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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Arctic Fox Adaptations - Free Comprehension Worksheet
Read and learn about Arctic fox adaptations with a set of printable Reading Comprehension Worksheets for 2nd and 3rd grade.
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Christmas Around the World - 4th Grade Reading Comprehension
Discover how Christmas is celebrated in the northern and southern hemispheres with printable reading comprehension sheets for 4th grade.
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The Christmas Pickle Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Learn about the Christmas Pickle Tradition and practice reading comprehension skills with a printable reading passage worksheet pack.
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Paired Passage Worksheets-Mammals vs. Reptiles
Compare mammals vs. reptiles and add to your reading instruction with leveled nonfiction, compare and contrast passages and worksheets.
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Platypus Adaptations - Reading Passage & Questions
Learn about the physical and behavioral adaptations of the platypus with a set of printable reading comprehension worksheets for 4th grade.
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Comprehension Worksheets - The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Read and learn about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch with a reading comprehension passage and worksheet pack.
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An Egyptian Christmas - Holidays Around the World Mini Book
Introduce your students to Egyptian Christmas traditions and decorations with a printable Christmas in Egypt Mini Book.
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Christmas Traditions in France - Mini Book for Kids
Learn about Christmas traditions in France with a printable Christmas Around the World Mini Book for kids.
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Inherited and Acquired Plant Traits - Reading Passage
Read and learn about inherited and acquired traits in plants with a printable reading comprehension passage and worksheet.
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Mars vs. Earth - Differentiated Paired Passage Worksheets
Learn about the planets with differentiated compare and contrast passages, activities, and writing opportunities.
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Comparing Narrative and Informational Text Worksheets
Use this set of comparing narrative and informational text worksheets to examine the purpose and features of these two common genres.
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Properties of Matter Reading Comprehension Pack (2-3)
Read and discover the properties of matter with a set of 2nd Grade/3rd Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets.
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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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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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The Pony Express - Comprehension Passage Worksheet
Teach your students how to write a constructed response paragraph and integrate grade level Social studies concepts with a free Pony Express worksheet and ten-question comprehension assessment.
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Reading Worksheets - The Business of Bees (5th Grade)
Read and learn about bees, pollination and honey production with a reading comprehension passage and worksheet pack.
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Celebrity Biography Worksheets - Reading Comprehension Worksheets 3rd-4th
Download our celebrity biography reading comprehension worksheets PDF resource to help your 3rd and 4th graders practice reading comprehension skills.
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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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Poison Dart Frog Adaptations – 4th Grade Reading Worksheets
Explore the adaptations of a poison dart frog with printable reading comprehension worksheets for 4th grade.
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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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2nd Grade Reading Passage & Worksheet- Being a Good Pet Parent
Print a 2nd grade reading comprehension passage and worksheet to teach comprehension skills and learn about being a good pet parent by limiting pets' impact on ecosystems.
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Formation of Earth – Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Use this reading comprehension activity that helps develop literacy skills and outlines the events and processes that led to the formation of our home planet.
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Who is Bill Gates? Famous Entrepreneurs Comprehension Pack
Demonstrate comprehension and learn about famous entrepreneurs with a Bill Gates Biography and questions.
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Abraham Lincoln - 3rd Grade Reading Comprehension Pack
Celebrate Presidents' Day and discover the accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln with a printable reading comprehension activity pack for 3rd grade and up.
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Early Explorers - Robert de La Salle Reading Passage
Learn about Robert de la Salle and his worldly explorations with a printable reading passage and comprehension questions.
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George Washington Comprehension Worksheet - Primary Grades
Read and learn about the father of our country, George Washington, with a reading passage and comprehension questions.
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Native American Tribes in Texas - Reading Passage Worksheets
Blend reading and social studies standards with a pack of reading passages and comprehension activities about the Native American tribes in Texas.
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Westward Expansion Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Build reading comprehension skills with a Westward Expansion reading passage and assessment.
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Inspirational Woman Profile: Brooke Boney – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension task to use when learning about Brooke Boney.
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Note-Taking Practice Worksheets
Use this set of note-taking practice worksheets to help your students identify key facts, details and vocabulary when researching information.
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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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How to Make a Monster Reading Comprehension Activity
Read and comprehend a set of instructions to create a magical monster!