How exactly did World War One begin? Who was Franz Ferdinand? How did the Americans get involved? What role did Uncle Sam play in recruiting an army? 2018 marks the centenary of the end of World War One. This collection of four guided reading activities, aimed at 10 to 14 year olds, tests children’s comprehension, retrieval, inference and deduction skills. It will also promote reflective and engaging classroom discussion as children discover more about this important chapter in the world’s history. CONTENTS Causes of the war - Why did the First World War take place and how did it begin? Find out about how tensions in Europe reached boiling point in the summer of 1914. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand - Read in detail about the daring mission which led to Archduke Franz Ferdinand being killed – and how this led to war. Movers & Shakers - From Woodrow Wilson to the Kaiser, find out about the leaders who played a pivotal part in the war. You will also discover how Adolf Hitler started out as a soldier in World War One. Recruiting an Army - The posters of Lord Kitchener and Uncle Sam are recognised throughout the world, but just how difficult was it to recruit an army for war?

Did you know that the first and last soldiers to be killed in World War One are buried just feet apart? Have you heard the story about the American Naval Officer who escaped from a Prisoner of War camp, swimming up the River Rhine to safety? How about the tale of the soldier who spared the life of a young Adolf Hitler? 2018 marks the centenary of the end of World War One. This collection of four guided reading activities, aimed at 10 to 14 year olds, tests children’s comprehension, retrieval, inference and deduction skills through some intriguing stories from the soldiers at war. It will also promote reflective and engaging classroom discussion as children discover more about this important chapter in the world’s history. Each activity has questions and answers, with an indication of how many marks are on offer at the end of each question. This is particularly helpful for children preparing for reading tests and exams, encouraging them to give fuller answers where required. The texts take the form of different written genres, such as diary extracts, letters, newspaper reports and information texts. CONTENTS A Tale of Two Soldiers: Private John Parr The story of the first soldier to be killed in World War One A Tale of Two Soldiers: Private George Ellison The story of the last Allied soldier to be killed in the war, just minutes before peace was declared. Read about the extraordinary link between Ellison and Private John Parr. Saving Corporal Adolf How one British soldier’s humanity spared the life of future dictator, Adolf Hitler. The Daily News Stories of courage and loyalty from the war, including Edouard Izac, the American naval officer who escaped from a prisoner of war camp to pass on vital intelligence to his commanders.

Find out about the mysteries of Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster. Discover the heartbreak of the tsunami and the sinking of the Titanic. Revisit the shooting of JFK and Apollo 13. Marvel at the miraculous escape of the miners in Chile. Find out why we have Christmas trees. Learn about soldiers stories from World War One…and much much more! This collection of reading activities are a selection of some of my favourites. I have put them together as a bigger collection to allow teachers to plan a whole year’s worth of reading comprehensions for their children. Each activity contains a range of challenging questions which test inference, deduction and retrieval skills – ideal preparation for reading assessments. Children are also given an indication of marks on offer for each question, and teachers are provided with answers. As with all of my reading activities, I try to make the subject matter informative as well as engaging. Children get the chance to find out about a whole range of interesting stories and topics that may not be covered in the curriculum. CONTENTS: 2 - 10 Stories of Survival 11 - 22 Mysteries of the World 23 - 30 Soldier’s Stories – World War One 31 - 36 The Queen and the Royal Family 37 – 42 Christmas 43 – 50 Days that made the world stop 51 – 74 Answers I have received excellent feedback, for which I am very grateful. This should give you confidence in the products I offer. Hope you enjoy these!

It is over 100 years since World War One. This remarkable set of TEN guided reading activities uncovers the horror, humanity and humour of life in the Great War. Each activity focuses on a different part of the war, such as life in the trenches; the Christmas Truce and the assasination of Franz Ferdinand. Also, find out about the fascinating story of the British soldier who spared the life of a young Adolf Hitler. These guided reading activities, aimed at children aged 10-13 years old, test children’s retrieval, inference and deduction skills. They will also promote lively and engaging classroom discussion as children explore these stories for themselves. Each activity has questions and answers, with an indication of how many marks are on offer at the end of each question. This is particularly helpful for children preparing for reading tests and exams, encouraging them to give fuller answers where required.