I am an experienced Primary school teacher with over twenty years experience in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. I have made and used all of the interactive topic based lesson plans, power-points and resources in this shop with my classes. I hope you enjoy using them with your classes too.
I am an experienced Primary school teacher with over twenty years experience in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. I have made and used all of the interactive topic based lesson plans, power-points and resources in this shop with my classes. I hope you enjoy using them with your classes too.
Tim Peake: Famous person fact sheet.
Includes key events and important stages in the life of the British astronaut, broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Horatio Nelson Famous person fact sheet.
Includes key events and important stages in their life broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Aztecs 3 Factsheets KS2
Factsheet 1 Simple facts about who the Aztecs were, where they came from, where they settled.
Factsheet 2 Aztec gods and a brief description.
Factsheet 3 Where the Aztecs settled and the end of their civilization.
Includes key events broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 5 & 6 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous civilization in a range of genres (newspaper report, non-fiction report, letter or diary writing, fiction, etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Florence Nightingale Famous person fact sheet.
Includes key events and important stages in their life broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Rosa Parks Famous person fact sheet.
Includes key events and important stages in their life broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Elizabeth Fry Famous person fact sheet.
Includes key events and important stages in their life broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
A fun quiz for Halloween on 32 separate cards which have been differentiated into three levels: 1 star - easy, 2 stars - average, 3 stars - hard so you can award extra points or target specific pupils with leveled questions.
Bats KS1 Weekly planning grid
This is two-week (could be stretched to three weeks depending on the depth of study) cross curricular plan for a KS1 topic based on the subject of ‘Bats’. I have used this plan as a run up to Halloween. It has been planned to include all the learning objectives and ideas for two weeks of teaching and includes differentiated planning in Literacy and Numeracy for HA, MA and LA groups. Includes non-negotiable vocabulary and linked learning activities in all subjects. Links well with topics on ‘Animals’, ‘Halloween’, ‘Conservation’ and ‘Day and Night or Nocturnal Animals.’
Grace Darling Famous person fact sheet.
Includes key events and important stages in their life broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
I made this template for KS2 to make simple topic research and information gathering more practical and fun but I have also used it with groups in KS1. The children cut out the ‘head and shoulders’ template and decorate it as their chosen historical character (it could be anyone from the past eg. Kings & Queens, explorers, inventors, designers etc). Then the children cut out the paper strips and complete the spaces beneath the headings.
They make a colourful and informative class display and the children love reading each other’s contributions.
Florence Nightingale pack of 8 worksheets.
I used this set of worksheets with class of KS1 pupils.
Includes A4 factsheet of her life with pictures. Great to help pupils start their own research or to use as an information source for writing diaries/letters/newspaper article etc.
Template and simple scaffolding for a handwashing leaflet for children to personalise. (Note will need to be cut and pasted onto landscape format for pupil use).
Worksheet of Florence with speech bubbles to argue her case for being a nurse. This is a good introduction in preparation for drama or a hot seat activity.
Scutari hospital improvements worksheet.
‘Cut and Sequence’ sentence activity of Florence’s life.
Sort and stick the Victorian/modern day hospital items activity.
Improvements Florence made to the hospitals worksheets with question space to formulate questions for Florence. Also good for preparation for a drama activity. I used this for groups of 4 pupils (in role as 2 reporters + Florence + modern day nurse) with the reporters interviewing Florence about her impact on hospitals and the modern-day nurse saying how Florence’s work has continued today.
Hospitals and germ prevention pupil worksheet.
Japan fact sheet.
Includes locational information and geographical features broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a country in a range of genres (newspaper report, non-fiction report, weather report or information text etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the country followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
In geography lessons I have used this factsheet with a small group and asked the pupils to compare the physical and geographical features of Japan with the UK.
Famous animal fact sheet. Greyfriars Bobby.
Includes key events and important stages in their life broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person/animal in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Useful to use with cross curricular PSHE and History topics eg ‘Pets’, ‘Animals’, ‘People who help us’, PSHE topics.
Mae Carol Jemison Famous person fact sheet.
Includes key events and important stages in her life as a US scientist and astronaut, broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 2-6 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Links well to topics: Space, Astronauts, The Solar System, Planets, Women in History.
Chinese New Year KS1 and KS2 Assembly.
A simply written whole school assembly to cover the main aspects of Chinese New Year which can be used in the days preceding or during the 15 day celebration starting on 10th -25th February. Chinese dragon music can be easily slotted into the assembly where you chose (link included). Colourful images on each slide help to engage the children.
Power-point of 37 slides which include:
Suggested music (links to Chinese Dragon Dance, Festival music) and hymns.
Date of Chinese New Year (10th – 25th February 2024).
Geographical information about China’s location in the world on a map, land and sea borders, population.
Brief information about the Lunar calendar, Chinese zodiac, Chinese New Year celebrations and traditions including Days 1 – 5 of the New Year and the Lantern festival.
Poem ‘Chinese New Year’ by Wendy Larmont.
A short prayer.
Chinese New Year Animals of the zodiac KS1 and KS2 Assembly.
A simply written whole school assembly in the form of a story which tells of how the 12 animals were chosen to represent the years on the Chinese Calendar. Chinese dragon music can be easily slotted into the assembly where you chose (links to royalty free music included). Colourful images on each slide help to engage the children.
Power-point of 27 slides which include:
Suggested music (links to Chinese Dragon Dance, Festival music) and hymns.
The Jade Emperor’s race and the animals who enter it.
The 12 animals and their final positions in the race.
A zodiac wheel showing the dates and the animals which represent the dates.
Image 2024 and the year of the dragon.
Animal personality traits/characteristics and 12 animal cards to use in the classroom.
A short prayer.
Chinese New Year Bundle
Powerpoint 1: KS1 and KS2 Assembly/Lesson.
A simply written whole school assembly to cover the main aspects of Chinese New Year . Can be used as a stand-alone lesson. Music can be easily slotted in (link included). 37 slides include:
Music (links to Chinese Dragon Dance, Festival music) and hymns.
Geographical information about China’s location in the world .
Lunar calendar, Chinese zodiac, Chinese New Year celebrations and traditions, Lantern festival.
Poem ‘Chinese New Year’ by Wendy Larmont.
A short prayer.
Powerpoint 2: Animals of the zodiac KS1 and KS2 Assembly/ Lesson.
A story of how the 12 animals were chosen to represent the years on the Chinese Calendar. Can be used as a stand- alone lesson. Links to royalty free music included.
27 slides include:
Links to Chinese Dragon Dance, Festival music and hymns.
The Jade Emperor’s race and the animals who enter it.
Zodiac wheel and animals which represent the dates.
A short prayer.
Resource 1 : Glossary workbook
A stand- alone lesson on glossaries or part of topic on Chinese New Year.
Activities are organised into a short workbook.
Learning objectives:
To know that a glossary is an alphabetical list of words with definitions found in a non-fiction book.
To put words in alphabetical order.
To match words about Chinese New Year to the correct definitions.
Page 1. An information page about Chinese New Year.
Page 2. Vocabulary relating to Chinese New Year. 4 words to order alphabetically and set out as a glossary.
Page 3. Questions about vocabulary.
Page 4. Alphabetical order guide for pupils.
Page 5. Create 3 questions from the information text to ask a partner to include words from the glossary cards.
Set of 16 ‘Chinese New Year’ glossary cards for pupils to cut out and order into alphabetical order.
Page 6. Answers - alphabetical order.
Resource 2. Picture writing descriptions (paragraphs).
Four images to stimulate language and descriptive paragraph writing.
Resource 3. Three different worksheets with 3 different images (9 images in total) with key vocabulary for each image to support writing.
Resource 4. Set of 12 Chinese animal zodiac cards with picture of the animal and their personality/ characteristics.
Resource 5. What is your Chinese zodiac sign? Pupils can work out their animal year and write it in Chinese letters.
Resource 6 Write your name in Chinese characters. Not an exact match but will give children an idea of how the Chinese alphabet is structured.
Resource 7. Chinese zodiac animal code breaking maths (20 questions in total to practice place value and rounding 10, 100. Multiplication and division using 2 and3 digit numbers. Decimal multiplication. Answers included.
Resource 8. Instructions make a simple fortune cookie.
Resource 9 The traditional tale of Nian the Lion the basis for the traditions of Chinese New Year. Can be read aloud, small group guided reading or as a factsheet or comprehension text or Drama starting point.
St. Nicholas. Famous person fact sheet.
Includes key events and important legends in his life broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 2-6 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about Saint Nicholas in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Useful to link to topics on Christmas, Christianity, World celebrations, Giving and sharing, Being Kind.