Reading Passages Teaching Resources
Explore reading passages ready to be used in your 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 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. The collection encompasses kindergarten through sixth grade, with reading worksheets that can be easily edited to differentiate instruction for individual learners.
New to teaching ELA this school year? Here’s a quick primer from our teacher team to help you add reading passages to our teacher toolkit, whether you’re teaching first grade, fifth grade, or somewhere in between!
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 analyze 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:
- Practicing reading fluency
- Provide students with practice in reading comprehension and critical thinking skills
- Measuring students’ reading level
- Exposing students to different genres, authors, and writing styles
The reading passages in this collection of teaching resources can be used for individual or group activities.
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Dogs Make The Best Pets - Reading Comprehension PDF
Assess 3rd grade reading comprehension skills with a printable Reading Comprehension Test using an opinion text.
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Koala Adaptations Comprehension Worksheets for 4th Grade
Learn about the physical and behavioral adaptations of the koala with a set of printable reading comprehension worksheets for 4th grade.
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Uses of Magnets Comprehension Worksheet
Download this magnets worksheet to teach your 2nd grade students about the uses of magnets in our everyday lives.
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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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Plant and Animal Adaptations - Comprehension Worksheets
Boost reading comprehension skills with a comprehension passage, with questions, about structural, behavioral and physiological adaptations.
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Protecting Native Plants and Animals – Comprehension Worksheets
Build comprehension skills and learn about human impact on ecosystems with a reading passage and worksheets.
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Reading Comprehension Worksheet - American Flag Facts
Boost reading comprehension skills and knowledge of American flag facts with a printable reading comprehension worksheet.
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Earthworms Everywhere - Reading Passage and Comprehension Questions
Enhance your students' comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills with this high-interest reading passage about earthworms!
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13 Colonies Reading Passages - New England, Southern, and Middle Colonies
Build reading comprehension skills and knowledge of the New England, Southern, and Middle colonies with printable comprehension worksheets.
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Christopher Columbus Reading Passage - Lower Elementary
Learn about Christopher Columbus and his worldly explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions for first and second grade.
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Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca - Reading Worksheet
Learn about Cabeza de Vaca’s accomplishments and explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions.
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The Women's Rights Movement Worksheets - Comprehension
Read, write, and discover facts about the women’s rights movement with a reading passage and comprehension worksheet pack.
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Nonfiction Comprehension Worksheet Pack for First Grade
Integrate science, social studies, and first grade reading comprehension skills with a group of ten nonfiction reading comprehension worksheets.
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Soccer vs. Football -Differentiated Paired Passage Worksheets
Differentiate reading instruction with nonfiction texts, compare and contrast activities, and response to text writing opportunities.
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Little Red Riding Hood – Comprehension Worksheet
Develop your students' reading comprehension skills with a well-known fairy tale.
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The Three Little Pigs – Comprehension Worksheet
Develop your students' reading comprehension skills with a well-known fairy tale.
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The Gingerbread Man - Comprehension Worksheet
Develop your students' reading comprehension skills with a well-known fairy tale.
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2nd Grade Hurricane Worksheets - Reading Comprehension
Read and learn about hurricanes with our 2nd Grade Hurricane Worksheets resource pack.
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Tornado Worksheets - Informational Writing (2nd Grade)
Use our printable tornado worksheets and organizers to teach 2nd grade informational writing lessons.
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Immigration Vocabulary List & Activity Pack
Download our immigration vocabulary list and printable vocabulary activities to teach your students about human migration and immigration.
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Bowerbird Comprehension Worksheets
Learn all about the wonderful world of Bowerbirds all while practicing comprehension skills.
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The History of Morse Code - Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension activity relating to technologies and codes.
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The Three States of Matter – 5th Grade Reading Worksheets
Use a 5th Grade Reading Comprehension passage and worksheet to teach your students about the three states of matter.
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3rd Grade States of Matter - Reading Worksheets
Teach science and reading skills with a set of printable 3rd Grade Reading Worksheets about the 3 states of matter.
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Forms of Matter - Reading Comprehension Worksheets (5th Grade)
Read and learn about forms of matter and its properties with a set of printable reading comprehension worksheets for 5th grade.
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Who Was Kiki Camarena? 3rd Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets
Read and learn about the origins of Red Ribbon Week with a printable ‘Who Was Kiki Camarena?’ Reading Comprehension Worksheet Pack.
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All About Smoke Alarms - Mini Book
Teach your students the importance of fire alarms with a printable Seymour Smoke Alarm Mini Book!
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The History of Red Ribbon Week - 4th Grade Reading Worksheet
Use this History of Red Ribbon Week reading comprehension worksheet to teach your students the story behind the celebration.
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Red Ribbon Week Reading Comprehension Practice (3-4)
Build comprehension skills while focusing on Red Ribbon Week and Peer Pressure with printable Reading Comprehension Worksheets for 3rd Grade and 4th Grade.
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Rio de Janeiro - Reading Comprehension Activities
Take your students on a trip to Rio de Janeiro with an engaging reading comprehension worksheet and Carnival Mask activity.
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The Olympic Games - Reading Comprehension Task
Encourage students to apply a range of comprehension and writing skills when finding out interesting fun facts about the Olympics with a printable reading comprehension worksheet pack.
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What Is Climate Change? Comprehension Worksheet
Teach your students about the perils of climate change with this comprehensive article with accompanying comprehension questions.