Flag Football Reading Activity
Reading Skills Playbook
Flag Football: Speed, Skill & Strategy
Name:
Date:
Goal: Identify the central idea, cite 1 key detail, and answer 3 questions.
Read chunk by chunk
Chunk 1
A New Way to Play the Gridiron
Rules & Safety
American football is known for heavy physical collisions and tackling. However, flag football offers a fast-paced, non-contact alternative that is transforming how athletes play. Instead of tackling opponents to the turf, defenders must pull a fabric flag attached to a belt around the ball carrier's waist. Removing physical tackles dramatically reduces severe collisions and injuries, making the sport safer and accessible to players of all sizes.
Chunk 2
Precision, Agility, and Quick Decisions
Core Skills
Without bulky pads and helmets, flag football prioritizes agility, sharp route running, and quick passing over sheer body weight. Quarterbacks operate under a strict time limit (usually just seven seconds) to release the ball, forcing split-second decisions under defensive pressure. Receivers execute rapid cut-turns to get open, while defenders rely on precise hand-eye coordination to snatch a moving flag. It is a competition of quick thinking and explosive footwork.
Chunk 3
A Global Phenomenon Heads to the Olympics
Rapid Growth
Flag football is now one of the fastest-growing sports internationally. High schools and colleges across the country have launched official varsity girls' flag football leagues, providing brand-new athletic scholarships and opportunities. Furthermore, the International Olympic Committee announced that flag football will officially debut at the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, connecting over twenty million players worldwide.
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Task 1: Identify the Main Idea
What is the entire article mostly about?
Step A: Circle the letter of the statement that expresses the main idea of the entire article:
A. Flag football uses fabric flags attached to belts instead of standard gym-class pinnies.
B. Flag football is a rapidly growing, safer sport that emphasizes speed and strategy on a global stage.
C. Defenders in flag football have only seven seconds to grab a flag from the quarterback.
Step B: Complete the summary sentence frame in your own words:
The central idea of this text is that flag football is becoming popular because
and it allows athletes to .
Playbook Page 1 of 2 Turn to Page 2 for Evidence Detective & Comprehension Questions →
Evidence Detective & Comprehension Check
Use text evidence from the chunks on Page 1
Student Name:
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Task 2: Locate One Supporting Detail
Scaffold: Proof Finder
A supporting detail is a specific fact, rule, or example that proves the main idea. Choose one piece of evidence from Chunk 1, 2, or 3.
1. Which chunk did you choose? Chunk 1 Chunk 2 Chunk 3
2. Write or quote the supporting detail from that chunk:
Sentence Starter: "In the passage, the author points out that..."
3. Explain how this detail supports the main idea:
Sentence Starter: "This fact proves the main idea because..."
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Task 3: Comprehension Questions
Use complete sentences
Question 1 (Refer to Chunk 1): Clue: Tackling vs. Flags
How does removing tackles make flag football safer for players?
Removing tackles makes the game safer because
Question 2 (Refer to Chunk 2): Clue: Agility & Strategy
Why do flag football players rely more on agility and quick decisions than physical size?
Players rely more on agility and quick thinking because
Question 3 (Refer to Chunk 3): Clue: Olympics & Growth
What major milestone shows that flag football is expanding into a worldwide sport?
The text proves flag football is expanding globally because
Self-Check:
Main idea identified 1 key detail cited 3 questions answered
Flag Football Answer Key
Teacher Resource Answer Key & Scoring Guide
Flag Football Reading Activity: Key
Target Grade: 7th Grade
Total Points: 10 Points
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Task 1: Main Idea (2 Points Total)
Page 1 Solutions
Step A: Multiple Choice (1 Pt)
Correct Answer: B
Teacher Note: B captures safety, skill, and global growth across all 3 chunks. Choice A is an irrelevant detail; Choice C distorts the 7-second rule (QB throw timer, not defender tag limit).
Step B: Sentence Frame (1 Pt)
Exemplar: "...flag football is becoming popular because it provides a safer, non-contact game without heavy equipment and it allows athletes to compete with speed, agile footwork, and strategy."
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Task 2: Supporting Detail Detective (2 Points)
Accept any 1 valid chunk analysis
Option 1 (Chunk 1 - Safety): Evidence: "Removing physical tackles dramatically reduces severe collisions and injuries..."
Connection: Proves the central claim that flag football offers a safer, accessible alternative to contact sports.
Option 2 (Chunk 2 - Skills): Evidence: "...prioritizes agility, sharp route running, and quick passing over sheer body weight."
Connection: Proves that the sport emphasizes athletic strategy and speed rather than physical bulk.
Option 3 (Chunk 3 - Growth): Evidence: "...added to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games... over twenty million players worldwide."
Connection: Proves that the game is rapidly rising into a premier international sport.
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Task 3: Comprehension Questions (6 Points Total • 2 Pts Each)
Page 2 Solutions
Question 1 (Chunk 1 - Rules & Safety): 2 Pts (1 Pt claim, 1 Pt reasoning)
Model Answer: "Removing tackles makes the game safer because defenders pull a cloth flag from the runner's waist instead of crashing into them, which dramatically reduces head impacts, collisions, and severe injuries."
Question 2 (Chunk 2 - Skills & Strategy): 2 Pts (1 Pt agility/speed, 1 Pt decision-making)
Model Answer: "Players rely more on agility and quick thinking because quarterbacks have only seven seconds to release the football, receivers must make sharp cuts to get open without contact, and defenders need precise hand-eye coordination to grab moving flags."
Question 3 (Chunk 3 - Global Growth): 2 Pts (1 Pt per verified piece of evidence)
"Two facts that prove its growth are: 1) High schools and colleges have established varsity girls' teams with scholarships, and 2) Flag football was added to the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles with over 20 million players worldwide."
