Comparing Texts - Answer Keys

Grade 3 ELA | FL B.E.S.T. Standard: ELA.3.R.3.3

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Student Concept Worksheet Answers

Comparison Chart Answers:
Passage 1 Passage 2
Main topic Bees Bees / Honeybees
Main focus How bees help gardens and people How honeybees live and work in a hive
Facts included Bees drink nectar, spread pollen, help grow food Different bee jobs, waggle dance, storing honey
Venn Diagram Answers:
Only Passage 1:
• Bees spread pollen
• Bees help grow our food
• How to attract bees (plant flowers)
BOTH:
• About bees
• Bees visit flowers
• Bees are helpful/important
Only Passage 2:
• Different bee jobs
• Waggle dance
• Queen bee, worker bees, guard bees
Question Answer
1 Both passages are about bees. They both mention that bees visit flowers and are helpful insects.
2 Passage 1 focuses on how bees help gardens and people. Passage 2 focuses on how bees live and work inside the hive.
3 Passage 1 would help because it says "You can help bees by planting colorful flowers in your yard!"
4 Passage 2 would help because it tells about the queen, workers, guard bees, and how bees communicate inside the hive.
5 The authors had different purposes. Author 1 wanted to show how bees help US and encourage readers to help bees. Author 2 wanted to explain how bees LIVE and work together.

Practice Worksheet Answers

Question Answer
1 B. Dolphins
2 A. Passage 1 focuses on swimming abilities; Passage 2 focuses on intelligence and social behavior
3 B. Dolphins breathe air
Passage 1 explicitly states this; Passage 2 implies it ("swim to the surface to breathe").
4 See Venn diagram below
5 Passage 1, because it says dolphins can swim "up to 20 miles per hour, which is faster than most boats."
6 B. Why recycling is important
7 C. The step-by-step process of how recycling works
8 B. Both mention that materials are turned into new products
9 A. Author 1 wants to persuade; Author 2 wants to inform about a process
10 Passage 2 includes the recycling process: trucks collecting, the MRF facility, sorting by machines and workers, creating bales, and selling to factories.
11 Passage 1 includes WHY recycling matters: keeping trash out of landfills, saving natural resources, saving energy, and what individuals can do to help.
12 Passage 1 would be more helpful because it explains WHY recycling is important and encourages action. It talks about saving the planet and what we can do.
13 Together, the passages give a complete picture. Passage 1 tells us WHY we should recycle, and Passage 2 tells us WHAT HAPPENS when we do. A reader would understand both the importance and the process.
14 but, however, while, whereas (any contrast signal word)
Question 4 Venn Diagram (Dolphins):
Only Passage 1:
• Swim 20 mph
• Blowhole breathing
• Porpoising trick
• Streamlined body
BOTH:
• About dolphins
• Live in ocean
• Breathe air
Only Passage 2:
• Problem-solving
• Living in pods
• Unique whistles
• Helping each other

FAST Format Quiz Answers

Question Answer
1 B. Penguins
2 B. How penguins survive in the cold
3 B. Daily activities and behaviors of penguins
4 B. Penguins have blubber to stay warm
5 C. Penguins slide on their bellies
6 B. Both describe penguin families and parenting
Passage 1 mentions father penguins keeping eggs warm; Passage 2 mentions parents feeding chicks and recognizing their calls.
7 B. Passage 2 tells a story and uses action words like "Splash!" and "zooms"
8 A. Passage 1, because it focuses on adaptations for cold weather
9 See rubric and sample response below
10 See rubric and sample response below

Questions 9-10 Scoring Rubric

Score Criteria
2 Response clearly explains differences or connections between passages AND uses specific details from both texts
1 Response addresses the question but lacks detail from one or both passages; or partially correct
0 Incorrect or off-topic response; no understanding of comparison demonstrated
Sample 2-Point Response for Question 9:
The two passages present information about penguins differently. Passage 1 is more like a textbook—it gives facts about how penguins survive the cold, like having blubber and huddling together. It includes specific data like "-60 degrees" and "100 feathers per square inch." Passage 2 reads more like a story, following a penguin through its day. It uses exciting words like "Splash!" and "zooms" to make the reader feel like they're watching the penguin. Passage 1 focuses on survival; Passage 2 focuses on daily life.
Sample 2-Point Response for Question 10:
Reading both passages would help me write a better report because I would learn different things from each one. From Passage 1, I would learn about penguin adaptations—how their feathers, blubber, and huddling help them survive Antarctica's cold. From Passage 2, I would learn about what penguins do every day—hunting for fish, waddling on land, and communicating with their unique calls. Together, I would understand both HOW penguins survive AND WHAT their lives are like.
FAST Success Kit | Grade 3 | FL B.E.S.T. Standard: ELA.3.R.3.3
Answer Key - For Teacher Use Only