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Reading Passages for 4th Graders

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Science and social studies passages, paired texts, and firsthand and secondhand accounts, each with questions and an answer key.

Download the reading passages worksheets

Science reading passages

Nonfiction passages on 4th grade science: how energy moves, how sound travels in waves, weathering and erosion, and the structures that help plants and animals survive.

Social studies reading passages

Passages on the five regions of the United States, state government, natural resources and the economy, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Paired passages and firsthand and secondhand accounts

Two texts on one topic, plus organizers for comparing a firsthand and a secondhand account and for taking notes from two texts.

  • Preview of the printable “Firsthand or secondhand Account?” worksheet: comparing a firsthand and a secondhand account of the same topic in an organizerView all 2 pages

    Firsthand or secondhand Account?

    Comparing a firsthand and a secondhand account of the same topic in an organizer

    Answer key on page 2

    US LetterPDFA4PDF

    2 pages40 KB

  • Preview of the printable “Two Texts, one Topic: honeybees” worksheet: taking notes on two texts about the same topic and combining them to write about the topicView all 2 pages

    Two Texts, one Topic: honeybees

    Taking notes on two texts about the same topic and combining them to write about the topic

    Answer key on page 2

    US LetterPDFA4PDF

    2 pages38 KB

Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.

About these reading passages worksheets

Fourth graders read to learn in every subject, so these reading passages for 4th graders are built around what children study in science and social studies: how energy and sound move, how weathering and erosion shape the land, the five regions of the United States, how a state government works, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Each text has numbered paragraphs, so questions can send children back to the exact spot, such as "Reread paragraph 4."

Paired passages put two texts on one topic side by side. Some pair a firsthand account, written by someone who was there ("I watched the sky turn dark"), with a secondhand account, written by someone who learned about it ("A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth"). Children compare what each one focuses on and what each one leaves out. Others ask children to put information from two texts together, like how a fossil forms and what rock layers show.

Every passage is original and comes with six or seven questions: multiple choice, true or false, putting events in order, word meaning, and written answers that ask for details from the text. An answer key is included. Two graphic organizers help children compare accounts and take notes from two texts on any topic.

Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.1Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.2Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.3Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.6Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.4.9Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

How to use them

  1. Pick a passage that matches what your class is studying in science or social studies.
  2. Have your child read the headings and bold words first, then read the whole text once for meaning.
  3. When a question names a paragraph, go back and reread that paragraph before answering.
  4. For written answers, ask your child to point to the sentence in the text that proves the answer.

Teaching tips

  • To spot a firsthand account, look for the words I, we, and my, and for feelings and sights the writer noticed.
  • A secondhand account usually has more facts and numbers. Ask: what does each account tell that the other does not?
  • Bold words are explained in the text. Ask your child to find the sentence that explains each one.
  • Reread a passage on another day. Rereading builds fluency and helps children notice details they missed.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What reading level are these passages?

They are written for 4th graders reading on their own. Level 1 passages fit early 4th grade (about 320 to 350 words), Level 2 fit the middle of the year (about 420 words), and Level 3 fit late 4th grade, with harder science and history words.

What is the difference between a firsthand and a secondhand account?

A firsthand account is written by someone who was there, like a diary entry or a letter, so it uses I and we and shares feelings. A secondhand account is written by someone who learned about the event, like a news report or a science article, so it gives more facts and explains why.

Are the answer keys included?

Yes. Every passage and organizer has an answer key. Written answers show an example, and children's wording will vary.