Literature and World Issues

This worksheet is designed for students in Grades 7 and 8 to compare excerpts from Silent Spring with a modern informational article on climate change. Through close reading, cross-text comparison, environmental theme analysis, and evidence-based reasoning, students examine how environmental problems, causes, and global concerns are presented across different time periods and genres.

Learning Goals

• Connecting Literature & Informational Texts (Grades 7-8) – Analyze how literary and informational writing address shared environmental issues.
• Comparing Causes Across Time – Examine similarities and differences in environmental problems and human impact across decades.
• Environmental Theme Analysis – Identify themes of responsibility, awareness, and global concern in both texts.
• Evidence-Based Reasoning – Support conclusions with specific details from each excerpt.

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Developed by educators to align with middle school ELA and Social Studies standards.
• Cross-Curricular Focus – Integrates reading, critical thinking, and global awareness.
• Real-World Connections – Encourages students to link historical texts to current environmental challenges.
• Structured & Accessible – Guided questions support thoughtful comparison and written responses.
• Flexible Use – Suitable for classroom instruction, discussion groups, independent work, or homeschool lessons.

This literature and world issues worksheet helps students build strong skills in textual comparison, environmental analysis, and critical interpretation. By examining how Silent Spring and modern climate writing raise awareness in different ways, learners gain insight into the role of writing in shaping public understanding and responsibility. It’s a meaningful, discussion-rich resource for classrooms and homeschool settings focused on literacy and global issues.

This worksheet is part of our comparisons & connections in reading worksheets collection.