Reading Passages Teaching Resources
Explore reading passages ready to be used in your primary classroom to assess your students' comprehension skills and build their confidence as readers!
Created by teachers for teachers, each reading passage in this extensive collection has been designed to enhance student comprehension skills and build understanding. This collection of Australian English curriculum-aligned comprehension passages was created by the teachers on the Teach Starter team, and each has undergone a review by an expert on our team to ensure it’s ready for your classroom.
Not sure where to begin? Here’s a quick primer from our teacher team to help you get the most out of this teacher tool!
What Are Reading Passages?
Reading passages are a set of written texts that are typically used for reading comprehension exercises and assessments. They can come in various forms, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry and drama. They are used to provide a text for students to read and analyse and are often accompanied by questions or tasks to assess comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and other language skills.
How to Use Reading Passages in the Classroom
This collection of short reading passages can be used for a variety of needs, including:
- Practising reading fluency
- Provide students with practise in reading comprehension and critical thinking skills
- Measuring students’ reading level
- Exposing students to different genres, authors and writing styles
Best of all? Teach Starter's reading passages have been developed so they can be used for individual or group activities.
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What Is Climate Change? Worksheet Pack
Teach your students about the perils of climate change with this comprehensive article with accompanying comprehension questions.
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Echidna Adaptations – Reading Worksheet Pack
Discover the adaptations of the echidna with a printable reading passage and comprehension worksheet pack.
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Sloth Adaptations – Comprehension Skills Worksheet
Read and comprehend nonfiction text about the adaptations of a sloth with a printable pack of reading skills worksheets.
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Polar Bear Adaptations Worksheet Pack - Comprehension Passage
Discover polar bear structural adaptations with a set of printable reading comprehension worksheets.
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Sound Energy Didjeridu Reading Passage
Delve into learning about the didjeridu, its characteristic sounds, and its significance in First Nations Culture with this Sound Energy Didgeridu Reading Passage.
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A Poppy for Remembering - Year 5 Reading Comprehension
Discover the history of the red poppy and its relation to Remembrance Day with printable reading comprehension worksheets for year 5.
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Year 4 Reading Comprehension - The Day of the Dead Reading Passage
Read and learn about the Mexican holiday, Dia De Los Muertos, with a reading passage and Year 4 reading prose comprehension test.
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Year 5 Magazine – What's Buzzing? (Issue 3)
Issue 3 of our beautifully designed, 24-page reading magazine specifically designed for Year 5 students.
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Plant Adaptations - Reading Comprehension Worksheets
Read and learn about unusual plants and their adaptations with a pack of printable reading comprehension worksheets.
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Australia's Voting System – Comprehension Worksheets
Explore the history and systems of voting in Australia with this differentiated reading comprehension activity.
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J. K. Rowling Biography and Worksheet
Download this J.K. Rowling biography and worksheet, designed to help students learn about the life, education and writing career of the world-famous author.
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The Secret Society of Vegetable Venerators – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a narrative from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 2).
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What is NAIDOC Week? – Comprehension Task
A comprehension task to use in the classroom when learning about NAIDOC Week.
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The Story of Gulaga - Comprehension and Activity Worksheet
A comprehension and linked activity based on an Aboriginal Dreaming Story.
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Comprehension - The Great Wall of China
A comprehension activity about The Great Wall of China.
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Compare and Contrast - Comprehension Task
A task to use when teaching your students reading comprehension strategies.
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Recalling Facts - Comprehension Task
A task to use when teaching your students reading comprehension strategies.
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The Sinking of the RMS Titanic - Historical Recounts Comparison Task
A comprehension task to enable students to compare literary historical recounts and factual historical recounts.
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Fossicking for Fossils – Comprehension Worksheet
Use a Fossil Comprehension worksheet to teach your year 5 and 6 students about what fossils are, how they’re formed, and more!
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What Are Pollinators? Year 2 Comprehension Worksheet Pack
Introduce your students to the world of pollinators and nonfiction text comrpehension with a printable Year 2 Reading Comprehension worksheet pack.
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Kangaroo Adaptations – Science and Literacy Worksheets
Discover unique kangaroo adaptations with a printable Reading comprehension worksheet pack.
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Amazing Ants! – Comprehension Worksheet Year 2
Review reading skills with comprehension worksheet for an article about ants from the Year 2 magazine .
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The Importance of Soil – Comprehension Worksheets
Teach your students about the importance of soil to plants, animals and humans with this differentiated reading comprehension passage with accompanying questions.
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Year 6 Magazine - What's Buzzing? (Issue 2)
Issue 2 of our beautifully designed, 24-page reading magazine specifically designed for Year 6 students.
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Year 5 Magazine - What's Buzzing? (Issue 2)
A beautifully designed, 24-page reading magazine specifically designed for Year 5 students.
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Year 2 Magazine – What’s Buzzing? (Issue 2)
A beautifully designed, 24-page reading magazine specifically designed for Year 2 students.
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Year 1 Magazine – What’s Buzzing? (Issue 2)
A beautifully designed, 22-page reading magazine specifically designed for Year 1 students.
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Finding The Main Idea - Comprehension Task (Turtles)
Explore the wonderful world of turtles with this comprehension task focusing on the main idea.
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Earth Watch: Protecting Native Plants and Animals – Comprehension Worksheet
Build comprehension skills and learn about human impact on ecosystems with a reading passage and worksheets.
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All About the Sun – Comprehension Worksheet
Integrate science and reading while learning about the Sun with this comprehension worksheet.
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Malala Yousafzai Biography for Students with Worksheets
Introduce young learners to an inspiring changemaker with this Malala Yousafzai biography for students with accompanying worksheets.
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Community Helpers: Fire Fighter – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article from the Foundation magazine (Issue 3).