Life Science Readers and Passages
Ants and Pheromones
This quiz is designed for 2nd and 3rd grade students to test their understanding of how ants communicate using pheromone...
RI.3.1RI.2.1
The Life Cycle of a Frog
The frog's life cycle takes it from water to land in amazing stages. Starting as eggs, they hatch into tadpoles, grow le...
RI.3.1RI.4.4RI.4.2
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly
The butterfly's life cycle is a fascinating journey through four stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult. Caterpi...
The Life Cycle of a Salmon
Salmon have a remarkable life cycle that takes them from rivers to the ocean and back again. They hatch as alevin, grow ...
RI.3.1RI.4.4RI.4.2
The Life Cycle of a Sea Turtle
The life cycle of a sea turtle starts when a female lays her eggs on the beach, and after hatching, the tiny turtles jou...
The Life Cycle of a Plant
The life cycle of a plant begins with seed germination, followed by growth, leaf development, and photosynthesis. The pl...
Journey of a Sea Turtle
Sea turtles lay their eggs on beaches, and their hatchlings begin a dangerous journey to the ocean. After growing in the...
The Great Barrier Reef
This passage introduces the Great Barrier Reef, a magnificent underwater ecosystem off the coast of Australia. It descri...
RI.3.1RI.4.1
Why the Great Barrier Reef Matters
This passage highlights the critical importance of the Great Barrier Reef for both nature and humans. It emphasizes the ...
RI.3.1RI.4.1
Life in the Great Barrier Reef
This passage delves into the rich biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef. It describes the vast array of marine life, in...
RI.3.2RI.4.2
How Corals Build the Reef
This passage explains the fascinating process of how coral polyps build the Great Barrier Reef. It details the life cycl...
RI.3.8RI.4.8
The Future of the Great Barrier Reef
This passage examines potential future scenarios for the Great Barrier Reef in the face of ongoing climate change. It di...
RI.3.8RI.4.8
Hungry Organisms
This educational passage addresses NGSS K-LS1-1 by comparing plant and animal survival needs through a garden story. Stu...
K-LS1-1RL.1.1
Food for Animals
This passage supports NGSS K-LS1-1 learning by showcasing different animal feeding patterns. Through observations of bac...
K-LS1-1RL.1.1
Plant Helpers
This passage explores NGSS K-LS1-1 through the interdependent relationship between bees and flowers. Students learn how ...
K-LS1-1RL.1.1
Beaver The Builder Animals
This passage explores NGSS K-ESS2-2 through examples of animals modifying their environment. Students learn how differen...
ESS2-2RL.1.1
How Plants and Animals Change Their World
This passage addresses NGSS K-ESS2-2 by demonstrating how plants and small animals can make significant changes to their...
ESS2-2RL.1.1
Mole's Garden
This passage addresses NGSS K-ESS2-2 by showing how moles unintentionally create beneficial environmental changes. Stude...
ESS2-2RL.1.1
Spider's Web Home
This passage supports NGSS K-ESS2-2 learning through observations of spider web construction. Students discover how smal...
ESS2-2RL.1.1
The Blue Whale- Endangered Species
The blue whale is the largest animal on Earth, feeding on krill and found in oceans worldwide. Listed as endangered due ...
Furbish’s Lousewort- A Rare Flowering Plant
Furbish’s Lousewort is a rare flowering plant found only in Maine and New Brunswick. Discovered by botanist Kate Furbish...
The Principle of Island Biogeography
The Principle of Island Biogeography explains how island size and distance from the mainland affect species diversity. L...
7.RI.7.3
Ecosystems: Communities of Living Things
This comprehensive reading passage introduces elementary students to the concept of ecosystems as communities where livi...
Silviculture: The Science of Forest Management
Silviculture is the science of growing and managing forests to meet goals like timber production, biodiversity, and carb...
7.RI.7.2
The Amazon River Dolphin
The Amazon River dolphin, also known as the pink river dolphin or boto, is a unique freshwater species found in the Amaz...
RI.5.3RI.6.3RI.7.3
What is Deforestation?
Deforestation is the large-scale removal of forests, primarily caused by human activities like agriculture, logging, and...
RI.5.3RI.6.3RI.7.3
What is a Mineral?
A mineral is a naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a specific chemical composition and crystal structure. Minerals...
RI.5.3RI.6.3RI.7.3
Difference Between a Rock and a Mineral
Rocks are mixtures of minerals, while minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic solids with a specific composition and...
RI.5.3RI.6.3RI.7.3
Do All Minerals Have Crystal Structures?
All minerals have a crystalline structure, but not all form visible crystals. The size and shape of crystals depend on f...
RI.5.3RI.6.3RI.7.3
Understanding Biological Evolution and Diversity
This passage addresses the NGSS standard 3-LS4-2 focusing on biological evolution and the unity and diversity of life. T...
RI.3.3RI.4.3RI.5.33-LS4-2
Why Are Pollinators Important?
This passage explores the critical ecological role of pollinators in maintaining ecosystem stability and supporting huma...
MS-LS2-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Why Are Honeybees Important?
This passage explores the essential ecological and agricultural roles of honeybees, supporting NGSS standard MS-LS2-4 on...
MS-LS2-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
The Narwhal: Arctic’s Unicorn of the Sea
This NGSS-aligned passage (MS-LS2-1) explores how narwhals survive in Arctic ecosystems. Students learn about specialize...
MS-LS2-1RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
The Fascinating Dumbo Octopus: Deep-Sea Wonder
Aligned to NGSS, this passage explores Dumbo octopus adaptations like ear-like fins for swimming at 3,000-13,000 ft dept...
MS-LS1-5RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Venus Flytrap Facts
This passage explains where Venus flytraps live in North Carolina bogs, how their snap traps work, and their unique way ...
MS-LS1-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
How Can We Help Pollinators and Stop Their Decline?
Pollinators including bees (Apis mellifera), butterflies (Lepidoptera), birds, and bats face severe threats with 40% of ...
MS-LS2-4RI.7.3RI.8.8RI.8.3
Dumbo Octopus: Deep-Sea Survivor with Elephant Ears
This passage aligns with NGSS standard MS-LS2-4, investigating the Dumbo octopus's unique adaptations to deep-ocean envi...
MS-LS2-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
The Blue-Ringed Octopus: Deadly Ecosystem Engineer
This NGSS aligned passage explores how the tiny blue-ringed octopus impacts its ecosystem through predator-prey relation...
MS-LS2-1RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Pitcher Plants: Reproduction Facts
This passage describes tropical and North American pitcher plants, their liquid-filled traps, and how they get nutrients...
MS-LS1-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
The Giant Isopod: Biological Evolution
This NGSS passage examines how giant isopods evolved for deep-sea survival, including slow metabolism for food scarcity,...
MS-LS4-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Tardigrades: Microscopic Superheroes
Aligned to MS-LS1-1, this passage examines how tardigrade cell structures (TDP proteins, DNA-repair enzymes) allow survi...
MS-LS2-1RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Barreleye Fish: The Deep-Sea Telescope
This science passage explores the barreleye fish's extraordinary adaptations aligned with NGSS standard MS-LS2-4 (Ecosys...
MS-LS2-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Giant Isopod: Master of Deep-Sea Survival
This NGSS-aligned passage (MS-LS2-4) examines the giant isopod's remarkable survival strategies in deep-sea ecosystems. ...
MS-LS2-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
The Leafy Sea Dragon: Nature's Living Seaweed
This NGSS-aligned passage explores how leafy sea dragons (Phycodurus eques) demonstrate key life science concepts for mi...
MS-LS2-1RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
The Giant Squid: Ocean's Hidden Giant
Aligned to MS-LS4-2, this passage examines giant squid evolutionary adaptations like 10m tentacles, suction-cup hooks, a...
MS-LS4-2RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Anglerfish: The Deep-Sea Hunter with Bioluminescence
This passage aligns with NGSS standard MS-LS1-4 (Adaptations), investigating the anglerfish's extraordinary bioluminesce...
MS-LS2-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Wolves of Yellowstone
This passage explores the ecological concept of trophic cascades through the landmark case study of wolf reintroduction ...
MS-LS2-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Arctic Fox Facts: What Do Arctic Foxes Eat?
This passage explores the Arctic fox's dietary adaptations aligned with NGSS standard MS-LS2-4 (Ecosystem Interactions)....
MS-LS2-4RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8
Cryptobiosis: Nature's Survival Mechanism
This passage explains cryptobiosis, the process where organisms like tardigrades pause their metabolism to survive extre...
MS-LS1-3RI.6.3RI.7.3RI.8.8