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Grade 3 nonfiction reading passage about Fossils. Christmas theme. 6 comprehension questions covering main idea, inference, vocabulary, text evidence and more. Answer key included (NGSS.3-LS4-1).
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Page 1 — Reading Passage
Page 2 — Answer Key
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What is included
Before reading, display a real or printed image of a plant fossil and ask students to predict what it is. After reading, have students sketch Zoe's fern fossil and label the steps of fossil formation using words from the passage. This activates prior knowledge, builds vocabulary, and directly supports NGSS.3-LS4-1 evidence from fossils.
What is this passage mostly about?
What details in the passage show how a fossil is formed? Use a quote from the passage in your answer.
What does the word preserved mean as it is used in this passage?
+ 4 more questions in the full worksheet
On Christmas morning, Zoe unwrapped a special gift from her grandfather. Inside the box sat a real fossil from millions of years ago. Zoe held the fossil close to the window light. She saw the shape of a fern pressed into gray rock. Fossils form when plants or animals die and get buried in mud. Ove...
Download the full worksheet to read the complete passage and answer comprehension questions.
About this Grade 3 Reading Comprehension Passage
This printable reading comprehension passage is designed for Grade 3 students. The Christmas theme makes reading engaging while students build essential comprehension skills. Six questions cover a range of reading strategies including main idea, text evidence, vocabulary in context, inference, cause and effect, and author's purpose (NGSS.3-LS4-1).