Poetry can be a tricky thing to understand and can be a can be a difficult to answer questions on so Kate's Developing Reading Comprehension Skills Classic Poetry is a brilliant addition to the classroom. The book contains twelve poems that are perfect for Year 5 and 6; some are well-know, whilst others less so, which I like as a great way to widen children's repertoire.
The book begins with a comprehensive introduction that includes a list of the poems, when they were published and their themes (something I found useful). This is followed by information on how to use the book and a section with ideas on how to use poetry in the classroom (perfect for both experienced and early career teachers). The Reading Content Domain section breaks down the different genres of questions, explaining the skills being developed as well as a sample question.
Within the main section of the book, each poem is clearly displayed on a dedicated page in an easy to read format. The question and answer sections are separated according to the genre of question with the skill titled at the top so the children know they type of question they are tackling. Questions are clearly set out with space for children's answers, and each category has its own dedicated page for each poem so teachers can decide to complete all categories or focus on a particular type of question (I really like this).
Finally, there is an answer section at the back of the book which made my heart sing as there is nothing worse than finding a great comprehension and then having to work out the answers yourself!
All in all, the book is a great way to introduce classic poetry to children in Year 5 & 6 whilst also developing key comprehension skills, and will make the perfect addition to any classroom.
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