Finding Text Evidence &

Reading Comprehension Passages Thank you for downloading this Finding Text Evidence and Making Inferences pack. I hope you find it is useful for your students to help them grow into more confident readers! If you have a moment, I appreciate your feedback. Thanks! -Lauren

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************************************************** Clip art & fonts by: Directions: Students should read the passage 3 times. There are boxes at the end of the passage so they can check off each time they read it. There are 3 text evidence questions for each passage where the students use crayons or colored pencils to underline where the answers are found in the text. There is one inference question that is not directly answered in the text. Students will use the clues from the text to make an educated guess. Finally, there is a response question to help students with text to self connection.

Check off each time you read.

Interactive They have wings but text they cannot fly. Text to self I would not want a evidence connections questions Penguins eat fish, penguin for a pet shrimp, and krill. because it would have to live in our a colony freezer.

A predator eats other animals.

Use context clues

*The “Penguins” passage is used for an example only. It is not included in the fall pack. 1. Pumpkins 2. Bats 3. Sammy the Spider 4. The Desert 5. Fred the Fireman 6. Fall Festival 7. The Scarecrow 8. Trixie Turkey 9. Christopher Columbus 10. Thanksgiving Traditions 11. Trey’s Sport 12. Day 13. Rudy the Reindeer 14. Gingerbread 15. Around the World Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Pumpkins Many people think a pumpkin is a vegetable, but it is not. It is a fruit! It grows on a vine and has seeds inside. It takes about 100 days for a seed to grow into a pumpkin. Pumpkins can be as small as one pound, or as big as 1,000 pounds! Pumpkins are grown everywhere in the world except Antarctica. Pumpkins are used for many things. Some people use them as decorations in the fall. Pumpkins are cleaned out and carved into jack-o-lanterns for . For Thanksgiving, many people use pumpkins to make pie, bread, or soup. You can even bake pumpkin seeds in the oven for a tasty snack!

How long does it take for a pumpkin to grow? What do you like to do ______with a pumpkin? ______How big can a pumpkin be? ______What is one way that people use pumpkins? ______

Make an inference. Why do pumpkins not grow in Circle words or phrases in the Antarctica? passage that gave you a clue. ______1 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Name ______Read the passage 3 times. Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Bats Bats are very special animals. They can fly like birds, but they are mammals! In fact, they are the only mammals that can fly. They do not have feathers like birds, but they do have fur. Their wings are actually arms and fingers covered with skin. There are about 1,000 different kinds of bats in the world. They live together in groups called colonies. The biggest bat is called the Samoan flying fox. It has a wingspan of 79 inches. Most bats eat insects, but some kinds also eat fruit, nectar, fish, or blood. Bats are nocturnal, so they sleep during the day, and are awake at night. They use something called echolocation to help them see in the dark. They make clicking noises that bounce off objects and echo back. This tells the bat where things are. Many people think bats are creepy, but they are actually very useful animals. One bat can catch and eat up to 600 mosquitos in one hour!

What is one way bats are different Would you rather find a than birds? ______bat or a mosquito in your ______house? Why? What is a group of bats called? ______How do bats see in the dark ?______

Make an inference. Circle the things a bat might eat: Circle words or phrases in the orange bird grasshopper passage that gave you a clue. ladybug banana rabbit 2 © Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Name ______Read the passage 3 times. Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Sammy the Spider Sammy the spider crawled slowly up the tree. He had been trying all morning to spin a beautiful web for his mother. Her birthday was tomorrow and he wanted to make her something special. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get it right. The first time he tried, the web was too crooked. The next time he tried, it was too tiny. The last time he tried, it got all tangled. “I give up,” Sammy cried. “I’ll never make the perfect web for my mother’s present.” Just then, Sammy’s friend, Willy the Worm, came inching by. “What’s wrong, Sammy?” he asked. “I can’t make the perfect web for my mother’s birthday present,” Sammy replied. “That’s okay!” Willy said. “I think she will like any present that you give her because she loves you.” “You’re right!” Sammy said. He tried one more time to spin a web for his mom. He made the words “I LOVE YOU” in the middle of it. It was not perfect, but it was the perfect gift for his mom.

What is Sammy trying to do? If you could give any gift ______to your mom, what would ______it be? Why does Sammy want to give up? ______What advice did Willy give to Sammy? ______

Make an inference. How did Willy know something Circle words or phrases in the was wrong? ______passage that gave you a clue. ______

3 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. The Desert Deserts cover about 30 percent of the land on the earth. The largest desert on earth is the Sahara, which is in Africa. Many people think that a desert is always hot, but some deserts can also be cold. All deserts get less than 10 inches of rain each year, so they are very dry. Because there is not much water, only special plants and animals can survive in the desert. A cactus has big, shallow, roots to collect water and sharp needles to keep animals away. Lizards, coyotes, snakes, and camels are some of the animals that live in the desert. The animals are usually active at night, when the weather is cooler, and they rest in the shade during the day. There is even a type of fish, called lungfish, that can live in the desert by burrowing down in wet mud!

What is true of all deserts? Would you rather live in a ______cold desert or a hot ______desert? Why? How does a cactus protect itself from ______being eaten by animals?______How does a lungfish survive in the ______desert?______

Make an inference. Circle words or phrases in the What does burrowing mean? passage that gave you a clue. ______

4 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Name ______Read the passage 3 times. Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Fred the Fireman All the students in Miss Lott’s class were very excited. A real fireman was coming to visit them and teach about fire safety! Fred the fireman came to their class after lunch. He was wearing his hat and black fireman uniform. He taught the class all about fire safety and told them to remember the “Three Ps – Prevent, Plan, and Practice.” To prevent means to keep fire from starting in the first place. Fred told them to never play with matches, and to never cook alone without an adult to help. He said it is important to have a plan if your house ever catches on fire. Make a plan with your family of how you will get out and where you will meet. Finally, Fred taught them that it is important to practice what to do if they smell smoke or if their house catches on fire. When Fred finished teaching, they all practiced what to do if their clothes ever caught on fire. First you stop, then you drop to the floor, and roll around to put out the fire! Fred gave them all a sticker for being such great listeners!

Whose class had a visit from the Would you like to be a fireman?______firefighter? Why or why ______not?______What are the 3 Ps? ______What should you do if your clothes catch on fire? ______

Make an inference. Did Miss Lott’s class behave Circle words or phrases in the well when Fireman Fred was teaching? passage that gave you a clue. ______

5 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Fall Festival Steve and his family go to the Fall Festival every year. It is a festival in his town each October to celebrate the harvest, or gathering of crops from the fields that are ready to eat. At the festival, there are rides, contests, and a lot of food! Steve’s favorite is the pie-eating contest. He has won 3 years in a row. Last year he ate 7 blueberry pies! His little sister, Tara, loves to go on the hayride. Each year their family brings a pumpkin from their garden to enter in the biggest pumpkin contest. Last year they won 2nd place! Steve likes to ride the Ferris wheel around and around. When he gets to the top, he can look out over the whole town. Tara likes to ride too, but only if Steve sits next to her and holds her hand. She gets a little scared at the top. The Fall Festival is Steve’s favorite thing all year!

When is the Fall Festival? Do you think you could win ______a pie-eating contest? Why ______or why not? What does Tara love to do? ______When does Tara get scared? ______

Make an inference. What are crops? Circle words or phrases in the ______passage that gave you a clue.

6 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. The Scarecrow Once there was a scarecrow named Sam. Sam sat on a wooden pole in the farmer’s field. His job was to scare away the crows if they came to eat the corn. Sam was very unhappy. He got very bored sitting on the pole all day long. One day, Sam climbed down from the pole and went looking for adventure. He came to the pond and wanted to go for a swim. When he got in, his hay got all soggy and wet. Next he tried going on a walk in the woods, but he got lost. It was getting dark and cold, and Sam was sorry that he ever left his home in the field. All of a sudden, he heard the farmer calling for him. Sam followed the sound and found his way back home. Sam climbed up on his pole with a big smile on his face. “It’s good to be home,” Sam thought.

. What is Sam’s job? If you went on an ______adventure, what would ______you do? What did Sam do first on his adventure? ______How did Sam find his way back home? ______

Make an inference. How does Sam feel Circle words or phrases in the as he gets back on the pole? passage that gave you a clue. ______

7 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Trixie Turkey Trixie Turkey was the most beautiful animal on the farm. Her tail was full of fluffy, golden feathers. One day Polly Pig asked Trixie if she could have a feather. Trixie refused to share her beautiful feathers. She was afraid that if she shared, she would not be the most beautiful animal anymore and would not have any friends. Polly Pig and the other animals were sad that Trixie would not share. They did not want to play with her anymore. Trixie asked the wise old owl what she should do. The owl told her that true friends like each other because they are kind to each other and have fun together, not because they are beautiful. Trixie found the other animals and gave each of them one of her golden feathers. They all gave Trixie a big hug and asked her to come play. Trixie smiled and ran off to join her friends.

Why did Trixie not give Polly a feather Think about your friends. at first? ______Why do you like them? ______Who did Trixie ask for help? ______What did the animals do when Trixie ______shared her feathers?______

Make an inference. How did Trixie feel as she ran Circle words or phrases in the off to join her friends in the end? passage that gave you a clue. upset scared happy 8 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus was a famous explorer who discovered the Americas. He was born in Italy in 1451. In the year 1492, Columbus set sail from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean, hoping to find a shorter way to India. He prepared 3 ships for the voyage. They were called the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. They left on August 3. Instead of finding India, Columbus landed on an island he called San Salvador (now the Bahamas) on October 12th. It had been a long and dangerous journey. Columbus did not know that he had discovered a new land. He thought he had landed on India, so he called the native people he found there, Indians. Columbus returned to Spain as a hero. He brought back some things from the new land to show the king, including turkeys and pineapples. Today, many people honor Christopher Columbus with a special in October called .

What was Columbus trying to find? Would you like to sail ______around the world? ______Why or why not? When did Columbus land on San Salvador? ______What did Columbus bring back to show the ______king?______

Make an inference. What does voyage mean? Circle words or phrases in the ______passage that gave you a clue. ______

9 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Thanksgiving Traditions Landon’s favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. He always goes to his grandma’s house to eat a big meal and play with his cousins. His family has several traditions that always make the time special. One tradition is that Landon and his grandma make a pecan pie together. He helps by gathering pecans from the backyard while his grandma bakes the crust. Then they crack open the pecans and mix together all the ingredients to make the pie. Later, when his dad carves the turkey, Landon and his cousin Cade hold the wishbone and make a wish. Before they eat, each person tells something they are thankful for. Another tradition they have is watching a parade on T.V. After they eat, they all go outside for a game of flag football. Landon is always a little sad to go back home, but then he remembers all the things that he has to be thankful for.

What does Landon help his grandma do? Tell about a tradition your ______family has (any time of the ______year). What do Landon and Cade do? ______What does the family do after they eat? ______

Make an inference. Why is Landon sad to go Circle words or phrases in the back home? ______passage that gave you a clue. ______

10 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Name Trey’s Sport Trey wanted to learn how to play a sport, but he didn’t know which one. He decided to try a few to see what he liked the best. First, he tried football. Every time he tried to catch the football, it slipped from his hands. Next, Trey tried soccer. Every time he tried to kick the soccer ball, he tripped and fell down on the ground. Finally, he tried playing golf. Every time he tried to hit the golf ball, the club flew out of his hands. Trey sat down on a bench at the park and put his head in his hands. He decided that maybe he would never be good at any sport. All of a sudden, a basketball rolled over to the bench and hit Trey’s shoe. He looked up and saw a boy running towards him. “Hi! Do you want to come play basketball with me?” the boy asked. Trey picked up the basketball, ran to the court, threw the ball, and made a basket! “Wow!” Trey said. “I think I found my favorite sport!”

What happened when Trey tried soccer? What is your favorite ______sport? Why? ______What happened when Trey tried golf? ______Why did Trey decide he liked basketball? ______

Make an inference. How was Trey feeling Circle words or phrases in the when he first sat down on the bench? passage that gave you a clue. ______

11 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Wright Brothers Day 17th is Wright Brothers Day. Orville and Wilber Wright are brothers who owned a bicycle shop in the early 1900s. They were both very interested in gliders and other things that could fly. They began inventing different types of flying machines. After experimenting with different gliders, they invented the first airplane with an engine. On December 17, 1903, they made their first successful flight with their airplane near the town of Kitty Hawk, . They were able to keep the airplane in the air for 59 seconds and go 852 feet. Orville and Wilber made mistakes along the way, but they kept trying, even when their inventions broke or didn’t work. They continued to make improvements to their flying machines, and today the skies are full of airplanes, all thanks to the Wright Brothers.

What did Orville and Wilber do before they Would you have wanted to invented the airplane?______test fly the first airplane? Why or why not?

______www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Thompson Lauren ©2015 When did the Wright brothers make a ______successful flight with their first airplane? ______How long were they able to fly it? ______Make an inference. What would have happened Circle words or phrases in the if the Wright brothers gave up when one of their passage that gave you a clue. inventions didn’t work?______12 Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Rudy the Reindeer Rudy was a little reindeer. He lived with his family in the North Pole. Every Christmas, Rudy dreamed of being a big, strong reindeer who helped pull Santa’s sleigh. But every year, Santa told him he was not quite big enough to pull the sleigh yet. One , Rudy was sitting in the snow outside of Santa’s workshop when he heard a loud noise inside. He rushed inside to see what happened. An elf told him that the candy cane machine was broken! “We need your help, Rudy,” she said. “We need to make enough candy canes for Santa to give to all the boys and girls tonight!” Rudy didn’t even stop to think about it, he just jumped right in and helped the elves. They worked hard for 5 hours, making enough delicious candy canes for Santa to give to all the children. When they finally finished, Rudy carried the bag of candy canes to the sleigh. As Santa climbed on, he looked at Rudy and said, “Thank you Rudy! You have been such a great help this year. I bet by next year, you will be the perfect size to help pull my sleigh.” Rudy stood tall and smiled as he watched Santa fly off into the night.

Why could Rudy not help pull the sleigh? If you were a reindeer, ______would you want to help pull ______Santa’s sleigh? What did Rudy help the elves do? ______What did Santa tell Rudy when he brought the candy canes?______

Make an inference. How does Rudy feel at the Circle words or phrases in the end as he watches Santa fly away? passage that gave you a clue. ______

13 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Gingerbread Recipe

Ingredients: 2 cups flour 1 package butterscotch pudding 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon ginger 1 egg 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon Directions: 1. Mix pudding mix, butter, and sugar in a bowl. 2. Add the egg and blend well. 3. Combine the rest of the ingredients together in a separate bowl, then mix with the pudding mixture. 4. Chill dough for 1 hour, or until it is firm. 5. Roll dough on a board and cut with a cookie cutter. 6. Bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes. 7. Remove from oven, let cool, then decorate.

How much baking soda does the recipe call Do you like to bake? for? ______Why or why not? ______What is the second step to make the ______cookies?______What should you do before decorating the ______cookies?______

Make an inference. Why is step 4 important? Circle words or phrases in the ______passage that gave you a clue.

14 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Read the passage 3 times. Name ______Answer the questions below. Underline your evidence. Christmas Around the World Even though Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated all over the world, people have different traditions and ways of celebrating in each country. In the and Canada, people hang stockings on the chimney for Santa Claus to fill with treats on Christmas Eve. In other countries, like France, children put their shoes out for Pere Noel (Father Christmas) to fill with sweets. In the Philippines, many people like to decorate with a special star shaped lantern made out of bamboo and paper. In Australia, it is summertime during Christmas, so many friends and family gather for celebrations on the beach. In Italy, children walk around the neighborhood to sing songs for their neighbors and are given money to buy presents! Many countries celebrate Christmas on December 25th each year, but some people celebrate on a day in January instead.

What do people in the Philippines decorate Would you like to have a with? ______celebration on the beach? ______Why or why not? In what country do children leave their ______shoes out?______What do children do for their neighbors in ______Italy?______

What other holiday tradition can you think of Circle words or phrases in the that is similar to what kids do in Italy? passage that gave you a clue. ______15 ©2015 Lauren Thompson www.mrsthompsonstreasures.com Terms of Use

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