Close Reading Comprehension 'Sam’s Half Term’ (4-8 years) - Activity Pack

The activity pack titled "Sam's Half Term" is designed for children aged 4-8 years to enhance their reading comprehension and phonics skills, particularly focusing on the pronunciation of the soft 'c' sound. The narrative follows Sam and his experiences during his half-term break, providing a context for children to identify words with the soft 'c', which sounds like 's' and is found in words followed by 'ce', 'ci', or 'cy'. The pack includes interactive exercises such as underlining soft 'c' words in red, and it contrasts this with the hard 'c' sound as in 'cat'. Alongside the story, children are encouraged to engage with various questions and activities that check their understanding of the text and vocabulary. These exercises include making lists, drawing, and filling in missing words.

The story of "Sam's Half Term" is filled with a range of activities that Sam, his sister Kim, and their friends undertake, from arts and crafts to outdoor adventures and family outings. The narrative is structured to introduce new words and concepts, such as 'cygnets' and 'electricity', in an entertaining way. It also includes moments of excitement, like visiting the Science Museum and the anticipation of a circus trip, as well as real-life scenarios such as dealing with a power outage during a storm and learning about safety through Ranjit's bike accident. The pack not only helps with phonics but also with understanding more complex ideas like 'reduce' and 'succeed', and it concludes with a series of comprehension questions to ensure the children have grasped the story's content and the new vocabulary introduced throughout the half term adventures.