When the Ants Go Marching Reading Comprehension Worksheet

Reading nonfiction well means holding on to facts while a writer builds an explanation, and that is exactly the work this When the Ants Go Marching Reading Comprehension Worksheet asks students to do. The passage tells the true story of desert ants that cross wide, empty sand and still walk straight back to a nest hole no bigger than a pencil point. Along the way it rules out two tempting explanations, introduces a hundred-year-old idea, and ends with the test that finally settled the question. Students have to follow that chain of thinking, not just collect details.

The passage runs across two pages so young readers get real practice with stamina, and the questions come from the whole text rather than from the opening paragraph. Four multiple-choice items cover cause and effect, vocabulary in context, and main idea. A written response asks students to explain why one old idea did not hold up and to back the explanation with details. Print the When the Ants Go Marching Reading Comprehension Worksheet for guided reading, a science center, a substitute folder, or homework, and use the included answer key to check the work in seconds.

What’s Included

• A two-page original nonfiction passage written for 4th grade readers
• Four multiple-choice questions with fill-in-the-bubble answer choices
• One two-part written response with four ruled writing lines
• A complete answer key with a sample written response
• A print-ready PDF sized for standard letter paper

Three Reasons This Helps Kids

• It builds reading stamina. A two-page passage asks students to keep track of ideas longer than a single paragraph allows, which is what real science reading and state tests require.
• It teaches how evidence works. The text presents two ideas that failed and one that survived a test, so students see reasoning in action instead of a list of facts.
• It grows science vocabulary painlessly. Words like pedometer are defined right in the sentence that introduces them, so readers learn a strategy along with the word.

Ideas for Teachers and Parents

Before reading, ask students how they would find their way home in a place with no landmarks at all, then compare their plans with the ant’s. After reading, have partners retell the experiment in their own words, one describing what the scientists did and the other describing what happened. This 4th grade insects worksheet also pairs well with a short walk outside to watch a real ant trail, and with a quick measuring activity in which students count their own steps across the classroom and then across the hallway.

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