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.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Women's Suffrage - Differentiated Comprehension Worksheets
Integrate reading, writing, and American history with a differentiated comprehension passage and worksheet about Women’s Suffrage.
- Plus Plan
4th Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets - Superstitions
Learn about common superstitions and beliefs with a printable reading comprehension passage for 4th grade.
- Plus Plan
Community Helpers: Police Officer – Comprehension Worksheet
Kick off a study of community helpers with a decodable police officer reading passage and comprehension worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Community Helpers: Firefighter – Comprehension Worksheet
Kick off Fire Prevention Week this October with a decodable firefighter reading passage and comprehension worksheet.
- Plus Plan
All About Soldiers - Building Background and Comprehension Worksheets
Learn about Veterans Day with a group of six worksheets that build background and comprehension skills.
- Plus Plan
The Intolerable Acts Worksheets
Practice close reading strategies, vocabulary, and writing skills with an Intolerable Acts worksheet and writing prompt.
- Plus Plan
Westward Expansion Close Reading and Writing Pack
Enhance your students' close reading strategies, vocabulary, and writing skills with a Westward Expansion reading passage and accompanying activities.
- Plus Plan
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.
- Plus Plan
Benjamin Franklin Social Studies Reader and Activity Booklet
Read and learn about Benjamin Franklin with an informational reader and activity booklet.
- Plus Plan
George Washington Printable Book
Read and learn about the father of our country, George Washington, with a printable reader and activity book.
- Plus Plan
Halloween vs. Dia de Los Muertos - Differentiated Paired Passages
Integrate reading, writing, and celebration of world cultures with differentiated paired passages comparing Halloween and Dia de los Muertos.
- Plus Plan
Marshall vs. Tubman Differentiated Paired Passage Worksheets
Combine reading and history content with differentiated reading comprehension worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Armstrong vs. Earhart -Differentiated Paired Passage Worksheets
Combine reading and history content with differentiated reading comprehension worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Soccer vs. Football -Differentiated Paired Passage Worksheets
Differentiate reading instruction with nonfiction texts, compare and contrast activities, and response to text writing opportunities.
- Plus Plan
Comic – Team Trials: Success Celebrators – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet for a comic about the importance of good sportsmanship and celebrating the success of others.
- Plus Plan
Ruby Bridges – Comprehension Task
Review our profile on 6-year-old civil rights figure Ruby Bridges, and answer questions to reinforce understanding.
- Plus Plan
Black History Profile: Amelia Boynton - Comprehension Worksheet
Review our profile on civil rights activist Amelia Boynton and answer questions to reinforce understanding.
- Plus Plan
International Women's Day Gender Ground Rules – Comic and Activity
A comic that shows an example of a gender stereotype.
- Plus Plan
Black History Profile: Carol Moseley Braun - Comprehension Worksheet
Review our profile on Illinois Senator Carol Moseley Braun and answer questions to reinforce understanding.
- Plus Plan
Black History Profile: Thomas Mundy Peterson - Comprehension Worksheet
Review our profile on history-maker Thomas Mundy Peterson and answer questions to reinforce understanding.
- Free Plan
Black History Profile: Shirley Chisholm - Comprehension Worksheet
Review our profile on Congresswoman and first Black presidential candidate Shirley Chisholm, and answer questions to reinforce understanding.
- Plus Plan
Black History Profile: Barack Obama - Comprehension Worksheet
Review our profile on the first African American President of the United States, and answer questions to reinforce understanding.
- Plus Plan
Inspirational Woman Profile: Greta Thunberg – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension task to use when learning about Greta Thunberg.
- Plus Plan
Inspirational Woman Profile: Obiageli Ezekwesili – Comprehension Worksheet
Review our profile on Nigerian social pioneer Obiageli Ezekwesili and answer questions to reinforce understanding.
- Plus Plan
Innovative Inventors - Comprehension Worksheet
Meet famous Black History Month figures with this informational text and comprehension questions activity.
- Plus Plan
Pollinators – Comprehension Task
An article and comprehension task about pollinators.
- Plus Plan
Black History Profile: Kamala Harris - Comprehension Worksheet
Review our profile on Vice President Kamala Harris and answer questions to reinforce understanding.
- Plus Plan
Digital Warriors: Social Footprints – Comprehension Worksheet
A comprehension worksheet paired with a comic about being safe when sharing photos on digital platforms.
- Plus Plan
Human Histories: Helpful Heroes – Comprehension Worksheet
A worksheet paired with an article about people around the world who have dedicated their lives to helping others.
- Plus Plan
First But Not Last – Comprehension Task
An article about historic women paired with a comprehension task.
- Plus Plan
Springtime Blooms – Comprehension Task
An article about springtime blooms and festivals paired with a comprehension task.