Teach this Year 5 reading comprehension unit using the original poem Peace Is… by celebrated children’s poet Joshua Seigal. The poem itself acts as both a text to read closely and a model (WAGOLL) to inspire and develop your pupils’ KS2 writing skills, particularly in poetry.
The resource pack provides the poem in multiple formats. There are illustrated and plain PDF versions for easy sharing and classroom display, plus PowerPoint presentations with options to include or omit highlighted text sections.
An annotated version of the poem supports you in leading close reading sessions. It offers teaching notes that highlight where to pause for drama, encourage discussion or support visualisation. This helps pupils deepen their understanding.
Carefully planned sequences
The pack includes two carefully planned teaching sequences that focus on vocabulary development. Lead lessons exploring the meanings, synonyms, antonyms and usage of the key words shield and piercing within the poem’s context, using dedicated vocabulary PowerPoints and worksheets.
Alongside vocabulary work, the unit develops vital comprehension skills: retrieval, sequencing, prediction and inference. Pupils will also engage with activities designed to activate their personal responses – encouraging them to connect ideas in the poem to themselves, other texts and the wider world.
You can foster discussion and creativity by sharing images of peace symbols featured in the poem, such as doves, rainbows and broken rifles. Next, ask pupils to visualise and draw scenes inspired by the poem’s lines.
You can use this unit independently or as part of our broader thematic reading programme – Real Comprehension. This whole-school approach supports reading comprehension and critical thinking from Year 1 to Year 6.
This Year 5 resource pack includes:
- Peace Is… poem: illustrated, plain, and annotated PDFs
- PowerPoint presentations of the poem (with and without highlights)
- Two vocabulary teaching sequences, each with PowerPoints and worksheets
- Big Questions PowerPoints and worksheets
- Activities for first and second exploration of the poem
- Visualisation tasks
- Full teaching notes to guide lesson delivery and adapt to your class needs
This comprehensive pack equips you to lead engaging, multi-layered reading lessons that develop fluency, vocabulary and higher-order thinking through a rich, thematic poem about peace.