The New Playground Ball Basket
MAPLE ELEMENTARY — Recess looks a little different this week at Maple Elementary School. The school blacktop now has a bright blue basket filled with playground balls.
In the past, balls often rolled across the field or got left behind in the tall grass. Teachers spent time after recess looking for missing soccer balls and red kickballs. Now, the school is trying a simple new routine.
The blue basket sits near the brick wall under the supervision of Mr. Lopez, a recess aide. When students head outside, they walk to the basket and pick a ball for their game. Mr. Lopez writes down which game has each ball. When the final whistle blows, the students bring the balls right back to the basket before lining up.
Second graders are already enjoying the change. A student named Mia said the new routine saves time. "We used to spend five minutes hunting near the bushes for a kickball," Mia explained. "Now we just grab one from the basket and start playing right away."
Another student, Sam, likes that the playground stays clean. "It is easy to drop the ball in the bin when the whistle blows," Sam said.
Teachers report that no balls were left on the grass all week. Because the basket works so well, the school plans to keep the borrowing routine for the rest of the school year.
- blacktop:
- A hard, paved outdoor surface often used for school playgrounds.
- routine:
- A regular way of doing things in the same order.
- supervision:
- The act of watching over people or activities to make sure they are safe.
- aide:
- A helper who assists a teacher or school staff member.
- hunting:
- Searching or looking carefully to find something that is lost.
Educational example text · News Article
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- 1What new item was added to the playground at Maple Elementary School?
- 2Where did balls often end up in the past after recess?
About this news article passage for 2nd Grade
“The New Playground Ball Basket” is a news article reading passage about playground rules and equipment sharing, written for 2nd Grade. It takes about 2 minutes to read (229 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.