Parents (page 12)
Ways to help at home, from reading together to routines.
- Systematic Phonics Instruction Helps Students Learn to Read: Evidence from the National Reading Panel’s Meta-Analysis (2001)Page
Systematic phonics beat unsystematic or no phonics, including whole language, with a moderate effect that lasted after teaching ended. It helped decoding, word reading, comprehension and spelling, for children at risk…
- The Effects of Repeated Reading on Reading Fluency for Students With Reading Disabilities (2017)Page
Repeated reading improved reading fluency (correct words per minute) for students with reading disabilities, especially in elementary grades. Combining repeated reading with a listening preview, where the student first…
- Camels in the Desert: 4th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about desert animals for 4th grade, 164 words, with six comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- Seeds That Travel: 4th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about how seeds spread for 4th grade, 162 words, with six comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- Washing Away Germs: 4th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about staying healthy for 4th grade, 172 words, with six comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- The Great Wall of China: 4th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about world history for 4th grade, 163 words, with six comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- Informational writing rubricPrintable
A free informational writing rubric in three grade bands (K–2, 3–5, 6–8) for explanatory and expository writing: topic, facts, organization, vocabulary, conventions.
Checked 2026-10-30
- Reading a Bar Graph: 4th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about graphs and data for 4th grade, 183 words, with six comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- The New Kid at Lunch: 4th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A fiction passage about kindness and friendship for 4th grade, 170 words, with six comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- The Treehouse Sign: 4th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A fiction passage about sharing and teamwork for 4th grade, 189 words, with six comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- The Talent Show Hiccups: 4th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A fiction passage about stage fright and humor for 4th grade, 171 words, with six comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- Percents in Everyday Life: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about percents for 5th grade, 196 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- How Soap Cleans: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about soap and germs for 5th grade, 213 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- How Glass Is Made: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about glass for 5th grade, 219 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- Why We Have Leap Years: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about calendars and leap years for 5th grade, 209 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- What Tree Rings Tell Us: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about tree rings for 5th grade, 227 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- Book report rubricPrintable
A free book report rubric in three grade bands (K–2, 3–5, 6–8): summary, characters and setting, opinion with reasons, and organization, for written or oral reports.
Checked 2026-10-30
- How a Pulley Lifts a Load: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about simple machines for 5th grade, 238 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- Reading response rubricPrintable
A free reading response rubric in three grade bands (K–2, 3–5, 6–8) for journal entries and written answers: the question, text evidence, thinking and clear writing.
Checked 2026-10-30
- Worms in the Compost Pile: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about compost and earthworms for 5th grade, 227 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- Mean, Median, and Mode: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about averages in math for 5th grade, 221 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- How Echoes Happen: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A nonfiction passage about echoes for 5th grade, 231 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- The Volcano That Would Not Erupt: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A fiction passage about a science fair problem for 5th grade, 241 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.
- Mateo and the Stuck Kite: 5th grade reading passage with questionsReading
A fiction passage about kite and a tall tree for 5th grade, 231 words, with five comprehension questions, an answer key and vocabulary. Print it or read it big.