FYI for Kids
FYI for Kids is a collection of engaging and high-quality magazine articles designed to enhance the Common Core classroom’s reading repertoire. The objective of this project is to demonstrate a type of text that is essential for increasing students’ engagement in and proficiency with complex texts—short engaging articles that communicate critical information. Read the Frankly Freddy article on “FYI for Kids: Building Students’ Capacity for Complex Text” to learn more.
Download the free printable texts and supporting materials for each level:
Comprehension & Tutoring Guides to accompany FYI for Kids
- Comprehension Response Sheets by Pat Cunningham
(included in the Level 1-5 texts above, click here to download the response sheets separately. - Teach Your Child to Read & Spell, a tutoring guide for TextProject texts including FYI for Kids.
Search FYI for Kids texts by complexity level and content area
A Hero Who Gives Things Away
How does Cameron Payne give back to his community? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: A Hero Who Gives Things Away.
Adding Up Pennies
What would happen if there were no more pennies? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Adding up Pennies.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-12-Adding-up-pennies
Bird Nests
How do birds keep their eggs and baby birds safe? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Bird Nests.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-1-bird-nests
Can People Live on the Moon?
What can plants teach us about living on the moon? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Can People Live on the Moon?.
Cool Hats
What’s so cool about hats? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Cool Hats.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-5-Cool-Hats
Drums: Keep the Beat
What are drums made of and how do people use them to make music? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Drums.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-6-Drums
Going With the Flow
When it rains, where does the water go? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Going With the Flow.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-2-going-with-the-flow
Posters Over Time
Why did people make posters? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Posters Over Time.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-3-posters-over-time
Quilts
What keeps us warm and is also art? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Quilts: Pieces of Art.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-7-Quilts
Taking Out the Trash—By the Ton
How did a vacation inspire a teenager to work on the problem of removing trash from the ocean? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Taking Out the Trash—By the Ton.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-16-Taking-out-the-trash
The Hidden Meanings of Names
Which states were named after people? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: The Hidden Meanings of Names.
The Wide World of Bread
How important is bread to people around the world? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: The Wide World of Bread.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-8-The-Wide-World-of-Bread
Video Games for Work and Play
What kind of video games do people use for work or for play? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Video Games for Work and Play.
Voting Makes a Difference
How does voting help a group of people decide what to do? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Voting Makes a Difference.
What Makes a Wall Great?
Why was the Great Wall of China built? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: What Makes a Wall Great?.
Working Dogs
How do dogs help people? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Working Dogs.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-1-4-Working-Dogs
Bats
Are bats a different kind of bird? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Bats.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-1-bats
Bigger Than an Elephant
Can plants really be bigger than elephants? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Bigger Than an Elephant.
Changing Lives, One Cow at a Time
How does giving someone a cow make a difference? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Changing Lives, One Cow at a Time.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-10-Changing-Lives
Flip-Flops
Are there different kinds of flip-flops? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Flip-Flops.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-8-Flip-Flops
Fractured Fairy Tales
What are fractured fairy tales? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Fractured Fairy Tales.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-2-Fractured-fairy-tales
Get Involved in Your Community
What can you do to help your community? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Get Involved in Your Community.
Horns: The Sound of the Wind
What are horn instruments? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Horns: The Sound of the Wind.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-7-Horns
Keeping Your Feet on the Ground
How do different kinds of shoes help people play sports? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Keeping Your Feet on the Ground.
Life in a Medieval Castle
What would it be like to live in a castle? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Life in a Medieval Castle.
Nesting Dolls
How are dolls a kind of folk art? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Nesting Dolls.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-4-Nesting-Dolls
Noodles Around the World
How many different kinds of noodles are there in the world? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Noodles Around the World.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-9-Noodles
Posters That Pop
Why do artists make colorful posters? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Posters That Pop.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-5-Posters-That-Pop
Power to the People
What is absolute power and what did it mean for the people of a country? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Power to the People.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-11-Power-to-the-People
Surprises Inside a Rock
What are geodes and how do they form? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Surprises Inside a Rock.
Totem Poles
How are totem poles important in Native American culture? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Totem Poles.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-3-Totem-Poles
Why Do Things Move?
Can a soccer ball stay in motion forever? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Why Do Things Move?
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-16-why-do-things-move
Young Inventors: Jack Andraka
How is Jack Andraka changing the way doctors find cancer cells? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Young Inventors: Jack Andraka.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-2-15-YI-Jack-Andraka
Bats in Sports
How many different kinds of bats are there? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Bats in Sports.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-3-Bats-in-sports
Beavers and the Environment
How do beavers help and destroy the environment? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Beavers and the Environment.
From Grease to Gold
How did Cassandra Lin recycle used cooking oil to help her community? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: From Grease to Gold.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-17-From-grease-to-gold
Greek Mythology
Are Greek myths stories or are they real events that happened long ago? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Greek Mythology.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-1-Greek-mythology
Grip and Glide With Friction
Why does a basketball roll faster on a basketball court than on the grass? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Grip and Glide With Friction.
Kites: Dancers in the Wind
How have kites been used around the world? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Kites: Dancers in the Wind.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-15-Kites
Midnight Sun and Northern Lights
It’s midnight and it’s still light out? What’s going on? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Midnight Sun and Northern Lights.
On Guard! Junior Lifeguards
What kind of skills do junior lifeguards learn in order to keep people safe at the ocean? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: On Guard! Junior Lifeguards.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-8-On-guard-Jr-lifeguard
Origami: Get Into the Fold
How long ago was origami invented? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Origami: Get Into the Fold.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-18-origami
Putting Two Words Together
Any word that has “ball” in it means it has something to do with a ball (a round toy that people play with), right? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Putting Two Words Together.
Red Alert! The British Are Coming!
Why was the British army called Redcoats? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Red Alert! The British Are Coming!
Stained Glass
Why was stained glass an important part of churches? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Stained Glass: Painting With Sunlight.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-11-Stained-Glass
Staying Safe in Sports
What might you wear to stay safe while playing sports? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Staying Safe in Sports.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-14-Staying-Safe-in-Sports
Stringing Along
What are string instruments? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Stringing Along.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-12-Stringing-Along
The Colors of English
Where did we get the words we use to describe color? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: The Color of English.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-9-The-colors-of-English
Write a Letter to Congress
How does writing a letter to Congress help your community? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Write a Letter to Congress.
Young Inventors: Chester Greenwood
How did Chester Greenwood’s cold ears help us stay warm in the winter? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Young Inventors: Chester Greenwood.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-3-6-YI-Chester-Greenwood
Bison
Are bison and buffalo the same animal? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Bison.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-1-Bison
Checkers: A Very Old Game
How long have people played checkers? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Checkers: A Very Old Game.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-11-checkers
Garden Homes
What are hotels for insects? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Garden Homes.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-16-Garden-Homes
How Insects Live in Winter
How do insects survive in the winter? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: How Insects Live in Winter.
Minding Your Business
What do you do when you have an idea for a business? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Minding Your Business.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-13-Minding-your-business
Nicknames
Do you have a nickname? What’s a nickname? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Nicknames.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-4-Nicknames
Painting on the Walls
What kinds of art have archaeologists found on cave walls? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Painting on the Walls.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-10-Painting-on-the-walls
Pianos
Why are pianos known as a percussion instrument if they have strings? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Pianos: The Loud and the Soft.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-9-Pianos
Playing by the Rules
How do rules help to make sure that everyone has fun? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Playing by the Rules.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-15-play-by-the-rules
Raisins: A Sweet Treat
Where do raisins come from and how did they get so sweet? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Raisins: A Sweet Treat.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-14-Raisins
Sammy Lee: Olympic Diver
How did discrimination and the Korean War keep Sammy Lee from his favorite sport? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Sammy Lee: Olympic Diver.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-5-Sammy-Lee-Olympic-Diver
Standing on Your Own
Not all babies are able to walk, swim, or fly on their own as soon as they are born. How do mothers or fathers move their babies around? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Standing on Your Own.
Tall Tales
What are tall tales and how do they help people forget their troubles? Let’s find out FYI for Kids: Tall Tales.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-6-Tall-Tales
What’s Out There?
What spacecraft have traveled the farthest from Earth? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: What’s Out There?.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-7-Whats-out-there
Young Heroes: Katie Stagliano’s Dream
How did Katie Stagliano combine gardening and helping her community? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Young Heroes: Katie Stagliano’s Dream.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-4-8-Young-heroes-katie-staglianos-dream
Young Inventors: Louis Braille
Why did Louis Braille invent a writing system for the blind and visually impaired? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Louis Braille.
An Island is Born
What are mud volcanoes and how do they make new islands? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: An Island is Born.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-9-An-Island-is-Born
Chess: A Game of Kings and Queens
How do you win in a game of chess? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Chess: A Game of Kings and Queens.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-10-Chess-A-Game-of-Kings-and-Queens
Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King worked alongside her husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. in the fight for civil rights for all Americans. How did she carry on the fight after his death? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Coretta Scott King.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-4-Coretta-Scott-King
Counting Animals
Why do scientists need to know how many animals there are in the world? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Counting Animals.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-2-Counting-animals
Guitars
When did guitars become popular? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Guitars: The Kings of Rock.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-8-Guitars
Hula: Dance That Tells a Story
Where did hula dancing come from and how does someone tell stories with dancing? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Hula: Dance That Tells a Story.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-11-Hula
Knitting: From Sheep to Scarf
What is knitting and how can knitting help others? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Knitting: From Sheep to Scarf.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-16-Knitting
Lasers: The Power of Light
What are lasers and what do they do? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Lasers:The Power of Light.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-13-Lasers
Monster Stories
The Loch Ness monster isn’t real. Right? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Monster Stories.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-5-Monster-Stories
New Animal Species
What new animals species have been discovered and where do they live? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: New Animal Species.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-14-New-animal-species
Public Spaces
What are public spaces? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Public Spaces.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-1-Public-Spaces
The Art of Recycling
Can you make art with recycled materials? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: The Art of Recycling.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-7-The-Art-of-Recycling
The Tides
How do the tides affect the animals and plants that live on the beach? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: The Tides.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-3-the-tides
What’s Your Name?
Where do we get words that describe new technology? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: What’s Your Name?.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-6-Whats-your-name
Young Heroes: Rachel Beckwith
How did a child’s birthday wish change communities halfway across the world? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Young Heroes: Rachel Beckwith.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-1-YH-Rachel-Beckwith
Young Inventors: Caine Monroy
What do cardboard boxes plus imagination equal? Let’s find out with FYI for Kids: Young Inventors: Caine Monroy.
Download: FYI-for-Kids-5-12-YI-Caine-Monroy
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