Wind Currents Reading Worksheet
Earth Science • Guided Reading Packet Standards: RI.5.1 • RI.5.2
Rivers of Air
How Global and Local Winds Move Around Our World
Name:
Date:
Reading Clue: Warm air rises (low pressure) • Cold air sinks (high pressure) • Air always rushes from High to Low!
¶1
What Is Wind?
Wind is simply air in motion. It is created because the Sun heats Earth unevenly. The equator gets strong, direct sunlight all year, so equatorial air becomes warm, light, and rises. The North and South Poles get weak, slanted sunlight, making polar air cold, heavy, and sinking. Because heavy cold air pushes lighter warm air out of the way, air continuously rushes from high pressure areas to low pressure areas. This movement creates two main types of winds: global winds and local winds.
¶2
Global Winds & Earth’s Spin
Global winds are giant wind belts that blow steadily across thousands of miles. If Earth did not spin, air would simply flow straight from the equator to the poles and back. But Earth is always spinning on its axis like a top. This spin makes moving air curve to the side. Scientists call this the Coriolis effect. Because Earth spins, global winds divide into three separate wind bands in each hemisphere.
¶3
Three Major Global Wind Belts
First, near the equator, the trade winds blow steadily from east to west between 0° and 30° latitude. Long ago, sailors used these dependable winds to move trading ships across oceans. Second, the prevailing westerlies blow between 30° and 60° latitude from west to east. The westerlies push weather systems and storms straight across North America. Third, near the poles, the polar easterlies blow icy air from east to west, pushing cold air down toward 60° latitude.
¶4
Local Winds: Short Distances
While global winds travel across whole oceans, local winds blow over short distances of just a few miles. Local winds happen because small areas warm up and cool down at different rates. The most famous local winds blow near the coast because land (sand and rock) heats up and cools down much faster than deep ocean water.
¶5
Coastal Breezes: Day and Night
During a sunny afternoon, the land heats up fast while the ocean stays cool. Warm air rises over the beach, and cool ocean air sweeps in to take its place. This creates a daytime sea breeze that blows from the sea onto the land. At night, the pattern flips. Land cools off very quickly, but water stays warm. Now warm air rises over the ocean, and cool air from the shore blows out toward the water. This is a nighttime land breeze.
3 Global Wind Belts (Thousands of Miles)
Polar Easterlies 60°–90° • East → West (Icy)
Westerlies 30°–60° • West → East (US Storms)
Trade Winds 0°–30° • East → West (Sailing)
2 Coastal Local Winds (Short Distances)
Sea Breeze (Day) Sea → Land (cool ocean air rushes in)
Land Breeze (Night) Land → Sea (cool shore air blows out)
Cause: Land heats and cools faster than water.
Wind Currents Reading Worksheet • Grade 5 Informational Text Page 1 of 3
Vocabulary & Understanding Check
Use the scaffolded word bank and paragraph clues to answer each question
RI.5.1 • RI.5.2 Check
Part 1: Key Vocabulary Matching
Match each term (1–7) with its definition (A–G)
Global Group: #1, #3, #4, #5 Local Group: #2, #6, #7
1. global winds
2. local winds
3. trade winds
4. westerlies
5. polar easterlies
6. sea breeze
7. land breeze
A. Cool wind blowing from shore to sea at night.
B. Mid-latitude winds blowing west to east that steer US storms.
C. Steady east-to-west winds near equator used by sailors.
D. Winds blowing short distances over small local areas.
E. Giant wind belts blowing thousands of miles in steady paths.
F. Daytime cool breeze blowing from ocean onto land.
G. Frigid winds blowing east to west away from the poles toward 60°.
Part 2: Multiple Choice Questions (With Paragraph Clues)
1. (RI.5.1) What is the main cause of all wind on Earth?
Look in ¶1
A. The ocean waves crashing onto sandy beaches
B. The Sun heating Earth's surface unevenly
C. The gravitational pull of the moon at night
D. Thunderstorms spinning into heavy hurricanes
2. (RI.5.1) Why did early sailing captains rely on the trade winds?
Look in ¶3
A. The winds blew icy air to preserve ship supplies
B. The winds shifted wildly in different directions daily
C. The winds blew steadily to push cargo ships across oceans
D. The winds carried ships straight north toward the icy poles
3. (RI.5.2) Which statement is the main idea of paragraph 5?
Look in ¶5
A. Water warms up much faster than soil on sunny days
B. Coastal winds reverse because land and water heat and cool at different speeds
C. Sea breezes only blow during the coldest winter months
D. Land breezes happen when sunlight heats up sandy beaches
4. (RI.5.1) Why do winds curve instead of blowing in straight lines?
Look in ¶2
A. Earth continuously spins on its axis as air moves
B. Tall mountain ranges stop winds from traveling north
C. Cold air rises too fast to blow in a straight line
D. Ocean water pulls circulating air in large circles
Wind Currents Reading Worksheet • Grade 5 Informational Text Page 2 of 3
Guided Text Evidence & Main Ideas
Use sentence frames to quote evidence and complete the dual main idea organizer
RI.5.1 • RI.5.2 Guided Analysis
Part 3: Quoting Text Evidence with Sentence Frames (RI.5.1)
1. Why do storms in the United States generally travel from west to east?
Quote Clue: In paragraph 3, the author writes: "The westerlies guide massive storm fronts and weather systems straight across North America."
Complete the sentence frame below:
Paragraph 3 states that prevailing westerlies blow from west to east and . This evidence explains that storms move eastward because
2. At 2:00 PM on a sunny day, why does a beachgoer feel a refreshing breeze blowing off the ocean?
Inference & Quote Clue: Use paragraph 5 to find what happens to beach air vs. ocean air during the day.
Complete the sentence frame below:
I can infer that the land becomes warmer than the water. According to paragraph 5,
Part 4: Dual Main Ideas & Guided Summary (RI.5.2)
Main Idea 1: Global Winds
Fill in the blanks for paragraphs 2 & 3:
Global winds are large wind belts that blow across distances in predictable paths because Earth .
One Key Supporting Detail:
Belts include trade winds, westerlies, and .
Main Idea 2: Local Winds
Fill in the blanks for paragraphs 4 & 5:
Local winds blow over distances and reverse between day and night because .
One Key Supporting Detail:
During the day, a breeze blows cool air inland.
Guided Objective Summary Frame: Use vocabulary terms to complete the summary.
Earth's atmosphere produces two major types of winds: winds and winds.
Giant wind bands like trade winds and blow across thousands of miles because Earth spins.
Along the coast, small temperature differences between land and water produce a daytime breeze and a nighttime breeze.
Wind Currents Reading Worksheet • Grade 5 Informational Text Page 3 of 3
Wind Currents Answer Key
Teacher Guide • Evaluator Key & Standards Rationales Grade 5 • RI.5.1 & RI.5.2
Wind Currents Answer Key
Complete Solutions, Text Citations & Evaluator Rationales
TOTAL: 25 POINTS
Grading Focus: Verify quotation marks on RI.5.1 citations • Confirm both global and local winds appear in the RI.5.2 summary
Part 1: Key Vocabulary Answer Key (7 Points • 1 pt each)
Answers A–G
E
1. global winds: Giant wind belts blowing thousands of miles steadily.
D
2. local winds: Winds blowing short distances over small local areas.
C
3. trade winds: Steady east-to-west winds near equator used by sailors.
B
4. westerlies: Mid-latitude winds (west to east) that steer US storms.
G
5. polar easterlies: Frigid winds blowing east to west toward 60°.
F
6. sea breeze: Daytime cool breeze blowing from ocean onto land.
A
7. land breeze: Cool wind blowing from shore to sea at night.
Part 2: Multiple Choice Solutions & Evidence (4 Points • 1 pt each)
Standards: RI.5.1 • RI.5.2
Question 1 (RI.5.1): Cause of Earth's winds Correct: B
Option B: "The Sun heating Earth's surface unevenly."
Evidence (¶1): Text states directly: "It is created because the Sun heats Earth unevenly... air continuously rushes from high pressure areas to low pressure areas."
Question 2 (RI.5.1): Why sailors used trade winds Correct: C
Option C: "The winds blew steadily to push cargo ships across oceans."
Evidence (¶3): Text explains: "trade winds blow steadily from east to west... sailors used these dependable winds to move trading ships across oceans."
Question 3 (RI.5.2): Main idea of paragraph 5 Correct: B
Option B: "Coastal winds reverse because land and water heat and cool at different speeds."
Evidence (¶5): Paragraph 5 contrasts the daytime sea breeze with the nighttime land breeze, proving that surface temperature differences govern coastal wind shifts.
Question 4 (RI.5.1): Why winds curve Correct: A
Option A: "Earth continuously spins on its axis as air moves."
Evidence (¶2): Text explicitly states: "Earth is always spinning on its axis like a top. This spin makes moving air curve to the side. Scientists call this the Coriolis effect."
