Day 1 only

Five-Day Nonfiction Warm-Up Pack

Classroom copy · 1 October 2026

Day 1 · Wetlands and flood peaks

Read this passage, then answer all three questions using details from this page. Explain how a detail supports your thinking. You do not need information from another day.

Where Can Floodwater Go?

After heavy rain, some water runs across land toward streams. A wetland can hold part of that water for a time. Wetland soils and low areas create space for water to collect, while plants slow water as it moves. Slower movement and temporary storage may lower the height of a flood peak and reduce some damage. They do not make every flood disappear.

How much help a wetland provides depends on its size, plants and their condition, slope, place in a flood path, and how wet its soil was before a storm. A small wetland with soil already full of water may work differently from a larger wetland with room to store runoff. Wetlands can be one part of flood protection, alongside other measures.

Sources: U.S. EPA, “Basic Information about Wetland Restoration and Protection,” and “Wetlands: Protecting Life and Property from Flooding.” Original paraphrase; no source text reproduced.

Question 1

How can a wetland help lower a flood peak? Explain two different ways described in the passage.

Use evidence and explain your thinking:

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Question 2

Name two conditions that affect how much floodwater a wetland can manage. Why do those conditions make a single prediction difficult?

Use evidence and explain your thinking:

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Question 3

A neighbor says, “A wetland guarantees homes will never flood.” Revise the claim so it matches the passage, and explain why your version is more accurate.

Use evidence and explain your thinking:

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