This 35-slide lesson is designed to explore and revise the ‘generation gap’ in J.B. Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’. The lesson considers the gulf between the younger and older characters in the play with reference to key quotations and character development. We think about how the elder characters blame and criticise the younger characters in the play, and how the younger characters judge their disappointing elders in turn. Priestley’s authorial intentions are also explored, thinking about how each character is used symbolically. Each character is dissected in detail, including the ambiguities of Gerald’s place in terms of generational divisions. Questions, discussion points, and tasks are included for students. An essay question is featured at the end of the lesson. This resource is perfect for GCSE analysis of the play. PowerPoint saved as pdf.

This 15-slide lesson on Neil Gaiman’s horror story, ‘Don’t Ask Jack’, is ideal for KS3 classes studying short stories or genre writing. Students are encouraged to consider common elements of the horror genre and key vocabulary associated with ‘horror’ and its atmosphere. Conducting close analysis of Gaiman’s language and structure, students are then tasked with creating their own piece of creative horror writing, inspired by ‘Don’t Ask Jack’. Questions, discussion points, and tasks are included in the lesson. A copy of the story is included in this resource. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 35-slide lesson explores the role of women in Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’. Perfect for high-attaining students, this lesson analyses how female characters are presented in the tragedy, exploring the roles of Desdemona, Emilia, Bianca and others in light of the play’s themes and Jacobean context. We consider how various female characters are presented in the play, thinking about how female transgression and disobedience threatens the patriarchal authority of the male characters, and the tragedy that ensues. Fidelity, cuckoldry, and duplicity are explored, as are the roles of key props, such as the handkerchief. Directorial choices and how these might impact our interpretations of female characters are discussed. Misogynistic language and masculine violence is also debated, while the private and public personalities of characters are deconstructed. Students are equipped with ambitious vocabulary to facilitate sophisticated analysis of Shakespeare’s characters. Questions and discussion points are included throughout for students. We consider Shakespeare’s messages and intentions, and students are provided with fascinating critical opinions from academics on the female characters of the play. This is an ideal resource for revising this key element of the play. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 27-slide PowerPoint is a great lesson on the beloved poem that we now know as ‘Daffodils’ by William Wordsworth. The lesson guides students through the poem, thinking about its language, structure, rhyme, and central ideas. A basic biography of Wordsworth is also provided, and a glossary of challenging vocabulary. Questions are included in the lesson (including short comprehension-based tasks), as well as a larger final task in which students write their own poem, inspired by Wordsworth’s. It is an ideal lesson for KS3 students, particularly Year 7 students who are still learning about poetic craft. The lesson functions either as a stand-alone study or could easily fit into a larger scheme of work on nature poetry or Romanticism, for example. A copy of the poem is also included in this resource. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This is a thorough and comprehensive lesson on Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem ‘Love’s Philosophy’, which is studied as part of AQA’s GCSE Literature anthology on ‘Love & Relationships’. This PowerPoint unpicks key themes of unrequired love, intimacy, frustration and religion with close analysis of language, form and structure. Also included are many small questions for students and a ‘mock’ essay question in which students must compare ‘Love’s Philosophy’ to another poem, just like in the real AQA exam.

This 20-slide lesson provides a comprehensive introduction to the context of Khaled Hosseini’s ‘The Kite Runner’. It features an overview of 20th century Afghan history and the rise of the Taliban, plus a brief synopsis of the novel and Hosseini’s intentions/message in writing it. Also included is a list of key words for students to research, some topical questions for classroom debate, and some key vocabulary. This is a useful first lesson for those reading the novel for their A level studies (particularly for AQA’s Political and Social Protest paper). Also included is a brief geo-political summary sheet of Afghanistan to help pupils to understand the nation’s context. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

Designed to introduce a unit on World War 1 Poetry for KS3, this 22-slide lesson includes a brief outline of the Great War and aims to teach critical vocabulary. Ideas introduced include propaganda, pacifism and patriotism. Students are encouraged to think about and analyse World War 1 propaganda. Also included for analysis is the popular wartime song: ‘Your King and Country Want You’. This lesson could also be used for a general contextual introduction to World War I in History lessons.

This 23-slide lesson provides an introduction to David Almond’s ‘Skellig’. Offering a comprehensive exploration to the context behind Almond’s novel, this lesson begins with various book cover designs, prompting students to consider what the novel might be about. We then talk about David Almond himself, and read a blurb summary of the novel. The lesson’s main focus surrounds the idea of angels. Students discuss the connotations and cultural associations of angels, learning vocabulary to describe them and exploring iconic angelic figures such as Gabriel and Lucifer. Paintings and other cultural depictions of angels are analysed. The novel’s key themes are discussed, and students look up the definitions of key words linked to the story. The lesson ends with a reflective task which puts students into the shoes of Michael, the novel’s protagonist. This could be completed in the lesson or as a homework task. Questions, discussion points, and tasks are included throughout. This lesson is ideal for upper KS2 or lower KS3 pupils. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 33-slide lesson explores and revises Gerald Croft in J.B. Priestley’s ‘An Inspector Calls’ in a thorough and comprehensive structure - perfect for those studying the play at GCSE. Gerald is perhaps the most complex character in the play and students often find him challenging to analyse effectively. This lesson walks step-by-step through Gerald’s role in the play and how Priestley presents him at different points. Included are Gerald’s key quotations and moments, his function in the play, his corresponding historical context, and regular consideration of Priestley’s message and use of Gerald as a symbol. Questions and thinking points are featured throughout the lesson. An exam-style question is included at the end. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 36-slide lesson explores the character of Feste in Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’. With academic scrutiny, the lesson analyses one of Shakespeare’s most complex comic characters, beginning with an overview of his key lines, attributes, and role in the plot. This then leads to analysis of Feste’s name, key vocabulary that we might use to describe him, and how his role as a jester grants him special privileges and licence. Important historical and theatrical context is explored alongside Feste’s character, and we look at the development of Shakespeare’s ‘Fools’ across his plays. Feste’s relationship with music and song is analysed, as well as his engagement with the play’s fascination with disguise when he becomes ‘Sir Topas’. Interesting viewpoints from a range of critics, directors, and actors are discussed. Crucially, we also explore how Feste’s character relates to the key themes of the play and is central to the comedy of ‘Twelfth Night’. We look at how Feste interacts with other characters in the play, such as Malvolio, and compare him to Viola in his liminal and transgressive state. The Carnivalesque atmosphere of the play is analysed in light of Feste’s character. Questions, discussion points, and essay questions are featured throughout. Students are encouraged to consider Feste’s character at a high level, so this lesson would be ideal for students aged 16+. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This resource includes two comprehensive lessons for analysing William Blake’s ‘Holy Thursday’ poems from the Songs of ‘Innocence’ and ‘Experience’. The first 28-slide lesson covers ‘Holy Thursday’ from ‘Innocence’. The second 32-slide lesson covers ‘Holy Thursday’ from ‘Experience’. Both lessons include detailed explorations of the poems’ language, context, imagery, structure, and ideas, especially in relation to Blake as a protest writer and critic of institutionalised systems of power. We think about Blake’s role as a Dissenter from the Church of England, and his use of recurring symbols (such as children) throughout the ‘Songs’. The image of Ascension Day in the ‘Holy Thursday’ poems is analysed, reading the poems as Blake’s critique of ecclesiastical hypocrisy and his attempt to understand the extent of the poverty to which he bore witness. Crucially, both lessons work in tandem to read both versions of the poem alongside one another, exploring Blake’s collective message through ‘Innocence’ and ‘Experience’. Blake’s singular poetic voice and ironic tone are also deconstructed, and we consider how the poems relate to 18th century children’s literature. Questions, tasks, and discussion points are featured throughout. Both lessons end with comparative essay questions. These lessons are ideal for those studying Blake as a ‘protest writer’ with AQA at A level, but could easily be used for any KS5 study of the ‘Songs’. *This resource is new and updated in March 2021. PowerPoints are saved as PDFs.

This 27-slide lesson on William Blake’s ‘The Garden of Love’ from the ‘Songs of Experience’ deconstructs the poem as a tool of political and social protest. The lesson explores Blake’s context as a radical Dissenter, his use of the pastoral genre, and considers in detail his use of language and imagery. The poem’s themes of sexual restriction, corrupt authority, and shattered innocence are considered through a variety of questions and tasks for students. At the end of the lesson, an extended essay question is included. This lesson is ideal for those studying Blake’s ‘Songs’ through AQA’s ‘Political and Social Protest’ paper at A level. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

A lesson focused on how Scrooge is affected by reliving the memory of his lost love, Belle. Perfect for those studying the text at with AQA at GCSE.

How does Shakespeare present attitudes to gender in ‘Macbeth’? Students so often write about gender dynamics in ‘Macbeth’ with clumsy generalisations that examiners can’t abide. This lesson aims to encourage specific and mature contextualised understanding of gender in the 1600s and within the play itself. This 30-slide PowerPoint explores how Shakespeare exploits and subverts attitudes to gender throughout the play, encouraging students to comment with precision and perception on masculinity and femininity. Ideal for KS4 students in particular but easily adaptable for other ages. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 28-slide lesson is a thorough and comprehensive exploration of Seamus Heaney’s poem ‘Follower’. This PowerPoint unpicks key themes of admiration, childhood and identity with close analysis of the poem’s language, form and structure. Attention is paid to the demands of AQA’s GCSE Literature, through which this poem is studied in the ‘Love & Relationships’ anthology. Questions and discussion points are included for students, as well as a ‘mock’ essay question in which students must compare ‘Follower’ to another poem, just like in the real AQA exam. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This resource includes a 32-slide lesson designed to introduce Greek Myths and Legends to students, accompanied by a short story in which the key Greek Gods are established. The lesson aims to introduce the conventions of Greek myths and the most significant characters of the legends. Storytelling and myth-making are explored, as is the influence of Greek mythos on our own modern culture. Students then read the story of ‘Zeus and His Mighty Company’, considering the characterisation of the Greek Gods. Tasks, discussion points, and questions are included for students. A research task ends the lesson either as a class-based or homework activity. The lesson works as an introduction to any unit of work on Greek mythology, or could feature as part of a larger unit on storytelling, heroes, or legends. This lesson is ideal for KS3 or upper-KS2. PowerPoint and Word Doc. story saved as PDF.

This 30-slide lesson provides detailed and comprehensive analysis of Priestley’s dramatic devices throughout ‘An Inspector Calls’. Considers the role of lighting, costume, pace, entrances/exits, dramatic irony, tension, props, and much more. The clever structure of Priestley’s play is unpicked and analysed. Questions, discussion points, and tasks are included for students. This lesson is perfect for high-attaining students studying the play for GCSE. PowerPoint saved as pdf.

This 26-slide lesson explores John Donne’s ‘Death, Be Not Proud’. Against the backdrop of Donne’s own faith, this lesson explores the poem’s language, imagery, technique, and form as a meditation on fear and conquering one’s anxieties. Questions, discussion points, and tasks are included for students. The lesson ends with an extended essay question, for which some scaffolding support is provided. A copy of the poem is included. This lesson is ideal for KS3 students but could be used with GCSE sets. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This resource includes an extract from Ian Fleming’s ‘Dr. No’ with an accompanying PowerPoint featuring language analysis questions. This resource is based on AQA’s GCSE English Language Paper 1. Two 8-mark language questions are featured to help students practise close linguistic analysis. This resource is ideal for KS3 students preparing early for GCSEs, or for GCSE students in need of accessible and scaffolded learning.

This 23-slide lesson provides a comprehensive introduction to key context for studying Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’. The his lesson covers the significance of the Prometheus, Gothic genre, Romanticism, Industrialisation and much more on Shelley’s famous novel, including the influence of ‘Paradise Lost’. Shelley’s life is explained, and the key themes are explored. Questions and tasks are also included for students. A creative task is featured at the end of the lesson. This could be used either as a class-based or homework activity. The lesson is ideal for GCSE students, but could be used for introducing the text for high-attaining KS3 pupils or even at A level. PowerPoint saved as PDF.