3rd Grade Common Core: RI.3.1

This non-fiction article about owls describes how they're adapted for nighttime hunting. Includes a page of reading comprehension questions, a vocabulary activity, and a writing prompt.

Discover how polar bears have adapted to live in the Arctic.

An enriching article about your bones; includes comprehension questions.

Discover what's unusual about a chipmunk's cheeks, along with other interesting chipmunk facts.

Find out how pattern camouflage, color camouflage, and mimicry can benefit predators and prey.

Learn tons of fascinating facts about horned lizards in this article.

Find out how energy from the sun can create electricity. This passage is written at a 3rd grade reading level.

Read about the history of Veterans Day in the United States.

Students can discover Egypt's Great Pyramid and the Sphinx in this quick reading comprehension worksheet.

Learn about a monarch butterfly's metamorphosis as it transforms from a caterpillar into a butterfly.
(Approx. Grade Level: 3-4)

Earthworms have no eyes, no nose, no ears, no bones, no arms, and no legs. They do, however, have very complex bodies.

An amazing article about your brain, plus a series of seven reading comprehension questions to go with the article.

The history of piggy banks and how today's popular design was actually a mistake.

Answer the question on this worksheet. Questions include: "Can a dolphin drown? Explain." and "Is a bat a mammal or a bird? Explain."

Choose the correct vertebrate group for each description, match the animal with its vertebrate classification, and three short-answer questions.

Why does a camel have humps?  It's not to store water, but rather to store fat.  Separate camel facts from fiction with this article.

Chameleons can change color, rotate their eyes, and have toes that are specially adapted for climbing.

Learn about each type of cloud with this article and illustration.

What is unique about the trees in this strange place?  Students learn the secrets of the painted desert.

Learn about the many unique moons of our solar system.  (approx. 3rd grade level)

I bet you didn't know that an octopus can vanish in a cloud of smoke.  It's just one of the unique ways an octopus can defend itself.

Find out how to build a mealworm habitat and raise your own darkling beetles.

Students read a short nonfiction paragraph about cheetahs and answer the questions that follow.

Read about the differences between carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores.

Learn dozens of fascinating facts about stinky, smelly skunks.

Learn dozens of fascinating facts about giraffes, then answer the comprehension questions.

Read the article about waterspouts and answer the comprehension questions.

Quick-read paragraph with factual information about the White House.

Learn all about roly-poly pill bugs, which curl up in a ball to protect themselves.

Learn how ladybugs got their name, and why some farmers love them.

Are grasshoppers a farmer's friend or foe?  Actually, both.  Find out how grasshoppers can help and harm humans.

Discover the reasons animals migrate and read about the places they travel.

Three fun and easy soap bubble experiments kids can try.

There are lots of fun facts about Polar Bears, Grizzly Bears, and Giant Pandas in this article.

Here is a quick-read passage about an American symbol for freedom.

Hibernation is when animals slow down for the winter and fall into a sleep-like state. Learn about animal hibernation with this interesting article.

Brief, nonfiction passage explaining how pencil graphite was discovered, and what the numbers on pencils mean.

Learn about several birds that run and walk and swim instead of fly.

Read about the many different habitats found within a mountain ecosystem.

An article about the history of the Jack o' Lantern.  Includes comprehension and vocabulary questions.
(Approx. Grade Levels: 3-5)

A cheerful poem about the fun things you can do with autumn leaves.

Quick-read passage teaches students about a cave that is so long, it hasn't been entirely mapped.

Keep a record of your family's expenses for one week and group them according to needs and wants.

Another quick read paragraph with facts and questions about the Amazon River.

Learn about the events that cause winter, how animals prepare for winter, and wintertime activities people enjoy.

Professor Al Ligator teaches kids about the five groups of vertebrates. Kids will learn all about mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and fish.

This poem tells about the seasons. It's laid out to visually represent the cycle that moves from one season to the next. After reading the poem, students answer questions, and complete a vocabulary activity and a writing prompt relating to what they've reead.

A short article about Martin Luther King, followed by a set of reading comprehension questions.

American Founding Father Samuel Adams signed the Declaration of Independence and served in the Second Continental Congress.

Have you ever heard of the pink fairy armadillo? Learn all about this miniature armadillo! This article includes short answer and multiple choice questions, vocabulary words, and a writing prompt.

The Grand Canyon is known for its enormous size and colorful landscape. It also reveals some of the most ancient rock layers in all of North America.

Glacier National Park covers over a million acres of Montana. It is home to grizzly bears, moose, wolverines and lynxes.

The Okapi is a strange animal that looks like a mix between a giraffe and a zebra.

The Navajo Native American people helped the American war effort in World War II in an incredible way! Their language served as a code used by the military to communicate important information that the enemy couldn't figure out. Learn all about the "Navajo Code Talkers" in this social studies text.

Hoover Dam was built during the Great Depression, in the Colorado River, on the border between Arizona and Nevada.

Learn all about service dogs and how they help people in this fascinating article! Reading comprehension questions, vocabulary, and a writing prompt are included.

Niagara Falls is located between the United States and Canada. It is a popular tourist destination for visitors from around the world.

Want to learn all about coral reefs? This article describes the ocean's most unique living community. Home to thousands of species of fish and other sea animals, coral reefs play an important role in the well-being of the Earth. This reading comprehension article includes short answer, multiple choice, and vocabulary questions.

A short passage that teaches students about Mount Rushmore.

Four short-answer thinking questions about butterflies

Have your students complete this book review form each time they've finished a book.

John Jay co-authored the Federalist Papers with James Madison and Alexander Hamilton. He also served as the the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Pseudoscorpions are tiny, harmless scorpion-like creatures that can sometimes be found in bathrooms.  Read about these interesting arachnids and answer the questions.

Some short-answer thinking questions about a frog's life cycle

Learn about the anatomy and behaviors of one of the most feared spiders in the world.

Another quick-read with facts and questions about orcas.

Yellowstone was the first national park in the United States. It is home to Old Faithful, a geyser that regularly erupts with a spray of water and steam.

Learn about the shy and squishy squid! Did you know that a giant squid can grow up to the size of a school bus?! Discover other interesting facts in this printable animal article. Vocabulary words, comprehension questions, and a writing prompt are included in this reading comprehension packet.

Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. It was formed in a crater when a volcano, Mount Mazama, collapsed.

Learn about two different types of germs: bacteria and viruses. Find out how to prevent germs from making you sick. Discover a special type of bacteria that is actually important to your health.

Summarize the main idea of the book and list interesting facts you've learned.

Readers of this passage will learn the differences between two animals that look very similar--snakes and glass lizards. Then they'll answer comprehension questions, complete a crossword, and follow a writing prompt.

30 Days has September printable months poem, plus a worksheet.