Decodable non-fiction passages (2nd grade versions)
From FreeReading
This page contains passages from Decodable non-fiction passages but written at 2nd grade level.
Feel free to write these passages on the board, print them, or put them on an overhead projector.
Contents |
Frog Facts (Advanced)
A frog is a slick, fast animal. It swims, but can travel on land as well.
If it gets hungry, it sits still until an insect lands by it, and snaps it up with a swift gulp.
A frog often sits upon a lily pad to rest, until it jumps off for a swim. Jumping is a frog's best skill.
A frog has eggs, as a hen does, but frog eggs are not as big as hen eggs.
(Spache: 3.55)
What to Take on a Camping Trip (Advanced)
Camping can be a blast, if you pack well.
Bring a tent, a gas grill, and a big backpack that you can cram full of junk: pop, candy and nuts. If you and the rest of the pals go in a van or truck, you can fit the odds and ends you must bring.
It helps to put a soft mat in the tent, or you can end up with a stiff back.
(Spache: 4.42)
Planting Crops (Advanced)
If a big, empty plot of land has a lot of plants in it, and they were planted by men, the plants are said to be a crop.
Lots of plants can be crops: bananas, figs, carrots, melons, and cotton, as well.
You have to get crops wet often, and not let bugs or pests kill them. Frost can kill crops as well, but you can't stop that. You just have to have luck.
(Spache: 3.74)
What is an Atlas? (Advanced)
An atlas is a set of maps. It is helpful if you are on a trip and you end up lost. Often, we are not happy to admit that we are lost, and will not stop to ask for help.
With an atlas, we can get back on the fast track. An atlas of a big land will have a lot of maps in it.
You can get an atlas of America, or of the planet.
(Spache: 3.43)
Have a Picnic! (Advanced)
In the spring, if it's sunny, a picnic is the best bet to have fun. Pick a spot on the grass, and fling a big blanket to sit on.
Fill a basket with muffins, napkins, and plastic cups. A picnic basket often has flaps on it, to stop insects from jumping in.
A picnic next to a pond can be splendid. You can toss scraps to the ducks and go for a swim.
(Spache: 3.85)
What Are Cats Like? (Advanced)
Cats are fun and fluffy, and are often kept as pets. If a cat falls, it will twist or flip to land the best that it can, on its legs.
Cats do not have a lot of trust, and they will scram from any sudden upset. For a cat, one big upset is a dog.
An adult cat can be fat or slim. If a cat is not an adult yet, it is a kitten or a kitty.
Spache: 3.66
All About Texas (Advanced)
[Note: For this piece you will need to help students read "cows" and "cowboys."]
Texas is a big land in America, with lots of cows and cowboys. It has a lot of dust as well, or mud if it is wet.
Texas cowboys dress well for the jobs they do, with extra strong pants and jackets, and hats that block the sun.
A lot of Texas is flat grass land, but it has hills and cliffs.
If you go on a trip to Texas, it will help if you have a big map.
(Spache: 3.61)
Insects (Advanced)
This planet has a lot of insects on it. Insects (or bugs) are often pests, and can attack planted crops, animals, and us, as well.
The cricket is an insect. It is big and black, and it can jump as fast as a frog. In fact it must, for it is often hunted by frogs.
The ant is not as big as the cricket. Ants are strong, and they dig long, twisted tunnels that connect well.
(Spache: 3.61)
Fun Family Trips (Advanced)
A family trip can be a lot of fun. You can visit granddad, go to a jazz festival, or rent a cabin by a pond.
If a family is big, it will often travel in a van. But if you have to cross America, the trip can be endless.
You will get to a spot extra fast, and skip a lot of traffic, if you travel on a jet, but you have to get a ticket to do that.
(Spache: 4.15)
Rocket Blastoff (Advanced)
A rocket is a vessel that can send you up off of the planet. You sit in a metal pod, on the tip of the rocket, and strap in. At blastoff the rocket blasts from its stand and lifts the pod with it.
The rocket and pod travel up, extra fast, until the rocket's tank is empty. As it runs empty, the rocket will cut off from the pod, but the pod will not stop.
(Spache: 4.21)