Raising standards in KS1 and Special Needs: helping every child to succeed.
I have taught systematic phonics to all ages and abilities for over 30 years. My teaching degree was in Environmental Studies and I hate to see science reduced to box-ticking when there is so much to discover about the wonderful world we live in.
So, I produce Phonic resources that meet the real needs of children and teachers, along with science resources to engage children in learning about the natural world.
Raising standards in KS1 and Special Needs: helping every child to succeed.
I have taught systematic phonics to all ages and abilities for over 30 years. My teaching degree was in Environmental Studies and I hate to see science reduced to box-ticking when there is so much to discover about the wonderful world we live in.
So, I produce Phonic resources that meet the real needs of children and teachers, along with science resources to engage children in learning about the natural world.
A bumper pack of teaching resources with everything you need to teach initial sounds.
For use in class, for private tuition and for home education, ESL/EFL/ Special need.
This Initial Sounds Teaching Pack contains (all a-z with vowels in yellow):
Alphabet chart for display/for a child to practice the sounds/check and see progress
Cards with both pictures and initial sounds,
Cards with just a sound with room for the matching picture to be inserted above
Two sets of matching pictures cards
A set of lower-case letters
A set of upper-case letters
Vowel strips with and without pictures: these should be said daily, once learned, as the child moves on to learn to blend.
Over 170 cards altogether!
Simply print, cut and laminate for durability.
Suggestions for use are provided, but you are only limited by your imagination!
A bundle pack of autumn, winter and spring vocabulary flashcards with many uses:
For themed writing/reading work
Science work
Phonic work
Word walls
Dictionary work
Make a pocket chart
The phonetic coding gives children confidence to write/read and helps them to be more independent.
20 winter vocabulary cards, all phonetically coded.
Use for:
display
Word walls
Language development
Reading and spelling phonic work
Make picture dictionaries to go with your topic work
Use them in pocket charts - children just love these!
Science work and much more…
Use your imagination!
20 spring vocabulary cards, all phonetically coded.
Use for:
display
Word walls
Language development
Reading and spelling phonic work
Make picture dictionaries to go with your topic work
Use them in pocket charts - children just love these!
Science work and much more…
Use your imagination!
53 fully differentiated Phonic Worksheets to teach the Special Friends: ck and ng. Meet the needs of the average class and special needs.
For all phonics programmes, especially:
Read, Write Inc. Set 1 Special Friends
Letters and Sounds Phase 3 Set 3
Can also be used with other phonic programmes.
See individual packs for details and to preview the worksheets.
In time I intend to add: sh and ch, th, qu and nk, in two more separate packs.
31 ‘ng’ fully differentiated worksheets, for use with any phonic programme, catering for the needs of the average class and special needs.
Written for those at the early stages of phonics, e.g.: Letters and Sounds Phase 3 and Read Write Inc, Set 1 Special Friends and for catch up work, extra practice, ESL/EFL and special needs.
The worksheets give practice in:
Reading and spelling ‘ng’ words
Tracking the ‘ng’ sound in words and sentences
Proofreading
Comprehension
rhymes
Writing sentences using ‘ng’ words.
These worksheets are simple, but effective. For use by teachers and private tutors.
Find activities suitable for all abilities
Assume no knowledge of other digraphs (except on two stated worksheets where ‘th’ and ‘ck’ are used in higher level worksheets)
Two worksheets for most activities: one without consonant blend words, and one with consonant blend words.
Suitable for Special Needs/intervention work/homework.
A complete lesson to help children to learn about the seasonal changes in an Apple Tree that lead to the formation of apples.
Includes
Lesson Plan
2 differentated worksheets to show life-cycle of an apple tree through winter, spring, summer and autumn
Supporting resources: flashcards for 4 key words, original photos, 1 page four mini photos, one for each of the four seasons.
Suggested to be used with our PowerPoint on the same subject:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12752722
Buy as a bundle and save!
22 ‘ck’ fully differentiated worksheets, for use with any phonic programme. Written for those just beginning to blend, e.g Letters and sounds Phases 2 -4 and RWI Speed Set 1, Special friends. These worksheets cater for the needs of the average class and special needs.
The worksheets give practice in:
Reading and spelling ck words
Tracking the ck sound in words and sentences
Proofreading
Comprehension
Writing sentences using ck words.
These worksheets are simple, but effective. For use by teachers and private tutors.
Find activities suitable for all abilities
Assume no knowledge of other digraphs
Two worksheets for most activities: one without consonant blend words, and one with consonant blend words.
Suitable for Special Needs/intervention work/homework.
If you have already purchased our big book of Phases 3 and 4 worksheets for Letters and Sounds, you may have a few of these sheets, but this pack contains mainly new/changed material.
A cheerful Weather Word Mat for younger children. This mat is phonetically coded to help with reading and spelling.
Many uses!
This Weather Word Mat is included in the Weather Resources Pack:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12616669
Please do not Purchase twice!
18 weather-related worksheets and puzzles covering 6 areas of weather:
•What is the weather like today?
•Hot and Cold
•What shall I wear today?
•It’s Windy
•It’s Raining
•General Weather
3 Worksheets for each:
1 easy activity for younger children/lower ability,
2 word searches, 1 easy and 1 harder.
Use for a topic on weather, or as early finisher activities at any time of the year.
The harder words searches were originally written for a class of Y3 children so can be used with that age group too.
These worksheets are included in the Weather Project Pack but are listed here separately for those who only want the worksheets.
Here is a bundle of over 90 worksheets to teach number recognition, formation and simple addition and subtraction.
The worksheets provide unashamedly, old-fashioned maths teaching that is time proven to help all pupils, including those with a special need, to develop strong, foundational maths skills.
Suitable for use as individual worksheets in class, or as a workbook for home-school use.
See individual products for full contents details.
10 birds to colour.
Hand-drawn originals.
Suitable for ages 5 +.
Help children to learn:
to identify different birds,
to appreciate their differing colourings and structures
to sort birds
Ideas for use:
Colouring for early finishers - much Science can be learned from colouring birds, so this would not be a ‘busy’ activity.
Once a bird has been coloured, more could be found out about it. This could lead to research, factual writing, as well as Science work as the bird’s characteristics are studied.
If different children take a different bird, then they can share what they have learned and comparisons can be made.
Not for use as Clip Art.
Two PowerPoints suitable for use when teaching about Seasons/weather/changing levels of light through the year.
Covers many areas of science:
Seasons:
Learn what changes to look out for across the four seasons
Learn that days get shorter and longer throughout the year
How this affects the weather
How the seasons affect us: what we wear/what we do
How the seasons affect plants and animals
Light and Dark
Darkness is the absence of light
The sun is the main source of light on Planet Earth
Reminds pupils never to look directly at the sun
The sun provides warmth too - or Earth would be very cold
Why plants need the sun: to make food to help them reproduce
Creatures of the day (the need for survival)
Shadows - how they are formed
Plants and animals that prefer the shade and why (the need for survival)
Creatures of the night
Nocturnal (the need for survival)
Both with full narration notes plus notes under slides for use in Presenter View.
This 57-slide PowerPoint takes KS1 children through the seasons, starting with summer.
They will:
Learn what changes to look out for across the four seasons
Learn that days get shorter and longer throughout the year
How this affects the weather
How the seasons/weather affect us: what we wear/what we do
How the seasons affect plants and animals
Bright photos and simple explanation makes it accessible to all abilities in the class and will engage even reluctant learners.
Simple text for children to read on each slide. More information is provided for the teacher to read, if desired, in PDF form or under each slide.
Simply click when ready to progress to the next slide. All animations occur automatically.
Why not follow it with our Light and Dark PowerPoint?
Light and Dark PowerPoint: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12761117
You may also be interested in:
All About Autumn PowerPoint: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12422557
Autumn Leaves PowerPoint: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12398686
Conkers Life-cycle PowerPoint:https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12401942
Frogs Life-cycle PowerPoint: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12410937
This powerPoint about Light and Dark can help children to begin to understand the relationship between all living things and the sun; our need of light and the sun. This PowerPoint can help pupils learn or revise some aspects of the Y1/Y2 curriculum providing continuity of learning, and setting the context for Y3 work.
Simply explained, children will learn:
Darkness is the absence of light
The sun is the main source of light on Planet Earth
Reminds pupils never to look directly at the sun
The sun provides warmth too - or Earth would be very cold
Why plants need the sun: to make food to help them reproduce
Creatures of the day (the need for survival)
Shadows - how they are formed
Plants and animals that prefer the shade and why (the need for survival)
Creatures of the night
Nocturnal (the need for survival)
KS1 children can also learn:
To name some common animals
Why certain creatures/plants come out in the daytime/night time
Why plants need light
The basic needs of animals for survival
This PowerPoint is silent but comes with full narration notes, both under each slide for use in Presenter View, or as a PDF.
Why not follow this up with our Seasons PowerPoint?
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12761222
A colouring page for every letter of the alphabet. Colour the things that begin with each sound. One object on each page (except A) starts with the previous initial sound. Can the child find it?
Encourage neat colouring to aid pencil control.
Correct phonic ‘i’ sound and ‘q’ written with ‘u’.
I made these sheets for one of my pupils who is delayed in speech. He loved colouring and this was a way to motivate him. They helped him to successfully learn all 26 initial sounds.
They can be used by all children and though suitable for use with all schemes, do progress in order - so if the phonic programme your child/ren is/are using does not follow the order of the alphabet, then maybe wait until all of the sounds have been taught.
If you are teaching your own child, you may be interested in our totally FREE, phonic, reading and spelling programme, Reading Made Simple.
Yes, Y1 can study the life-cycle of a frog.
If frogs or frogspawn captures your children’s interest then use it to teach KS1 Science. Just because the National Curriculum says do life-cycles in Y2, it does not mean you cannot touch the subject in Y1! Much can be learnt that can actually covers the Y1 Science Curriculum!
KS1 Overview:
To enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice.
Y1: Animals, including humans
Statutory requirements
identify and name a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.
Y1 Science is all about arousing interest in the world around the child - use whatever is at hand, such as…
Butterflies: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12679180
Conkers: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12239335
Squirrels: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12742537
Frog-life-cycle worksheets for Y1:
Stick the pictures of the frog’s life-cycle in order - 2 choices of format.
A life-cycle mat for display, or to stimulate discussion/writing
A frog development poster/mat for display/discussion
A sheet on which to write descriptive words about a frog.
A picture to colour for early finishers.
Use with our Frog-Life-cycle PowerPoint for Y1 and Y2!
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12410937
Young children are always fascinated by frog spawn and frogs.
Life-cycles is not just for Y2!
These sheets help teach the Science National curriculum for Y1:
KS1 Overview:
To enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They should be encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice.
*
Y1: Animals, including humans
Statutory requirements
identify and name a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores
These frog Life-cycle worksheets can be used in mixed Y1/Y2 classes when Y2 children are learning about frog life-cycle, or in Y1 classes.
This 41-slide Powerpoint about Blackbirds will help children to use the local environment throughout the year to explore and answer questions about animals in their habitat.
The Power Point teaches children:
To recognise Blackbirds
What they eat
Where they live
How they move
How they are suited to their environment…
How they nest
and more!
It includes two brief video clips.
Full narration notes are provided both under each slide (use in presentation mode for best effect) or in transcript (pdf).
Our Blackbirds PowerPoint will help you to teach the following section of the National curriculum for Science:
Y1: Animals, including humans
Statutory requirements:
identify and name a variety of common animals including…birds.
identify and name a variety of common animals that are… carnivores.
Non-statutory guidance:
Pupils should use the local environment throughout the year to explore and answer questions about animals in their habitat.
Pupils should become familiar with names of birds - in this case, Blackbirds
Year 2:
Living things and their habitats:
identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other
identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including micro-habitats
describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals,
Animals, including humans
Statutory requirements:
Notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults
Non-statutory guidance:
Pupils should be introduced to the basic needs of animals for survival…
They should also be introduced to the processes of reproduction and growth
The PowerPoint will engage all pupils (tried and tested) and help to bring science alive - away from mere box ticking! Helping you to raise the next generation of adults who know our world and understand what it really needs to sustain it.
For Phases 3 to 5 of Letters and Sounds, here are over 270 fully differentiated worksheets to take pupils from Phase 3 to phase 5, passing through the introduction of consonant blends words in Phase 4.
Help every child to succeed by selecting the worksheet that is right for each pupil.
Here are two of our most popular books bundled together so that you save money!