These Persepolis resources focus on Criterion A of the IB English A: Language and Literature courses, deepening students’ ability to understand and interpret texts through the use of Persepolis 1: p146-147. The Powerpoint is based on a template from SlidesGo, so there are some extra/superfluous generic slide templates included that haven’t been used, but the presentation makes the aims of the lesson clear for students and includes cutt.ly links to Quizlets and a digital version of the attached worksheet of comprehension tasks (which students can view, download and make copies of). The Powerpoint includes differentiated ways in which students can share their responses (Twitter, write on the whiteboard, or tell you in person). The comprehension tasks worksheet is also differentiated, offering 4 levels of tasks that encourage students to explore both explicit and implicit meanings inherent within the text. This allows students choices as to which tasks to complete. Finally, the answer grid enables them to type their responses rapidly alongside each question.

This webquest encourages students to investigate a variety of topics relating to media bias, including: what is bias factors influencing media bias how to assess whether bias is being used political agendas in the press balance of media coverage how readers of different newspapers tend to vote This webquest involves the use of a variety of skills, such as: interpreting data finding examples of facts and opinions in texts reading academic research summary-writing the use of in-text citations Students will read a variety of texts as part of this webquest, including: letters to newspapers fact-checkers First News research from the University of Oxford and the University of Hannover statistics from public opinion and data companies, such as YouGov and Statista Video resources are also included, along with ‘shortcuts’ for learners who can’t handle a full text, as well as a “go further” activity. The webquest is designed to not only develop students’ knowledge and understanding of bias, but also to develop their critical thinking skills. The resource is suitable for students aged 14 and up, particularly those studying Media, English Language, Global Perspectives, PSHE, Citizenship, TOK, Critical Thinking, or General Studies. This editable resource is designed for online learning, as students can type their responses directly into the document and click on the links directly. If uploaded to a collaborative workspace such as Google Docs, students could also work in groups to complete the webquest.

This resource consists of 7 comprehension questions (printed on the page three times for ease of printing/distribution) based on the Moniza Alvi poem ‘Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan’. The questions help students to interpret the use of techniques including juxtaposition, metaphor, and imagery, and to better understand the effects of these on the reader.

This handout provides students with a glossary and definitions of key terms to help them analyse comics (e.g. political strips in newspapers) and graphic novels (e.g. Maus, Fun Home, Persepolis), and is useful for revision purposes so that students can use the correct terminology accurately in assessment situations.

This scaffolded note-taking grid encourages students to consider the information provided to them through stage directions in plays, whether implied or explicitly stated. The grid includes space for note-taking on characters’ movements, descriptions of lighting, and descriptions of sounds, as well as space for quotations and explanations of effects on the viewer. This grid can be used to analyse the stage directions in any play, and can be subsequently used for revision and/or essay-writing. Printing on A3 comes recommended as this gives students more space to write.

This resource helps students to take notes on the theme of abandonment in Bao Ninh’s novel ‘The Sorrow of War’. Contains page numbers to assist, for both Vintage and Minerva editions, as well as an extension task for early finishers. The scaffolded notes can then be used to construct an essay on abandonment in the novel.

This resource consists of two files bundled together: one file containing a quotes quiz, the other file containing the answers. Students are asked to identify who said a particular quotation, roughly where in the play it took place, and about any techniques used in the quotation, as well as its possible significance. This can take a whole hour’s lesson if completed in traditional silent quiz/exam style, or the questions could be completed in teams and made more competitive (particularly if you only go for the summative aspect asking students to name who says it and where it happens, and possibly naming techniques, leaving out the interpretive aspect). Note that the answers only indicate the name of the character who said the line and where in the play this occurs, as well as some possible techniques that students may identify; any valid explanation of the quotation’s possible significance should be accepted.

This handout is designed to provide students with background information regarding Machiavelli. Presented as a list of bullet points for easier absorption of information, the text is also printed three times on one page for ease of photocopying/printing and distribution. Useful for the study of both English and History.

This character impressions grid scaffolds student note-taking on the characters in Christopher Marlowe’s play ‘The Jew of Malta’. Topics include appearance and attitudes. These notes can be subsequently used for revision purposes or to help structure an essay on a topic from the grid. Printing on A3 is recommended so as to maximise the space that students have for note-taking.

This Powerpoint represents a full lesson on the characters of Bellamira and Pilia-Borza in Christopher Marlowe’s ‘The Jew of Malta’, and how these can be directed and played to comic or tragic effect. Please note that you need to source the appropriate scenes (IIIii and IIIiii) yourself. The Powerpoint directs students through various activities, including a ‘write 3, share 1’ starter, a class reading task, independent work on the direction of the scenes (which is differentiated via the methods through which students can carry it out: continuous prose, Flipgrid, collage, storyboard), and a plenary consisting of a gallery walk and exit slip for reflection.

This resource relates to the end of Margaret Atwood’s novel ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and contains questions encouraging students to assess the reliability of the novel, its narrator, and its ending. This helps to integrate critical thinking into English lessons, and as such is especially helpful for teachers teaching the text as part of the IB Diploma programme, which requires integration of the IB core component of Theory of Knowledge.

This resource bundle contains 2 video clips (of Jamie Oliver and Delia Smith making a Victoria sponge), a grid for students to fill in with instances of linguistic features such as hedging and fillers, and an answer grid for the teacher. For extension purposes, the grid contains some blank lines for students to fill in any other features they believe they have spotted. The ‘cosmetic surgery or speech feature?’ game is also included along with the lesson plan.

This resource shows visually, on a continuum line, the political leanings/affiliations of most major British print news outlets. This is particularly useful for international students who may have to deal with British media texts in examinations but are not familiar with the cultural aspects surrounding them. The continuum shows whether each paper is a tabloid or broadsheet and whether they lean politically to the right or left, or whether they are more centrist. There is further scope to add extra imagery if desired. Students are also provided with weblinks to four independent analyses of British newspapers’ politics and culture (all links still active as of July 6th, 2021).

These two pages of comprehension questions are divided by stanza, enabling students to work on these as they progress through the poem and allowing teachers to use them as a carousel or jigsaw activity if preferred. The questions cover comprehension of techniques (e.g. imagery, symbolism, allusion) as well as ideas.

These six comprehension questions help to develop student understanding of the Keats poem ‘When I Have Fears That I May Cease To Be’. The questions are laid out with 2 sets on one page for ease of printing, photocopying and distribution. The questions cover understanding of technique (such as metaphor and imagery) as well as ideas. There is scope for the final question to serve as an extension/optional question for early finishers.

This grid serves as an ongoing revision resource that students build up themselves over time. It encourages students to take notes on characters encountered in Wole Soyinka’s play “Death and the King’s Horseman”, including appearance, speech, and attitudes. This grid could then be used to help students plan an essay on any topic relevant to the notes they have taken (e.g. compare/contrast 2 characters’ attitudes towards the British). Printing on A3 is recommended.

Students should be assigned a speech topic that they could give to either Grade 9/Year 10 students or staff members/parents/governors. This could be, for example, “school uniforms should be abolished” or “the school day should start one hour later than it does now”. This planning grid enables students to compare what is required in terms of diction, tone, syntax and so on. Students should be made aware of the meanings of the terms in the grid before proceeding. Once they have planned, they could either write a comparative/analytical paragraph, explaining what is the same/different about each speech to each audience, and/or actually choose a speech to write based on the grid.

This Powerpoint introduces the etymology of ‘anthropomorphism’ and explains the differences between personification and anthropomorphism. The PPT then showcases examples of texts which use these, before setting students a task to anthropomorphise a classroom object and write a monologue ‘in character’ (students should be familiar with monologue-writing). There is still scope to add additional imagery/animations to the PPT if desired, as well as film clips (e.g. Fantastic Mr Fox, Toy Story, Cars).

This resource begins with a simple matching game to reinforce/refresh student knowledge of techniques found in poetry. While this resource was designed with Sylvia Plath’s ‘Blackberrying’ in mind, it could be easily adapted for other poems. There are also sentence starters to help students write an analytical paragraph about the poem, as well as extension tasks for early finishers. Printing on A3 is recommended to give students maximum space for note-taking. Note that a copy of the poem is not included but is easily accessible online.

This resource collates multiple WW1 letters from an American soldier, deployed in France, to his father back home in the US. The ensuing activities check on students’ comprehension of vocabulary and ask them to analyse the context, audience, purpose, and stylistic elements of the text. Best for students with some confidence at doing this already but could be adapted for weaker students or students who are only just starting to develop these skills. If using the final analysis-writing activity this could easily stretch to 2-3 lessons depending on the amount of groundwork you need to lay with your students beforehand. An alternative approach could be, for instance, to carousel the reading and analysis of letters so that e.g. a small group just works with one letter.