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Raining Frogs — Reading Comprehension

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MS-ESS2-5

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This engaging science passage aligned to NGSS standard MS-ESS2-5 explores the unusual but real weather phenomenon known as 'raining frogs.' Students will learn how strong weather systems like waterspouts and tornadoes can lift frogs and drop them far from their original location. The passage introduces key scientific vocabulary and encourages curiosity about Earth's atmosphere, unusual events, and meteorology. It's perfect for middle school reading comprehension activities related to Earth and Space Science and supports understanding of how weather systems interact with living things.

CONTENT PREVIEW

It may sound like something from a fairy tale, but raining frogs is a real and rare weather phenomenon. In some parts of the world, people have reported seeing frogs fall from the sky during storms. This strange event has puzzled scientists and surprised witnesses for centuries. Although it seems impossible, science offers a fascinating explanation.

Raining frogs usually happens during strong storms, tornadoes, or waterspouts. A waterspout is like a tornado that forms over water. As it spins, it can suck up small, lightweight animals like frogs, fish, or even insects from ponds or rivers. These creatures are carried high into the sky by the powerful winds. Eventually, when the storm weakens, the animals fall back down to Earth—sometimes far from where they were picked up. Because frogs are small and lightweight, they are more likely to be lifted and transported this way.

These events are very rare, but they’ve been recorded in several countries, including Australia, Serbia, Japan, and the United States. In most cases, the frogs are still alive when they land, though they may be stunned or injured. Scientists say that this natural occurrence shows how powerful and unpredictable weather systems can be.

While it may not happen often, raining frogs reminds us that the atmosphere is full of energy and motion. Weather isn’t just about rain or sunshine—it can involve strange and surprising events caused by air pressure, wind, and temperature changes. Events like this also help meteorologists understand how storms behave and how far they can move objects through the air.

Fun Fact: In 1873, it reportedly rained frogs in Kansas City, Missouri—people found hundreds of frogs hopping around the streets after a heavy storm!

What is “raining frogs”?

Frogs climbing trees during rainFrogs falling from the skyFrogs hiding during stormsFrogs turning into water drops

What weather event often causes frogs to rain from the sky?

HurricanesThunderstormsWaterspouts or tornadoesSnowstorms

Why are frogs likely to be picked up by storms?

They jump highThey are cold-bloodedThey live near oceansThey are small and lightweight

Where have raining frogs been reported?

Only in South AmericaOnly in desertsIn several countries around the worldOnly near the ocean

What is a waterspout?

A stream of water from a mountainA tornado that forms over waterA hole in a riverbedA rain cloud full of water

What happens to the frogs after the storm?

They meltThey often surviveThey grow wingsThey fall into the sea