2nd grade nonfiction passage about the tilted planet uranus: 107 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionthe tilted planet uranus107 words
Uranus Rolls Like a Ball
Most planets spin like tops, standing fairly straight up as they turn. Uranus is different. It is tipped over on its side. It spins like a ball rolling along the ground.
No one is sure why Uranus is tilted so far. Some scientists think a big space rock may have hit it long ago, but they cannot say for certain.
Uranus is a cold, faraway planet. It is a pale blue-green color. It has thin rings around it, and it has many moons.
Uranus is so far from the sun that it is very hard to see. You need a telescope to look at it well.
Questions
How is Uranus tipped? in the text
What color is Uranus? in the text
What does Uranus have around it? in the text
What do you need to look at Uranus well? in the text
Why do scientists say they cannot be sure how Uranus got tipped? think about it
Words to know
tipped
leaning over to one side
scientists
people who study how the world works
pale
light in color, not bright
telescope
a tool that makes faraway things look close
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Uranus Rolls Like a Ball
2nd grade reading passage
Most planets spin like tops, standing fairly straight up as they turn. Uranus is different. It is tipped over on its side. It spins like a ball rolling along the ground.
No one is sure why Uranus is tilted so far. Some scientists think a big space rock may have hit it long ago, but they cannot say for certain.
Uranus is a cold, faraway planet. It is a pale blue-green color. It has thin rings around it, and it has many moons.
Uranus is so far from the sun that it is very hard to see. You need a telescope to look at it well.
Questions
How is Uranus tipped?
What color is Uranus?
What does Uranus have around it?
What do you need to look at Uranus well?
Why do scientists say they cannot be sure how Uranus got tipped?
Words to know
tipped: leaning over to one side
scientists: people who study how the world works
pale: light in color, not bright
telescope: a tool that makes faraway things look close
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/uranus-rolls-like-a-ball
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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 · 98 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2
Most planets spin like tops. They stand fairly straight up as they turn. Uranus is not like that. It is tipped over on its side. It spins like a ball that rolls on the ground.
No one is sure why Uranus is tipped. Some scientists think a big space rock hit it long ago. They are not sure.
Uranus is cold and far away. It is a pale blue-green. It has thin rings and many moons.
Uranus is so far from the sun that it is hard to see. You need a telescope to see it well.
▲ This passage · 107 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.3
Most planets spin like tops, standing fairly straight up as they turn. Uranus is different. It is tipped over on its side. It spins like a ball rolling along the ground.
No one is sure why Uranus is tilted so far. Some scientists think a big space rock may have hit it long ago, but they cannot say for certain.
Uranus is a cold, faraway planet. It is a pale blue-green color. It has thin rings around it, and it has many moons.
Uranus is so far from the sun that it is very hard to see. You need a telescope to look at it well.
■ Harder · 110 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.1
Most planets spin like tops, standing fairly upright as they turn. Uranus is strikingly different. It is tipped over on its side, so it spins like a ball rolling along the ground.
Nobody is certain why Uranus is tilted so far. Some scientists suspect that a huge space rock may have crashed into it long ago, but they cannot say for sure.
Uranus is a cold, distant planet with a pale blue-green color. It is circled by thin rings, and it has many moons.
Because Uranus is so far from the sun, it is very difficult to see. You need a telescope to get a good look at it.
Most planets spin like tops. They stand fairly straight up as they turn. Uranus is not like that. It is tipped over on its side. It spins like a ball that rolls on the ground.
No one is sure why Uranus is tipped. Some scientists think a big space rock hit it long ago. They are not sure.
Uranus is cold and far away. It is a pale blue-green. It has thin rings and many moons.
Uranus is so far from the sun that it is hard to see. You need a telescope to see it well.
Questions
How is Uranus tipped?
What color is Uranus?
What does Uranus have around it?
What do you need to see Uranus well?
Why do scientists say they are not sure how Uranus got tipped?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Uranus Rolls Like a Ball
Most planets spin like tops, standing fairly straight up as they turn. Uranus is different. It is tipped over on its side. It spins like a ball rolling along the ground.
No one is sure why Uranus is tilted so far. Some scientists think a big space rock may have hit it long ago, but they cannot say for certain.
Uranus is a cold, faraway planet. It is a pale blue-green color. It has thin rings around it, and it has many moons.
Uranus is so far from the sun that it is very hard to see. You need a telescope to look at it well.
Questions
How is Uranus tipped?
What color is Uranus?
What does Uranus have around it?
What do you need to look at Uranus well?
Why do scientists say they cannot be sure how Uranus got tipped?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Uranus Rolls Like a Ball
Most planets spin like tops, standing fairly upright as they turn. Uranus is strikingly different. It is tipped over on its side, so it spins like a ball rolling along the ground.
Nobody is certain why Uranus is tilted so far. Some scientists suspect that a huge space rock may have crashed into it long ago, but they cannot say for sure.
Uranus is a cold, distant planet with a pale blue-green color. It is circled by thin rings, and it has many moons.
Because Uranus is so far from the sun, it is very difficult to see. You need a telescope to get a good look at it.
Questions
How is Uranus tipped compared with most planets?
What color is Uranus?
What circles Uranus?
What do you need in order to get a good look at Uranus?
Why do scientists say they cannot be certain how Uranus became tilted?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Uranus Rolls Like a Ball
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.2)
It is tipped over on its side.
A pale blue-green.
Thin rings.
A telescope.
They only have an idea, and no one has proof that a space rock hit it.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 3.3)
It is tipped over on its side.
A pale blue-green.
Thin rings.
A telescope.
They have only an idea, and no one has proof that a space rock hit it.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5.1)
It is tipped over on its side.
A pale blue-green.
Thin rings.
A telescope.
They only suspect a space rock hit it, and they have no proof.
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 tipped, scientists, pale and telescope 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.
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 107 words and works out to a Flesch-Kincaid grade level of about 3.3. 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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