Hi! I am a teacher with over 20 years' experience at Primary level. I try to make my resources as challenging as possible with a slice of fun, while cramming in as much detail as possible into the guided reading / writing activities, plays, worksheets and comprehension exercises that I produce. I also create and publish a range of free worksheets and resources, which now account for over 40% of my published resources. Any feedback and suggestions welcome!
Hi! I am a teacher with over 20 years' experience at Primary level. I try to make my resources as challenging as possible with a slice of fun, while cramming in as much detail as possible into the guided reading / writing activities, plays, worksheets and comprehension exercises that I produce. I also create and publish a range of free worksheets and resources, which now account for over 40% of my published resources. Any feedback and suggestions welcome!
A resource to support a lesson on persuasive writing techniques.
Pupils are asked to write a persuasive argument which either supports zoos or is against zoos. I have included a series of bullet - pointed techniques which can be used as criteria for success and to help the pupils with their writing.
Also included are a series of free images / posters about zoos.
Four poems to discus and use when teaching similes and poetry.
In Word so can be easily adapted and printed for use in the classroom.
The Warm and the Cold - Ted Hughes
Ages of Man - traditional
The Fisherman’s Wife - Amy Lowell
Windigo - Sylvia Mark
Eight poems which contain the use of personification and could be used in the classroom in discussion and teaching.
City Jungle - Pie Corbett
Daffydowndilly - A.A. Milne
Tractor - Valerie Worth
The Great Water Giant - Ian Souter
Jack Frost - C.E. Pike
Fog - Carl Sandburg
The Windmill - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Snow and Snow - Ted Hughes
This resource consists of :
1 - an original acrostic poem which could be used as a stand alone example of this form of poetry, to be read aloud or used in guided reading.
2 - an A4 sheet with 10 questions which concentrate on the figurative language used in the poem. This could be used as a whole class reading activity or an independent task.
3 - an answer sheet, with marks awarded up to 12 marks.
4 - In addition to the main comprehension, there is a challenge task and extra challenge task!
Suitable for Years 4-6 and helps to support the skill of note taking.
Pupils love the latest text message abbreviations so will enjoy working in pairs to find all the abbreviations contained in this worksheet.
It is a worksheet in 2 halves, the second activity is simpler and can be used to support pupils with SEN.
This is a bundle of 4 activities based on a 21 page powerpoint presentation and a non fiction text called, ‘Why don’t penguins feel the cold?’ The PP could be used as a starter or discussion activity or as a stand alone activity. The other activities include:
* Cloze procedure - 10 missing words
* Dictionary Challenge
* Cartoon picture - invent a caption
There are also lots of opportunities, within this pack, for pupils to practise their non fiction writing .
These are weekly 15-word spelling lists and LSCWC practice based on the Regular Spelling and Common Exception spellings for both year 4 and year 5.
I have a mixed class this year so I have devised separate lists for the two year groups. Each worksheet contains a list of the weekly spellings alongside a table where the children practise the words 4 times using Look-Say-Cover-Write-Check. I usually let the children start off on a Monday morning, then take the sheet home to practise for a test on Friday.
There is 5 week's work included, alongside templates to make further lists of your own and displays of the weekly spellings for your literacy board.
Thomas is trapped in a room but we don’t know why or how he has got there . . .
This resource can be used in a number of ways: as a story starter for a suspense / mystery story; for an example of creating empathy for a character; for a stimulus for a cold / independent write, etc.
I have used it as part of a wider drama scenario, whereby Tom has been arrested (wrongly) for shoplifting and is awaiting his mum whilst locked in the manager’s drab office, all alone with his mind racing . . .
The pack contains a set of comprehension exercises covering all 15 chapters of the book. The activities are presented in two different formats: the first format consists of handy A4 worksheets which the pupils work on. Each A4 worksheet includes a reading challenge extension task. The second format requires the pupils to write the answers in their exercise books, and as there are 2 question sheets per A4 sheet this means the question sheets can be easily cut in half and stuck into the pupils’ books if required.
Each comprehension worksheet has a range of different questions, with 20 marks available (allowing for a % score to be made too!). I have tried to design questions which allow success for less able children but with challenging, higher order questions for above average pupils. Harder questions are signified by being awarded extra marks (up to 3 marks as in the SATs and key stage tests). Each comprehension has a learning objective in line with Year 3/4 National Curriculum objectives and requires the reading of one, two or three chapters of the book (most chapters are small).
The worksheets are are all written in Word, so can be easily adapted - for instance you could also add your own questions, objectives etc.
There are various ways to use this resource, including
As part of a shared reading session, with the pupils completing the written tasks after discussion and analysis of the text as a class or group.
As independent written tasks for the rest of the class, while the teacher is reading with a smaller group.
As an additional, ready-made resource to support the study of George’s Marvellous Medicine as a Unit of Work / class book.
As a stand-alone, independent reading activity / assessment.
As a useful teacher prompt/ discussion leader when doing a guided read.
SPAG ACTIVITIES
I have also included 5 SPAG activities which are based on the first 6 chapters. They include practice in proof reading, verb tenses, spelling and questions based on SATS format.
‘A Victorian Diary’ is a series of 15 minute videos showing life in Victorian times. Events are reported by fictional character Maggie Johnson and by other characters she meets, providing different perspectives. This series is brilliant just to watch and enjoy, but it can also be used to help develop literacy skills.
These are resources based on chapters 2 and 3 and also include generic diary writing templates.
The chapter 2 resource is a punctuation and proof reading exercise. Pupils have to read and correct a diary entry, written from Maggie’s perspective. It could also be used as an example of writing in diary style and lead to the pupils writing their own version.
The main learning objective of the Chapter 3 worksheet is to develop pupils’ understanding of empathy, but there is activities on prediction skills and note - taking. Alongside the worksheet I have created some excerpts and images to cement the main learning objective.
There are 4 plays for use with Upper Key Stage Two:
Palm Sunday - 4 speaking parts
Palm Sunday - 7 speaking parts
Good Friday - 13 speaking parts
Peter’s Denial - 8 speaking parts
The plays can be used in guided reading sessions, as part of drama and R.E. lessons or even as class assemblies.
The two Palm Sunday plays are similar, with one being longer and having more speaking parts. They both use the modern day concept of ‘Live News’ reporting for dramatic effect.
Peter’s Denial and Good Friday could be acted out in small groups or read as a class.
I have created the first 3 parts to an original myth based on traditional Greek myths, which can be used to teach pupils how to develop their own myth.
Lesson 1 - Creating the setting.
Lesson 2 - Introducing the villain and setting out the problem.
Lesson 3 - Introducing the hero and creating tension in the story.
I have used this exemplar to teach children to write their own ‘myth’ over the course of a week, in stages, with time allowed for editing and improving. I have included the main features of a Greek myth, such as the use of magic, fantastic, hybrid creatures, and the Good vs Bad scenario.
In the course of a lesson, these features will be emphasised as the teacher writes alongside the pupils, discussing the language and why it has been chosen. Characters will be developed with detailed descriptions and the plot will be discussed and used as a model for pupils’ own myths.
I have not written the last parts of the story as this is where I would put the children fully in charge of the story - it is amazing the ideas they will devise for the hero to vanquish the evil villain Voltar and his terrifying creature, the Scorpidon!
As the story is in Word, it can be adapted an lots of ways and also used to develop spelling, punctuation, cloze procedure and grammar activies. I have also included some Greek island images for use in pupils’ books, and an A4 feature list for myths. Enjoy!
Full chapter - by - chapter comprehension packs for 5 classic children’s books ideal for use in Key Stage Two:
*George’s Marvellous Medicine
*The Sheep - Pig
*The Angel of Nitshill Road
*The Firework-Maker’s Daughter
*The Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler
8 SPAG worksheets based on the Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler, for independent work or whole class revision.
I have created 8 SPAG worksheets based on the Turbulent Term of Tyke Tiler
Chapter 1 Present and Past Tense
Chapter 2 Proofreading
Chapter 3 Mixed Grammar and Vocabulary Practice
Chapter 4 Mixed Grammar and Vocabulary Practice
Chapter 5 Mixed Grammar and Vocabulary Practice
Chapter 6 Spelling and Dictionary Practice
Chapter 8 Spelling and Dictionary Practice
Chapters 9 and 10 Antonyms and Synonyms**
A comprehension exercises based on chapter five, with an extension challenge based on vibrant verbs
There are 20 comprehension questions with 25 marks available, allowing for an easy percentage score to be found!
Can be used in guided reading, independent work, whole class teaching, homework or assessment.
Answer sheets included for the comprehension and challenge.
A comprehension exercise based on chapter three, with an extension challenge based on the use of a dictionary.
There are 20 comprehension questions with 25 marks available, allowing for an easy percentage score to be found!
Could be used in independent work, guided reading sessions, whole class teaching, homework or an assessment activity.
Answer sheets included.
A comprehension exercises based on chapter two, with an extension challenge based on compound words,
There are 21 comprehension questions with 25 marks available, allowing for an easy percentage score to be found!
Can be used in independent work, whole class teaching, homework or an assessment activity.
Answer sheets included for the comprehension and challenge.
This is a literacy pack based on the first 5 chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
For each chapter, there is a comprehension worksheet containing a range of around 20 questions, based on the text, producing 25 marks in total. The questions are written on one size of A4 and include an extension activity. The worksheets could be used as independent reading tasks, homework activities or as a tool for guided reading groups. Also included with each comprehension task is an A4 answer sheet. Just for for chapter one, there are two comprehension activities, one based on pages 7 - 13 and the next on pages 13 - 18.
The extension activities attached to each comprehension task are listed below:
Chapter one, pages 7 - 13: Dictionary Challenge
Chapter One, pages 13 - 18: Astounding Alliteration
Chapter Two: Compound Words
Chapter Three: Dictionary Challenge
Chapter Four: Spelling Challenge
Chapter Five: Vibrant Verbs
The literacy pack also includes nine writing resources as follows:
Chapter Two - Dear Diary ( Harry’s point of view)
Chapter Two - Writing activity based on Harry and Dudley’s differing viewpoints
Chapter Four - Mysterious character descriptive writing task
Chapter Four - Letter writing task: Hagrid writing to Dumbledore
Chapter Five - Recount based on the visit to the Leaky Cauldron (Harry’s POV)
Chapters 1 to 5 - Book review
Spooky Picture for use in creative writing
Spelling task - ‘soft c’
Awesome Adjectives Wordsearch
A chapter - by - chapter (12 chapters in all) set of comprehension exercises with linked Spelling and Grammar activities. Each comprehension activity has at least 10 questions, which I have designed to allow success for less able children but with challenging, higher order questions for above average pupils. Harder questions are signified by being awarded extra marks (up to 3 marks for a tricky question). Each reading task has a learning objective in and requires the reading of one full chapter of the Sheep-Pig. The worksheets are all A4 size and there are various ways to use the activity sheets, including:
As part of a shared reading session, with the pupils completing the written tasks after discussion and analysis of the text as a class or group.
As independent written tasks for the rest of the class, while the teacher is reading with a smaller group.
As an additional, ready-made resource to support the study of The Sheep - Pig as a Unit of Work / class book.
As a stand-alone, independent reading activity / assessment.
As a useful teacher prompt/ discussion leader when doing a guided read.
Alongside the comprehension task, each worksheet has a Spelling or Grammar challenge - for example: fronted adverbials, dictionary activities, word classes, etc. These could be the focus of the lesson, serve as an extension task or be used as a stand alone / separate activity. All worksheets are created on Microsoft Word so can be easily adapted to suit your needs. For example, in the past I have shrank the 10 set questions to half-page size and photocopied them to stick in pupils’ books, ready for independent work. You could also add your own questions, objectives etc.
This resource will help children to write their own rhyming, nonsense poems modelled on the Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear.
There sre 2 basic resources to use:
An exemplar of a poem written in the style of The Owl and the Pussycat, called The Dog and the Budgie. It could be displayed on the whiteboard alongside the original or printed out for discussion.
A cloze procedure activity to help lower attaining pupils to succeed in the activity.
I have also included a Twinkl PP of the original poem, to use or delete as necessary.