice of Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is an immense lake in the country of Russia. Its water is remarkably clean and clear, so in summer a person in a boat can look down and spot rocks far below the surface.
In winter, the weather there turns bitterly cold, and the lake freezes over. The ice becomes thick enough for trucks to drive across, which is why people must listen carefully to local guides about where it is safe.
In many places, the ice is as transparent as glass, and you can gaze through it into the water below. Some of the ice has long cracks that glitter like white lines, and some has bubbles frozen inside it, like tiny silver coins.
Even in the cold, visitors travel from far away to admire this shining, frozen lake.
Questions
In which country is Lake Baikal found?
What can a person in a boat spot in summer?
What happens to the lake when the weather turns bitterly cold?
What is the ice like in many places?
Why must people listen carefully to local guides on the ice?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Seeing Through the Ice of Lake Baikal
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2)
Russia.
Rocks far below the boat.
It freezes.
Clear like glass.
Guides know where the ice is safe.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.9)
Russia.
Rocks far below the boat.
It freezes over.
As clear as glass.
Guides know where the ice is safe to walk or drive on.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 8.1)
Russia.
Rocks far below the surface.
It freezes over.
As transparent as glass.
The guides know where the ice is safe for walking or driving.
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 clear, freezes, glitter and guides 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 "Seeing Through the Ice of Lake Baikal"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 113 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.9. 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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