How to Differentiate a Reading Passage…We’ve Got You Covered!

What are the best differentiation strategies for reading comprehension? Experts have many opinions on the subject, but one truth holds clear – students need accessible materials and lots of practice. Differentiated texts are your best bet to reach learners of different abilities. This grouping of materials provides differentiated materials for comparing and contrasting Neil Armstrong and Amelia Earhart.

The differentiated resources offered in this downloadable resource come in two levels – on and below level. Visually, the leveled texts are almost identical, which is what you want when looking for differentiated instruction for struggling readers. Each set of paired passages is accompanied by a compare and contrast cut and sort activity and a structured writing template for producing a compare and contrast paragraph.

This set of Neil Armstrong vs. Amelia Earhart resources focuses on the following skills:

• Comparing and Contrasting (Passages)
• Identifying facts and details 
• Organizing and recording information (Cut and Sort Table)
• Writing an Informative paragraph (Sentence Frames Provided)

An answer key is included with your download to make grading fast and easy!  

Differentiated Reading Comprehension Options

In addition to independent student work time, use this worksheet as an activity for:

• Differentiated small group reading lessons
• Lesson warm-up
• Lesson wrap-up
• Fast finishers 
• ELL Reading Group Activities
• Whole-class review (via smartboard)

Easily Download & Print

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to download the PDF version of this resource. 

Because this resource includes an answer sheet, we recommend you print one copy of the entire file. Then, make photocopies of the blank worksheet for students to complete. 

Additionally, project the worksheet onto a screen and work through it as a class by having students record their answers in their notebooks.

Find more ideas for differentiated instruction here!

This resource was created by Kiri, a teacher in Illinois and Teach Starter Collaborator. 

Don’t stop there! We’ve got more activities to shorten your lesson planning time:  

teaching resource Comprehension Task Cards - Finding The Main Idea A set of comprehension task cards to help students find the main idea when reading. teaching resource Reading and Writing Nonfiction Text: Earth Day Close Read Worksheets Enhance your students' comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills with this nonfiction Earth Day passage and accompanying activities. teaching resource Reading Comprehension Worksheets-King Midas and the Golden Touch Google Interactive and Printable Resources Review and practice multiple reading skills using the text “King Midas and the Golden Touch” with these digital and print resources.