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Grade 5 nonfiction reading passage about Pollution And Environmental Impact. Earth Day theme. 6 comprehension questions covering main idea, inference, vocabulary, text evidence and more. Answer key included (NGSS.5-ESS3-1).
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Page 1 — Reading Passage
Page 2 — Answer Key
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What is included
Before reading, display the word runoff on the board and ask students to predict its meaning using the prefix and root. After reading, have pairs use the cause-and-effect structure from the passage as a model to write one original cause-and-effect sentence about a pollution source in their own community — this directly supports NGSS.5-ESS3-1 by connecting text evidence to real-world human impact.
What is this passage mostly about?
What evidence from the passage shows that pollution was affecting the water near the park?
What does the word runoff mean as it is used in this passage?
+ 4 more questions in the full worksheet
On Earth Day, ten-year-old Zoe joined her class for a local park cleanup. She was shocked by how much trash covered the ground. Plastic bags hung from tree branches. Empty bottles floated in the nearby stream. Zoe learned that this kind of pollution harms animals and plants every single day. As Zoe...
Download the full worksheet to read the complete passage and answer comprehension questions.
About this Grade 5 Reading Comprehension Passage
This printable reading comprehension passage is designed for Grade 5 students. The Earth Day 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.5-ESS3-1).