Year 2 Reading Comprehension (autumn): Janus - God of New Beginnings

This comprehensive Year 2 reading comprehension unit focuses on an original non-fiction text by children’s author Jo Franklin, Janus – God of New Beginnings.

The resource is designed not only to develop children’s understanding of Roman mythology but also to strengthen key comprehension skills. These include retrieval, sequencing, prediction and inference. The text also serves as an excellent model (WAGOLL) for KS1 writing.

The unit includes multiple versions of the text – plain and illustrated PDFs, plus PowerPoint presentations with and without text highlights – to support diverse classroom needs.

Teachers receive an annotated version with detailed notes to guide close reading. These notes suggest moments for drama, discussion or visualisation to deepen pupils’ understanding of complex ideas such as Janus’s two faces symbolising past and future, or the significance of offerings and ceremonies.

Challenging words

Two dedicated vocabulary-focused lessons explore challenging words like offering and prosperous. These lessons incorporate PowerPoints and word cards to help pupils understand definitions, synonyms, antonyms and contextual usage.

Pupils practise using the words orally and relate them to their own experiences, boosting vocabulary retention and engagement.

The teaching sequence includes "Big Questions" PowerPoints and worksheets that encourage class discussion and personal connection to the text. Visualisation and role-play activities further develop comprehension by inviting pupils to imagine shrines and enact Roman ceremonies.

The unit is designed as a standalone resource or as part of the Real Comprehension whole-school programme, which provides thematic fiction and non-fiction units for Years 1 to 6.

This Year 2 comprehension pack includes:

• Original text PDFs: plain (ink-saving), illustrated, and annotated
• PowerPoint versions of the text: with and without highlighted text
• Two-part resourced teaching sequences with vocabulary-focused PowerPoints
• Big Questions PowerPoints and accompanying worksheets for parts 1 and 2
• Image cards for Janus, Venus, Mercury and offerings
• Drawing the shrine worksheet
• Revisiting the text resources including ‘Difficult Easy’ questions and a personal response worksheet
• Full teaching notes with close reading guidance

This rich package equips teachers to deliver engaging, confident lessons that develop pupils’ comprehension and vocabulary while linking to broader historical and cultural knowledge.