Happy Pride Month: Passages for Grades 6-8 that Celebrate Diversity and Inclusion

6/15/2023

At ReadWorks, one of our core values is Diversity & Inclusion. As June is Pride Month, we want to feature several of our passages that highlight the diverse accomplishments and rich history of members of the LGBTQ+ community! Join us in celebrating Pride Month by sharing these passages for Grades 6-8.

Soccer Superstars

Megan Rapinoe is a professional soccer player and activist known for her exceptional skills on the field and advocacy for gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights.
Passage info: Grade level 8 1250L 543 Words Nonfiction 1 Q set

Jamie Smed from Cincinnati, Ohio, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

From TikTok to the Grammys

Lil Nas X is a Grammy-winning rapper known for his viral hit “Old Town Road” and his boundary-pushing style and persona. This passage covers Montero Lamar Hill’s childhood, his rise as an artist under the name Lil Nas X, and his newfound stardom.
Passage info: Grade level 8 1180L 602 Words Nonfiction 1 Q set

Cosmopolitan UK, CC BY 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Who Was Sally Ride?

Sally Ride was an American astronaut and physicist who became not only the first American woman, but also the first LGBTQ+ astronaut, to fly in space. The passage “Who Was Sally Ride” is the first selection in the Astronauts Article-A-Day set and describes Ride’s early life, career as an astronaut, and accomplishments after retiring.
Passage info: Grade level 6 710L-930L Nonfiction Article-A-Day

NASA; retouched by Coffeeandcrumbs, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The NAMES Quilt

This passage concerns the historical tradition of making quilts with names on them and focuses on the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. This quilt was created by LGBTQ+ activists to raise awareness and memorialize their loved ones who had died from AIDS-related causes during the AIDS epidemic.
Passage info: Grade level 6 1020L 569 Words Nonfiction 1 Q set