2nd grade nonfiction passage about ice rink resurfacing: 141 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionice rink resurfacing141 words
The Ice Machine Driver at the Rink
Skaters glide across the ice at a rink. Their blades scratch it and cut little grooves. After a while, the ice is rough and bumpy. Skating on it is not much fun.
Then a driver comes out in a big machine for cleaning ice. It drives slowly back and forth across the rink. First, a blade shaves a thin layer off the top. Next, the machine scoops up the snow and scraps. Last, it spreads a thin sheet of warm water. The water fills in the scratches and freezes into a smooth, shiny layer.
When the driver is done, the ice looks like a giant mirror.
This job is about making things smooth and even. The driver must steer in careful lines so no spot gets missed. A rink does this many times a day, so skaters always have good ice.
Questions
What happens to the ice when skaters glide on it? in the text
What does the blade of the machine do first? in the text
What does the machine spread at the end? in the text
Why does the water make the ice smooth? think about it
Why must the driver steer in careful lines? in the text
Words to know
rink
a smooth flat place for skating
grooves
thin lines cut into something
shaves
cuts off a very thin layer
scoops
lifts up with a curved tool or hand
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Ice Machine Driver at the Rink
2nd grade reading passage
Skaters glide across the ice at a rink. Their blades scratch it and cut little grooves. After a while, the ice is rough and bumpy. Skating on it is not much fun.
Then a driver comes out in a big machine for cleaning ice. It drives slowly back and forth across the rink. First, a blade shaves a thin layer off the top. Next, the machine scoops up the snow and scraps. Last, it spreads a thin sheet of warm water. The water fills in the scratches and freezes into a smooth, shiny layer.
When the driver is done, the ice looks like a giant mirror.
This job is about making things smooth and even. The driver must steer in careful lines so no spot gets missed. A rink does this many times a day, so skaters always have good ice.
Questions
What happens to the ice when skaters glide on it?
What does the blade of the machine do first?
What does the machine spread at the end?
Why does the water make the ice smooth?
Why must the driver steer in careful lines?
Words to know
rink: a smooth flat place for skating
grooves: thin lines cut into something
shaves: cuts off a very thin layer
scoops: lifts up with a curved tool or hand
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/the-ice-machine-driver-at-the-rink
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 0.7
Skaters glide on the ice at a rink. Their blades scratch it. The ice gets rough and bumpy. It is not fun to skate on.
Then a driver comes out in a big machine. It goes back and forth on the rink. A blade shaves the top of the ice. The machine scoops up the snow. Then it spreads warm water. The water fills the scratches. It freezes smooth and shiny.
The ice looks like a big mirror.
The driver steers in careful lines. No spot gets missed. A rink does this many times a day. Skaters always get good ice.
▲ This passage · 141 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7
Skaters glide across the ice at a rink. Their blades scratch it and cut little grooves. After a while, the ice is rough and bumpy. Skating on it is not much fun.
Then a driver comes out in a big machine for cleaning ice. It drives slowly back and forth across the rink. First, a blade shaves a thin layer off the top. Next, the machine scoops up the snow and scraps. Last, it spreads a thin sheet of warm water. The water fills in the scratches and freezes into a smooth, shiny layer.
When the driver is done, the ice looks like a giant mirror.
This job is about making things smooth and even. The driver must steer in careful lines so no spot gets missed. A rink does this many times a day, so skaters always have good ice.
■ Harder · 152 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2
Skaters glide gracefully across the ice at a rink, but their blades scratch the surface and carve tiny grooves into it. After a while, the ice becomes rough and bumpy, and skating on it is no longer much fun.
At that point, a driver arrives in a large machine built for cleaning ice. It travels slowly back and forth across the rink. First, a blade shaves a thin layer from the top. Next, the machine scoops up the snow and scraps it has made. Finally, it spreads a thin sheet of warm water, which fills in the scratches and freezes into a smooth, shiny layer.
When the driver has finished, the ice resembles a giant mirror.
The work is all about making a surface even. The driver must steer in careful lines so that no spot is missed. Because a rink does this many times a day, skaters always have good ice.
Skaters glide on the ice at a rink. Their blades scratch it. The ice gets rough and bumpy. It is not fun to skate on.
Then a driver comes out in a big machine. It goes back and forth on the rink. A blade shaves the top of the ice. The machine scoops up the snow. Then it spreads warm water. The water fills the scratches. It freezes smooth and shiny.
The ice looks like a big mirror.
The driver steers in careful lines. No spot gets missed. A rink does this many times a day. Skaters always get good ice.
Questions
What happens to the ice when skaters glide on it?
What does the blade of the machine do first?
What does the machine spread at the end?
Why does the water make the ice smooth?
Why does the driver steer in careful lines?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Ice Machine Driver at the Rink
Skaters glide across the ice at a rink. Their blades scratch it and cut little grooves. After a while, the ice is rough and bumpy. Skating on it is not much fun.
Then a driver comes out in a big machine for cleaning ice. It drives slowly back and forth across the rink. First, a blade shaves a thin layer off the top. Next, the machine scoops up the snow and scraps. Last, it spreads a thin sheet of warm water. The water fills in the scratches and freezes into a smooth, shiny layer.
When the driver is done, the ice looks like a giant mirror.
This job is about making things smooth and even. The driver must steer in careful lines so no spot gets missed. A rink does this many times a day, so skaters always have good ice.
Questions
What happens to the ice when skaters glide on it?
What does the blade of the machine do first?
What does the machine spread at the end?
Why does the water make the ice smooth?
Why must the driver steer in careful lines?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Ice Machine Driver at the Rink
Skaters glide gracefully across the ice at a rink, but their blades scratch the surface and carve tiny grooves into it. After a while, the ice becomes rough and bumpy, and skating on it is no longer much fun.
At that point, a driver arrives in a large machine built for cleaning ice. It travels slowly back and forth across the rink. First, a blade shaves a thin layer from the top. Next, the machine scoops up the snow and scraps it has made. Finally, it spreads a thin sheet of warm water, which fills in the scratches and freezes into a smooth, shiny layer.
When the driver has finished, the ice resembles a giant mirror.
The work is all about making a surface even. The driver must steer in careful lines so that no spot is missed. Because a rink does this many times a day, skaters always have good ice.
Questions
What happens to the ice when skaters glide across it?
What does the machine's blade do first?
What does the machine spread at the end?
Why does the warm water leave the ice smooth?
Why must the driver steer in careful lines?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Ice Machine Driver at the Rink
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.7)
Their blades scratch it, and it gets rough and bumpy.
It shaves the top of the ice.
Warm water.
It fills the scratches and then freezes.
So no spot gets missed.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.7)
Their blades scratch it, and it gets rough and bumpy.
It shaves a thin layer off the top.
A thin sheet of warm water.
It fills in the scratches and then freezes.
So no spot on the ice gets missed.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.2)
Their blades scratch it, and it becomes rough and bumpy.
It shaves a thin layer from the top.
A thin sheet of warm water.
It fills in the scratches and then freezes into a smooth layer.
So that no spot on the ice is missed.
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 rink, grooves, shaves and scoops 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 4 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 Ice Machine Driver at the Rink"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 141 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 2.7. 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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