Reading skills: Ballooning Handbook by Don Cameron. Ideal for use after skills lesson 1 on an extract from Enduring Love (the balloon accident) I have uploaded this to TES too. Analysis of extract with detailed annotation on the power point, comprehension questions and model answers so that pupils could self or peer assess their work. Persuasive letter writing task linked to the subject matter at the conclusion. Works for KS3 or 4.

Reading Skills lesson: based on an extract from Enduring Love by Ian McEwan Always a winner with pupils! This presentation leads pupils to analyse the opening of the novel. A longer extract is attached. There are 4 comprehension questions which interrogate the text with model answers to each so that pupils can use self or peer assessment to mark them. The opening extract is on the power point; the first comprehension question could be completed as a whole class activity with the teacher showing pupils where the evidence is. I have also shown the extract from the film version of the novel as well (on Youtube); show before reading and stop it a few minutes in to entice the pupils to read the extract to see what happens. There are a number of writing tasks after the plenary.

Reading skills: Richard Branson biography extract Analysis of an extract from Richard Branson: the inside story by Mick Brown. Includes questions and a model answer (slides 11 and 12) for pupils to identify and highlight PEE formulas. There is a sentence starter slide (13) to help pupils attempt the questions independently and the whole extract (which is also on the power point) for the teacher to work through and identify key areas so that pupils have highlighted and annotated copies ready to work on the reading skills questions. Works for KS3 and 4. Works well after Reading skills lesson 1 (on an extract from Enduring Love) and 2 (on a ballooning handbook) Both these resources are uploaded on TES too.

The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. Sound effects starter, social and historical context of Poe's life, analysis of the opening to the story (pupils annotate their own copies) with leading questions in order to interrogate subsequent paragraphs. Comic strip writing activity with self assessment and review.

Descriptive writing; semantic fields based on 'The Soldier' by Rupert Brooke. Enquiry based learning using a word cloud of the poem to create pupil led categories. These are then used as a springboard for writing and creating semantic fields before the poem is studied (I used an audio clip of the poem on Youtube) The pupils then revisit and improve their work (showing progression) and it is then either self or peer assessed using the WJEC grade criteria on the power point. The plenary has leading questions linking to semantic fields, key skills and target setting. I printed out copies of the slides showing the poem, the word cloud and the grade criteria (one between two) Don't let the pupils access the poem until they have tried categorising the words in the word cloud. This enquiry based learning lesson is effective in terms of varied activities, a range of learning styles, showing progression and target setting.

The Witches' song from Macbeth Act 4 Sc 1 (analysis and writing tasks) Watch a YouTube reading of the poem, acrostic poem starter, detailed text and word level analysis with a choice of writing tasks, peer assessment and review. Copy of the extract for the pupils to highlight and annotate. KS3 and 4. Ideal for Halloween or general Shakespeare/poetry topic.

Dulce et decorum est: detailed analysis of the poem with background social and historical context.

Writing to persuade carousel powerpoint and 9 worksheets. The worksheets should be enlarged to A3 for maximum effectiveness. The 'carousel' set up could be merely passing the worksheets forwards to the pair in front rather than having to change the seating plan (if the classroom is not set up for group work) Stick to the timing (5 minutes on each paragraph) and this is a fast paced engaging lesson. Used for GCSE non-fiction writing practice prior to exams. The worksheets remind pupils of persuasive techniques along the way. As this is paired, and shared, group work, differentiation is by task.

AQA Conflict Poetry: War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy. Power point exploring context, detailed analysis, starter and plenary and a choice of creative writing tasks on the final slide to consolidate understanding. Slide 8 can be printed out to use as a plenary. Copy of the poem included for highlighting and annotating. Colour coded, visual and accessible. Ideal for use with Conflict Poetry cluster or as a creative one/two lesson poetry exploration.

Poetry analysis and descriptive writing: Spring. ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ by William Wordsworth is analysed at word and whole text level with an essay style analysis task. The descriptive writing includes a skills slide, a writing planning slide and a checklist for peer assessment. Includes three differentiated copies of the poem: high, medium and EAL. Highly visual and engaging.

Of Mice and Men: detailed analysis of the fight scene. Highly visual with colour coded word level and whole text level analysis of the whole fight scene. Thorough preparation for an essay entitled How does Steinbeck create tension in the fight scene? Script of the scene attached.

Frankenstein analysis and creative writing: chapter 5. Word level analysis of an extract from chapter 5 "It was on a dreary night of November..." Starter activity links to subsequent creative writing where pupils try to emulate some of the techniques used by Shelley to create atmosphere and tension. Peer assessment linking to skills on final slide. Extract of chapter 5 included with sections and instructions for colour coding and highlighting clearly labelled.

Macbeth and Banquo meet the witches diary enty. Image, instructions and key words to enable pupils to imagine that they are either Macbeth, Banquo or one of the witches. They write a descriptive diary entry of the meeting upon the heath. Good for low ability as the worksheet is visual with key words for guidance.

Macbeth anagram starter activity: power point and worksheet. A starter activity designed to revise character names and key themes. With answers for self assessment.

Poetry extract from The Witches by Roald Dahl (analysis and writing tasks) The Grand High Witch reveals her plan to turn all children into mice. Acrostic poem starter, watch film trailer, detailed analysis of text with self assessment, choice of writing tasks and peer assessment and review. Copy of the poem for the pupils to highlight and annotate. Also phoneme word families sort activity and a spelling sort with words taken from the extract. KS2 and 3. Ideal for Halloween or general poetry topic.

Narrative writing carousel with 8 worksheets. For use with KS3 or 4. Worksheets are more effective if copied to A3 size. Pupils work in pairs to construct a section of a story, the worksheet is passed on for the next pair to complete a section and so on until the finished worksheet is returned. This is then checked and improved and can be written up or typed up to provide the finished narrative. Each worksheet has a different section already started; one worksheet is blank for higher achievers. Follows the ODCCR narrative writing framework. The pupils enjoyed reading out the stories once completed.

A fun poetry analysis and writing activity lesson (or two lessons) based on Rabbit by Ann Hoberman. Illustrated copy of the poem attached. The presentation analyses repetition, rhyme and onomatopoeia, there is word level dictionary and thesaurus work and a range of poetry or creative writing tasks linked to the poem for the pupils to choose from. There is a peer/self assessment and target setting slide. Ideal for primary Y5 and 6 or KS3. Did I mention the cute bunnies?...

Pupils interrogate a painting as a whole class, using questions to infer and deduce a narrative. They zoom in on details of the image in order to create descriptive detail. They then create the "story" behind the painting. The pupils could write a paragraph of the story initially without any teacher led interrogation, then once the image is thoroughly analysed they could produce an improved version to show progression. This could be self/peer assessed at each stage. The plenary creates a chance to consider the skills involved and how they link to descriptive and narrative writing. Worksheet which includes the image for pupils to make notes on also attached.