New Jersey fact file
Research New Jersey: where it is, what it is known for, three interesting facts, and a drawing.
Browse all fact file state / province
New Jersey reading map
Choose New Jersey readings connected to Newark, Cape May, and the Pine Barrens. Compare informational writing, Reader’s Theater, an opinion text, and fiction with details from each passage in a focused task.
11 readings
Compare New Jersey informational and opinion reading
Explore New Jersey-connected informational, performance, argument, and story texts, using their labels to guide close reading.
A Visit to the Newark Museum of ArtLower Elementary · InformationalNew Jersey
Lucas and the Big CliffsLower Elementary · Short Story • FictionNew Jersey
Exploring Cape May's Connected EcosystemsUpper Elementary · Reader's TheaterNew Jersey
Paterson: America's Silk City and Its Powerful FallsUpper Elementary · Explanatory Article • InformationalNew Jersey
Power from the Falls: Paterson and the Industrial RevolutionUpper Elementary · Explanatory Article • InformationalNew Jersey
Surviving the Winter: Morristown National Historical ParkUpper Elementary · Explanatory Article • InformationalNew Jersey
The Light of Persistence: Thomas Edison’s JourneyUpper Elementary · BiographyNew Jersey
The Wonders of the Wooden WayUpper Elementary · Short Story • FictionNew Jersey
Beyond the Boardwalk: Why Visitors Should Explore the Pine BarrensMiddle School · Opinion / ArgumentativeNew Jersey
Jersey City: The Vibrant Gateway Across the HudsonMiddle School · Report • InformationalNew Jersey
Power and Progress: The Great Falls of PatersonMiddle School · InformationalNew JerseyNew Jersey printables & worksheets
Write a claim-and-reasons response or collect details in a fact file after reading.
Build a New Jersey workbook Pro
One PDF with the reading passages, puzzles and worksheets you pick — start from a grade level and adjust from there, with the answer keys at the back.
New Jersey KWL chart
Write what you already know about New Jersey, what you want to find out, and what you learned.
Browse all kwl chartNew Jersey story map
Plan a story set in New Jersey: characters, setting, problem, what happens first, next, and last, and how it ends.
Browse all story mapNew Jersey word web
Put New Jersey in the middle and collect words and ideas connected to it.
Browse all word webCompare two things from New Jersey
Use a Venn diagram to compare two places, landmarks, animals, traditions, or other features from New Jersey.
Browse all compare two things from new jerseyNew Jersey acrostic poem
Write an acrostic poem using the letters in the name New Jersey.
Browse all acrostic poemNew Jersey word game worksheets
Printable word puzzles built from New Jersey words — download as PDF, answer key included.
Easy word search
8×8 grid · 6 words across and down · answer key included
Medium word search
10×10 grid · 8 words with diagonals · answer key included
Tricky word search
12×12 grid · 10 words with backwards words · answer key included
No printer at hand? Play the New Jersey word search right here on screen — free.
About New Jersey
New Jersey is known as the Garden State and is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.
The state played a key role during the American Revolutionary War, earning it the nickname Crossroads of the American Revolution.
New Jersey is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, as well as New York and Pennsylvania.
Choose a New Jersey reading with a question in mind
The New Jersey map links readers to English passages connected to the state. Readings include informational reading, Reader’s Theater, an opinion text, and fiction. Use a title and format label to select a passage, then check the reading before planning a response.
Compare informational and performance texts
A Visit to the Newark Museum of Art is informational. Exploring Cape May’s Connected Ecosystems is Reader’s Theater. Ask readers to compare what each format invites them to notice and support their ideas with details from the selected texts. Do not assume that the passages cover the same content simply because both connect to New Jersey.
Identify an argument and its reasons
Beyond the Boardwalk: Why Visitors Should Explore the Pine Barrens is opinion/argumentative. Readers can locate its claim and reasons, then compare its purpose with Lucas and the Big Cliffs, a short story. Keep the response tied to evidence in both passages.
A fact file can collect observations; a short written response can explain how reasons support a claim. See geography reading passages and available worksheets. For state-level context, return to the United States map.
New Jersey reading map FAQ
Which places are named in the New Jersey readings?
The titles name Newark, Cape May, and the Pine Barrens. Each passage has a distinct subject and text type.
How can students compare the Newark and Cape May readings?
They can compare the informational text with Reader’s Theater, then support an explanation of the formats with details from both passages.
What should readers look for in the Pine Barrens opinion text?
Ask them to identify the claim and reasons the passage gives, then explain the relationship using evidence from the text.
Is the Pine Barrens reading a travel guide?
It is labeled opinion/argumentative. Review the passage for its purpose and use current travel resources for visitor planning.