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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Healthy Mind, Healthy Body: The Value of Vegetables – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a comic from the Year 5 magazine (Issue 2).
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Hermes' Hocus Pocus – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a narrative from the Year 3 magazine (Issue 3).
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Letter to the Editor (More Screen Time) – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a magazine article from the Year 2 magazine (Issue 3).
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10 Fascinating Facts About Beaches – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a magazine article about beaches.
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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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iFoundit 4 – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a fake advertisement from the Year 4 magazine (Issue 3).
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The Hovering Hoverboard – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a fake advertisement from the Year 3 magazine (Issue 2).
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Comprehension - Plums For Mrs Smith
A comprehension activity using a recount for lower grades.
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Comprehension - Why Bears Have Stumpy Tails
A comprehension activity using a narrative text for lower grades.
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Understanding Sequence - Jack and the Beanstalk
A worksheet to use when teaching students how to understand sequence when reading.
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Rio de Janeiro - Reading Comprehension Activities
Take your students on a trip to Rio de Janeiro with engaging reading comprehension activities and Carnival Mask template.
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Australian Conservationists: The Irwins – Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about the Irwin family and their conservation work with this 2-page reading passage and accompanying comprehension questions.
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Bowerbird Comprehension Worksheets
Learn all about the wonderful world of Bowerbirds all while practising comprehension skills.
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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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All About Soldiers - Comprehension and Building Background Worksheets
Learn about soldiers and Remembrance Day with a group of six worksheets that build background and comprehension skills.
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Types of Soils – Comprehension Worksheets
Explore the properties of sand, silt, loam and clay with a set of 4 reading passages with accompanying comprehension questions.
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Reading Comprehension Worksheets - The History of Electricity
Read to learn about the history of electricity with printable reading comprehension worksheets.
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Debating and Scrutinising Bills - Comprehension Worksheets
Explore how bills are debated and scrutinised in the Australian Federal Parliament with this differentiated reading comprehension activity.
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Amazon Rainforest Facts - Reading Passage
Read and learn about conservation with a reading passage and comprehension worksheet on the Amazon Rainforest.
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Comprehension Worksheets - The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Read to learn about the Great Pacific Garbage patch with a printable reading comprehension worksheet pack.
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Formation of Earth - Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Combine reading and science content with a reading comprehension worksheet that focuses on the formation of Earth.
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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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Playtime Before School – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a comic from the Year 1 magazine (Issue 3).
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Community Helpers: Doctor – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article from the Foundation magazine (Bonus Issue).
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Community Helpers: Fire Fighter – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article from the Foundation magazine (Issue 3).
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Halloween Reading Comprehension – Fiction Story and Task Cards
Practise reading comprehension skills with an exciting Halloween reading comprehension activity for Year 4 students.
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Community Helpers: Nurse – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article from the Foundation magazine (Issue 2).
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Community Helpers: Police Officer – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for an article from the Foundation magazine (Issue 1).
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Life Without Tacos – Comprehension Task
A comprehension passage and accompanying worksheet about cultural diffusion.
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The 7-in-1 Craft Contraption – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a fake advertisement from the Year 2 magazine (Issue 3).
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Tricky Tongue Twisters – Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a magazine article from the Year 3 magazine (Issue 3).
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Angry Outbursts – Comprehension Worksheet
Explore emotional awareness and healthy calming strategies with this comic-style comprehension passage and accompanying questions.