Read a web, chart or timeline organizer
Grade 6 Reading Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Flow chart
How a Town Cleans Its Drinking Water (simplified)
[1] The chart starts with a box saying that river water flows into the plant through a large screen that catches sticks and leaves. [2] An arrow leads to a mixing box, where a chemical is added so that tiny bits of dirt clump into larger lumps. [3] The next arrow leads to a settling tank, where the heavy lumps sink slowly to the bottom while the water moves on. [4] After that, the water passes through a filter box with layers of sand and gravel that trap the dirt that is left. [5] Next, a box labeled disinfect shows chlorine being added to destroy germs. [6] A test box follows and asks whether the water meets the safety standard. [7] An arrow marked yes leads to a storage tower and then to the town's pipes. [8] An arrow marked no leads back to the disinfect box.
Water has just left the settling tank, Ari. What happens to it next?
- It passes through layers of sand and gravel that trap the leftover dirt
- Chlorine is added to the water so that any remaining germs are destroyed
- A chemical is added so that tiny bits of dirt clump into larger lumps
- The water is heated for several hours until the remaining germs are destroyed
Which sentence best sums up the purpose of the whole chart, Esme?
- River water is dirty because farms, factories and towns add waste to the rivers over time
- Chlorine is added to the river water in one step so that the germs in it are destroyed
- Treated water is completely free of germs and dirt by the time it reaches the town's pipes
- Each step cleans something different, and a last test decides what leaves the plant
Cause and effect organizer
What Happened on Pelican Island (invented island)
[1] The organizer has four boxes in a column, and each arrow points down from a cause to its effect. [2] The first box says that rats arrived on Pelican Island aboard a supply boat in 1990. [3] The first arrow leads to a box saying that the rats ate many eggs laid by ground-nesting seabirds. [4] The second arrow leads to a box saying that the seabird population dropped by more than half within ten years. [5] The third arrow leads to the last box, which says that the soil lost the nutrients that the birds' droppings once provided. [6] A side note says that island plants grow more slowly when the soil has fewer nutrients. [7] A second side note says that the island's rats were removed in 2015. [8] A final line asks readers what might happen to the plants and seabirds after 2015.
Why did the soil on Pelican Island lose nutrients, Jun?
- Fewer seabirds meant fewer droppings, and the droppings had fed the soil
- The rats ate the eggs, so the soil lost the nutrients that eggs provide
- Fewer plants meant fewer seabirds, which left the soil without nutrients
- The supply boat brought chemicals that slowly harmed the soil
The side notes point toward a prediction about the plants after 2015, Kira. Which prediction does the organizer best support?
- Plants will grow more slowly, since removing the rats also removes a supply of nutrients
- Plants may grow faster in time, since returning seabirds could feed the soil with droppings
- Plants will be back to full size by 2020, since the rats are gone and the seabirds return home
- Plants will stop growing, since the island soil has dried out after years without birds
Which sentence states the main idea of the organizer, Luz?
- Removing the rats in 2015 returned Pelican Island to its old condition
- One new animal on an island started a chain of changes that reached the soil
- Rats eat the eggs of seabirds that nest on the ground of an island
- Boats should be checked for rats before they are allowed to reach any small island
Use this
[1] The chart has three columns: class, pounds of cans collected in October, and pounds collected in November. [2] The first row lists Class 6A with 40 pounds in October and 70 pounds in November. [3] The second row lists Class 6B with 80 pounds in October and 100 pounds in November. [4] The third row lists Class 6C with 50 pounds in October and 45 pounds in November. [5] The fourth row lists Class 6D with 20 pounds in October and 45 pounds in November. [6] A note under the chart says that Class 6C lost a week of collecting when its bin was moved. [7] A second note says that the school's goal is a total of 250 pounds in November.
Milo compares October with November. Which class increased its collection by the greatest percent?
- Class 6A, which gained the most pounds of any class
- Class 6C, which kept its total almost the same
- Class 6B, which collected the most cans in November
- Class 6D, which rose from 20 pounds to 45 pounds
Class 6C was the only class with a smaller total in November. Which statement does the organizer best support, Pia?
Use the picture in question 6.
- Class 6C lost a week of collecting because it had collected less in October
- Class 6C cared less about recycling than the other classes did
- Class 6C's drop may be linked to the lost week, since its bin was moved
- Class 6C students were absent on several collection days
Web organizer
Why Cities Plant Trees
[1] The center circle reads: Street trees help a city in ways that people can measure. [2] Branch one says that shade from tree leaves keeps sidewalks and buildings cooler on hot days. [3] Branch two says that tree roots and leaves soak up rain, so less water rushes into storm drains. [4] Branch three says that leaves trap dust and other tiny particles from the air. [5] Branch four says that trees give birds and insects food and places to live. [6] A note under branch one adds that buildings in the shade need less energy for air conditioning. [7] A note under branch two explains that heavy rain can overload drains and flood streets. [8] A box beside the web asks which of the four branches matters most to a city with frequent floods.
Ren wants to add a fifth branch to the web. Which detail fits the center idea best?
- Trees are pretty to look at, so people enjoy walking along streets that have them
- Cities with many trees have friendlier neighbors than other cities
- Tree roots hold soil in place on slopes, so rain washes away less dirt
- Street trees are usually planted in rows along the edge of the road
Which branch matters most to a city with frequent floods, and why, Tala?
- Branch one, since shade keeps streets cooler and cooler streets dry out faster
- Branch three, since cleaner air keeps the storm drains from becoming clogged with dust
- Branch four, since birds and insects living in trees keep the drains clear of leaves
- Branch two, since trees soak up rain and the note says heavy rain can overload drains
Which statement uses both branch one and the note under it, Zee?
- Shade makes buildings use more energy, since the trees can block the wind from them
- Shade cools buildings, so shaded buildings can use less energy for air conditioning
- Shade from the leaves keeps sidewalks and buildings cooler on hot days, as branch one says
- Air conditioning keeps buildings cool, so trees are needed much less than before
