A set of classic metacognitive prompts for use in every classroom (24pp) This whiteboard resource is an excellent tool for teachers looking to incorporate metacognition into their classroom practices. Metacognition, as explained in the resource, refers to the process of thinking about one’s own thinking, and it is an essential skill for effective learning. The resource presents metacognition in a clear and concise manner, breaking it down into three distinct stages: before a task, during a task, and after a task. Each stage is accompanied by a set of guiding questions that students can ask themselves to promote metacognitive thinking. Before a task, the questions encourage students to understand the expectations, identify any prior knowledge or experience, plan the necessary steps, and determine the criteria for successful completion. During a task, the questions prompt students to seek help when needed, evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies, monitor their progress, and check for errors. After a task, the questions prompt students to reflect on their approach, identify strengths and weaknesses, consider what they have learned, and explore ways to improve for future tasks. This resource is particularly useful for teachers because it provides a structured framework for introducing and reinforcing metacognitive practices in the classroom. By presenting these guiding questions, teachers can help students develop the habit of self-reflection and self-regulation, which are critical components of metacognition. Additionally, the resource is visually appealing and easy to understand, making it suitable for use with a wide range of students, from elementary to secondary levels. Teachers can display the resource on a whiteboard or projector, or distribute printed copies to students, ensuring that the metacognitive prompts are readily available and easily accessible. Overall, this whiteboard resource is an excellent tool for teachers seeking to promote metacognition in their classrooms. By incorporating these metacognitive practices, teachers can empower students to become more effective learners, capable of monitoring their own thinking processes, identifying areas for improvement, and developing strategies for enhanced learning and achievement.

This resource provides an excellent model for implementing Bloom’s Taxonomy through a classroom-ready activity on the Black Death for KS3 History students. It comprehensively covers each level of the taxonomy through clear explanations, sample questions, and opportunities for students to generate their own questions. The resource begins by outlining the benefits of using Bloom’s Taxonomy, such as promoting higher-order thinking skills, scaffolding learning progressively, and providing a framework for creating assessments. It highlights how the taxonomy equips students with vital 21st century skills like analysis, problem-solving, and creativity. The core of the resource walks through the six levels of Bloom’s - remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating. For each level, it gives a simple explanation of what that cognitive skill involves. It then provides multiple sample questions related to the Black Death summary that model what questions at that level look like. Crucially, it explains why each sample question exemplifies that particular thinking skill level. An engaging element is that the resource prompts both teachers and students to practise writing their own questions for each taxonomy level based on the text. This interactive aspect reinforces understanding of the levels while involving students actively. Throughout, the resource uses the summary on the Black Death as a grounded, subject-specific context for exploring Bloom’s Taxonomy in a meaningful way. Having a concrete text example makes the hierarchy of thinking skills more tangible. The resource conveniently includes a ready-to-use student handout template covering all the taxonomy levels and aligned to the Black Death text. This allows teachers to easily implement the activity in their classroom with little extra preparation required. Overall, this resource provides a comprehensive, practical and engaging guide for KS3 History teachers to start incorporating Bloom’s Taxonomy into their lessons. Its clear structure, modelled examples and built-in student materials offer an accessible way to put this powerful framework for fostering higher-order thinking skills into practice.

Getting to Grips with Similes (blurb) This resource is a comprehensive set of worksheets designed to teach year 5/6 students about the use of similes in writing. It covers the following key areas: Defining similes and distinguishing them from metaphors, with clear examples provided. Explaining how similes create vivid imagery by comparing two unlike things using “like” or “as”. Guiding students to craft their own original similes to describe concepts from the natural world, like the sea, sun, etc. Using similes effectively to bring story characters to life by comparing their traits to animals or objects. Identifying similes in poetry and analysing the comparisons being made. Applying similes to describe fantasy characters or scenes. The resource employs an engaging, multi-modal approach with written explanations, example similes, visuals of characters/animals, and plenty of practice exercises. Students get opportunities to demonstrate understanding by writing their own similes and short descriptive passages. The content is pitched appropriately for the upper KS2 level, with clear instructions and a gradual progression from identifying and explaining similes to generating original ones. Overall, this is a well-designed resource that uses relatable scenarios, images, and step-by-step scaffolding to build students’ skills in recognising, interpreting, and incorporating similes to enhance descriptive writing. The variety of exercises and examples caters well to different learning styles.

Getting to Grips with Metaphors Getting to Grips with Metaphors is a comprehensive packet focused on teaching upper KS2 students about metaphors. It covers the following key topics: Defining and distinguishing metaphors from similes, with examples. Explaining how metaphors create vivid imagery by comparing two unlike things directly. Analysing the deeper meaning behind common metaphorical expressions like “a storm in a teacup.” Guidance on how to craft original metaphors to describe concepts like the sun, sea, and night. Using metaphors effectively in poetry and prose writing. Practice exercises for identifying, creating, and converting between metaphors and similes. The lesson uses an engaging instructional style with clear explanations, sample metaphors, and opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding through written responses. The visuals and imaginary scenarios help make the abstract concept of metaphors more concrete and relatable for year 5/6 students. Overall, this resource provides a structured yet creative way for teachers to build students’ skills in recognising, interpreting, and generating metaphors to enhance their descriptive writing abilities. The exercises and examples are pitched appropriately for upper KS2.

This whiteboard resource provides an excellent overview of self-regulation strategies that can be used before, during, and after a task or learning activity. It presents self-regulation as a set of practical skills that students can develop and apply to manage their thinking, behaviour, and motivation while working on tasks. Teachers will find this resource extremely useful for introducing and reinforcing the concept of self-regulation in the classroom. The clear and concise format, with separate sections for each phase of a task, makes it easy to discuss and model these strategies with students. Before a task, the resource prompts students to consider their motivation, goal-setting, self-assessment of strengths and areas needing support, and time management – all crucial elements for effective self-regulation. During a task, the focus shifts to monitoring comprehension, adjusting effort and approach as needed, tracking progress towards goals, maintaining motivation and focus – essential skills for staying on track and overcoming challenges. After a task, the resource encourages students to reflect on their time management, goal achievement, distraction management, and the overall effectiveness of their self-regulation efforts, fostering metacognition and continuous improvement. Teachers could use this resource to introduce self-regulation concepts, lead class discussions, and have students practice applying these strategies to their own learning tasks. The clear language and format make it accessible for various ages, and the content can be tailored to suit different subject areas or learning contexts. Overall, this whiteboard resource is an excellent tool for promoting self-regulation skills in the classroom, empowering students to take control of their learning process and develop essential lifelong skills for academic and personal success.

In this lesson, the first little pig makes several fraudulent claims to an insurance company about his house being blown down by a wolf. This lesson will have no happy ending! The police have issued a warrant for the first pig’s arrest.

Teachers - Bring Cinderella to Life with this Skill-Building Lesson! Do you want an engaging new way to have students climb the beanstalk with Cinderella? This interactive lesson uses the classic fairytale to advance collaboration, thinking, self-regulation, and independent learning - four essential skills research shows boost achievement. The step-by-step plans break down the story structure, then have students complete a story mountain to map the plot. Higher order questions analyze traditional tale elements and messages. Reflection activities connect learning processes to outcomes. Differentiated tasks allow choice in showing competencies gained. The ready-to-use format simplifies preparation with icons linking each activity to targeted skills. Embedded teacher CPD summarises supporting evidence and suggests concrete ways to nurture metacognition. By blending a beloved narrative with research-backed methods, this cross-curricular lesson empowers success across ability levels. Let Cinderella cast her spell on student growth in your classroom this year! This hits the main reasons for using the lesson, connecting fairy tale engagement to the focused skills development. Highlighting the plot mapping, analysis questions, reflections, and differentiation clearly explains the interactive formats. The CPD insights and skill-matching icons showcase built-in teacher supports.

Student-Friendly Peer Assessment Whiteboard Prompts - Any Subject - Any Topic This whiteboard resource is a guide on how to effectively implement peer assessment in the classroom. It offers a clear explanation of what peer assessment entails and highlights its benefits for student learning. The resource presents a series of 15 prompts or statements that can be used by students when assessing their peers’ work. These prompts cover various aspects of peer assessment, including: Identifying strengths and positive aspects of the work being assessed. Providing constructive feedback on areas that need improvement. Encouraging critical thinking by asking questions about the reasoning behind certain choices or approaches. Evaluating the quality of responses, examples, and ideas presented. Assessing whether the work meets the task’s goals or requirements. Offering suggestions for improvement or alternative approaches. Commenting on the clarity and understanding of the presented ideas. Checking for and providing feedback on simple mistakes or errors. From a teacher’s perspective, this resource can be highly useful when introducing and implementing peer assessment in the classroom. It provides a structured framework and specific language that students can use to give meaningful feedback to their peers. The prompts cover a wide range of aspects, from identifying strengths to offering constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement. Teachers can use this resource to model the peer assessment process and guide students through the practice of providing effective feedback. The prompts can be displayed or distributed to students as a reference during peer assessment activities, ensuring that students have a clear understanding of the type of feedback expected and the areas to focus on. Overall, this whiteboard resource is a valuable tool for teachers looking to incorporate peer assessment into their classroom. It promotes active learning, critical thinking, and the development of evaluation and feedback skills among students, ultimately enhancing their learning experience and understanding of the subject matter.

A set of classic thinking skills prompts for use in every classroom (24pp) This whiteboard resource titled “Thinking Skills in Action” provides an excellent overview of different types of thinking skills and how they can be applied in the classroom. As a teacher, I find this resource quite useful for the following reasons: Comprehensive coverage: The resource covers six essential thinking skills: remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating, and creating. These skills align with the cognitive domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy, a widely recognized framework for promoting higher-order thinking. Question prompts: For each thinking skill, the resource provides sample questions that teachers can use to encourage students to engage in that particular type of thinking. These question prompts are practical examples that teachers can readily adapt to their lesson plans and classroom activities. 21st-century thinking skills: The resource recognises the importance of developing 21st-century thinking skills, such as creative thinking, critical thinking, and problem-solving, which are crucial for students to navigate the information-rich world and address complex issues. Visual representation: The information is presented in a visually appealing and organised manner, making it easy for teachers to understand and refer to during lesson planning or classroom instruction. Versatility: This resource can be used across various subject areas and grade levels. The thinking skills and question prompts are applicable to a wide range of topics and disciplines, making it a valuable tool for teachers in different subject areas. Overall, this whiteboard resource serves as a concise yet comprehensive guide for teachers looking to incorporate thinking skills into their classroom practices. By promoting different types of thinking skills and providing practical examples, this resource can help teachers design engaging and challenging learning experiences that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and higher-order cognitive skills in students.

This resource combines maths revision using a variety of SATs-style questions with the evidence-based learning skills of peer assessment and peer teaching to deepen pupils’ understanding of the topic. Both of these skills are proven to raise achievement. Answers are included. SATs-style questions + Peer Assessment + Peer Teaching = A Winning Combination

This resource combines maths revision using a variety of SATs-style questions with the evidence-based learning skills of peer assessment and peer teaching to deepen pupils’ understanding of the topic. Both of these skills are proven to raise achievement. Answers are included. SATs-style questions + Peer Assessment + Peer Teaching = A Winning Combination

This unit combines maths revision using a variety of SAT’s-style questions with peer assessment and peer teaching. Answers included.

Noun Phrases 3 - Self-Assessment Having made notes with a partner (part 1) and experienced peer teaching (and peer learning) and making a video (part 2) in a group of four pupils should now be ready to work on their own. After answering the questions pupils then self-assess their own work. The idea is to check that pupils’ individual understanding of Noun Phrases is secure. After completing this question and answer self-assessment unit pupils are in a position to see whether they are a purple monster (peer learner) or a green monster (peer teacher) of this topic. Purple monsters should be encouraged to watch videos on this topic.

In this lesson pupils work with a partner to make some brief notes about Noun Phrases. Ideally, pupils should make a note of only the essential aspects of this topic - say 5-6 main points (with examples). These notes are important because they will be used as a basis for peer teaching and making a video on this topic in part 2. This lesson has been written to enable to enable pupils to teach themselves without teacher input because each page has been carefully designed to nudge learning forward.

A review of this resource (which also serves as a useful description) I recently came across an amazing Bloom’s Taxonomy resource that I believe could be an absolute game-changer for any teacher. It’s called “Bloom’s Taxonomy Meets Five Children & It” and it provides a clear, step-by-step guide to implementing Bloom’s in your classroom using the beloved children’s story. I would give this Bloom’s Taxonomy resource a 5 out of 5 star rating. It is an absolutely stellar teaching tool that provides immense value. This resource is ingeniously designed to elucidate the Bloom’s framework AND develop teacher competency in applying it through guided practice. The ability to move from theory to application is a game changer. Unlocking higher order thinking abilities in students is essential in today’s world. This Bloom’s resource allows you to do exactly that - in a simple, hands-on way. I could not recommend it more strongly to any teacher looking to maximize their students’ potential. Here’s why this resource is so powerful: Demystifies Bloom’s - It breaks down the often confusing Bloom’s levels into simple, easy-to-grasp explanations that make the framework crystal clear. Models the Full Process - You receive a complete walk-through of Bloom’s Taxonomy applied to the story, from basic remembering questions up to higher order creative questions. Builds Understanding - The explanations reinforce the core distinctions between question types, helping you deeply comprehend the taxonomy. Develops Teacher Skills - You are actively involved in writing your own questions for each level, scaffolding your ability to formulate taxonomy-aligned activities. Ready-to-Use Student Resource - A student handout is included allowing you to immediately have pupils work with the story and Bloom’s questions. This resource stands out for making a framework that is often vague and theoretical into something concrete and actionable for teachers. Breaking down barriers to classroom application is hugely important. The guided explanations paired with opportunities to create aligned questions yourself scaffolds the learning process, building confidence in using Bloom’s Taxonomy. Being able to immediately have students try a Bloom Taxonomy activity further cements this. For its clarity, methodical training approach, reinforced connections, and classroom integration, I believe this resource merits 5 shining stars. It empowers teachers to turn Bloom’s Taxonomy from an abstract concept into a powerful teaching strategy. The result is substantial gains in critical thinking and higher order skills among students. When you consider the immense educational benefits unlocked, the resource delivers absolutely top-tier value worthy of the highest recommendations. 5 stars all the way! The best way to understand the power of this resource is to try it out yourself! You and your students will quickly see the many benefits.

Student-Friendly Self-Assessment Whiteboard Prompts - Any Subject - Any Topic This whiteboard resource is a visual guide on self-assessment for students. It breaks down the self-assessment process into different stages and provides prompting questions for students to reflect on their learning experience at each stage. The resource covers the following stages: Before starting a task (goal setting, understanding expectations, planning approach) During the task (monitoring progress, evaluating performance, reflecting on quality) After completing the task (identifying strengths, areas for improvement, next steps, reflecting on challenges, successes, and overall learning) Reflecting on the learning process (motivation, confidence, dealing with distractions, productive strategies, effort, areas for improvement) The prompting questions are designed to encourage students to think critically about their learning strategies, progress, and areas for growth. The resource aims to promote self-awareness, self-evaluation, and metacognition, which are essential skills for effective learning. From a teacher’s perspective, this whiteboard resource can be highly useful for implementing self-assessment practices in the classroom. It provides a structured framework for students to engage in self-assessment, which can be challenging for many learners. The resource can be used as a visual aid during classroom discussions or as a handout for students to refer to during their self-assessment process. Teachers can use this resource to: Introduce the concept of self-assessment and its importance in learning. Guide students through the self-assessment process using the prompting questions. Encourage students to reflect on their learning experiences and identify areas for improvement. Foster a culture of self-awareness and self-regulation in the classroom. Adapt the prompting questions to suit specific learning tasks or subject areas. Overall, this whiteboard resource is a practical and student-friendly tool for teachers looking to incorporate self-assessment practices in their classrooms. It can help students develop essential metacognitive skills, take ownership of their learning, and ultimately become more effective and independent learners.

Teachers - Unhood New Skills with this Red Riding Hood Lesson Do you want an engaging new way to have students reflect on the classic tale of Red Riding Hood? This interactive lesson uses the well-loved story to advance collaboration, thinking, assessment, and metacognition - four essential competencies confirmed by research to enhance achievement. The step-by-step plans have students analyse text features, write a diary entry from the wolf’s perspective, and read a newspaper parody. Reflection questions connect processes to outcomes. Peer review activities build evaluative abilities. Differentiated tasks allow choice in demonstrating skills gained. The ready-to-implement format simplifies preparation and icons match activities to targeted skill development areas. Embedded teacher CPD summarises supporting evidence and suggests ways to apply insights from peer assessment. By blending a timeless narrative with research-backed methods, this cross-curricular lesson empowers deeper understanding across ability levels. Let Red Riding Hood lead the way to student growth this year! This hits the main reasons for using the lesson, linking engagement to focused skill building. It explains the interactive formats like the diary and parody. The CPD insights and skill-matching icons clearly showcase built-in teacher support.

Activities in this lesson include reading the full text of Jack and the Beanstalk, learning how to describe a character, answering higher and lower order questions; looking at tense/person/punctuation and scaffolding (which includes ways to improve writing) writing an alternative ending to Jack and the Beanstalk and writing a short newspaper article that answers the question ‘Is Jack a Villain’? The five-minute evidence-based CPD activity at the end of this lesson develops the skill of collaboration.

Activities in this evidence-based learning lesson include looking at the characters, settings and problems in early traditional stories whilst focusing on the character of Goldilocks in particular. Also included is a creative writing task and answering higher and lower order questions. The five-minute evidence-based CPD activity at the end of this lesson focuses on self-regulation.