Raz-Plus and Reading A-Z deliver more than 140 short, complex Close Read Passages to help students in grades 2–6 build close reading and higher-order thinking skills. Each passage is two to four pages long and includes a Question Guide, which teachers use to guide students through repeated readings, stimulate discussion, and connect new information to existing knowledge and experience. Check out the 20 new passages that launched this month.
A Record with Wings
Grade: 2 (Levels M, P)
Two girls built a butterfly so big that they set a new world record! After working for two years with huge pieces of paper, Annie and Amy made a work of art that’s now in
The Guinness Book of World Records as the largest origami butterfly on the planet.
Lost
Grade: 2 (Level P)
Told from a dog’s point of view as he chases a rabbit into a dark forest full of fascinating fragrances and distracting sounds, this passage follows the dog as he wanders deeper and gets lost. When he’s called back home for a treat, will he make it?
Silk Leaves Home
Grade: 2 (Level M)
A curious, adventurous young horse named Silk leaves home to explore the mountains and see as much as she can see – even after her parents tell her she can’t go. Once night begins to fall, she’s lost. Can she find her way back home?
Garbage Art
Grade: 3 (Level T)
A group called Washed Ashore places impressive animal-shaped sculptures made of trash all over the country. The artist who turns garbage from the ocean into these works of art hopes the sculptures teach people to keep the seas clean.
Gliding Animals
Grade: 3 (Level T)
Gliding animals can be found around the world in many shapes and sizes. They may not be able to fly, but all of these uniquely adapted creatures are able to use special aspects of their bodies in amazing ways to glide through the air.
I'm Not Going
Grade: 3 (Level R)
Allison's family may be moving to the desert, but Allison would much rather not go. She writes a persuasive letter to her parents listing all the reasons their future home in the desert isn’t a good idea. Will her parents choose to stay or go?
Oh, Eris
Grade: 3 (Level T)
The Greek goddess of discord, Eris is tired of the fact that both people and other gods always try to avoid her. When she’s not invited to a wedding feast, she decides the smartest revenge is the kind that pits her enemies against each other.
Corpse Flower
Grade: 4 (Level W)
A family visits their city’s botanical garden to see the blooming Corpse Flower: an enormous, vibrant, red-and-gold flower that only blooms once every five years. One of the largest flowers in the world, its strange fragrance inspires its name.
The Haunted House
Grade: 4 (Level W)
Perfect for Halloween! Rosie prefers to avoid scary things, but her friends want her to come with them to a haunted house for Halloween. Will Rosie find a way to overcome her fears and be able to enjoy the spooky old house?
Meet Olivia Hallisey
Grade: 4, 5 (Levels U, W, Z)
In 2014, Olivia Hallisey – a high school student in Connecticut – decided to help prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. Her successful experiment using silk fibers won her the 2015 Google Science Fair prize and saved countless lives.
A Good Bad Answer
Grade: 5 (Level Z)
In this funny passage, science teacher Mr. Allen asks his students a question, but no one has anything to say. Mr. Allen decides to solve this participation problem by having everyone in the class come up with their worst possible answers.
Hyperloops
Grade: 5 (Level X)
Air resistance prevents trains from reaching their highest possible speeds. New technology called the Hyperloop is a sealed tube with tracks, allowing high-speed trains to move without air resistance, perhaps going as fast as airplanes.
The Swallow's Song
Grade: 5 (Level Z)
A swallow who belongs to Rumpelstiltskin follows her goblin master’s orders and builds her nest in the tower where Evaline is held prisoner. The swallow’s own experience with Rumpelstiltskin helps liberate Evaline from her captor.
Growing Up, Not Out
Grade: 6 (Level Z2)
Farming for the future! Growing nutritious vegetables and fruits inside greenhouses on stacked-up layers, vertical farms save a lot of space, water, and energy. Without needing sunlight or soil, these plants are fed a special nutritious solution.
The Black Dog
Grade: 6 (Level Z1)
A poor farmer moves into an old house to find that the house is haunted: by a ghost dog. The dog haunts the house because he believes it belongs to him. Surprised by the companionship he discovers, the farmer decides to stay.
The Poppy Popcorn Challenge
Grade: 6 (Level Z)
Introverted Parker loves chess. He wants to sell the most popcorn in school to win a cool new chess board. He’s afraid he doesn’t have a chance against the more extraverted Sonia, who also has extra help from her wealthy parents.
You Are What You Eat
Grade: 6 (Level Z2)
A sixth-grader discovers what's really in the food we eat. She learns about the problems with junk food, added sugars, and excess salt – and discusses her hope that people choose to eat a healthy diet and avoid processed foods.
