The Explorer - Session 23 - Reading Comprehension

In "The Explorer" Session 23, a reading comprehension activity titled "Stuck in the Mud" is presented to challenge students' understanding of the text. The worksheet poses a series of questions, each linked to specific reference sections (RS) within the text. These questions delve into the details of the narrative, such as the number of days that have passed since the children's plane crash, the reason behind the explorer awakening the children early, and the explorer's opinion on Fred's raft-building skills. Students are also prompted to consider Con's feelings towards the dangers outlined by the explorer and the rationale behind the children's decision to play the game "Stuck in the Mud". Additionally, one of the questions explores the meaning behind the phrase 'it would shine like a gold coin', encouraging students to interpret figurative language. Finally, the activity culminates with a task asking students to summarise the concept of "Explorer School" in no more than 50 words, testing their ability to concisely capture the essence of the text.

This comprehension exercise is designed to enhance students' analytical skills by engaging them with specific content from the story and prompting them to express their understanding through both short answers and a brief summary. By addressing these questions, students practice extracting key information, interpreting language, and summarising content, which are essential skills in literacy and across the curriculum. This activity, created by KS2Gems in 2021, is tailored for Key Stage 2 pupils to help them develop critical reading and comprehension abilities in an engaging and structured manner.