Breathing Space
I am a Secondary English Teacher on a mission - to produce the highest quality lessons I possibly can with the intention of saving precious time for teachers!
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I am a Secondary English Teacher on a mission - to produce the highest quality lessons I possibly can with the intention of saving precious time for teachers!
MASSIVE Christmas Carol Revision Crossword! 50 Clues!
This is a massive 'A Christmas Carol' Crossword Puzzle for revision and consolidation - it is full of key quotes, characters, plot points and motifs.
It should take a considerable amount of time (and probably some research) to complete it, so would be perfect to set for homework or while you are working 1:1 with students.
Also includes a complete answer key so that you can check answers with ease.
A Level English Language - Political Correctness - AQA - Linguistic Reflectionism & Determinism
This is a lesson introducing students to the concepts surrounding political correctness and linguistic reflectionism and determinism.
It explores the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, Steven Pinker, The Euphemism Treadmill, Miller and Swift, Fairclough, David Crystal and Deborah Cameron’s views on the issue.
There is a final writing prompt, plus a past paper exemplar from AQA.
It will take approximately 2 hours to cover in enough depth.
Enjoy!
Falling Leaves - Margaret Postgate Cole
A whole PowerPoint lesson on Falling Leaves by Margaret Postgate Cole, focusing on background, language analysis and context.
Creative Writing Board Game: Creative Dice-ing!
Roll the dice and create something amazing!
This is a roll the dice board game for Creative Writing. It consists of a vibrant grid full of images, words and phrases to provoke outside-the-box thinking and writing!
Students roll the dice to choose a genre, then roll again moving across the board to land on weird and wonderful prompts, including a frog, thunderstorm, chain-link fence, digger and orca.
This has produced some really outstanding writing from my students and can be used to aid writers' block in even the most reluctant of budding authors.
NOTE: This product requires you to supply your own dice.
Create Your Own Comic Strip Template
This is a fun and engaging blank comic strip proforma for students to create their own storyboards, scene interpretations or just design their own comics!
Great for use with chapter summaries, end of unit reflection, creative responses or just a bit of fun.
Macbeth Cloze Word Fill Worksheets for Every Act and Scene of Shakespeare's Play
This is a set of 8 Cloze gap-fill worksheets for every act of Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Wordbanks are printed at the bottom of each sheet and serve as a perfect way to revise the plot.
You could use it to recap the events of each act as you study it and then keep it to refer back to before exams.
I often give a competitive edge to proceedings by giving a time limit and assigning points to each correct word.
Enjoy!
Lavender Language - Homosexual Language and Polari - A Level English Language
This is an entire lesson including tasks and activities based around 'Lavender Language' of homosexuals and Polari. It includes research, language etymology and an essay task on the topic.
*Please be aware that this is only suitable for KS5 students as it contains some sexually explicit terminology.*
Spellbound by Emily Bronte - Complete Lesson
This is a complete lesson for studying Emily Brontë's poem 'Spellbound'.
It includes a carefully differentiated lesson in PPT format, along with my personalised 'Developing Tray' activity.
To use Developing Tray:
I have included two copies of the poem; one normal and one with certain words blacked out. The students must try to work out the missing words (either in teams or as a whole class) and the teacher will reveal the words that they get correct.
I usually allow them to 'buy' three total words, five individual letters and one complete line to help them out.
I hope you enjoy this lesson, it's been very popular with my classes.
Look out for more poetry lessons using Developing Tray on my profile!
Bundle
COMPLETE BUNDLE Edexcel Conflict Poetry Cluster GCSE 9-1 - All 15 Poems!
This bundle includes full lessons and resources for all 15 poems in the new Edexcel Conflict Poetry Cluster for the 9-1 GCSE exam.
Buying them in this bundle saves over 50% compared to buying the poems separately!
Poems covered include:
• Half-Caste - John Agard
• Catrin - Gillian Clarke
• War Photographer - Carole Satyamurti
• The Class Game - Mary Casey
• No Problem – Benjamin Zephaniah
• What Were They Like? - Denise Levertov
• Belfast Confetti - Ciaran Carson
• Poppies - Jane Weir
• A Poison Tree William Blake
• The Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson
• Extract from The Prelude - William Wordsworth
• The Man He Killed - Thomas Hardy
• Cousin Kate - Christina Rossetti
• Exposure - Wilfred Owen
• The Destruction of Sennacherib - Lord Byron
I have also included a learning mat that can be used as a homework menu to supplement their in-class learning and a RAG rated grid for in their exercise books.
I would highly recommend teaching ‘Extract from the Prelude’ before ‘The Destruction of Sennacherib’ as the former covers the basics of the Romantic Poets.
Likewise, I would suggest teaching ‘The Class Game’ before ‘The Man He Killed’ as the first explores the conventions of Dramatic Monologues.
If you find that any of the video links don’t work, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I’ll send you them directly.
The Merchant of Venice Act 3 Scene 1 Choice Menu With 19 Engaging Activities
This is a worksheet comprising 19 activities on Act 3 Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice.
You can use this worksheet in any number of the following ways, and possibly more that I haven't thought of!:
- as unit homework, asking students to complete 1-2 activities per week
- as a lesson for pre-exam revision
- ask students to choose one task from each colour to ensure a wide range of analysis and interpretation.
To use the QR codes students can download a free QR reader from the App Store - this is often their favourite bit!
This has been clearly differentiated for a wide variety of learning styles with a colour key at the bottom of the page.
BLACKFISH - Print and Go Worksheet for Analysis of the SeaWorld Documentary
This two-page worksheet is a comprehensive way to ensure that students are watching the Blackfish documentary with purpose. The documentary explores SeaWorld's treatment of killer whales and interviews past and present employees and orca trainers.
This information can then be used for informative or persuasive writing outcomes - I like to create a trial scene where Tilikum is given a voice.
Entirely print and go - no preparation needed!
At the time of writing the documentary is available on Netflix.
SKIN by ROALD DAHL - Worksheet Plus Extended Writing Activity
This is a two-page worksheet - one side containing analysis and comprehension questions around Dahl's short story 'Skin' - the other an extended writing activity to encourage students to write in Dahl's style.
Students respond really well to this, particularly when they realise that Soutine the artist was real!
Full text is available online as a PDF.
Lesson 3 Imaginative Writing: Character Contrast and Subversion - Miss Havisham
The third lesson in my imaginative writing SOW focuses on how Dickens subverts reader expectations through the character of Miss Havisham.
There is an extended descriptive piece of writing for students to complete.
Please note: You will need to download my free short story anthology from my store to use with this lesson.
International Phonetic Alphabet Posters - IPA - A Level English Language
A set of visually arresting posters with the IPA symbols for each sound.
These are perfect to display in your A Level English Language classroom and are invaluable to refer to when writing transcripts or specific examples for Paper 2.
Short Story Anthology - Supernatural, Sinister and the Downright Scary
This is an anthology of short stories for use with an imaginative writing or reading unit.
I don’t own the rights to any of the stories but have put them together for ease of printing and use, etc.
Heroes by Robert Cormier - Complete Unit of 24 Lessons
This is a complete GCSE unit novel study for Robert Cormier's Heroes.
This comprises 21 PowerPoints, a total Scheme of Work split into 24 lessons and all related resources.
Lessons include embedded videos, extracts from other relevant literature, close reading exercises, creative work, research lessons, a complete trial set-up, debates and various short and extended writing opportunities.
This is a hugely popular unit with all of the groups that have studied it.
Please do let me know if any of the video links/resources don't work for you. Message me and I will send them to you directly.
The Destruction of Sennacherib - Lord Byron (Edexcel Conflict Poetry Cluster GCSE 1-9)
A whole lesson analysing the poem 'The Destruction of Sennacherib' by Lord Byron from the Edexcel Conflict Cluster (1-9 GCSE)
Includes language analysis, vocab, context and questions.
Lord of the Flies Choice Homework Menu - Lots of Tasks!
This is a homework menu for Lord of the Flies - containing a huge range of tasks and activities with a points value attached to each.
I usually assign a number of points that the students must achieve across the unit and collect in one piece per week.
Twitter Issues Vol. 3 - Correct the Spelling and Grammar of Celebrities!
TWITTER ISSUES Vol. 3 - Correct the Spelling and Grammar of more Celebrities!
This great starter activity includes 25 grammatically incorrect tweets from famous celebrities. Pop one on the board and get your students to correct them!
A mixture of spelling and grammar issues #Twissues on one fun PPT.
I made this into a TuesdayTwissue activity and the kids LOVE it!
This could also be used in any subject area for Literacy across the curriculum.
List of Edexcel Conflict Poems for RAG Rating
This is a simple excel list of the Edexcel Conflict Poems for the GCSE exam.
I use it for students to stick into their books, tick off each poem they have studied and then RAG rate their understanding/confidence of it.