These handy help-sheets have been employed by Media Studies teachers and teachers of literacy across the curriculum in order to build students' vocabularies, and assist their Media Studies analysis. There are help-sheets for each of the main concepts of Media: - Representations - Audience - Media Language and Forms - Institutions Each help-sheet defines what the key concept is (and gives examples), details the key terms and ideas to consider when looking at this area, and offers key questions for students to contemplate and kick-start their analysis. There is also a short example of analysis for each key concept in order to model some of the language, in addition to a variety of other hints and tips. These help-sheets have also been blown up to A3 or A2 size to become engaging and interactive media classroom or literacy across the curriculum posters.

Based on the popular game show ‘Pointless’, this resource is perfect for use as a whole lesson resource, enrichment option, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. (I’ve also added a blank template so that you can make your own games from scratch). Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, engaging visuals, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build or revisit knowledge of characters, plot, and themes in ‘The Woman in Black.’ Round 1. The characters in The Woman in Black Round 2. Quotations from the text Round 3. Settings, Themes, and Objects Round 4. Places where the woman appears. The nature of this game ensures that the resource can challenge students of all levels. A blank template has also been added, so that you can create your own games!

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make precise and sustained interpretations regarding Susan Hill’s portrayal of Eel Marsh House in the early chapters of The Woman in Black. In particular, they consider how the language (e.g. similes and pathetic fallacy) are used to introduce and develop the imagery and atmosphere of the house. They also consider how the features of the house (e.g. its isolation and age) relate to the generic conventions of scary settings. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Defining the key conventions of ghostly settings; - Reading extracts introducing Eel Marsh House, and relating the conventions of ghostly settings to the description of Eel Marsh House; - Identifying and exploring how the features of Hill’s language help to create imagery and an atmosphere that surrounds Eel Marsh House; - Analysing how Hill’s language and subject matter are effective in the description of Eel Marsh House; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Extracts from ‘The Journey North’ and ‘Across the Causeway’ of The Woman in Black; - The Features of Ghostly Settings worksheet; - Analysis template with success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to middle-ability year 10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make precise and sustained interpretations regarding Susan Hill’s portrayal of the title character in The Woman in Black. In particular, they consider how the language techniques used (e.g. similes, adverbs and alliteration) are used to introduce and develop the mysterious woman each time that she appears. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Defining the key conventions of ghostly characters; - Understanding and exemplifying key descriptive devices; - Reading extracts introducing and developing the woman, comprehending key meanings; - Analysing how the features of Hill’s language help to create a chilling portrayal of the woman; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Extracts from ‘The Woman in Black’ in which the woman appears; - ‘Hill’s Language’ worksheet (and answer sheet for teachers); - Cards for descriptive devices sorting activity - Analysis template with success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to mixed ability year 10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This lesson enables students to plan and create their own interesting, detailed, and imaginative feature articles. Through analysing existing feature articles, and noting their features of subject matter, language, and structure, students create articles that are highly appropriate to the genre and audiences of different magazines. Over the course of their learning journey, students: - Define and exemplify what feature articles are; - Identify and understand the different language and subject matter elements are within feature articles; - Analyse the language techniques and structures used within a model example of a feature article; - Write their own imaginative and appropriate front covers; - Peer and self assess each other's front cover attempts. The resources include: -Visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint; -A colourful and clear helpsheet for writing to explain; -Template for planning feature articles; -Andy Murray feature article for analysis; -Helpful and comprehensive step-by-step lesson plan. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final page of the slide. NOTE - Internet access is preferable for the planning task.

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make precise and sustained interpretations regarding the portrayal of Arthur Kipps throughout Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black. In particular, students consider how Kipps is initially presented, and how his character is developed throughout the text. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Recapping the events leading up to the ending; - Discussing what a suitable ending to this story may entail; - Understanding and comprehending the key events of the ending of the story; - Considering how these events help to reveal key information about Arthur and the ghost; - Analysing how effective Hill’s ending is at providing the closure that the reader needs; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Selected extract from ‘The Woman in Black’ (the ending); - Cards for sorting activity; - Analysis template with success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to mixed ability year 10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This visually-engaging and informative resource is perfect for helping Media students to understand the key concept of Representations. Through a range of different and interesting tasks , students learn to identify and understand representations at work in the media, and become familiar with key terms such as 'stereotyping; and 'aspects of character.' The learning journey is progressive and step-by-step, allowing for bite-size chunks of progress to be evident and regular intervals. Students learn to: - Understand that everyone sees images and ideas differently; - Define the key terms 'representations' and 'stereotypes;' - Understand some common representations and stereotypes; - Analyse the reasoning and effects of different representations; - Analyse how different characters are represented in a key media text. The key media text that I have chosen for the main analysis task is the movie 'Warrior' (2011) starring Tom Hardy, but the resources can be easily adapted to suit different media texts should you choose to. All images are licensed for commercial use and are cited on the final slide of the presentation.

This engaging and interactive lesson enables students to analyse the techniques that magazine writers use to meet their genre and audience. In particular, students identify the generic conventions of different types of magazines, consider the effectiveness of different model examples, and create their own interesting and appropriate front covers. Over the course of their learning journey, students: - Define and exemplify what genre/generic conventions/audiences are; - Identify and understand the different generic conventions for various genres and audiences, using a range of different model example magazine front covers; - Analyse the techniques that magazine writers use to appeal to their audiences in their front covers; - Use a wide-range of generic conventions in writing their own front covers; - Peer and self assess each other's front cover attempts. The resources include: -Visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint; -A colourful and clear success criteria; -Worksheet for identifying audiences and genres; -Blank front cover template; -Five magazine front cover model examples for analysis; -Helpful and comprehensive step-by-step lesson plan. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final page of the slide.

This interesting and engaging lesson enables students to know what reviews are and why people read them, understand the features that make effective reviews, and write their own interesting and appropriate reviews. In particular, students learn to use a range of appropriate features in writing their own magazine reviews, including facts and opinions, jargon, connectives, and statistics. There are easily enough resources here for 2-3 lessons on this topic. Over the course of their learning journey, students: - Define and exemplify what reviews are; - Understand why people read reviews; - Understand and categorise the different techniques used by reviewers; - Identify the features of reviews in model examples; - Analyse the effect of techniques in reviews upon the reader; - Use a wide-range of techniques in writing their own reviews; - Peer and self assess each other's review attempts. The resources include: -Visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint; -A colourful and helpful 'Writing Reviews' Help-Sheet; -Pointless Jargon Game; -Techniques cards for defining the key key features of reviews; -Connectives worksheet; -Blank book review template and film review template; -A model example (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone); -Helpful and comprehensive step-by-step lesson plan. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final page of the slide.

This lesson aims to improve students’ understanding of camera shots and angles, and in particular those used in horror movies. This should enable them to design their own sequences of camera shots and angles when producing their own moving image media texts. I used this lesson in the middle of the planning phase of a horror film trailer. However, as the main learning for the lesson is to be able to define, identify. analyse and use each of the camera shots and angles, it can be used for students at any stage of a media studies course. It includes a range of tasks, most of which are differentiated for different ability ranges, and includes lots of engaging subject matter. The lesson follows a clear learning journey, which is visually expressed to the students frequently throughout the PowerPoint presentation. The learning journey enables students to: - Define each of the camera angles and shots through a group activity; - Identify each of the shots and angles in movies stills; - Analyse why different shots and angles are effective after watching a segment of a film; - Create their own sequence of camera shots and angles for a short moving image piece; - Evaluate their success in using effective camera shots and angles. NOTE: The subject matter used for the final stages of the analysis task may be visually disturbing or inappropriate for some younger students - please check this section and alter it if you need to - you may wish just to pause the video before it gets too gory! All images and videos are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the lesson.

This visually engaging and highly informative Media Studies lesson aims to serve three main purposes: - To enable students to improve their knowledge of the Horror genre, and the Comedy Animation sub-genre; - To build the necessary skills needed in order to complete Assignment 1 of the GCSE Media Studies accreditation, analysing and responding to DVD packaging; - To improve students knowledge of the key concepts 'Audience' and 'Genre.' This lesson was taught during in a recent lesson observation and received an 'Outstanding' judgement. Students follow the process of: - Defining key terminology through the engaging and relevant game '4 Pictures, 1 Word; - Identifying key features of audience and genre through collaborative fact finding; - Analysing DVD covers (with the provided modelling and scaffolding resources, where needed) - Self evaluating success against accreditation specifications. All necessary resources are provided. They are also easily editable, should you choose to alter them in any way for your classes!

Here I have collated each of the resources and templates that I have used throughout the year to enable my students to complete the Media Studies Unit 2 assignments. There are around 20 resources here. Each of the resources are clear, concise and appropriate to the requirements of the assignments. Included are resources on: - Introduction to Media Studies (a number of tasks and templates that I used prior to the first assignment) - Assignment 1: Intro to Media (DVD Covers) - Assignment 2: Cross-Media Study (Advertising and Marketing) - Assignment 3: Practical Production and Evaluation (Film Trailers) If you only need resources for one of the assignments, I am making the resources for the individual assignments available for £1.