Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Boy Who Cried "Wolf!" [Pdf]
"The Boy Who Cried 'Wolf!'" is a one page, folktale about a boy who got bored while watching his sheep. He cried, "Wolf" and when the village people came to help him, he laughed. He repeated this a few days later, but then when he really...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Hero [Pdf]
"The Hero" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a lady on a plane when a fire started causing them to have the make an emergency landing in a river. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Missing Money [Pdf]
"The Missing Money" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a customer who stole the waitress's tip, but came back the next day to appologize and give the waitress more money. It is followed by questions which require students to...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The New Family [Pdf]
"The New Family" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a family who moved into a new neighborhood. The boys were playing ball in the street, breaking rules they didn't know about. It is followed by questions which require...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Quarterback [Pdf]
"The Quarterback" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about boy who played quarterback for his school, but when he moved to a new school, there was no room for him on the team. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Prairie Ecology [Pdf]
"Prairie Ecology" is a one page, nonfiction passage about the tallgrass prairie ecosystem and how it works using three animals: the skipper butterfly, ground squirrel, and the bison It is followed by an open-ended question which requires...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Animal Studies [Pdf]
"Animal Studies" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about scientists learning about animal behaviors by observing them. They discuss the sawfly and poppy-bees specifically. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Economic Connections [Pdf]
"Economic Connections" is a one-page nonfiction passage about the economics of importing and exporting goods among countries to get what people need. It is followed by an open-ended question that requires students to provide evidence...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Making Progress [Pdf]
"Making Progress" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about students clearing the trash from a vacant lot near the school and planting a garden to beautify the neighborhood and show they care. It is followed by constructed-response...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: George Washington Carver [Pdf]
"George Washington Carver" is a one page, biographical passage about George Washington Carver, an African American professor who taught farmers and students better methods for farming, including planting peanuts to improve the soil. It...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The New Student [Pdf]
"The New Student" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a little girl who was nervous about starting a new school, but she makes friends the first day. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: I Like Plants [Pdf]
"I Like Plants" is a one page, realistic fiction, reading passage about a person who loves plants and became a botanist; now she teaches her college students about plants and ecology. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My First Baseball Game With Q&a [Pdf]
"My First Baseball Game" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a boy and his sister going to their first baseball game and learning what it means to be Chicago Cubs fans. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My First Baseball Game With Q & a Key [Pdf]
"My First Baseball Game" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a boy and his sister going to their first baseball game and learning what it means to be Chicago Cubs fans. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: American Explorers [Pdf]
"American Explorers" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They traveled from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean with the help of Native Americans and made maps along the way. It is followed by...
Other
Academic Reading: Sample Task [Pdf]
This Academic Reading task provides a practice assessment for identifying headings and subheadings. In the task, students must read the selection and then determine the best subheading for each of the sections.