2nd grade nonfiction passage about mountain meadows in switzerland: 118 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionmountain meadows in switzerland118 words
The Cows That Climb Up the Alps
The Alps are tall mountains in Europe. Part of them are in Switzerland. In winter, snow covers the high meadows. But in summer, the snow melts and green grass grows.
In Switzerland, farmers take their cows up the mountain when summer comes. The cows walk a long way along a path. Many wear big bells. The bells ring with every step, so the farmers can find the herd.
The cows spend the summer in the high meadows. They eat fresh grass and wildflowers. Their milk is used to make cheese.
When fall comes, the weather turns cold again. The farmers bring the cows back down to the valley. Some towns have a happy parade to welcome them home.
Questions
What covers the high meadows in winter? in the text
When do the farmers take the cows up the mountain? in the text
Why do many cows wear bells? in the text
What is the cows' milk used to make? in the text
Why do the farmers bring the cows down in the fall? think about it
Words to know
meadows
fields full of grass and flowers
herd
a group of animals that stay together
valley
low land between mountains or hills
parade
a line of people marching to celebrate something
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Cows That Climb Up the Alps
2nd grade reading passage
The Alps are tall mountains in Europe. Part of them are in Switzerland. In winter, snow covers the high meadows. But in summer, the snow melts and green grass grows.
In Switzerland, farmers take their cows up the mountain when summer comes. The cows walk a long way along a path. Many wear big bells. The bells ring with every step, so the farmers can find the herd.
The cows spend the summer in the high meadows. They eat fresh grass and wildflowers. Their milk is used to make cheese.
When fall comes, the weather turns cold again. The farmers bring the cows back down to the valley. Some towns have a happy parade to welcome them home.
Questions
What covers the high meadows in winter?
When do the farmers take the cows up the mountain?
Why do many cows wear bells?
What is the cows' milk used to make?
Why do the farmers bring the cows down in the fall?
Words to know
meadows: fields full of grass and flowers
herd: a group of animals that stay together
valley: low land between mountains or hills
parade: a line of people marching to celebrate something
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/the-cows-that-climb-up-the-alps
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 · 93 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6
The Alps are tall mountains in Europe. Some are in Switzerland. In winter, snow covers the high meadows. In summer, the snow melts and grass grows.
In Switzerland, farmers take their cows up the mountain in summer. The cows walk a long way. Many wear big bells. The bells ring, so the farmers can find them.
The cows stay up high all summer. They eat grass and wildflowers. Their milk is made into cheese.
In fall, it gets cold. The farmers bring the cows down to the valley. Some towns have a parade.
▲ This passage · 118 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.4
The Alps are tall mountains in Europe. Part of them are in Switzerland. In winter, snow covers the high meadows. But in summer, the snow melts and green grass grows.
In Switzerland, farmers take their cows up the mountain when summer comes. The cows walk a long way along a path. Many wear big bells. The bells ring with every step, so the farmers can find the herd.
The cows spend the summer in the high meadows. They eat fresh grass and wildflowers. Their milk is used to make cheese.
When fall comes, the weather turns cold again. The farmers bring the cows back down to the valley. Some towns have a happy parade to welcome them home.
■ Harder · 135 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.4
The Alps are a range of towering mountains in Europe, and a portion of them lies in Switzerland. In winter, snow blankets the high meadows, but in summer the snow melts and fresh green grass begins to grow.
When summer arrives, Swiss farmers lead their cows up the mountain. The cows trudge a long distance along a winding path, and many of them wear large bells. The bells ring with every step, which allows the farmers to locate the herd.
The cows spend the entire summer in the high meadows, where they graze on fresh grass and wildflowers. Their milk is turned into cheese.
When fall comes and the weather turns cold once more, the farmers guide the cows back down to the valley. Some towns even hold a cheerful parade to welcome them home.
The Alps are tall mountains in Europe. Some are in Switzerland. In winter, snow covers the high meadows. In summer, the snow melts and grass grows.
In Switzerland, farmers take their cows up the mountain in summer. The cows walk a long way. Many wear big bells. The bells ring, so the farmers can find them.
The cows stay up high all summer. They eat grass and wildflowers. Their milk is made into cheese.
In fall, it gets cold. The farmers bring the cows down to the valley. Some towns have a parade.
Questions
What covers the high meadows in winter?
When do the farmers take the cows up?
Why do the cows wear bells?
What is the milk made into?
Why do the farmers bring the cows down in fall?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Cows That Climb Up the Alps
The Alps are tall mountains in Europe. Part of them are in Switzerland. In winter, snow covers the high meadows. But in summer, the snow melts and green grass grows.
In Switzerland, farmers take their cows up the mountain when summer comes. The cows walk a long way along a path. Many wear big bells. The bells ring with every step, so the farmers can find the herd.
The cows spend the summer in the high meadows. They eat fresh grass and wildflowers. Their milk is used to make cheese.
When fall comes, the weather turns cold again. The farmers bring the cows back down to the valley. Some towns have a happy parade to welcome them home.
Questions
What covers the high meadows in winter?
When do the farmers take the cows up the mountain?
Why do many cows wear bells?
What is the cows' milk used to make?
Why do the farmers bring the cows down in the fall?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Cows That Climb Up the Alps
The Alps are a range of towering mountains in Europe, and a portion of them lies in Switzerland. In winter, snow blankets the high meadows, but in summer the snow melts and fresh green grass begins to grow.
When summer arrives, Swiss farmers lead their cows up the mountain. The cows trudge a long distance along a winding path, and many of them wear large bells. The bells ring with every step, which allows the farmers to locate the herd.
The cows spend the entire summer in the high meadows, where they graze on fresh grass and wildflowers. Their milk is turned into cheese.
When fall comes and the weather turns cold once more, the farmers guide the cows back down to the valley. Some towns even hold a cheerful parade to welcome them home.
Questions
What blankets the high meadows in winter?
When do the farmers lead their cows up the mountain?
How do the bells help the farmers?
What is the cows' milk turned into?
Why do the farmers guide the cows down when fall comes?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Cows That Climb Up the Alps
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6)
Snow.
In summer.
The bells ring, so the farmers can find them.
Cheese.
It gets cold again up high.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.4)
Snow.
In summer.
The bells ring, so the farmers can find the herd.
Cheese.
The weather turns cold again, and the grass up high is not good for eating.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.4)
Snow.
In summer.
The bells ring with every step, so the farmers can locate the herd.
Cheese.
The weather turns cold again up high, so the cows must return to the valley.
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 meadows, herd, valley and parade 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 Cows That Climb Up the Alps"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 118 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.4. 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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