Pennsylvania fact file
Research Pennsylvania: where it is, what it is known for, three interesting facts, and a drawing.
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Pennsylvania reading map
Explore Pennsylvania through readings connected to Valley Forge, Independence Park, the Horseshoe Curve, and Lancaster County. Compare fiction and informational texts with evidence from each passage in a focused written response.
12 readings
Compare Pennsylvania readings across settings and forms
Choose Pennsylvania-connected fiction or informational reading and compare what each passage makes readers notice.
Autumn at Valley ForgeLower Elementary · Short Story • FictionPennsylvania
The Amish of Lancaster CountyLower Elementary · InformationalPennsylvania
Footsteps Through History at Independence ParkUpper Elementary · FictionPennsylvania
Keeping Presque Isle Beautiful: Should Kids Join Beach Clean-Ups?Upper Elementary · Opinion Piece • Opinion / ArgumentativePennsylvania
Mary Cassatt: The American ImpressionistUpper Elementary · BiographyPennsylvania
Pine Creek Gorge: Pennsylvania's Restored WonderUpper Elementary · Report • InformationalPennsylvania
The Great Bell Rings for LibertyUpper Elementary · News Article • InformationalPennsylvania
The Rock Sea of Hickory Run: Exploring Pennsylvania's Boulder FieldUpper Elementary · InformationalPennsylvania
Conquering the Alleghenies: The Story of the Horseshoe CurveMiddle School · Explanatory Article • InformationalPennsylvania
In Defense of Rocksylvania: Why Pennsylvania's Rugged Ridges MatterMiddle School · Opinion / ArgumentativePennsylvania
Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle: Architecture, Bridges, and Public ArtMiddle School · InformationalPennsylvania
Violet Oakley: Visionary Artist of the Pennsylvania CapitolMiddle School · BiographyPennsylvaniaPennsylvania printables & worksheets
Use a fact file to collect information or write a short comparison supported by passage details.
Build a Pennsylvania 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.
Pennsylvania KWL chart
Write what you already know about Pennsylvania, what you want to find out, and what you learned.
Browse all kwl chartPennsylvania story map
Plan a story set in Pennsylvania: characters, setting, problem, what happens first, next, and last, and how it ends.
Browse all story mapPennsylvania word web
Put Pennsylvania in the middle and collect words and ideas connected to it.
Browse all word webCompare two things from Pennsylvania
Use a Venn diagram to compare two places, landmarks, animals, traditions, or other features from Pennsylvania.
Browse all compare two things from pennsylvaniaPennsylvania acrostic poem
Write an acrostic poem using the letters in the name Pennsylvania.
Browse all acrostic poemAbout Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania was one of the original 13 colonies and became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1787.
The state is bordered by Lake Erie to the northwest and the Delaware River to the east.
Harrisburg serves as the state capital, while Philadelphia is its most populous city.
Select a Pennsylvania reading for comparison
The Pennsylvania map groups English readings connected to the state. Readings include fiction and informational texts about several named places. Use a card’s title and type to select a passage, then read it to understand what details it actually presents.
Compare two fictional readings
Autumn at Valley Forge is a short story. Footsteps Through History at Independence Park is labeled fiction. Ask readers to compare how each story uses its named setting, and identify details that support their interpretation. The passages are fictional selections, so distinguish their storytelling from factual claims about history.
Compare informational subjects
Conquering the Alleghenies: The Story of the Horseshoe Curve is an explanatory article and informational text. The Amish of Lancaster County is informational. Readers can identify each passage’s subject and compare how the explanations are organized, using details from both.
A fact file can organize observations from one informational reading; a written comparison can connect two passages. Ask readers to underline details that support each comparison. For broad topic-led reading, visit geography reading passages and worksheets. For state-level context, return to the United States map.
Pennsylvania reading map FAQ
What Pennsylvania places appear in the readings?
The titles name Valley Forge, Independence Park, the Horseshoe Curve, and Lancaster County. Each passage has its own focus.
How can readers compare the Valley Forge and Independence Park stories?
They can compare how two fictional readings use their named settings, supporting observations with details while distinguishing fiction from history.
What question fits the two informational passages?
Ask readers to identify each passage’s subject and compare how the explanations are organized, citing details from both.
Are the historical place stories factual accounts?
The passage labels identify the first two selections as fiction. Review them as stories and use other sources for factual historical research.