Looking for a low-prep Groundhog Day ESL reading activity that still feels academic and meaningful.

This differentiated informational text includes leveled passages, comprehension questions, and a writing response, perfect for February lessons.

This Groundhog Day ESL informational text helps students learn about groundhogs while building reading comprehension and writing skills. Designed for mixed-level ESL classrooms, this resource includes three differentiated passages so all students can access the same topic at their level.

Students explore the habits and behaviors of groundhogs through an engaging nonfiction text, answer comprehension questions, and complete a writing response using built-in scaffolds.

This is a low-prep, ready-to-use resource that works well for February lessons without feeling like a filler activity.

✨ What’s Included

This printable resource includes THREE complete levels of informational text:

✅ Beginner Level (Newcomer–Early Intermediate)

• Simplified passage (200–400L)
• Visuals and vocabulary support
• 5 multiple-choice comprehension questions
• Writing prompt with sentence starters
• Challenge question for higher-order thinking
• Answer key
  

✅ Intermediate Level (400–600L)

• Expanded passage with more detail
• 10 multiple-choice comprehension questions
• Short constructed-response prompts
• Writing task with evidence support
• Answer key
  

✅ Advanced Level (600–800L)

• Rigorous grade-level passage with academic vocabulary
• 10 comprehension questions (main idea, inference, character traits, text evidence, and more)
• Evidence-based writing prompt
• Answer key
  

Skills Students Will Practice

• Reading comprehension
• Vocabulary and context clues
• Main idea & details
• Inference and text evidence
• Character analysis
• Writing with complete sentences
• Responding to text-based prompts
  

Perfect For:

• February-themed lessons
• ESL/ELL reading groups
• Newcomer support
• Social studies integration
• Substitute plans
• Literacy centers & stations
• Small-group intervention
• Early finishers
• Homework or independent practice

When you purchase this resource, you will get access to a Google folder where you will find the activities.