This Year 1 reading comprehension unit is based on Lost and Found, an original fiction text by children’s author James Nicol.
The story follows a girl named Sada and her dad on a shopping trip that takes an unexpected turn when Sada realises she’s lost her favourite toy, Firefighter Fred. As they retrace their steps through familiar places like the greengrocer, bakery and library, you'll invite pupils to engage with the text through drama, discussion and visualisation.
The unit includes both illustrated and plain versions of the story for display and sharing. There are also PowerPoint versions (with or without highlighted text).
We've provided an annotated version to support close reading. This has suggestions for where to pause for clarification, role play or deeper discussion. Images linked to key elements of the story – such as yams and a toy firefighter – help pupils build background knowledge and visualise the events.
Fully resourced lessons
Two fully resourced lessons include a vocabulary focus on the words grinned and hurried. Children will explore definitions, with opportunities to practise oral composition and physical expression (e.g. showing different types of smiles).
A wide range of supplementary activities helps build the core comprehension skills of retrieval, sequencing, inference and prediction. Children are supported to share personal responses, make connections with their own lives and explore the characters’ thoughts and feelings.
Activities include role-on-the-wall for Sada, drawing friendly Mr Sprout, and discussing emotional responses to losing a treasured toy.
This unit can be taught independently or as part of a themed sequence alongside non-fiction and poetry texts for the same year group. It is part of the Real Comprehension whole-school programme, which provides rich, thematic comprehension units for Years 1 to 6.
This Year 1 comprehension resource pack includes:
- Original text PDFs – plain (ink-saver); illustrated; annotated
- PowerPoint versions of the text – with and without highlights
- Vocabulary Focus PowerPoints for Parts 1 and 2
- Big Questions PowerPoints and worksheets for Parts 1 and 2
- Resourced teaching sequences for Parts 1 and 2
- Revisit the Text resources (Emotions Chart, 'Difficult Easy' Questions, Personal Response)
- Linked images and prior knowledge prompts
- Full teaching notes with close reading guidance