I went up one pair of stair
Passage Activities:

Words: 101-200

Skills: Summary Theme

Grades: K 1st 2nd

Topics: Humor

Genres: Poetry

Lexile Range: —

Lexile Measure: —

CCSS: Reading: Literature

Themes: —

I Went Up One Pair of Stairs

by Katharine Pyle from Mother’s Nursery Tales

Young children love silly jokes and always have, as evidenced by this joke poem from a 1918 anthology. This joke will probably drive parents to distraction but will be a hit with the younger students. Students will read the passage and answer questions on the details and the theme.

Reading Comprehension Passage

I Went Up One Pair of Stairs

by Katharine Pyle from Mother’s Nursery Tales

Now I will tell you a joke; whatever I say to you, you must answer “Just like me.” Now we will begin.

I went up one pair of stairs.

Just like me.

I went up two pair of stairs.

Just like me.

I turned myself round about.

Just like me.

I went up three pair of stairs.

Just like me.

I made a cross on the wall.

Just like me.

I went up four pair of stairs.

Just like me.

I looked out of a window.

Just like me.

And I found I was up as high as the highest treetop.

Just like me.

I saw something moving about in the highest treetop.

Just like me.

I stared and stared to see what it was.

Just like me.

And then I saw it was a little monkey.

Just like me.

Just like you! Ha, ha! You said the monkey was just like you; I think you must be a little monkey yourself if it looked just like you.

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Reading Comprehension Questions

1. What was moving in the highest treetop?



2. How many pairs of stairs were climbed?



3.  Did you think the joke was funny? Why or why not?



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Sight Words

This passage includes words that students should learn to recognize on sight. We've highlighted 12 of these words below, from the Dolch sight word list for Pre-K through 1st, 2nd and/or 3rd grade. Tip: Read through the passage once with your student. Read a second time, but pause on the sight word and ask your student to say the word.

Sight Word List

  1. go
  2. little
  3. four
  4. round
  5. then
  6. think
  7. found
  8. made
  9. tell
  10. about
  11. window
  12. like

Flash Cards

Print and cut-out the flash cards below. Show each sight word to your student and ask them to say the word.