Middle School Informational Text Task Cards

Sunrise/Sunset/Earth’s Axis/Seasons/Shadows/Tilt  Scavenger Hunt 

Hi fellow teachers

I often do scavenger hunts in grade 4 to 7  classrooms. I find them particularly useful when I’m feeling tired or lacking energy (hey, we’ve all been there).

Why do I like them?

1. They are easy to set up, 
2. The students get to move around
3. The students are focussed & engaged
4. The students enjoy it 
5. The teacher is free to take notes, observe and give guidance, if necessary. 

It can look chaotic, but if observed you can see students really trying, really reading the information, and really collaborating and cooperating.

How it works:

There are two components:

1. A two page worksheet (print double-sided, one per student)
2. 12 informational panels that contain the answers to the questions (these need to be printed on one side, cut in half and pinned in various locations around your room).
3. Hand out the worksheet and off they go!

My students are currently doing this very activity as I write!

The whole activity takes about 40 minutes and I might suggest watching a couple of Youtube videos on the topic to ‘get them in the mood.

Good luck!

Make learning about the history of Valentine's Day fun with this engaging, hands-on task card escape room. This activity includes 16 task cards that are broken down into 4 levels or puzzle types, giving students a chance to practice nonfiction reading comprehension skills while actively decoding puzzles.

Lead your students to discover information about Valentine's Day history by exploring it on their own before teaching or have them use it to review information. Students will answer questions that can be found directly in their reading passage, so there is no prior knowledge needed.

Here's what you'll get:

• two-page reading comprehension passage
• 16 task cards
• student recording sheet
• 4 decoder puzzles
• teacher directions, prep tips and FAQs
• puzzle decoder hints
• answer key

Students will revisit the nonfiction text multiple times, practicing reading comprehension and critical thinking skills as they rotate around the room decoding puzzles. They can work in pairs or individually in a race to complete the 16 questions. This friendly competition is sure to increase engagement!

Prep is quick and easy... NO LOCKS, FANCY ENVELOPES, or HIDING OF CLUES NEEDED! Just print the recording sheets and reading passage, cut and spread out the 16 task cards and decoder puzzles, and let students get to work!

TEACHERS LIKE YOU SAID…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Marie F. says, "My students had so much fun working together to complete these tasks. It was a great review of skills we had previously learned. It kept them engaged and learning during the craziness of Valentine's week."

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Permission to copy for single classroom use only.

Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.

A BOOM Cards™ close reading activity about the civil rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Martin Luther King. The reading comprehension NO PREP activity is ideal for distance learning and perfect for students in fifth grade or sixth grade.

The resource, which also comes in PDF format, allows students to learn key facts about the famous figure whilst working on their comprehension skills in a fun and interactive way.

Included in this resource:

• A PDF with a link to the BOOM Cards™ Activity
• A PDF Printable Activity with crossword puzzle & wordsearch

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This resource is great for:

• Distance learning
• Independent work
• Homework
• Guided reading sessions
• Emergency sub plans
• Reading interventions

Ideal for distance learning, the activity can be completed on tablets, phones or computers. The resource also comes in PDF format so it can be printed and used in the classroom.

For an alternative digital version of this resource that uses Google Forms, check out my Martin Luther King 5th Grade & 6th Grade Close Reading Activity | Digital & Print.

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For first time BOOM Card™ users, the resource comes with an explanation of how to assign the cards to your class, and has lots of useful links to support you using the activity.

The activity requires NO PREP and has several bodies of texts that students need to read through thoroughly; then they can use the text to find the comprehension and grammar answers. The BOOM Cards™ activity is self-marking, with a teacher answer sheet provided in the PDF

Other similar or relevant resources:

• U.S. History Resources
• Black History Resources
• Distance Learning Resources

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For more great resources follow my store ⇉⇉ CLICK HERE

Also, don't forget to leave feedback to earn TeachShare credits to spend!

Is your classroom ready for a cosmic adventure? Eclipse! Chasing the Shadow of the Sun is an informational passage that you can differentiate to meet your needs AND pull in the excitement of the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8, 2024!

Product Description:

This downloadable resource provides a comprehensive and engaging reading passage about total solar eclipses, specifically designed to target high-frequency informational English/Language Arts skills.

What's Included:

• Total Eclipse Informational Article | An engaging informational passage that explores the history and science behind total solar eclipses.

• Multiple Choice Mayhem! | Assess your students' comprehension with a variety of question formats (Questions are the same, regardless of format):

  • Traditional multiple choice questions
  • Interactive task cards (perfect for individual practice or centers!)
  • A self-grading Google Form for easy assessment and instant feedback

• Skills Assessed:

  • Mastering context clues
  • Identifying the author's purpose
  • Drawing conclusions and making inferences
  • Finding evidence within the text
  • Grasping key details and summarizing information
  • Evaluating and interpreting graphics

Bonus! A handy answer key is included for effortless grading.

Benefits:

• Cross-Curricular: Bring in real-world experiences while you reinforce and practice English/Language Arts skills.
• Differentiation Fun: Cater to various learning styles with the multiple question formats.
• Engaging Assessment: Move beyond traditional worksheets - make learning interactive and exciting!
• Time-Saving Efficiency: The self-grading Google Form provides instant feedback, freeing you up for more individualized instruction.

This resource is perfect for:

• ELAR classrooms (Ideal for grades 7-9)
• Independent reading activities
• Collaborative station activities
• Independent practice
• Test prep/skills review
• Homeschool enrichment

Spark a love of learning and ignite curiosity about the cosmos! Download today!

This is the perfect ESL ELD lesson to teach your Newcomer ELL students about Informational Writing! You will get a reading passage, two sets of writing scaffolds for Entering and Emerging levels, tons of vocabulary, and a student writing checklist all in this one resource!

This resource includes:

1. A professional visual for the Informational genre with a checklist
2. 8 Google Doc pages of resources for Informational Reading, Writing, and Speaking
3. 3 Speaking prompts to get kids engaged in the topic of sharks and protecting wildlife
4. Pre Teach Vocabulary
5. A Shark text/infographic
6. Reading comprehension questions
7. Pre Writing Organizer
8. Writing scaffold/template for Entering students
9. Writing scaffold/template for Emerging students
10. Writing checklist for the Informational Genre

Looking for more Newcomer resources???

Try my Personal Narrative for Newcomers linked HERE! and my Newcomer Professional Development HERE!

Inspire your students to think critically about informational texts with this set of engaging, open-ended questions! Perfect for 4th-5th grade, these questions encourage students to explore main ideas, text features, structure, and author’s craft in any nonfiction text they read.

Ideal for:

• Class Discussions
• Small Group
• Center/Station Rotations
• Prompts for Close Reading
• Early Finisher Tasks
• Test Prep
• Comprehension Practice

Aligned with Common Core standards, this resource is a great way to help students build confidence in analyzing texts, connecting ideas, and uncovering the author’s purpose. Make each reading experience more meaningful and memorable!