D.B. Cooper, the Disappearing Hijacker: Reading Passage and Assessment

This is an informational passage and assessment on the D.B. Cooper hijacking. “D.B. Cooper” was the alias used by a still-unidentified man who, the day before Thanksgiving, 1971, hijacked a commercial airplane and extorted a ransom of $200,000. After receiving the money, Cooper parachuted from the plane over the rugged Pacific Northwest, vanishing without a trace. Despite an extensive manhunt and investigation, his true identity and fate remain a mystery, making the case one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in U.S. history.

This text was written for Grade 5-8 students and can be used in a number of ways by teachers (close reading, direct instruction in class, independent practice, homework, test prep, assessment, sub work, centers, etc). Please see the Preview for an idea of the passage style and to view all the assessment questions.

This “printable/no prep” resource includes:

1) An engaging 1050-word informational passage called “D.B. Cooper, the Disappearing Hijacker.” The passage details the events of the famous hijacking as well as the follow-up investigation and search over many years.

2) A set of 32 questions, including vocabulary, comprehension, sequencing, and short-answer work, written to align with these Common Core Informational Text Standards: RI.4.1, RI.4.5, R.5.4, and RI.6.1

3) A crossword puzzle for early finishers or to use as another form of assessment.

4) Answers to every question.

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Any claims of correlation or alignment to the Common Core State Standards are solely those of Mark Aaron and have not been evaluated or endorsed by the NGA. Mark Aaron is the sole creator of this product and does not claim endorsement or association with the creators of the CCSS.