This Year 1 reading comprehension unit is based on an original fiction text by kids' author Margaret Bateson-Hill, titled Friends Come First. (You can also use the text as a model/WAGOLL for developing KS1 writing skills.)
Illustrated and plain versions of the story are provided for display and shared reading, along with PowerPoint versions (with or without highlights). An annotated teacher version supports close reading, with prompts for clarification, discussion, drama and visualisation.
Unit structure
The unit is made up of two fully resourced lessons, each with a vocabulary focus exploring the words enviously and patiently through contextual examples, discussion, word sorting and sentence work. You'll encourage pupils to reflect on these emotions and relate them to their own experiences.
The story centres on Max, a young boy faced with a dilemma about his friend Molly and the last rocket lolly. The pack supports pupils in developing key comprehension skills including retrieval, sequencing, prediction, inference and personal response.
Activities include:
- Story mapping to track key events and support retelling
- Drama and role play, such as visualising Max’s disappointment and reenacting dialogue
- Big Questions to deepen understanding and prompt discussion
- Empathy-building tasks, like a Role on the Wall activity to explore Max’s feelings
- Creative extension, imagining what Max told his nan and how she might have responded
Additional resources include:
- Role on the Wall template
- 'Difficult Easy' questions
- Personal reflection prompts on acts of kindness and friendship
Year 1 reading comprehension
You can teach this unit as a standalone, or link it thematically with accompanying non-fiction and poetry units for Year 1.
It’s part of the Real Comprehension whole-school programme, which provides thematic fiction, non-fiction and poetry units to build reading comprehension and deeper understanding from Year 1 to Year 6.
This Year 1 fiction comprehension pack includes:
- Original story PDFs – plain (ink-saver), illustrated, annotated
- PowerPoint versions of the text – with and without highlights
- Resourced teaching sequences – Parts 1 and 2 with vocab PPTs
- Images of ice creams and lollies to support visualisation
- Revisit-the-text activities
- Full teaching notes