2nd grade nonfiction passage about can openers: 142 words, six questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictioncan openers142 words
The Little Wheel on a Can Opener
Many foods come in a metal can. A can is strong and keeps the food fresh. But how do we get the lid off? We use a can opener.
A hand can opener has a small, sharp wheel. It also has a toothed wheel that grips the rim of the can. To start, you clamp the opener on the edge of the can. Squeezing the handles pushes the sharp wheel down into the lid.
Next, you turn a knob. The toothed wheel grips the rim and pulls the can around. As the can turns, the sharp wheel cuts along the edge of the lid, a little bit at a time. It works like a pizza cutter.
When the wheel goes all the way around, the lid comes loose. Be careful. The edge can be sharp, so ask a grown-up for help.
Questions
Why do people put food in cans? in the text
What are the two wheels on a hand can opener for? in the text
What happens when you squeeze the handles? in the text
What do you turn to make the can go around? in the text
What common tool works like the sharp wheel? in the text
Why should a child ask a grown-up for help with a can lid? think about it
Words to know
rim
the outside edge of a round thing
grips
holds on tightly
clamp
to fasten tight so it will not slip
knob
a round handle that you turn
fresh
not spoiled and good to eat
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
The Little Wheel on a Can Opener
2nd grade reading passage
Many foods come in a metal can. A can is strong and keeps the food fresh. But how do we get the lid off? We use a can opener.
A hand can opener has a small, sharp wheel. It also has a toothed wheel that grips the rim of the can. To start, you clamp the opener on the edge of the can. Squeezing the handles pushes the sharp wheel down into the lid.
Next, you turn a knob. The toothed wheel grips the rim and pulls the can around. As the can turns, the sharp wheel cuts along the edge of the lid, a little bit at a time. It works like a pizza cutter.
When the wheel goes all the way around, the lid comes loose. Be careful. The edge can be sharp, so ask a grown-up for help.
Questions
Why do people put food in cans?
What are the two wheels on a hand can opener for?
What happens when you squeeze the handles?
What do you turn to make the can go around?
What common tool works like the sharp wheel?
Why should a child ask a grown-up for help with a can lid?
Words to know
rim: the outside edge of a round thing
grips: holds on tightly
clamp: to fasten tight so it will not slip
knob: a round handle that you turn
fresh: not spoiled and good to eat
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/the-little-wheel-on-a-can-opener
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 · 119 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.4
Many foods come in a metal can. A can is strong. It keeps food fresh. How do we get the lid off? We use a can opener.
A hand can opener has a small, sharp wheel. It also has a wheel with teeth. The toothed wheel grips the rim of the can. You clamp the opener on the edge. When you squeeze the handles, the sharp wheel goes down into the lid.
Then you turn a knob. The toothed wheel pulls the can around. The sharp wheel cuts the lid. It works like a pizza cutter.
The wheel goes all the way around. The lid comes loose. The edge can be sharp, so ask a grown-up for help.
▲ This passage · 142 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7
Many foods come in a metal can. A can is strong and keeps the food fresh. But how do we get the lid off? We use a can opener.
A hand can opener has a small, sharp wheel. It also has a toothed wheel that grips the rim of the can. To start, you clamp the opener on the edge of the can. Squeezing the handles pushes the sharp wheel down into the lid.
Next, you turn a knob. The toothed wheel grips the rim and pulls the can around. As the can turns, the sharp wheel cuts along the edge of the lid, a little bit at a time. It works like a pizza cutter.
When the wheel goes all the way around, the lid comes loose. Be careful. The edge can be sharp, so ask a grown-up for help.
■ Harder · 156 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.2
Many kinds of food are sold in a metal can, because a can is strong and keeps the food fresh. But how do we get the lid off? We use a can opener.
A hand can opener has a small, sharp wheel, and it also has a toothed wheel that grips the rim of the can. To begin, you clamp the opener onto the edge of the can. When you squeeze the handles together, the sharp wheel is pushed down into the lid.
Next, you turn a knob. The toothed wheel holds the rim and pulls the can around, and as the can turns, the sharp wheel cuts along the edge of the lid, a little bit at a time. It works much like a pizza cutter.
Once the wheel has traveled all the way around, the lid comes loose. Be careful, though. The cut edge can be sharp, so ask a grown-up for help.
Many foods come in a metal can. A can is strong. It keeps food fresh. How do we get the lid off? We use a can opener.
A hand can opener has a small, sharp wheel. It also has a wheel with teeth. The toothed wheel grips the rim of the can. You clamp the opener on the edge. When you squeeze the handles, the sharp wheel goes down into the lid.
Then you turn a knob. The toothed wheel pulls the can around. The sharp wheel cuts the lid. It works like a pizza cutter.
The wheel goes all the way around. The lid comes loose. The edge can be sharp, so ask a grown-up for help.
Questions
Why do people put food in cans?
What are the two wheels on a can opener for?
What happens when you squeeze the handles?
What do you turn to make the can go around?
What tool works like the sharp wheel?
Why should a child ask a grown-up for help?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
The Little Wheel on a Can Opener
Many foods come in a metal can. A can is strong and keeps the food fresh. But how do we get the lid off? We use a can opener.
A hand can opener has a small, sharp wheel. It also has a toothed wheel that grips the rim of the can. To start, you clamp the opener on the edge of the can. Squeezing the handles pushes the sharp wheel down into the lid.
Next, you turn a knob. The toothed wheel grips the rim and pulls the can around. As the can turns, the sharp wheel cuts along the edge of the lid, a little bit at a time. It works like a pizza cutter.
When the wheel goes all the way around, the lid comes loose. Be careful. The edge can be sharp, so ask a grown-up for help.
Questions
Why do people put food in cans?
What are the two wheels on a hand can opener for?
What happens when you squeeze the handles?
What do you turn to make the can go around?
What common tool works like the sharp wheel?
Why should a child ask a grown-up for help with a can lid?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
The Little Wheel on a Can Opener
Many kinds of food are sold in a metal can, because a can is strong and keeps the food fresh. But how do we get the lid off? We use a can opener.
A hand can opener has a small, sharp wheel, and it also has a toothed wheel that grips the rim of the can. To begin, you clamp the opener onto the edge of the can. When you squeeze the handles together, the sharp wheel is pushed down into the lid.
Next, you turn a knob. The toothed wheel holds the rim and pulls the can around, and as the can turns, the sharp wheel cuts along the edge of the lid, a little bit at a time. It works much like a pizza cutter.
Once the wheel has traveled all the way around, the lid comes loose. Be careful, though. The cut edge can be sharp, so ask a grown-up for help.
Questions
Why are many foods sold in a metal can?
What are the two wheels on a hand can opener for?
What happens when you squeeze the handles together?
What do you turn to make the can go around?
What common tool works much like the sharp wheel?
Why should a child ask a grown-up for help with a can lid?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: The Little Wheel on a Can Opener
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.4)
A can is strong and keeps food fresh.
One is sharp and cuts. One has teeth and grips the rim.
The sharp wheel goes down into the lid.
A knob.
A pizza cutter.
The cut edge can be sharp.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.7)
A can is strong and keeps the food fresh.
One is sharp and cuts. One has teeth and grips the rim.
The sharp wheel pushes down into the lid.
A knob.
A pizza cutter.
The cut edge can be sharp.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.2)
A can is strong and keeps the food fresh.
One is sharp and cuts. One has teeth and grips the rim.
The sharp wheel is pushed down into the lid.
A knob.
A pizza cutter.
The cut edge can be sharp.
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 rim, grips, clamp, knob and fresh 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 Little Wheel on a Can Opener"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 142 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 1.6. 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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