Differentiated Reading Passages

This Differentiated Comprehension Journal for the Year includes 86 paired texts and response sheets. The passages and response sheets are differentiated (there are three versions!). The passages will get increasingly more challenging as the year progresses.

WHAT'S INCLUDED?

• QUARTER 1: Included (Click HERE to view)

• QUARTER 2: Included (Click HERE to view)

• QUARTER 3: Included (Click HERE to view)

• QUARTER 4: Included (Click HERE to view)

The Comprehension Journal can be used in MANY different ways. To start, I suggest modeling how to use these passages as a whole group. Once your students become familiar with the structure and procedures, the sheets could be completed in a small group setting, with a partner, or independently. I provide colored and grayscale/black and white versions for your convenience.

There are five steps that students will be required to complete for each passage.

Step 1: I Can Read the Text - This step requires students to simply read the text one time to "get their feet wet."

Step 2: I Can Understand the Text - This step requires students to re-read the text and focus on the three highlighted vocabulary words. Students will have to match each word to its correct picture and meaning.

Step 3: I Can Picture the Text - This step requires students to visualize the text and then draw a detailed picture of what they visualized.

Step 4: I Can Write About the Text - This step requires students to answer a text-dependent question. Students will be required to go back to the text to find evidence that supports their answer.

Step 5: Comprehension Check-Up - This is the last step. This step requires students to answer "true" or "false" to sentences (for the nonfiction passages) OR write short answer responses (for the fiction passages)

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QUARTER 1 TOPICS:

10 Nonfiction Topics:

• Busy Little Squirrels!
• The Many Uses of Corn
• Who Was Johnny Appleseed?
• A Great, Big Pumpkin! (Largest pumpkin in the world!)
• All About Fire Dogs! (All About Dalmatians)
• Changes In Fall (What Do People and Animals Do In Fall?)
• Spooky or Not? (All About Skeletons)
• Light In the Night! (Jack-o-Lanterns)
• Caught In a Web! (All About Spider Webs)
• The Big Parade! (Thanksgiving Day Parade)

10 Fiction Topics:

• Sal the Squirrel
• Lost In the Corn Maze
• The Stolen Sack! (Fictional Story about Johnny Appleseed)
• Pumpkin Patch Time
• Dixie the Dalmatian
• The Fall Festival!
• Costume Party!
• Lost In the Corn Maze
• Pumpkin Carving Day
• Sharing a Web
• Time for the Parade

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QUARTER 2 TOPICS:

10 Nonfiction Topics:

• A Look at Reindeer (Facts about Reindeer)
• A Trip to the Toy Shop (About the Oldest Toy Shop)
• Life in an Igloo (About the Inuit People and Igloos)
• Kindness Counts (What It Means to Volunteer and Donate)
• Climb to the Top (All About Mt. Everest)
• Under the Arctic Ice (All About Beluga Whales)
• Winter is Here (What Happens in Winter?)
• Mother and Cub (All About Polar Bear Mothers and Cubs)
• Harp Seal Adventures (All About Harp Seals)
• You Better Brush Up! (What did people use before toothpaste?)

10 Fiction Topics:

• Rudy's Cookies
• The Perfect Toy!
• Do You Want to Build an Igloo?
• Warm Their Hearts
• Let's Pretend and Play!
• The Big Snowfall
• The Messy Den!
• Bella and Pepper
• It's Diving Day!
• A Trip to the Dentist!

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QUARTER 3 TOPICS:

13 Nonfiction Topics (3 BONUS Passages!):

• Spring Is Here
• Legend of Leprechauns
• Thank you, Earth!
• Exploring Rocks
• Terrifying Tornadoes
• Fascinating Frogs!
• Baby Ducklings
• Who's That Hopping? (Rabbits)
• Insects Up Close
• Wiggly Worms
• Tall, Tall Trees
• What are Magnets?
• Big and Small Plants

13 Fiction Topics (3 BONUS Passages!):

• The Leprechaun Trap!
• Earth Day Kids
• Spring Nature Walk
• Will It Stick?
• Gerry the Geologist
• A Trip to Remember
• Tornado Safety Plan
• Lonely Lenny
• Crossing the Creek
• Ralph Saves the Day!
• Grandma's Gardening Girl
• Caitlin's Worm Surprise
• Bug Catching Day!

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QUARTER 4 TOPICS:

10 Nonfiction Topics:

• Summer Has Arrived!
• Honeybees
• Under the Sea (Oceans)
• It's Camping Time!
• All About Mosquitoes
• Incredible Crabs
• Independence Day
• Flipping for Dolphins!
• Ice Cream: Then and Now
• Wild Water Parks

10 Fiction Topics:

• School’s Out for Summer!
• Toes In the Water!
• Honey Flapjacks
• Itchy All Over
• The Search for Treasure
• A 4th of July to Remember
• The Lucky Fishing Trip
• The Annual Camping Trip
• Sundae Fun Day!
• The Colossal Waterslide

You will notice that the format and layout are the same for each of the passage and response sheets. I did that intentionally so that you don’t have to spend an excessive amount of time explaining HOW to complete an activity and can dive right in! This will help allow students to successfully complete the activities independently.

If you have ANY questions about this bundle, please e-mail me at lyndsey@lyndseykuster.com.