2nd grade nonfiction passage about friction: 127 words, five questions, an answer key and vocabulary.
2nd gradenonfictionfriction127 words
Why Sleds Slide and Sandpaper Grips
Rub your hands together fast. They get warm, and you can feel them pushing against each other. That push is called friction.
Friction is a force that happens when two things rub. It makes it harder for things to slide. It also makes them slow down.
Rough things have a lot of friction. Think of sandpaper. It is bumpy, so it grips anything that touches it. Boots with bumpy bottoms grip the ground, so you do not slip.
Smooth things have less friction. A sled slides well on slick snow or ice. Socks on a shiny floor can slide too. This is fun on a sled, but it is not safe when you walk on ice.
Friction can help us, and it can be in our way.
Questions
What is friction? in the text
What happens to your hands when you rub them fast? in the text
Why does sandpaper grip things? in the text
Why does a sled slide well on snow? in the text
Why are boots with bumpy bottoms good for walking on a path? think about it
Words to know
friction
a force that slows things when they rub together
force
a push or a pull
grips
holds on tight
slick
smooth and slippery
Name ____________________________ Date ______________
Why Sleds Slide and Sandpaper Grips
2nd grade reading passage
Rub your hands together fast. They get warm, and you can feel them pushing against each other. That push is called friction.
Friction is a force that happens when two things rub. It makes it harder for things to slide. It also makes them slow down.
Rough things have a lot of friction. Think of sandpaper. It is bumpy, so it grips anything that touches it. Boots with bumpy bottoms grip the ground, so you do not slip.
Smooth things have less friction. A sled slides well on slick snow or ice. Socks on a shiny floor can slide too. This is fun on a sled, but it is not safe when you walk on ice.
Friction can help us, and it can be in our way.
Questions
What is friction?
What happens to your hands when you rub them fast?
Why does sandpaper grip things?
Why does a sled slide well on snow?
Why are boots with bumpy bottoms good for walking on a path?
Words to know
friction: a force that slows things when they rub together
force: a push or a pull
grips: holds on tight
slick: smooth and slippery
Free at teach.peabody.kids/passages/2/why-sleds-slide-and-sandpaper-grips
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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 · 89 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 0
Rub your hands together fast. They get warm. You can feel them push on each other. That push is friction.
Friction is a force. It happens when two things rub. It makes things hard to slide. It makes things slow down.
Rough things have lots of friction. Sandpaper is bumpy. It grips. Boots with bumpy bottoms grip the ground. You do not slip.
Smooth things have less friction. A sled slides on slick snow. This is fun on a sled. It is not safe when you walk on ice.
▲ This passage · 127 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6
Rub your hands together fast. They get warm, and you can feel them pushing against each other. That push is called friction.
Friction is a force that happens when two things rub. It makes it harder for things to slide. It also makes them slow down.
Rough things have a lot of friction. Think of sandpaper. It is bumpy, so it grips anything that touches it. Boots with bumpy bottoms grip the ground, so you do not slip.
Smooth things have less friction. A sled slides well on slick snow or ice. Socks on a shiny floor can slide too. This is fun on a sled, but it is not safe when you walk on ice.
Friction can help us, and it can be in our way.
■ Harder · 130 words · Flesch-Kincaid grade 5
Rub your hands together briskly. They grow warm, and you can feel them pushing against each other. That resistance is called friction.
Friction is a force that appears whenever two surfaces rub. It makes sliding more difficult, and it causes moving things to slow down.
Rough surfaces create a great deal of friction. Sandpaper, for example, is bumpy, so it grips anything that touches it. Boots with bumpy soles grip the ground firmly, which keeps you from slipping.
Smooth surfaces create much less friction. A sled glides easily across slick snow or ice, and socks can slide across a shiny floor. That is wonderful on a sled, but it is not safe when you are walking on ice.
Friction can help us, and it can also get in our way.
Rub your hands together fast. They get warm. You can feel them push on each other. That push is friction.
Friction is a force. It happens when two things rub. It makes things hard to slide. It makes things slow down.
Rough things have lots of friction. Sandpaper is bumpy. It grips. Boots with bumpy bottoms grip the ground. You do not slip.
Smooth things have less friction. A sled slides on slick snow. This is fun on a sled. It is not safe when you walk on ice.
Questions
What is friction?
What happens when you rub your hands fast?
Why does sandpaper grip?
Why does a sled slide well on snow?
Why are bumpy boots good on a path?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________▲
Why Sleds Slide and Sandpaper Grips
Rub your hands together fast. They get warm, and you can feel them pushing against each other. That push is called friction.
Friction is a force that happens when two things rub. It makes it harder for things to slide. It also makes them slow down.
Rough things have a lot of friction. Think of sandpaper. It is bumpy, so it grips anything that touches it. Boots with bumpy bottoms grip the ground, so you do not slip.
Smooth things have less friction. A sled slides well on slick snow or ice. Socks on a shiny floor can slide too. This is fun on a sled, but it is not safe when you walk on ice.
Friction can help us, and it can be in our way.
Questions
What is friction?
What happens to your hands when you rub them fast?
Why does sandpaper grip things?
Why does a sled slide well on snow?
Why are boots with bumpy bottoms good for walking on a path?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Name ____________________■
Why Sleds Slide and Sandpaper Grips
Rub your hands together briskly. They grow warm, and you can feel them pushing against each other. That resistance is called friction.
Friction is a force that appears whenever two surfaces rub. It makes sliding more difficult, and it causes moving things to slow down.
Rough surfaces create a great deal of friction. Sandpaper, for example, is bumpy, so it grips anything that touches it. Boots with bumpy soles grip the ground firmly, which keeps you from slipping.
Smooth surfaces create much less friction. A sled glides easily across slick snow or ice, and socks can slide across a shiny floor. That is wonderful on a sled, but it is not safe when you are walking on ice.
Friction can help us, and it can also get in our way.
Questions
What is friction?
What happens to your hands when you rub them briskly?
Why does sandpaper grip things that touch it?
Why does a sled glide easily across snow?
Why are boots with bumpy soles a good choice for a path?
Free at teach.peabody.kids
Answer key: Why Sleds Slide and Sandpaper Grips
● Easier (Flesch-Kincaid grade 0)
A force that happens when two things rub.
They get warm.
It is rough and bumpy, so it has lots of friction.
Slick snow is smooth and has little friction.
The bumps make friction, so you do not slip.
▲ This passage (Flesch-Kincaid grade 1.6)
A force that happens when two things rub together.
They get warm.
It is rough and bumpy, so it has a lot of friction.
Slick snow is smooth and has little friction.
The bumps make more friction, so you do not slip.
■ Harder (Flesch-Kincaid grade 5)
A force that appears when two surfaces rub together.
They grow warm.
It is rough and bumpy, so it creates a great deal of friction.
Slick snow is smooth and creates little friction.
The bumps create friction that keeps you from slipping.
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 friction, force, grips and slick 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 "Why Sleds Slide and Sandpaper Grips"?
It was written for 2nd grade. It has 127 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 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?
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