2nd grade nonfiction passage about the pupil of the eye: 127 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionthe pupil of the eye127 words
The Black Dot That Changes Size
Look closely at a friend's eye. In the middle is a black dot. It is called the pupil. It is not a spot of paint. It is a small opening that lets light into the eye. The colored ring around it is called the iris.
The pupil changes size. In a bright place, it gets small. This keeps out extra light. In a dim place, it grows big. This lets in more light, so you can see better.
You cannot feel it happen. It takes only a moment. Stand in a dim room and look in a mirror. Then ask a grown-up to turn on the light. Watch your pupils shrink!
Never look straight at the sun. Even small pupils cannot keep out that much light.
Questions
What is the pupil? in the text
What is the colored ring around the pupil called? in the text
What does the pupil do in a bright place? in the text
Why does the pupil grow big in a dim place? in the text
Why do your eyes feel dazzled when you walk from a dim room into the sun? think about it
Words to know
pupil
the black opening in the middle of the eye
iris
the colored ring around the pupil
dim
not very bright
opening
a hole that things can pass through
shrink
get smaller
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Black Dot That Changes Size
2nd grade reading passage
Look closely at a friend's eye. In the middle is a black dot. It is called the pupil. It is not a spot of paint. It is a small opening that lets light into the eye. The colored ring around it is called the iris.
The pupil changes size. In a bright place, it gets small. This keeps out extra light. In a dim place, it grows big. This lets in more light, so you can see better.
You cannot feel it happen. It takes only a moment. Stand in a dim room and look in a mirror. Then ask a grown-up to turn on the light. Watch your pupils shrink!
Never look straight at the sun. Even small pupils cannot keep out that much light.
Questions
What is the pupil?
What is the colored ring around the pupil called?
What does the pupil do in a bright place?
Why does the pupil grow big in a dim place?
Why do your eyes feel dazzled when you walk from a dim room into the sun?
Words to know
pupil: the black opening in the middle of the eye
iris: the colored ring around the pupil
dim: not very bright
opening: a hole that things can pass through
shrink: get smaller
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/the-black-dot-that-changes-size
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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 · 103 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.4
Look at your friend's eye. In the middle is a black dot. It is the pupil. It is not paint. It is a hole. It lets light in. The colored ring around it is the iris.
The pupil can change size. In a bright place, it gets small. It keeps out extra light. In a dim place, it gets big. It lets in more light. Then you can see.
You cannot feel it. It is fast. Stand in a dim room. Look in a mirror. Ask a grown-up to turn on the light. Your pupils get small!
Never look at the sun.
▲ This passage · 127 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2
Look closely at a friend's eye. In the middle is a black dot. It is called the pupil. It is not a spot of paint. It is a small opening that lets light into the eye. The colored ring around it is called the iris.
The pupil changes size. In a bright place, it gets small. This keeps out extra light. In a dim place, it grows big. This lets in more light, so you can see better.
You cannot feel it happen. It takes only a moment. Stand in a dim room and look in a mirror. Then ask a grown-up to turn on the light. Watch your pupils shrink!
Never look straight at the sun. Even small pupils cannot keep out that much light.
■ Harder · 143 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.4
Look closely at a friend's eye, and you will notice a black dot in the middle. This dot is called the pupil. It is not a spot of paint but a small opening that allows light to enter the eye. The colored ring that surrounds it is called the iris.
The pupil constantly changes size. In a bright place, it becomes small, which keeps out the extra light. In a dim place, it grows large, which lets in more light so that you can see more clearly.
You cannot feel this change, because it happens in just a moment. Stand in a dim room and look at yourself in a mirror. Then ask a grown-up to switch on the light, and watch your pupils shrink right away!
Never look straight at the sun. Even small pupils cannot keep out that much light.
Look at your friend's eye. In the middle is a black dot. It is the pupil. It is not paint. It is a hole. It lets light in. The colored ring around it is the iris.
The pupil can change size. In a bright place, it gets small. It keeps out extra light. In a dim place, it gets big. It lets in more light. Then you can see.
You cannot feel it. It is fast. Stand in a dim room. Look in a mirror. Ask a grown-up to turn on the light. Your pupils get small!
Never look at the sun.
Questions
What is the pupil?
What is the colored ring called?
What does the pupil do in a bright place?
Why does the pupil get big in a dim place?
Why do your eyes feel dazzled when you go from a dim room to the sun?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Black Dot That Changes Size
Look closely at a friend's eye. In the middle is a black dot. It is called the pupil. It is not a spot of paint. It is a small opening that lets light into the eye. The colored ring around it is called the iris.
The pupil changes size. In a bright place, it gets small. This keeps out extra light. In a dim place, it grows big. This lets in more light, so you can see better.
You cannot feel it happen. It takes only a moment. Stand in a dim room and look in a mirror. Then ask a grown-up to turn on the light. Watch your pupils shrink!
Never look straight at the sun. Even small pupils cannot keep out that much light.
Questions
What is the pupil?
What is the colored ring around the pupil called?
What does the pupil do in a bright place?
Why does the pupil grow big in a dim place?
Why do your eyes feel dazzled when you walk from a dim room into the sun?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Black Dot That Changes Size
Look closely at a friend's eye, and you will notice a black dot in the middle. This dot is called the pupil. It is not a spot of paint but a small opening that allows light to enter the eye. The colored ring that surrounds it is called the iris.
The pupil constantly changes size. In a bright place, it becomes small, which keeps out the extra light. In a dim place, it grows large, which lets in more light so that you can see more clearly.
You cannot feel this change, because it happens in just a moment. Stand in a dim room and look at yourself in a mirror. Then ask a grown-up to switch on the light, and watch your pupils shrink right away!
Never look straight at the sun. Even small pupils cannot keep out that much light.
Questions
What is the pupil?
What is the colored ring around the pupil called?
What does the pupil do in a bright place?
Why does the pupil grow large in a dim place?
Why might your eyes feel dazzled when you walk from a dim room into the sun?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Black Dot That Changes Size
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade -0.4)
The black dot in the middle of the eye that lets light in.
The iris.
It gets small to keep out extra light.
It lets in more light so you can see.
Your pupils are still big, so too much light comes in.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2)
The black dot in the middle of the eye that lets light in.
The iris.
It gets small to keep out extra light.
It lets in more light so you can see better.
Your pupils are still big, so too much light comes in at first.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.4)
The black dot in the middle of the eye that lets light in.
The iris.
It becomes small to keep out the extra light.
It lets in more light so you can see more clearly.
Your pupils are still large, so too much light comes in at first.
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 pupil, iris, dim, opening and shrink 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 "The Black Dot That Changes Size"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 127 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 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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