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Year 6 Reading Comprehension (spring): The Conservation Conundrum

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This resource is part of our Real Comprehension whole-school programme
Real Comprehension
  • Built in progression from years 1-6
  • 54 original texts to explore
  • Thematic structure encourages sophisticated understanding

We've built this Year 6 reading comprehension unit around The Conservation Conundrum. This is an original, two-part non-fiction text by children’s author Gabrielle Kent.

It explores the real-life threats faced by species such as bumblebees, orangutans, tigers and gorillas – and the global conservation efforts underway to protect them.

Through compelling factual writing and rich vocabulary, the text encourages pupils to reflect on their own responsibilities in protecting the natural world.

Designed to deepen pupils’ reading comprehension and broaden their knowledge of global environmental issues, the unit also provides opportunities to link reading with geography, science and PSHE.

Pupils will consider the causes and consequences of habitat destruction and climate change. They'll also develop their ability to make personal connections with the text, express opinions and explore the broader implications of what they’ve read.

Flexible teaching sequence

This flexible teaching sequence includes structured, resourced lessons for Parts 1 and 2 of the text. Each lesson features an explicit vocabulary focus (for the words 'devastating' and 'flight') and supports the development of key comprehension skills. These include retrieval, inference, sequencing, prediction and evaluation.

Teacher guidance throughout supports activities such as model reading, paired discussion, choral reading and close reading. Drama, visualisation and group discussion points are flagged for ease of planning and can be used as appropriate.

The pack offers both illustrated and plain versions of the text for display and pupil use. This is alongside PowerPoint versions with and without highlights. A fully annotated version is provided to help guide close reading and support teacher questioning.

Included in the pack:

  • The Conservation Conundrum text by Gabrielle Kent (PDFs: plain, illustrated and annotated)
  • PowerPoint versions of the text (with and without highlighted sections)
  • Teacher notes with detailed teaching suggestions and close reading prompts
  • Resourced teaching sequences for Part 1 and Part 2 (including vocabulary focus PPTs)
  • Vocabulary exploration activities for ‘devastating’ and ‘flight’
  • Big Questions PowerPoints and worksheets for both parts of the text
  • Worksheets
  • Revisit the Text resources
  • Suggested discussion and visualisation prompts
  • Prior knowledge guidance (pollination, seed dispersal, palm oil production)

This unit can be taught independently or as part of a wider Real Comprehension sequence for Year 6, which includes themed poetry and fiction units to develop reading fluency, understanding and critical thinking.

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