Comprehension

• Please complete the 'Killer Plants' comprehension in your Reading Explorers booklet.
• If you don't have a Reading Explorers Booklet. Try the other options below.

The Secret Sky Garden

Pages 1 and 2
Can you think of three adjective and a simile to describe the car park?
What does ‘greyer than a Monday sky’ mean?
Can you find another simile on these pages and explain it to a partner? Is it effective? Do you like it?
What is the name of the main character?
Why does Funni like the car park?
Pages 3 and 4
When does Funni visit the car park?
Complete this sentence: Funni goes to the car park and takes her …………. with her.
What might Funni be thinking and feeling on page 4?
What do you think is missing?
Pages 5 and 6
What is a tannoy?
Funni learns to play all the sounds around her on her guitar. True or false?
Which words and phrases are repeated on these pages? Why might this be?
Pages 7 and 8
Define ‘hatched’. Can it have more than one meaning?
What does the verb ‘lugged’ suggest about the sack of soil?
Which words and phrases tell us that Funni carefully placed the seeds in the ground?
How has Funni changed the car park?
Funni is very lazy. Do you agree? Why? Why not?
What do you think will happen to the seeds?
Pages 9 and 10
Who notices the garden first?
Find and copy a word that is similar in meaning to ‘smiled’.
Why is ‘WOW!’ written in capital letters? How should this be read? How is Zoo feeling?
Why do you think the garden makes Zoo grin?

Do you think Zoo has been sad for the last three months? Why? Why not?
How is the sky garden different to the other roof tops?
Pages 11 and 12
How many different colours can you spot?
Describe the garden in three words.
What does ‘bright like an emperor’s blanket’ mean?
Why might the flowers look like they are nodding?
Do you think Zoo will visit the garden?
Pages 13 and 14
Why does the author describe the kite as ‘fierce’?
What colour is the radio? Where does Funni find the radio?
What might still be missing?
Pages 15 and 16
Describe how Funni is feeling in one word.
Do you think Funni is lonely? Why? Why not?
Where do you think Funni’s family are?
Pages 17 and 18
Who arrives in the garden?
What might Funni be thinking and feeling when Zoo arrives?
How many synonyms can you think of for the word ‘awesome’?
Pages 19 and 20
What shape is Zoo’s kite?
What instrument does Zoo play?
How are Zoo and Funni similar?
What does ‘descending’ mean? Can you use it in a sentence of your own?
Do you think Zoo and Funni will become friends? Why? Why not?
Pages 21 to end
Why might you hear a ‘whole city of sounds’ being played?
Explain how the sky garden has changed Funni’s life.
What makes a good friend?
Can you re-write this story from Zoo’s point of view?
Can you think of a new adventure for Funni and Zoo to go on in the garden?

Secret Correspondence......

Either design your own finger puppets or print out the document attached to think about which characters might be contacting each other secretly?

Would The Giant be writing a letter to the stranger? What might he say?

Would Jack's Mum write a letter to The Giant's Wife? 

Would the Harp 'write' a letter to The Giant?

Will yours be a letter of love, a business proposition, anger or desperation? 

W.I.L.F.

Letter between 2 character in Jack and the Beanstalk

• Imaginative Address
• Date
• Dear…..,
• Introduce yourself and state reason for writing.
• Add more detail as to why you’re writing.
• What would you like to happen because of this letter?
• Yours Sincerely, ….

Some examples....

30 Dark Lake

Old Farm

MC8310

Dear Stranger,

You maybe don’t remember me, my name is Jack. I met you near the market a few weeks ago and I swapped you my beloved cow for beans. I’m writing to you because I need your help.

I’m getting chased by the police because of those dreadful beans. You might have seen me on the news. I beg you to tell the police this has all been a terrible mistake and it’s not my fault.

If you don’t help me I will tell them it was you and if they don’t believe me I’ll show them a security picture of you swapping me those beans.

I would also really like my Milky White back.

Your Wanted Friend,

Jack

1 Rich Street

Fairy Tale Town

FT23 14

23/4/14

Dear Giant’s Wife,

My name is Jack, I’m not sure if ever told you my name but I’m ‘the’ boy who visited you a while ago. I’m writing to apologise, I’m very sorry. I was very sneaky but I was hungry and I never meant to kill your husband. Thank you for the bowl of milk you gave me. You were very kind to me.

I got some magic beans from a stranger a couple of weeks ago and now my life has turned upside down and I’m being chased by the police. Could you please tell the police that it was an awful ACCIDENT?

I hope you’re coping OK without your husband.

Kind Regards,

Jack

62 Green Day Road

Fairytale Town

FT8 654

Dear Molly,

I know you don’t know me but my name is Bob. I would really love to meet you. I am writing because I just wanted to say – will you marry me? I will give you the ring later. I met your son in the deep dark words and he seemed like a lovely boy. I have really big muscles that I could punch people but not you my lovely. Would you like to go out on a date with me? I will take you to a fancy restaurant.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Love,

Bob (The Stranger)

 Useful words for ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’

Describing words…..

Joining words …..(Connectives)

and            but      because                when  

Character names

Jack                    Mum                    Daisy the cow            Giant                Giant’s Wife           Stranger              Magic Harp           Hen   

Other words you could use .....