Tanks Reading Comprehension Passage - Cored Ed Encyclopedia

This tanks reading comprehension includes:

Visualization (on the front cover)

Start your lesson by taking a minute to think and share something about the topic.

• Read the script aloud (slowly), perhaps prepare some music or sound effects. Student close their eyes and let their imaginations wander.

• Students open their eyes, read the question aloud and give them a few minutes to complete. Ask a few students to share or keep answers until the end to compare with what they learn in the passage.

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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.

• Give 1 minute for students to write what they already know (no pressure—best guess is fine).

• Read the five facts together. After each fact, do ask a student for their opinion, was it surprising?

• Set a purpose by asking students to highlight/underline one fact they want to learn more about during the reading.

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.

• First, ask students to look at the headings and see what they’ll learn about today. What do they know about the topic/heading?

• First read options:

  • Teacher read-aloud (best for support).

  • Partner reading (paragraph by paragraph).

• While reading, students underline important details, and vocabulary words they think may come up in the questions section.

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.

• Students complete the mcqs first independently, then review quickly as a class.

• For the 3 written responses, try to get students giving the answer with some form of evidence:

  • “I think ___ because the text says ___.”

• If students get stuck, send them back to check the passage.

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.

• Before starting, have some students read out words they underlined in the passage. Ask students to say the word and read aloud the sentence(s) around each word.

• Ask students to do scrambled words and the matching exercise in pairs then go through answers as a class.

• For the scrambled spelling task, get four pairs to come up to the board and write the words for extra practice with the other student reading out the clue.

• For the matching task, prompt students to give full sentences: “I matched ___ with ___ because ___.”

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.

• Before starting, ask students write down 3 key ideas they are going to include in their piece. Ask students for ideas to share around the class to help those struggling.

• Pro writing expectations:

  • 5–8 sentences

  • At least 2 facts or details from the passage

  • At least 2 vocabulary words from the previous page

• Students read their paragraphs while classmates listen for facts and vocabulary words.

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.

Lesson Plan Included

Customized lesson plan for this lesson is included.

Lesson Snapshot

• Title: Tanks

• Genre: Nonfiction (informational text)

• Subject: Social Studies (History & Technology)

• Primary Topic: Why tanks were created and how they changed

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

What This Lesson Teaches Best

• Explains a real-world problem from World War I (trenches, barbed wire, muddy ground) and why a new machine was needed.

• Describes how tracks work by spreading a tank’s heavy weight so it doesn’t sink as easily and can cross rough land and trenches.

• Introduces key tank parts and purposes, including armor plates for protection and a rotating turret that helps the tank aim.

• Shows how designs changed over time (stronger engines, tougher armor, radios, better sights) and how tanks became part of teams with special jobs.

• Reinforces the idea that inventions are problem-solving—how to protect people inside a moving machine and travel over hard-to-cross land.

Learning Goals

• Students will identify the main problems soldiers faced on the Western Front that led to tanks being developed.

• Students will explain how tracks helped early tanks move over muddy ground and cross trenches.

• Students will describe what a rotating turret does and why it was an important design change.

• Students will summarize how tanks changed from World War I to the end of World War II using key details from the text.

• Students will use text evidence to explain how new tools (like radios) helped crews work together.

Key Vocabulary From the Text

• trenches — long ditches where soldiers sheltered during war.

• barbed — having sharp points that make crossing dangerous.

• tracks — looped bands that help vehicles grip the ground.

• turret — a rotating top part that carries the main weapon.

• armored — protected with strong metal on the outside.

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