Critical Thinking Reading Passages | College and Career Readiness

Critical thinking reading passages are the foundation of Socratic seminars and quality close reading. Selecting reading passages that inspire curiosity, critical thinking and can be used for either close reading or Socratic seminars takes pre-planning and a bit of text analysis. One of the best methods for selecting Critical Thinking Reading Passages is using a Syntopical examination of how many great ideas the passages contain. Dr. Mortimer J. Adler created a list of 103 philosophical topics that can be used to analyze text for the quality of ideas presented. Text selection is key to quality close reading and immersive Socratic seminars.

syntopical

Referring to a type of analysis in which different works are compared and contrasted.

After finishing his syntopical reading of the leaders' speeches, he wrote an essay comparing the language used by Reagan, Carter, Gorbachev, and Qaddafi.

A list of 103 philosophical topics

ONE PAGE CRITICAL THINKING PASSAGES ALIGNED TO the COMMON CORE

from Depaul University http://teacher.depaul.edu More Resources

Grade Level Fiction Passages

2nd-3rd Grade Reading Level

The Ants and the Grasshopper

A Better Community

The Big Game

The Boy Who Cried "Wolf!"

Changing Our Street (realistic fiction)

How the Firefly Got Its Light

Letter to Grandmother

Little Pink Riding Hood English / Spanish

The Little Red Hen

Making Progress

Mama's Happy Christmas

More Trees

My Community

My First Baseball Game

My Job

My New Brother

My Sister, the Soldier

The Turtle and the Rabbit

The Turtle and the Ducks

Why Did Mamma Change Her Mind?The Ants and the Grasshopper

A Better Community

The Big Game

The Boy Who Cried "Wolf!"

Changing Our Street (realistic fiction)

How the Firefly Got Its Light

Letter to Grandmother

Little Pink Riding Hood English / Spanish

The Little Red Hen

Making Progress

Mama's Happy Christmas

More Trees

My Community

My First Baseball Game

My Job

My New Brother

My Sister, the Soldier

The Turtle and the Rabbit

The Turtle and the Ducks

Why Did Mamma Change Her Mind?

Grade Level Nonfiction Passages

2nd-3rd Grade Reading Level

After the Chicago Fire sequence and summarize

American Explorers evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Animal Studies infer and support the main idea of a passage

Block Clubs infer and support the main idea of a passage

The Captain's Job infer and support the main idea of a passage

Chicago Changes identify and support the main idea in nonfiction texts

Chicago Fire sequence events, infer motive, and write about nonfiction

Chicago Legacy: Burnham's Plan locate and use information to analyze a situation, write about a topic English / Spanish

Chicago Legacy, DuSable's Choices and Changes locate and use information to analyze a situation, then write about it English / Spanish

Chicago's First Leader infer and support the main idea of a passage

The First Flyers infer and support the main idea of a passage

George Washington Carver

Grant Park write an extended response about a nonfiction reading

Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet

Learn about Ghana infer and support the main idea of a passage

Letter to the Mayor evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Native American Life--Potawatomi Profile

Native American Life--Potawatomi Profile with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Natural Gas: An Energy Resource infer and support the main idea of a passage

A New Park evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Pigeon Creek infer and support the main idea of a passage

Pioneer Families infer and support the main idea of a passage

Prairie Ecology analyze information in a nonfiction text

Prairie Ecology with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Read to Learn about Symbols, Maps, and Art evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Saving Your Family's Energy Dollar infer and support the main idea of a passage

Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage

Staying in Phoenix summarize a passage

Transportation Changes infer and support the main idea of a passage

4th Grade Reading Level

The Astronaut's Diary

The Challenge

Changing Transportation Routes

The Lion and the Spider

A New Day Realistic Fiction about the Election of Barack Obama and Civil Rights

A Proud Flight The story of Icarus

Traveling with Lewis and Clark

Why Did Mamma Change Her Mind?

Grade Level Nonfiction Passages

4th Grade Reading Level

Traveling West evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

What is a Fable? evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Working at the Hospital evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Breaking the Food Chain infer and support the main idea of a passage

Chicago Changer, Jane Addams infer and support the main idea of a passage

Chicago High Schools evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Chicago Legacy: Burnham's Plan locate and use information to analyze a situation, write about a topic English / Spanish

Chicago Legacy, DuSable's Choices and Changes locate and use information to analyze a situation, then write about it English / Spanish

City Government infer and support the main idea of a passage

The Early Chicago Environment and People classify information and summarize a nonfiction topic

Learn about Egypt infer and support the main idea of a passage

The Football Team identify the main idea

A Garden in Lawndale evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea (4th grade reading level)

Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet

Illinois Pioneers and Prairies infer while reading a history

Learning about the Solar System identify the main idea of a passage, write an extended response about a nonfiction passage

Natural Gas: An Energy Resource infer and support the main idea of a passage

Penguins

Pilsen, A Community Changes identify causes and effects

Plants and Places infer and support the main idea of a passage

Prairie Changes identify an author's purpose, write an extended response

Prairie Changing the Ecosystem with Multiple Choice Questions analyze information in a nonfiction text

Seasons on the Prairie infer and support the main idea of a passage

Seasons on the Prairie with Multiple Choice Questions

Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage

Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions

Space Food infer and support the main idea of a passage

Staying in Phoenix infer and support the main idea of a passage

Today's Telephone infer and support the main idea of a passage

Transportation Workers evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

What is a Fable? evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Working at the Television Station evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Working at the Hospital evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

The Working Tools of Insects infer and support the main idea of a passage

5th Grade Reading Level

Barack Obama Makes History

The Cloud

Columbus and the Egg historical fiction

The Difficult Journey

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Flying

The Gulls of Salt Lake

I Like Plants

Making Progress

Mama's Happy Christmas

Nature's Violet Children

Potawatomi Prairie

Soldier's Letter

The Technology Trip

Training for the Presidency

Grade Level Nonfiction Passages

5th Grade Reading Level

American Explorers infer and support the main idea of a passage

Animal Studies infer and support the main idea of a passage

Better Living in Chicago: Jane Addams restate a situation presented in text; write to communicate about a situation (5th grade reading level)

Chicago Changes infer and support the main idea of a passage

Chicago Fire infer and support the main idea of a passage

Chicago Legacy: Burnham's Plan locate and use information to analyze a situation, write about a topic English / Spanish

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I can infer the author's purpose

Election Choices infer and support the main idea of a passage

From Many Places evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Learn about Ethiopia infer and support the main idea of a passage )

George Washington Carver

Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet

How Did People Solve a Problem?

How Have Students Made Community Progress? analyze a problem and solution in a text, identify and support the main idea

Penguins

Prairie Keepers analyze information in a nonfiction text

Prairie Keepers with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Public Transportation evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Read to Learn about City Systems evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Read to Learn about Elections evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

The Recycle Center evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Reversing the Chicago River identify cause-effect relations and infer predictions

Seasons on the Prairie analyze information in a nonfiction text

Seasons on the Prairie with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage

Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions

Valley Forge infer and support the main idea of a passage

Who Am I sequence events, infer motive, and write about nonfiction

6th Grade Reading Level

City Mouse--a Fable

Community Progress realistic fiction about a mural

The Elves and the Shoemaker

The First Flag

A Good Student realistic fiction about starting high school

A Great Digger--A North American Fable

His First Dollar historical fiction about Abraham Lincoln

Letter to Grandmother

Grade Level Nonfiction Passages

6th Grade Reading Level

Before Chicago infer and support the main idea of a passage

Chicago's First Leader infer and support the main idea of a passage

The Early Chicago Environment and People classify information and summarize a nonfiction topic

Election Choices infer and support the main idea of a passage

Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet

Inferential Questions: Harold Washington's Acceptance Speech

Labor Day Address--Barack Obama Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage

Learn about Zambia infer and support the main idea of a passage

Nutrition Lesson evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Plants and Food infer and support the main idea of a passage

Prairie Ecology evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Prairie Ecology with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Settlement analyze information in a nonfiction text

Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Seasons on the Prairie infer and support the main idea of a passage

Seasons on the Prairie with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Traveling West infer and support the main idea of a passage

7th Grade Reading Level

Barack Obama Makes History

Columbus and the Egg historical fiction about an event showing Columbus as a smart person

A Good Student realistic fiction about starting high school

I Like Plants

John's Bright Idea

Making a Difference

My First Baseball Game

My Summer

Potawatomi Prairie

The Red Apples

Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet

Grade Level Nonfiction Passages

7th Grade Reading Level

Honest Abe infer and support the main idea of a passage

Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Labor Day Address--Barack Obama Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage

Learn about Kenya infer and support the main idea of a passage

Learning about the Solar System infer and support the main idea of a passage

Pilsen--A Community Changes identify causes and effects

Prairie Keepers infer and support the main idea of a passage

Prairie Keepers with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage

Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Today's Telephone infer and support the main idea of a passage

8th-10th Grade Reading Level

The Difficult Journey

The Gulls of Salt Lake

Lexington

My Job

My New President

My Sister, the Soldier

Potawatomi Prairie

See Our Progress

Training for the Presidency

Grade Level Nonfiction Passages

8th-10th Grade Reading Level

An African Heritage in Chicago identify and support the main idea in a nonfiction passage

Bold Plans, Big Dreams, City Progress identify and support the theme of a text

Changing the Ecosystem infer and support the main idea of a passage

Changing the Ecosystem with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Chicago is a City of Possibilities: Deval Patrick, Leader for Chicago analyze a text and write an extended response based on it

Deval Patrick's Acceptance Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage

George Washington Carver

Gwendolyn Brooks, An African American Poet

Honest Abe infer and support the main idea of a passage

Inaugural Address by John F. Kennedy evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Inferential Questions: Harold Washington's Acceptance Speech

Labor Day Address--Barack Obama Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage

Learn about Physical Therapists evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Learn about South Africa evaluate information, summarize, and identify and support a main idea

Maintaining Cultural Continuity infer and support the main idea of a passage

New Leadership analyze a speech

Settlement infer and support the main idea of a passage

Settlement with Multiple Choice Questions and Activities

Transportation Changes infer and support the main idea of a passage

What is Your Own Big Plan? (Barack Obama speech) analyze a text and respond to the issues it presents, write an extended response to a persuasive text

What Values Have Shaped Chicago? identify the main idea of a passage

Why is Community Service Important? identify the main idea and supporting information

Chicago High Schools infer predictions

Chicago Legacy: DuSable's Choices and Changes infer and support the main idea of a passage

Deval Patrick's Acceptance Speech infer and support the main idea of a passage

Harold Washington's Acceptance Speech

Frederick Douglass Speech on Women's Suffrage

John F. Kennedy's Remarks in the Rudolph Wilde Platz, Berlin

Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

President Barack Obama's Speech to Students

President Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address

Dr. Mortimer J. Adler Co-Founder and Chairman Center For the Study of the Great Ideas

The 103 Great Ideas Alphabetically

The 103 Great Ideas by Category

THE 103 GREAT IDEAS

The list of 103 ideas is broken between the two volumes, as follows:
Volume I: Angel, Animal, Aristocracy, Art, Astronomy, Beauty, Being, Cause, Chance, Change, Citizen, Constitution, Courage, Custom and Convention, Definition, Democracy, Desire, Dialectic, Duty, Education, Element, Emotion, Eternity, Evolution, Experience, Family, Fate, Form, God, Good and Evil, Government, Habit, Happiness, History, Honor, Hypothesis, Idea, Immortality, Induction, Infinity, Judgment, Justice, Knowledge, Labor, Language, Law, Liberty, Life and Death, Logic, and Love.
Volume II: Man, Mathematics, Matter, Mechanics, Medicine, Memory and Imagination, Metaphysics, Mind, Monarchy, Nature, Necessity and Contingency, Oligarchy, One and Many, Opinion, Opposition,^[13] Philosophy, Physics, Pleasure and Pain, Poetry, Principle, Progress, Prophecy, Prudence, Punishment, Quality, Quantity, Reasoning, Relation,^[14] Religion, Revolution, Rhetoric, Same and Other, Science, Sense, Sign and Symbol, Sin, Slavery, Soul, Space, State, Temperance, Theology, Time, Truth, Tyranny and Despotism, Universal and Particular, Virtue and Vice, War and Peace, Wealth, Will, Wisdom, and World.

How can a Dyslexic Reading Teacher HELP 95% of all at-risk students pass the EOG Reading Test? 10 Consecutive Years!

"Mr Taylor who annually starts with a class of fourth graders, 2/3 of whom are below grade level, and ends the year with most of the class at and above grade level. He gets results by emphasizing reading and writing, and holds students responsible for the work assigned. All the students read the same challenging books, stories and poems; they spend a lot of time on vocabulary, take notes, identify the main chapter idea and write a chapter summary every day. They read about six challenging books a year...Fortunately for his students, he puts them first and is determined that every student will make at least one year of progress in his class. Some students make spectacular gains in reading, writing or math. The average student this past year made about three years academic progress....His Title I students perform as well as students in the nearby "rich" area with all top-rated schools." Robert Cherba

Socratic Seminar Questions?

How do laws serve or harm justice?

Why is the concept of blind justice important?

The Logicians Refuted

Logicians have but ill defined

As rational, the human kind;

Reason, they say, belongs to man,

But let them prove it if they can.

Wise Aristotle and Smiglesius,

By ratiocinations specious,

Have strove to prove, with great precision,

With definition and division,

Homo est ratione praeditum;

But for my soul I cannot credit 'em,

And must, in spite of them, maintain,

That man and all his ways are vain;

And that this boasted lord of nature

Is both a weak and erring creature;

That instinct is a surer guide

Than reason, boasting mortals' pride;

And that brute beasts are far before 'em.

Deus est anima brutorum.

Whoever knew an honest brute

At law his neighbour prosecute,

Bring action for assault or battery,

Or friend beguile with lies and flattery?

O'er plains they ramble unconfined,

No politics disturb their mind;

They eat their meals, and take their sport

Nor know who's in or out at court.

They never to the levee go

To treat, as dearest friend, a foe:

They never importune his grace,

Nor ever cringe to men in place:

Nor undertake a dirty job,

Nor draw the quill to write for Bob.

Fraught with invective, they ne'er go

To folks at Paternoster Row.

No judges, fiddlers, dancing-masters,

No pickpockets, or poetasters,

Are known to honest quadrupeds;

No single brute his fellow leads.

Brutes never meet in bloody fray,

Nor cut each other's throats for pay.

Of beasts, it is confess'd, the ape

Comes nearest us in human shape;

Like man, he imitates each fashion,

And malice is his lurking passion:

But, both in malice and grimaces,

A courtier any ape surpasses.

Behold him, humbly cringing, wait

Upon the minister of state;

View him soon after to inferiors

Aping the conduct of superiors;

He promises with equal air,

And to perform takes equal care.

He in his turn finds imitators,

At court, the porters, lacqueys, waiters,

Their masters' manner still contract,

And footmen, lords and dukes can act.

Thus, at the court, both great and small

Behave alike, for all ape all.

Reading Sage

Sunday, January 3, 2016

TerraNova Reading Passages Test Practice

The Logicians Refuted

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