Paired Passages – Fiction and Nonfiction Join Forces!

Build Excitement and Enjoyment of Learning

Paired passages build the excitement of learning for your students! Try pairing fiction and nonfiction texts and watch what happens!!

Integrate Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies

Pairing fiction and nonfiction texts is an authentic way to integrate Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.

It can provide the bridge our ELLs need, as well as providing benefits to all students. Plus, it’s is a great way to build vocabulary and show children the same words in different genres.

Paired passages help the children to make connections with the world and themselves.

Building Rigor with Paired Passages

I participated in a book study this year on “Rigor is Not a Four-Letter Word.” In the book, Barbara Blackburn talked about how pairing the two builds rigor. Because of that, I thought I would incorporate it more with my students.

dWow, my students and I loved it! It helped to build my excitement because I could pick some of my favorite classic books to experiment with, and the children loved connecting the two because of their natural curiosity. We had so much fun!

Example of Paired Passages

I used what I had in my room as my first pairing. One of my groups was reading at guided reading level H, so I chose The Goat in the Chile Patch by Lada Josefa Kratky and Goats are Great by Alyse Sweeney (a Reading A to Z book).

I would suggest you pick a fiction book that you enjoy and look for a nonfiction pairing.

SVG Image Map Example

Suggested Paired Passages

Here is a list of pairings that Scholastic suggests and others that I added:

  • Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Harry Bliss
  • Nic Bishop Spiders by Nic Bishop
  • Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Harry Bliss
  • Wonderful Worms by Linda Glaser
  • How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague
  • Dinosaurs by Gail Gibbons
  • Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
  • Bats by Gail Gibbons
  • Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman
  • Police Officers on the Go by Alyse Sweeney
  • The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
  • Snowy Weather Days by Katie Marsico
  • Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback
  • Recycle That! by Fay Robinson
  • Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold
  • A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman by David A. Adler
  • The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordecai Gerstein
  • New York City by David F. Marx
  • Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
  • Ducks! by Gail Gibbons
  • Verdi by Janell Cannon
  • Pythons: Fun Facts & Pictures For Kids by Lilly Carle

Tips for Using Paired Passages

Pre-Teach Vocabulary Words

Choose 3-5 words that appear in both the fiction and nonfiction texts.

  • Review 1-2 Tier One words (basic words that are commonly spoken).
  • Teach 2-4 Tier Two words (high-frequency words used in many contexts).
  • Teach 1-2 Tier Three words (content-related or specific to a subject).

Use KWL Charts

Complete a KWL anchor chart or printable on the subject about which the children are reading.

Example: Ducks

  • What do you know?
  • What do you want to find out?
  • What did you learn?

Reading the Texts

Choose the method that best meets the needs of your students:

  • Interactive Read Aloud
  • Partner Reading
  • Guided Reading

After Reading Activities

  1. Story Map or Plot Summary: Have the children complete a story map or plot summary of the fiction book.
  2. KWL Completion: Have the children fill in the KWL after reading the nonfiction text.
  3. Venn Diagram or Graphic Organizer: Complete a Venn diagram or graphic organizer comparing the two texts.
  4. Compare and Contrast Writing: Compare and contrast in writing how the two are alike and different. Support English Language Learners with sentence frames.

Benefits of Paired Passages

Pairing fiction and nonfiction provides rigor in your classroom! It enhances your students’ reading comprehension, expands their vocabulary, knowledge, and interests, and builds great excitement for learning! It is effective no matter what grade you teach. You might want to give it a try.

Please enjoy for free: Verdi!  Compare and Contrast Verdi with a real Python! (Paired Reading!)

Our Guest Expert

Jill is an ESL teacher in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Her love is teaching reading in the primary grades.  She has been teaching for over 25 years in both private and public schools.  She has been a literacy teacher for grades K-5, an early education director, a literacy facilitator, and a classroom teacher of kindergarten, first, and second grades.  Find Jill on TPT and on Facebook.

Still not sure? Here are the most common questions surrounding paired passages.

Q: What are paired passages?

A: Paired passages are two texts that are related in some way, such as by theme, topic, or author’s purpose. They are used to help students compare and contrast different texts, analyze multiple perspectives, and improve reading comprehension skills.


Q: How do you select paired passages?

A: When selecting paired passages, consider the reading level of your students, the themes or topics that align with your curriculum, and the skills you want to develop. Look for passages that complement each other and provide opportunities for students to compare and contrast the content.


Q: How to use paired passages?

A: Paired passages can be used in various ways, such as during guided reading sessions, in literacy centers, or as part of a reading comprehension unit. They are great for teaching compare and contrast skills, supporting evidence-based writing, and preparing students for standardized tests.


Q: How to teach paired passages?

A: To teach paired passages effectively, start by introducing the concept and purpose to your students. Model the process of comparing and contrasting texts, using graphic organizers to help students organize their thoughts. Provide guided practice with pairs of texts before moving to independent practice.


Q: What are paired nonfiction passages?

A: Paired nonfiction passages are two non-fiction texts that are related in some way, such as by topic or theme. These passages help students practice analyzing factual information, identifying main ideas, and comparing different viewpoints or pieces of evidence.

nonfiction text features

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