Nests Reading Comprehension Passage - Cored Ed Encyclopedia

This nests 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: Nests

• Genre: Nonfiction

• Subject: Life Science (animal behavior & habitats)

• Primary Topic: How animals build nests to protect young

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

What This Lesson Teaches Best

• Explains the purpose of nests as “a special place” animals make to protect eggs or young.

• Shows that nests aren’t only for birds—some fish, insects, and mammals make nests too.

• Describes how nests are built from nearby materials (twigs, dry grass, leaves, soft feathers), and how some birds use mud or sticky spider silk.

• Compares different nest types and locations (smooth cups, simple scrapes, tree holes, burrows, hanging woven bags, domes with entrance tunnels).

• Connects nesting to safety and care: nests help hide eggs, block harsh weather, hold warmth while parents brood, and staying litter-free helps wild nests stay safer.

Learning Goals

• Define a nest using details from the passage.

• Explain that many kinds of animals (not only birds) make nests.

• Identify materials the passage says nests can be made from.

• Describe at least two different nest shapes or structures mentioned in the text.

• Explain how nests help eggs and young stay safe and warm, using evidence from the passage.

• Describe one way people can help keep wild nests safer, based on the passage.

Key Vocabulary From the Text

• Cliffs — steep rocky sides of land.

• Burrows — holes in the ground used as homes.

• Scrape — a shallow dip in sand or soil.

• Instinct — a natural feeling that guides what to do.

• Brood — sit on eggs to keep them warm.

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.