This is a 5 lesson Literacy unit all about explorer Christopher Columbus. The plan is aimed at year 2 and gives details of the year 2 curriculum objectives covered. The children develop reading comprehension, writing, editing and SPaG skills during the unit. All five lessons include a SPaG starter which is always linked to Christopher Columbus. The main activity in lesson 1 is a non-fiction reading comprehension, which helps children to learn about Christopher. It is laid out in a SATs style format, containing similar questions to a SATs paper and is differentiated 3 ways. The main activity in lesson 2 is a fictional diary comprehension, written from the point of view of Christopher Columbus before the crew has found the New World. Again it is in a SATs style and is again differentiated 3 ways. Lesson 3 allows children to gather vocabulary using a drama activity and lessons 4 and 5 allow children to write and edit their own diaries as Christopher Columbus. The following documents are included: A detailed 12 page (pdf) document containing 5 lesson plans. Each lesson includes a SPaG starter, introduction, main activity and plenary. A Powerpoint presentation containing the SPaG starter activities. This is non-editable. When you open the PowerPoint click the ‘read only’ button. A set of differentiated non-fiction (pdf) comprehensions on Christopher Columbus. Each level contains 4 pages of text followed by questions. A set of differentiated (pdf) comprehensions containing a fictional diary entry written as Christopher Columbus on his voyage. Each level contains 4 pages of text followed by questions. (The comprehensions are also available separately from my shop. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-sats-comprehension-christopher-columbus-history-11530886 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/year-2-comprehension-fictional-diary-christopher-columbus-11643238)

I updated this on the 6th May 2019, following the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s baby boy! This year 1 comprehension booklet teaches the children about lots of British royal baby facts, including bizarre traditions, royal baby names, royal baby christenings and royal baby clothes. This resource contains 3 differentiated booklets. Higher Ability The higher ability booklet contains a title page with helpful words, followed by five pages of pictures and short written extracts to read and 4-5 questions per page. Answers are included. Middle Ability The middle ability booklet contains a title page, followed by five pages of comprehension activities with answers. Each page contains a short piece of text (about 3-7 sentences). There are 3-4 trickier words on each page which have pictures to help children work out what they say. Each text is followed by 4-5 simple questions. Lower Ability The lower ability booklet contains a title page, followed by five pages of comprehension activities with answers. Each page contains a short simple piece of text (3-5 sentences). There are 4-5 trickier words on each page with pictures to help children work out what they say. Each text is followed by 4-5 simple questions. PowerPoint Presentation There is also a PowerPoint included in the pack containing a slide for each text from the middle ability booklet so that you can go through these comprehensions before the children complete them. Each slide also contains 3 words that are trickier to sound out, with sound buttons underneath them. I have included colour and black & white versions of each of the 3 booklets. The preview pages show the title page and one of the comprehension pages, from the middle ability booklets. They also show one slide from the PowerPoint. PDF file format. I hope your class enjoy learning some interesting facts about royal babies! You might also like our Year 2 Royal Babies comprehension: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/year-2-reading-comprehension-royal-family-royal-baby-3-levels-colour-and-black-and-white-11886762

This is a set of comprehensions about Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne. It covers 70 years of British history and the history of the Queen’s reign. There is a section on each decade. The comprehensions are aimed at Lower Key Stage 2 (ages 7-9). There are three differentiated booklets. The higher ability booklet has three pages of text for the children to read before they complete a range of questions that are aimed at extending more able readers. (18 questions) The middle and lower ability booklets have the text split into five separate pages with questions on each page. The middle ability has 16 questions and the lower ability contains 15 questions. There are colour and black & white versions of each booklet. Answers are also included. All of the documents are in the zip file. Perfect for a topic on Queen Elizabeth II or the history of modern Britain. (These comprehensions were updated on 9th September 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.) PDF file format. You might also be interested in our Year 2 comprehensions: Year 2 Queen Elizabeth II British History over 70 years comprehension

This is a set of comprehensions about the celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. They are aimed at Lower Key Stage 2 (ages 7-9). The comprehensions cover a short history of the queen’s reign, how the queen and others are celebrating, ways that children can get involved and green projects. There are three differentiated booklets. The higher ability booklet has three pages of text for the children to read before they complete a range of questions that are aimed at extending more able readers. (18 questions) The middle and lower ability booklets have the text split into five separate pages with questions on each page. The middle ability has 16 questions and the lower ability contains 15 questions. There are colour and black & white versions of each booklet. Answers are also included. All of the documents are in the zip file. Perfect for using around the Platinum Jubilee celebrations or for a topic on Queen Elizabeth II. I’m looking forward to using these with my Year 3 class! PDF file format. You might be interested in our Year 3/4 comprehension on British History over 70 years of the Queen’s reign: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12664009 You might also be interested in our Year 2 comprehensions for the Platinum Jubilee: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12662253 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12664654

This is a set of comprehensions about the celebrations for King Charles III’s Coronation. They are aimed at Year 2 (ages 6-7). The comprehensions cover what a coronation is, a short history of Charles’s life, how Charles and others are celebrating, ways that children can get involved and the King’s charitable projects. There are three differentiated booklets. The booklets are split into five separate pages with questions on each page. The higher ability booklet has 15 questions, the middle ability has 13 questions and the lower ability contains 12 questions. There are colour and black & white versions of each booklet. Answers are also included. All of the documents are in the zip file. Perfect for using around the Coronation celebrations or for a topic on King Charles III. PDF file format. No further preparation needed. You might also be interested in our Year 3 and 4 comprehensions on the Coronation: King Charles III’s Coronation Comprehensions Year 3/4