Here you will find challenging, but engaging resources for all abilities, that will engage your students and support their progress in English.
Please do note hesitate to leave feedback and/or connect with me via Instagram!
Here you will find challenging, but engaging resources for all abilities, that will engage your students and support their progress in English.
Please do note hesitate to leave feedback and/or connect with me via Instagram!
This resource was used effectively with a top set Y11 class.
The lesson begins with the students assessing their own knowledge of the poetry cluster by matching quotes to the correct poem-an effective settling activity.
They then answer a series of questions about the poems whilst using their anthologies to annotate. ANSWERS provided on the PowerPoint presentation.
A 5 minute ‘thesis challenge’ is then set and students will select a range of effective quotes that they’ve already analysed, to support their opening thesis statements.
Optional homework/follow up lesson: write a full response to the comparative question: compare the attitudes towards possessive love in Porphyria’s Lover and The Farmer’s Bride.
Differentiation: work in pairs to complete the starter and main task, exemplar thesis statement provided. Timings provided as well as check points for AFL.
Suitability: All abilities; perhaps remove some of the questions for the main task and lesson the amount of quotes to select for the plenary.
This resource was created to address gaps in text knowledge and to consolidate analysis skills with a focus on leadership.
There are two lessons whereby a top level exemplar paragraph is included as well as a directed group work tasks.
Some students will have done more revision.research than others, therefore this is a good activity to share and fill gaps in knowledge.
A follow up lesson could include a timed exam question with a focus on a character who exhibits leadership/masculinity.
Differentiation: stretch tasks, exemplary paragraphs, varied challenges of group work roles.
Lesson time: 100 minutes
This resource can be set for a literacy lesson (approximately 50 minutes,) or for homework.
Students will review the basic rules of sentence structures and complete a variety of literacy tasks, including the revision of nouns and adjectives, aimed at improving literacy.
The workbook is differentiated and becomes more challenging, concluding with a descriptive writing task.
This resource has been used for EAL learners and low ability students.
This lesson was recently judged as outstanding in an observation.
Students studying 19th century literature will be introduced to an extract from Thomas Hardy’s ‘Arch Deceiver,’ considering what the term ‘deceive’ means and looking for clues in the language and structural elements of the text.
This lesson includes paired and individual tasks with a focus on inference.
A suitable follow on lesson would be to convert notes from the grid into paragraphs, using paragraph structures of your choice.
Typically for a mid-top set, for a 50 minute lesson.
Power point and extract included.
Teachers need only print copies of slide 6 for students to complete.
This lesson is designed to support students who struggle to answer questions relating to AO2 (analysing language and structure in a text.)
Most suitable for a KS4 class (mid-high ability)
Lower sets/KS3 can access the lesson by including some close reading exercises with the use of a Dictionary and Thesaurus.
Teachers can then set a comprehension task prior to the annotating and extended writing tasks (e.g. rewrite the extract in your own words) and plan to assess based on AO2 only.
They would then have no need to include the exam based tips/timing suggestions.
Detailed lesson plan included, along with a model response from the top band and level descriptors for self assessment.
Lesson duration: approximately 90 minutes/2 double 50 minute lessons
Pack includes suggested timings for answering questions and practical tips to aid in exam nerves.
Content
This lesson will guide students into making inferences about George and Lennie in ‘Of Mice and Men.’
Students will select characteristics for each character and look closely at the opening of the novella, at language that describes the characteristics of them both.
Differentiation
PEAL paragraph example is provided to guide students, as well as sentence starters and extension tasks.
Typically for a double 50 minute lesson.
This lesson can be used for any group at Key Stages 2,3 and 4.
The lesson explores the features of gothic writing, and asks the students to create their own fictional character.
Some brief notes on the origin of Gothicism is explored and linked to modern day literature and film.
An ideal, light hearted, creative lesson for new classes/last lessons of the day and for cover.
Typically suited to a 50 minute lesson. Can be extended to a double if students are asked to create a story based on their fictional characters.
This starter task is aimed at French speaking students to improve their literacy and consolidate their own knowledge of phonics.
Suitable for students of all age groups.
Extension task provided.
This lesson explores the role of responsibility in the play, An Inspector Calls.
Students will complete a close reading activity and peruse a modelled paragraph, hitting AO2 and AO6.
Suitable for a mid-top set and an approximately 50 minute lesson.
This lesson offers the opportunity, for students to analyse language and structure in the poem ‘Infant Sorrow,’ by William Blake.
Starter task encourages students to work independently by reading and annotating the poem, utilising a dictionary for unfamiliar words.
A thorough, timed task is the main activity and focuses on the structure of the poem (stanzas, line breaks etc.) as well as the use of language to communicate ideas to the reader.
Plenary task is a self assessment against AO2.
Differentiation:
Students may work in pairs to complete the starter task.
Simplistic to complex analysis questions provided in the main task.
Extension tasks provided for closer analysis of language in the poem.
Typically for a 50 minute lesson-students can complete the main task as homework if the set is lower than a 3 and timing for the starter task goes beyond 10 minutes.
This activity encourages students to identify stressed sounds.
Typically for a low ability KS3/4 group.
Can also be used for primary aged students.
Teachers need only print copies and cut in half.
This lesson explores the social context in the novella, ‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck.
Students will watch videos about The American Dream and The ‘Roaring Twenties,’ making notes on the grid provided.
Includes extension tasks and a starter reflection task on punctuation.
Suitable for a 50 minute lesson for all sets studying ‘Of Mice and Men.’
This lesson focuses on the imagery in the free versed poem, Quickdraw by Carol Ann Duffy.
Students will review the term ‘imagery’ and key words from the poem in pairs.
They will then read the poem and briefly annotate for imagery.
Finally, they will be shown an exemplary response and will complete their own commentaries in imagery in the poem.
Differentiation:
This lesson is targeted at KS3, however, lower KS4 groups can also benefit from the activities.
Poem has highlighted key words and phrases, with exemplary annotations.
Model paragraph provided with highlighted elements for reviewing against mark scheme.
Typically a 50 minute lesson.
This lesson is focused on question 5 (40 mark question)
Students will revise brackets, discourse markers and synonyms before completing a mock question 5 response.
Students will spend 40 minutes writing their piece.
This lesson is designed for students who are targeted at level 5 and above for the English Language exam.
Typically a double lesson (100 minutes.)
This lesson will give students the opportunity to review the structural elements in news articles.
Students will compare two articles, sharing the same story and decide how each portrays a specific portrayal of character through the use of language and selection of images.
Teachers need only to print copies of the articles (links provided.)
Differentiation
Main task includes sentence starters, stretch and challenge tasks.
Typically for a 50 minute lesson. Previously used for a Media after school club lesson.
Suitable for all sets.
These lessons explore the use of imagery in Macbeth’s soliloquy-act , scene 7.
Students will annotate the extract, brainstorm ideas and translate these ideas into sentences and then paragraphs.
Used with an intervention class to help aid understanding and encourage critical thinking skills.
Part 2 goes into more detail and the students will write a complete PEEL paragraph.
Lesson is heavily geared towards gaining marks for detailed explanations- a key focus for KS3 students.
Sentence starters and extension tasks provided.
Resource provided is act 1, scene 7, with underlined words and phrases for lower ability students.
Get your students working!
This is an interactive revision booklet containing 35 pages, for those studying: Romeo and Juliet, Jekyll and Hyde, An Inspector Calls and the Power and Conflict poetry cluster with AQA.
Students will be directed through a range of tasks daily, to consolidate knowledge of the texts and also the specifics of the exams, such as assessment objectives and timings.
Lots of quizzes, web links and check boxes to keep the students on task.
Extended writing opportunities and guided essay plans included.
Encourage independent learning over summer with self reflection and SMART plan pages reviewing lockdown learning routines.
Parent box included to assist with monitoring of learning, making it easier to keep track of students’ progress.
Suitable for all abilities in KS4. Colour coded for ease of differentiating tasks/days.
Can be used for summer learning or as a homework booklet during term time.
Certificate of completion included, to be signed by teacher and Principal.
This is a general lesson merging current affairs with transactional writing skills.
Students will pick out language and structural techniques in an article, discuss everyday examples of techniques being used in media and write their own ‘good news story’ in the form of an article.
Good for recapping and lifting the creating variety during home/online learning.
Includes a pre written Kahoot quiz at the end for identifying techniques in different sentences. PIN included.
Suitable for both key stages 3 and 4.