Do your students need help integrating information from two texts on the same topic? These nonfiction passages and reading comprehension activities on tornadoes and tornado safety include paired passages (or paired texts) that will help your students compare and contrast passages with a similar theme and topic.

This PRINT & DIGITAL mini-unit on tornadoes and tornado safety integrates science with reading and includes 12 fun and engaging pages of activities perfect for 4th and 5th grade. It is guaranteed to increase engagement while sparking interest and learning!

⭐ Check out the preview to see more!

In this assignment, students will compare and contrast details in paired texts as they learn about the effects of tornadoes in communities and how tornado drills are used in schools across the country to prepare students and teachers for tornadoes.

In this download, you will get:

• a teacher’s guide and notes
• 2 nonfiction passages about animal adaptations
• 2 vocabulary practice activities
• vocabulary picture cards with definitions (perfect for pocket charts and centers)
• 2 different compare and contrast graphic organizers
• reading comprehension questions (multiple choice and open-ended)
• written comprehension activity
• a Google digital version
• all answer keys

⭐ A complete lesson of this resource is included in Google Slides with a multiple-choice, automatically graded reading comprehension quiz in Google Forms. Points have already been assigned to the quiz, but you can easily adjust them to fit your needs. All directions are included for how to assign this resource to your students digitally.

Your students will:

• analyze 2 nonfiction passages on the same topic
• demonstrate understanding of vocabulary found in the texts
• find common details about each text
• determine which details in both texts are important
• compare the details in the texts to find which are different
• combine the information from both texts to meet the purpose for writing or speaking

These activities are perfect for:

• assessments
• review
• literacy centers
• small groups
• independent desk work
• early finishers
• homework
• sub plans

Teachers like you said…

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great for life skills, science, and reading! Perfect cross-curricular activity! – Cathryn H.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ These paired passages are packed with information. Great resource! – Kirsten R.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I really like these paired reading passages. So much so that I had to get it even though it isn’t really for my grade level (the passages are a 4th/5th grade level). I teach third and plan to use this for my high students that are on an upper third/fourth grade level. This is not only an interesting topic to students, but I really like how it is relative to students as it talks about the purpose of having tornado drills. Love the vocabulary cards and activities, as well as the comprehension quiz/questions! This is a very valuable resource! – Amanda W.

In this one convenient resource, you can…

• have ready-to-go reading comprehension activities that integrate science with reading and ELA to maximize your time.
• use these pre-made, paired passages and reading comprehension activities as sub plans when you need to take a day (or week) off!
• easily teach or assess student understanding by using multiple-choice questions that cover a variety of standards.
• print and go or assign digitally – includes everything you need to teach, review, or assess paired passages (or paired texts) anytime during the year!

⭐Bundle and save for a discount!⭐

Purchase the Paired Passages and Paired Texts Reading Comprehension Bundle for Grades 4-5 to get 6 different print and digital activities that will help your students compare and contrast passages with a similar theme and topic. Get 20% off by purchasing the bundle!

Supports Common Core Standards (CCSS):

RI.4.9

RI.5.9