How Mining Affects the Land — Reading Comprehension
Premium Resource
Grades
- 3
- 4
- 5
Standards
- NGSS 4-ESS3-1
PRINT+DIGITAL RESOURCE
This learning resource is available in interactive and printable formats. The interactive worksheet can be played online and assigned to students. The Printable PDF version can be downloaded and printed for completion by hand.
About This Reader
This comprehensive 250-word reading passage helps Grade 4-5 students understand the environmental impacts of mining operations. Aligned with NGSS 4-ESS3-1, the passage explains how mining for coal and uranium damages land by removing soil and rock, creating large pits and waste rock piles. Students learn about surface mining and how it destroys habitats, as well as underground mining's effects including land subsidence and water pollution. The content includes audio-integrated features for enhanced accessibility and engagement. Through concrete examples and clear cause-and-effect relationships, students discover how extracting fossil fuels dramatically changes landscapes. The passage uses age-appropriate vocabulary while introducing key scientific terms like surface mining, underground mining, habitat, and subsidence. Supplementary activities include multiple-choice questions testing recall and comprehension, writing prompts requiring students to explain mining impacts, and graphic organizers comparing mining types and analyzing cause-and-effect relationships. Spanish translations are provided for both the main and simplified passages, supporting English language learners. This resource helps students understand human impacts on Earth's systems and the environmental consequences of resource extraction, preparing them for more advanced environmental science concepts.
Perfect For:
👩🏫 Teachers
- • Reading comprehension practice
- • Auto-graded assessments
- • Literacy skill development
👨👩👧👦 Parents
- • Reading practice at home
- • Comprehension improvement
- • Educational reading time
🏠 Homeschoolers
- • Reading curriculum support
- • Independent reading practice
- • Progress monitoring
Reading Features:
📖
Reading Passage
Engaging fiction or nonfiction text
❓
Comprehension Quiz
Auto-graded questions
📊
Instant Feedback
Immediate results and scoring
📄
Printable Version
Download for offline reading
🔊
Read Aloud
Voice-over with word highlighting
