2nd grade nonfiction passage about ice resurfacing machine: 125 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionice resurfacing machine125 words
The Ice Rink Gets a Smooth Bath
Skaters glide across an ice rink all day. Their blades cut tiny lines in the ice. Soon the ice looks scratched and bumpy.
To fix it, a special machine rolls out onto the rink. It is about the size of a small truck. A driver sits on top and steers it slowly back and forth.
First, a sharp blade under the machine shaves off a thin layer of ice. The shavings are picked up and carried into a big tank. Next, the machine sprays a little warm water on the ice. The water fills in the scratches and spreads out flat.
Then the water freezes. In a short time, the ice is shiny and smooth again. The skaters can come back for a fresh start.
Questions
What do skate blades do to the ice? in the text
About how big is the machine? in the text
What does the blade under the machine do? in the text
Where do the shavings go? in the text
What does the warm water do to the scratches? in the text
Why does the machine spray water and not paint? think about it
Words to know
rink
a flat place for ice skating
glide
to slide along smoothly
shaves
cuts off a very thin piece
layer
one flat coat or sheet on top of something
scratches
thin marks that cut into a surface
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Ice Rink Gets a Smooth Bath
2nd grade reading passage
Skaters glide across an ice rink all day. Their blades cut tiny lines in the ice. Soon the ice looks scratched and bumpy.
To fix it, a special machine rolls out onto the rink. It is about the size of a small truck. A driver sits on top and steers it slowly back and forth.
First, a sharp blade under the machine shaves off a thin layer of ice. The shavings are picked up and carried into a big tank. Next, the machine sprays a little warm water on the ice. The water fills in the scratches and spreads out flat.
Then the water freezes. In a short time, the ice is shiny and smooth again. The skaters can come back for a fresh start.
Questions
What do skate blades do to the ice?
About how big is the machine?
What does the blade under the machine do?
Where do the shavings go?
What does the warm water do to the scratches?
Why does the machine spray water and not paint?
Words to know
rink: a flat place for ice skating
glide: to slide along smoothly
shaves: cuts off a very thin piece
layer: one flat coat or sheet on top of something
scratches: thin marks that cut into a surface
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/the-ice-rink-gets-a-smooth-bath
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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 · 86 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.5
Skaters glide on an ice rink all day. Their blades cut tiny lines in the ice. Soon the ice is scratched and bumpy.
A special machine rolls out. It is the size of a small truck. A driver sits on top.
A sharp blade shaves off a thin layer of ice. The bits go in a big tank. Then the machine sprays warm water. The water fills the scratches. It spreads out flat.
Then it freezes. The ice is shiny and smooth. The skaters come back.
▲ This passage · 125 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.4
Skaters glide across an ice rink all day. Their blades cut tiny lines in the ice. Soon the ice looks scratched and bumpy.
To fix it, a special machine rolls out onto the rink. It is about the size of a small truck. A driver sits on top and steers it slowly back and forth.
First, a sharp blade under the machine shaves off a thin layer of ice. The shavings are picked up and carried into a big tank. Next, the machine sprays a little warm water on the ice. The water fills in the scratches and spreads out flat.
Then the water freezes. In a short time, the ice is shiny and smooth again. The skaters can come back for a fresh start.
■ Harder · 144 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.9
Skaters glide across an ice rink all day long, and their blades carve tiny lines into the surface of the ice. Before very long, the ice looks scratched and bumpy.
To repair it, a special machine rolls out onto the rink. It is about as large as a small truck, and a driver sits on top and steers it slowly back and forth across the ice.
First, a sharp blade underneath the machine shaves off a thin layer of ice. The shavings are scooped up and carried into a big tank. Next, the machine sprays a little warm water onto the ice. The water fills in all of the scratches and spreads out until it is flat.
Then the water freezes. In a short while, the ice is shiny and smooth once again, and the skaters are able to return for a fresh start.
Skaters glide on an ice rink all day. Their blades cut tiny lines in the ice. Soon the ice is scratched and bumpy.
A special machine rolls out. It is the size of a small truck. A driver sits on top.
A sharp blade shaves off a thin layer of ice. The bits go in a big tank. Then the machine sprays warm water. The water fills the scratches. It spreads out flat.
Then it freezes. The ice is shiny and smooth. The skaters come back.
Questions
What is a drawbridge?
What did a castle drawbridge stretch across?
What did people use to haul the bridge up?
Why could a castle raise its bridge at night?
What do river drawbridges let pass through?
Why might a river town prefer a low bridge that opens to a very high one?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Ice Rink Gets a Smooth Bath
Skaters glide across an ice rink all day. Their blades cut tiny lines in the ice. Soon the ice looks scratched and bumpy.
To fix it, a special machine rolls out onto the rink. It is about the size of a small truck. A driver sits on top and steers it slowly back and forth.
First, a sharp blade under the machine shaves off a thin layer of ice. The shavings are picked up and carried into a big tank. Next, the machine sprays a little warm water on the ice. The water fills in the scratches and spreads out flat.
Then the water freezes. In a short time, the ice is shiny and smooth again. The skaters can come back for a fresh start.
Questions
What do skate blades do to the ice?
About how big is the machine?
What does the blade under the machine do?
Where do the shavings go?
What does the warm water do to the scratches?
Why does the machine spray water and not paint?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Ice Rink Gets a Smooth Bath
Skaters glide across an ice rink all day long, and their blades carve tiny lines into the surface of the ice. Before very long, the ice looks scratched and bumpy.
To repair it, a special machine rolls out onto the rink. It is about as large as a small truck, and a driver sits on top and steers it slowly back and forth across the ice.
First, a sharp blade underneath the machine shaves off a thin layer of ice. The shavings are scooped up and carried into a big tank. Next, the machine sprays a little warm water onto the ice. The water fills in all of the scratches and spreads out until it is flat.
Then the water freezes. In a short while, the ice is shiny and smooth once again, and the skaters are able to return for a fresh start.
Questions
What do skate blades do to the surface of the ice?
About how large is the machine?
What does the blade underneath the machine do?
Where do the shavings end up?
What does the warm water do to the scratches?
Why does the machine spray water instead of paint?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Ice Rink Gets a Smooth Bath
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.5)
A bridge that is able to move.
A deep ditch of water called a moat.
Chains.
To keep strangers outside.
Tall boats.
The low bridge is easy for cars to reach, and it opens only when a tall boat needs room.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 2.4)
They cut tiny lines in it.
About the size of a small truck.
It shaves off a thin layer of ice.
They are carried into a big tank.
It fills them in and spreads out flat.
Water freezes into new ice, so the rink is smooth again.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 4.9)
They carve tiny lines into it.
About as large as a small truck.
It shaves off a thin layer of ice.
They are carried into a big tank.
It fills in all of them and spreads out flat.
Water freezes into new ice, so the rink becomes smooth again.
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, glide, shaves, layer and scratches 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 6 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 Rink Gets a Smooth Bath"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 125 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 six. 5 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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