Ketchup Reading Comprehension Passage - Cored Ed Encyclopedia

This ketchup reading comprehension contains the following:

Visualize on the Cover (Teacher Read Aloud Script)

Start your lesson by taking a few moments to visualize the topic and share thoughts or feelings about it.

Pre-Reading Trivia

Students will write down one thing they already know about the subject and then read five more facts and discuss. These facts are fun, and the students will enjoy learning about the subject before reading more.

Reading Passage

The text is a high-interest reading passage with set paragraphs, roughly three to four paragraphs long. It contains a variety of themes about the topic, anywhere from history to technology. The passage is between 250 and 350 words in length.

Mixed Questions

The first question page contains four multiple-choice questions, each with a choice of four answers, and three written response questions that require a sentence or two from the student.

Vocabulary Questions

Practice seven key words from the text in this section across two activities. First section is scrambled words where students will unscramble three words given a clue for each. The second section is a word to meaning matching activity.

Creative Writing

In this question, the student will be required to write a five to eight sentence paragraph on a question related to the topic.

Extension Activities

This page is optional for fast finishers or to take home. There are several activities, each one requiring a different skill. Do some, do none, do all, completely optional - but you will feel reassured knowing every possibility is planned for. Includes summary writting question.

Answer Key

There are answers for the multiple-choice questions, written response questions have sample answers, vocabulary answers and if there is a summary question then a sample summary will be provided as well.

FULL CATALOG OF DOWNLOAD LINKS AND ENCYCLOPEDIA INDEX HERE

Lesson Snapshot

• Title: Ketchup

• Genre: Nonfiction (informational text)

• Subject: Reading (Informational Text) / Social Studies (Food history & culture)

• Primary Topic: How ketchup changed over time and place

• Estimated Guided Reading Level (A–Z): O

What This Lesson Teaches Best

• Explains what ketchup is commonly made from today and how it’s used with different foods.

• Traces ketchup’s history, including earlier versions that were not made from tomatoes.

• Connects word meaning and origin by describing how the name “ketchup” traveled across languages and may relate to a Hokkien word.

• Shows how recipes and food products change over time (homemade cooking → bottled store product; dates and examples included).

• Highlights how foods can vary across places (different spellings and versions such as fruit or banana ketchup).

Learning Goals

• Students will describe what ketchup is like and what ingredients are named in the text.

• Students will explain how ketchup long ago could be different from ketchup today, using details from the passage.

• Students will identify key events/dates in ketchup’s story (1600s, 1812, 1876) and tell what happened at each time.

• Students will explain why vinegar and seasonings are added, based on the passage.

• Students will describe how the word “ketchup” is connected to the idea of something “briny,” according to the text.

Key Vocabulary From the Text

• glossy — shiny and smooth-looking.

• vinegar — sour liquid used in cooking.

• briny — salty, like seawater.

• scholars — people who study and learn a lot.

• staple — something kept often; a regular favorite.

Cored Ed Encyclopedia Overview

The Cored Ed Encyclopedia is a weekly series of lessons that you can pick up and use right away. These short readings fit into whatever time you have available. Each one includes a warm-up, a reading, and a set of questions, but it’s flexible — you can do just the reading, the full lesson, or skip the writing section if you need to. Each lesson focuses on a single topic so students don’t get lost. The writing is clear but never childish, making it perfect for grades two through five. Topics range from animals and science to history, inventions, and everyday things. No matter the level of the student, everyone should take away at least one new idea or fact from each lesson. The materials are easy to print, easy to explain, and require no setup. They work well for whole-class teaching, partner work, or independent study.