-KS2 whole class reading comprehension lessons
-reading templates, assemblies and inspiration -
As Year 6 teachers, we found ourselves in need of comprehension resources that bring texts to life.
YES, we want our comprehension lessons to be rigorous in preparation for the SATs, BUT we also want them to be engaging and fun!
Our aim is to get children excited about comprehension lessons, eager to talk about books and confident in interrogating a text.
-KS2 whole class reading comprehension lessons
-reading templates, assemblies and inspiration -
As Year 6 teachers, we found ourselves in need of comprehension resources that bring texts to life.
YES, we want our comprehension lessons to be rigorous in preparation for the SATs, BUT we also want them to be engaging and fun!
Our aim is to get children excited about comprehension lessons, eager to talk about books and confident in interrogating a text.
KS2 Assembly PowerPoint introducing this yearâs Earth Day theme, ârestore the planetâ.
PowerPoint supporting discussion on and teaching of:
our amazing planet
the problems our planet faces
inspiring Earth heroes
small actions we can take to make a difference
This assembly introduces 3 good texts that can be used to explore the Earth and its protection, but it is not necessary to have these. You could introduce your own selected texts on the theme to encourage reading.
Supporting whole class comprehension resources for âProtect the Planetâ by Jess French, âNatural World: A Visual Compendium of Wonders from Natureâ by AJ Wood and Mike Jolley and âEarth Heroesâ by Lily Dyu can be found on our TES shop page or our website.
Our resource for âBig Thoughts for Little Thinkersâ by Daniel Thompson also inspires a poetry activity abut making a positive change for the benefit of the Earth.
Book review template.
Free. KS2.
Space for star rating, an illustration, short synopsis and review.
More free resources on our website.
What should I include in a book review?
Provide a summary of the most important events and characters, but be careful not to give too much away! Let the reader know what genre the book would fall under. It could be more than one. Opportunities to hit National Curriculum objectives. Give your opinion on the story and remember to explain your viewpoint. Recommend the story to a particular audience. Is it for thrill-seekers? Lovers of history? Is it a page turning mystery for budding detectives? Mention similar books that might mean somebody would like this one too. Draw an illustration to show a character, setting, important object or even your own front cover design.
Would make a nice display for children to share their favourite books.
KS2 Refugee Week Assembly 2021 PowerPoint, age 7+
14th -20th June
Introduce yearâs theme is âwe cannot walk aloneâ.
PowerPoint supporting discussion on and teaching of:
What is a refugee? What is an asylum seeker?
If you had to leave home with 1 small bag, what would you take with you?
The Refugee Week 2021 theme, âwe cannot walk aloneâ
an introduction to 3 award-winning KS2 appropriate texts:
âThe Islandâ by Francesca Sanna
âOranges in No Manâs Landâ by Elizabeth Laird
âThe Boy at the Back of the Classâ by Onjali Rauf
Supporting whole class guided reading resources for âThe Boy at the Back of the Classâ by Onjali Rauf looking at the main character Ahmedâs journey to the UK also available.
KS2 Discussion prompts
Encourage talk for learning across all subjects
Sentence stems and tips
Share your opinion
Agree/Build
Challenge
Be a good listener
Clarify
Be a good speaker
Summarise
Links with our reading skills posters.
Note: these speech bubbles/signs link with our own interpretation of the reading skills taken from the KS2 National Curriculum.
See our reading posters for full information on how we have broken down each skill in a child-friendly way.
KS2 & KS3 - Book Review Proforma
What did you think of the ending and why?
What unanswered questions does the story leave you with?
What life lessons did this book teach you?
If you could change or improve one thing about the story what would it be?
What was the most exciting moment in the story?
More free resources when you sign up for free at myteachinghive.
A character profile proforma.
Useful for KS2 reading comprehension.
Space to make notes about:
First impressions
Picture
Relationships
Backstory
Personality
Questions
Could enlarge to A3.
More free resources on our website.
myteachinghive
Please leave a review if you like the resource. Support us in making more resources. :)
Reading journal activities worksheet
Repeat tasks or encourage children to colour in each task as it is completed. Stick in the front of a childâs reading journal exercise book.
Upper KS2
Example tasks:
Design and draw your own front cover for a book you are reading.
Write 5 interview questions for the author of your book or for a character in the story.
Make a list of words from a text that you would like to learn and/or use in your own writing.
Write a diary entry for one of the characters in the story.
Write a blurb for your story. Donât give too many details away!
Independent comprehension activity
When you finish reading a chapter of your book, roll the die and try the activities you land on. Use what you have just read to help you.
Suitable for all of KS2.
Activities:
Use bullet points to make a list of all of the key facts in the story so far. How many can you record in 1 minute?
Come up with a newspaper headline that summarises an important event that has happened in the story so far.
Rewrite a sentence from the text, which contains adverbs. Change the adverbs. How does this change the meaning?
Draw and label something that is described in detail in the text, for example, a character, setting or even an object.
Think of an adjective that best describes the main characterâs feelings. List 2 pieces of evidence that support your idea.
Predict Make 3 predictions about what could happen next. Put a star next to the idea you think is most likely to happen.
FREE Get to know your pupils and find out about their reading habits. How many sustained the habit of reading regularly this summer? How often did they read? What different genres and authors are they reading? How do they feel about reading? Did they get the chance to visit a library or a bookshop? Where is their favourite place to read? Use our free âSummer Reading Habitsâ worksheet to find out! SPace is also provided for children to design three front covers for their favourite recent reads to help you gain a picture as to what their reading preferences are. Why not blow it up to A3 and keep them in a class folder for sharing?
Whole class reading comprehension resources for chapter 4 of A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicholl.
Resource includes:
2 x lessons designed for close reading
26-page PowerPoint
1 PDF inference activity
Pre-teaching Vocabulary/exploration of vocabulary
Focus on inference and character relationships
Extract not included.
Suitable for ages 7+
This resource can be used to facilitate thoughtful discussions in the classroom or at home, making it a perfect tool for Autism Awareness Day. It encourages young readers to consider the world from a different perspective, fostering empathy and understanding through the eyes of Addie, a young girl on the autism spectrum.
Key features of the resource include:
Discussion Prompts: Thoughtful questions that encourage deep thinking about autism, neurodiversity, and empathy.
Inference Activities: Exercises designed to develop critical thinking and inference skills, helping children engage more deeply with the text.
Exploration of challenging vocabulary: Supporting children in broadening their vocabulary and understanding tricky words in context.
Autism Awareness Focus: Activities that promote awareness and understanding of autism in a respectful and meaningful way. Signposting children to more books where the main character is neurodivergent.
myteachinghive
3 whole class reading comprehension lessons based on âThe Selfish Giantâ by Oscar Wilde.
Vocabulary, about the author, whole class reading, paired reading
Reading Skills foci: visualise, clarify, fluency, summarise
34-page dyslexia-friendly PowerPoint, 2 x printable PDF activities.
Extract included.
Suitable for age 7+
based on Chapter 1, âPlanet Omarâ, by Zanib Mian
World Book Day whole class reading comprehension lesson
Years 4 & 5
Whole book recommended 8+
9 page dyslexia-friendly PowerPoint delving deeper into the text, exploring the main characters and thinking about how their personality and relationship will affect their upcoming journey. Includes an inference activity and a fun task creating word illustration.
Extract not included but available on the World Book Day website.
Book is currently ÂŁ1 as part of World Book Day 2021.
Offer your children the opportunity to read diverse, inspirational books as part of the Planet Omar series.
Based on an extract from chapter 5 of âMe, My Dad and the End of the Rainbowâ by Benjamin Dean.
Year 5 & 6
Book recommended age 9+
10-page dyslexia-friendly PowerPoint
1 lesson
2 x PDF activities
Clarify word meanings
Making inferences about characters based on their actions
Extract included
WINNER OF THE DIVERSE BOOK AWARDS 2022
My nameâs Archie Albright, and I know two things for certain:
My mum and dad kind of hate each other, and theyâre not doing a great job of pretending that they donât anymore.
Theyâre both keeping a secret from me, but I canât figure out what.
Available for ÂŁ2 on our website. My Teaching Hive.
2 x reading comprehension lessons based on the Prologue and Chapter One of âThe Girl who Speaks Bearâ by Sophie Anderson.
Years 5 & 6
Book recommended age 9+
23-page dyslexia-friendly PowerPoint
2 lessons
1 x PDF activity
questioning, inference, looking at connections/themes within a text.
Extract included.
Visit our website for more book comprehension lessons.
Space-Themed Poetry Comprehension Pack | Whole Class Reading Resource (Ages 7+)
Bring the wonders of space into your classroom with this Whole Class Reading Poetry Comprehension Resource, inspired by poems from Spaced Out, a collection curated by Brian Moses and James Carter.
What is Included:
dyslexia-friendly teaching Power Point
9 printable resources
Designed to support 3 engaging space poems:
Space Junk
The Great Galactic Ghoul
Galileo
Perfect for Space Day - Friday 2nd May!
Whether youâre teaching about astronauts, planets, or intergalactic creatures, this pack is ideal for space topics, poetry lessons, or World Space Week activities.
Why Teachers Love It:
Supports vocabulary development and comprehension skills
Encourages critical thinking through thought-provoking questions
Engaging activities that promote a love of poetry and introduce children to a range of poets
Suitable for Years 3 to 6, recommended for ages 7+, Year 3 and 4
Easy to use with whole class, group, or guided reading sessions
Note: Poetry extracts not included - please ensure you have access to the poems via the book âSpaced Outâ.
More resources at my teaching hive.
This engaging whole-class reading comprehension resource is designed to accompany At the Top of the World: The Greatest Mountains on Earth (and How to Climb Them) by Robin Jacobs. Perfect for a KS2 mountains topic, it builds excitement and deepens knowledge through a range of comprehension skills and hands-on activities.
Whatâs Included?
Extracts included
⢠A 61-page PowerPoint covering six lessons
⢠15 PDF printable resources for easy classroom use
⢠Hands-on activities to make learning interactive
⢠A variety of comprehension skills including inference, retrieval, vocabulary, and summarising
Designed to bring mountains to life, this resource supports pupils in developing key reading skills while exploring some of the worldâs most awe-inspiring landscapes. Ideal for whole class reading sessions, it provides everything you need to inspire young geographers and adventurers!