Waves, Light, Imaging: Physical Science Reading Comprehension (Word)

Waves, Light, Imaging: Physical Science Reading Comprehension Passages and Questions (Word)

This very engaging collection of physical science reading passages about Waves, Light, and Imaging is designed to bridge the gap between science and literacy through strengthening reading comprehension and sparking scientific curiosity in middle school students. Each passage blends English Language Arts skills with accurate science content that supports NGSS classroom practice. Ideal for interdisciplinary learning in ELA and Science. Suitable for Grade 9 review, too!

What Is Included?

There are (3) informational passages:

1. How Sound Travels: Sound starts with a vibration that squeezes and stretches nearby matter, sending a wave through air, water, or solid material. The ear and brain team up to turn those moving pressures into the pitch and loudness we hear, which is why sound needs a medium.

2. Seeing Color: Reflection, Absorption, Refraction: Color shows up only when light hits an object and some wavelengths bounce back to the eye. Materials reflect, absorb, or bend light differently, so a prism, a black backpack, or even dim lighting can change what we see.

3. Cameras: From Dark Rooms to Smartphones: A simple darkened box with a tiny opening once projected faint, upside-down scenes onto a wall. Adding lenses, mirrors, film, and later digital sensors turned that idea into cameras for art, news, and everyday life, ending with phones that can snap and share in seconds.

Student Tasks for Each Passage:

• 5 multiple-choice questions targeting main idea, key details, inference, vocabulary in context, and use of evidence

• 5 vocabulary matching items with clear, student-friendly definitions

• 5 text-based questions that require citing specific lines or facts

• 1 summary prompt that asks students to condense central ideas accurately

• Full answer key for every section

Available Formats for this Resource

• PDF

• Google Docs

FULL CATALOG OF DOWNLOADING LINKS HERE

Reading Passage Links:

Astronomy & Space Science

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Volcanoes, Rocks, & Mountains

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Rock Cycle, Soil, & Sinkholes

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Mars, Glaciers, & Antarctica

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Water Cycle, Acid Rain, & Wastewater

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Insects, Animals, & Ecosystems

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Bioluminescence & Insects

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Animal Skin, Cats, & T. Rex

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Human Body and Senses

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Health & Applied Bioscience

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Waves, Light, & Imaging

• PDF

• Word Docs

• Google Docs

Product Details

• Length: 14 pages total

• Grades: 6–8, also suitable for Grade 9 review

• Use cases: close reading, stations, homework, intervention, test prep, and sub plans

• Standards support: reinforces informational-text skills and supports NGSS-style sense making through observation, modeling, and clear use of claim, evidence, and reasoning

Why Teachers Choose This Set

• Authentic science content paired with rigorous literacy practice

• Consistent task structure across all passages for easier planning and smoother student routines

• Clear, age-appropriate writing that builds confidence without oversimplifying

Use this set to reinforce ELA skills in science, to add literacy to your lessons, or to support independent work. The passages strengthen main idea, evidence use, vocabulary in context, inference, cause and effect, and summary writing. With ready-to-use assessments and complete answer keys, you can provide focused practice that is simple to run and fast to review.