fix the sentence
Sentences from the passage with the capitals and punctuation removed — rewrite each one correctly.
The Wisconsin State Capitol
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Explore Wisconsin’s state government and its lakeside capital with this coloring page and informative reading passage.
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Reading activity
Optional · Reading: Upper ElementaryAdd a reading worksheet
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A Capitol Between Two Lakes
A great white dome rises above downtown Madison, Wisconsin. It belongs to the Wisconsin State Capitol, a building where important decisions about the state are made. From high above the city, the Capitol stands out on a narrow strip of land between two lakes.
The Capitol is home to Wisconsin’s legislature, the group that makes state laws. The legislature has two parts: the Senate and the Assembly. The building also houses the governor’s office and the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the state’s highest court. Each has a different role in state government.
The building’s most noticeable feature is its enormous dome. Inside, visitors can look up from the rotunda, a large round space beneath the dome. The decorated ceiling curves far overhead. Outside, a gold-colored statue called Wisconsin stands at the top. Its raised arm points toward the sky.
The Capitol sits on an isthmus, a narrow stretch of land with water on both sides. Lake Mendota lies to the northwest, and Lake Monona lies to the southeast. From the Capitol’s observation deck, when it is open, visitors can look across the city toward both lakes. Streets and buildings spread out below, while the lakes frame the view with wide stretches of water.
The present Capitol was completed in 1917, after a fire badly damaged an earlier building on the same site. Today, the Capitol is both a working government building and a place for visitors to discover Wisconsin’s history. Its dome links the busy city streets below with the open sky above.
Glossary
- dome: A rounded roof or structure shaped like part of a ball.
- feature: A noticeable part or quality of something.
- decorated: Made more attractive by adding designs or other details.
- observation deck: A place where people can stand to look at the surrounding area.
- damaged: Harmed or partly broken.
Comprehension questions
What is the main idea of the passage? Give two details that support it.
How do the legislature and the Wisconsin Supreme Court have different roles?
What details show that the Capitol is a place for visitors as well as a working government building?
How does the Capitol's location affect what visitors can see from the observation deck?
How are the views inside and outside the dome different?
Why does the author describe the lakes when explaining where the Capitol stands?
What does the word “houses” mean in the sentence about the governor's office and Supreme Court?
How does the passage move from describing government to describing the building and its location?
What happened before the present Capitol was completed, and where was the new building constructed?
Why might the dome be easy to notice from downtown Madison? Use a detail from the passage.
Printables & worksheets
More ways to practice with this story — every sheet is built from the text itself, answer key included where it counts.
Get all 4 sheets as one workbook
One PDF with a cover, a contents page and every answer key at the back — color the page in, then keep going on paper.
vocabulary
Match the passage words to their meanings, then fill the missing words back into real sentences.
writing prompts
Two writing tasks that build on the passage, with plenty of lines to write on.
Explore the Wisconsin State Capitol
Download this free coloring page to see the Capitol’s distinctive dome and its setting between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. It’s an approachable way for upper elementary students to learn about a Wisconsin landmark.
Pair the printable coloring page with the reading passage, A Capitol Between Two Lakes, to explore state government. Comprehension questions and a glossary help students review the ideas and vocabulary.
Use the activities in the classroom or at home for a lesson about Wisconsin, geography, or how state government works.