2nd grade nonfiction passage about static electricity: 121 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionstatic electricity121 words
Sock Sparks on a Dry Winter Day
Have you ever walked across a rug in your socks and then touched a doorknob? Zap! A tiny spark jumps to your finger. It is called static electricity.
Everything is made of very small parts. Some of these parts carry a charge. When your socks rub on the rug, some charge moves between the rug and you. Now your body holds extra charge.
The extra charge can jump to the metal knob. It leaps across the little gap between your finger and the knob. That jump is the spark you feel.
Static shocks happen more in winter, because the air is dry then. Damp air helps the charge slip away before it can build up. The spark is small and safe.
Questions
What jumps to your finger after you scuff across a rug in socks? in the text
What is the spark called? in the text
What happens when your socks rub on the rug? in the text
When do static shocks happen more? in the text
Why might you get fewer shocks on a rainy, damp day? think about it
Words to know
static
electric charge that stays in one place until it jumps
charge
a tiny bit of electricity held by very small parts
spark
a tiny flash made when charge jumps
damp
a little bit wet
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Sock Sparks on a Dry Winter Day
2nd grade reading passage
Have you ever walked across a rug in your socks and then touched a doorknob? Zap! A tiny spark jumps to your finger. It is called static electricity.
Everything is made of very small parts. Some of these parts carry a charge. When your socks rub on the rug, some charge moves between the rug and you. Now your body holds extra charge.
The extra charge can jump to the metal knob. It leaps across the little gap between your finger and the knob. That jump is the spark you feel.
Static shocks happen more in winter, because the air is dry then. Damp air helps the charge slip away before it can build up. The spark is small and safe.
Questions
What jumps to your finger after you scuff across a rug in socks?
What is the spark called?
What happens when your socks rub on the rug?
When do static shocks happen more?
Why might you get fewer shocks on a rainy, damp day?
Words to know
static: electric charge that stays in one place until it jumps
charge: a tiny bit of electricity held by very small parts
spark: a tiny flash made when charge jumps
damp: a little bit wet
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/sock-sparks-on-a-dry-winter-day
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 · 78 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.4
Walk on a rug in your socks. Then touch a doorknob. Zap! A tiny spark jumps to your finger. It is called static electricity.
Your socks rub on the rug. Some charge moves between the rug and you. Now you have extra charge.
The charge jumps to the metal knob. That is the spark you feel.
Winter air is dry. Dry air lets charge build up. Damp air lets charge slip away. The spark is small and safe.
▲ This passage · 121 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.5
Have you ever walked across a rug in your socks and then touched a doorknob? Zap! A tiny spark jumps to your finger. It is called static electricity.
Everything is made of very small parts. Some of these parts carry a charge. When your socks rub on the rug, some charge moves between the rug and you. Now your body holds extra charge.
The extra charge can jump to the metal knob. It leaps across the little gap between your finger and the knob. That jump is the spark you feel.
Static shocks happen more in winter, because the air is dry then. Damp air helps the charge slip away before it can build up. The spark is small and safe.
■ Harder · 124 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.8
Have you ever shuffled across a carpet in your socks and then reached for a metal doorknob? Zap! A tiny spark leaps to your fingertip. Scientists call this static electricity.
Everything is made of extremely small parts, and some of those parts carry an electric charge. When your socks rub against the carpet, some of the charge moves between the carpet and your body, so you end up holding extra charge.
As your finger approaches the metal knob, the charge jumps across the small gap between them. That jump is the spark you feel.
Static shocks happen more often in winter because the air is dry. Damp air helps the charge slip away before it can build up. The spark is small and harmless.
Walk on a rug in your socks. Then touch a doorknob. Zap! A tiny spark jumps to your finger. It is called static electricity.
Your socks rub on the rug. Some charge moves between the rug and you. Now you have extra charge.
The charge jumps to the metal knob. That is the spark you feel.
Winter air is dry. Dry air lets charge build up. Damp air lets charge slip away. The spark is small and safe.
Questions
What jumps to your finger?
What is the spark called?
What happens when your socks rub on the rug?
When do you get more shocks?
Why are there fewer shocks on a damp day?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Sock Sparks on a Dry Winter Day
Have you ever walked across a rug in your socks and then touched a doorknob? Zap! A tiny spark jumps to your finger. It is called static electricity.
Everything is made of very small parts. Some of these parts carry a charge. When your socks rub on the rug, some charge moves between the rug and you. Now your body holds extra charge.
The extra charge can jump to the metal knob. It leaps across the little gap between your finger and the knob. That jump is the spark you feel.
Static shocks happen more in winter, because the air is dry then. Damp air helps the charge slip away before it can build up. The spark is small and safe.
Questions
What jumps to your finger after you scuff across a rug in socks?
What is the spark called?
What happens when your socks rub on the rug?
When do static shocks happen more?
Why might you get fewer shocks on a rainy, damp day?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Sock Sparks on a Dry Winter Day
Have you ever shuffled across a carpet in your socks and then reached for a metal doorknob? Zap! A tiny spark leaps to your fingertip. Scientists call this static electricity.
Everything is made of extremely small parts, and some of those parts carry an electric charge. When your socks rub against the carpet, some of the charge moves between the carpet and your body, so you end up holding extra charge.
As your finger approaches the metal knob, the charge jumps across the small gap between them. That jump is the spark you feel.
Static shocks happen more often in winter because the air is dry. Damp air helps the charge slip away before it can build up. The spark is small and harmless.
Questions
What leaps to your fingertip after you shuffle across a carpet in socks?
What do scientists call the spark?
What happens to the charge when your socks rub against the carpet?
Why do static shocks happen more often in winter?
Why would you expect fewer shocks on a rainy, damp day?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Sock Sparks on a Dry Winter Day
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.4)
A tiny spark.
Static electricity.
Some charge moves between the rug and you.
In winter, when the air is dry.
Damp air lets the charge slip away.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.5)
A tiny spark.
Static electricity.
Some charge moves between the rug and you.
In winter, when the air is dry.
Damp air helps the charge slip away before it builds up.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.8)
A tiny spark.
Static electricity.
Some of it moves between the carpet and your body.
The air is dry in winter.
Damp air helps the charge slip away before it builds up.
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 static, charge, spark and damp 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 "Sock Sparks on a Dry Winter Day"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 121 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.5. 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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