I am an experienced English teacher and Literacy Coordinator. All of my resources are organised, engaging, ready to teach and designed to save you - the teacher - your valuable time!
Please have a look at all of my resources - at least 20% of which are free.
I am an experienced English teacher and Literacy Coordinator. All of my resources are organised, engaging, ready to teach and designed to save you - the teacher - your valuable time!
Please have a look at all of my resources - at least 20% of which are free.
A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring how Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in Act 3 Scene 2 to create tension as Bassanio chooses a casket. Students will be guided through and discuss the scene.
Learning Objective: Understand how Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to build tension in Act 3 Scene 2
Learning Outcomes:
-Students will experience dramatic irony through a class demonstration.
Students will understand how dramatic irony can be used for humour or to create tension.
Students will discuss Act 3 Scene 2 and interpret the meaning of Shakespearean language.
Lesson Outline:
Do it now: Recall questions about the casket tests from Act 2.
Starter: Dramatic irony explanation and examples.
Activity one: Think – pair – share after students watch and discuss two examples of dramatic irony.
Activity two: Summary of scene with discussion and interpretation tasks interspersed.
Plenary: Students answer questions on mini-whiteboards or scrap paper.
More Resources for The Merchant of Venice
Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters.
Freebies:
For character revision posters for your classroom, click here.
For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here.
For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here.
Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
An engaging and detailed PowerPoint containing 40 questions and answers to introduce students to the weird and wonderful life of William Shakespeare.
**The questions are split into four rounds, each containing 10 questions: **
Shakespeare’s life and family
Shakespeare’s character
Shakespeare’s writing
The Globe theatre
This could be used across a one hour or 90 minute lesson, or as a detailed starter across multiple lessons. It is aimed at key stages 3 and 4. After each round, students are prompted to mind-map what they have learned about Shakespeare.
30 slides in total.
I really value all the feedback I receive. Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from my shop.
A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring the question of ‘to what extent was Shakespeare Anti-Semitic in his writing of The Merchant of Venice?’ Students will be guided through a class discussion and then work in pairs to unpack the language in act 2 scene 8.
Learning Objective: Consider to what extent Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock is anti-Semitic.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will learn key vocabulary such as cultural context, stereotype etc.
Students will be introduced to the cultural context of anti-Semitism in Elizabethan England and in Venice.
Students will work in pairs to analyse the language in act 2 scene 8.
Students will write a PEE question on Shakespeare and anti-Semitism.
Lesson Outline:
Do it now: Match the key terms to the definition.
Starter: Cultural context of anti-Semitism in Jacobean society.
Activity one: Reading Act 2 Scene 8 and discussion questions.
Activity two: Students work individually or in pairs to complete the worksheet.
Plenary: Write a PEE paragraph to answer the question ‘to what extent do you think Shakespeare was anti-Semitic?’
More Resources for The Merchant of Venice
Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters.
Freebies:
For character revision posters for your classroom, click here.
For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here.
For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here.
Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
A detailed lesson on Act 5 of The Merchant of Venice in which students are introduced to Freytag’s Pyramid so that they understand how the falling action leads to a resolution at the end of the play. They then consider which characters do or do not have a happy ending and write a review of the play.
Learning Objective: Evaluate the experience of different characters at the end of the play.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will be introduced to Freytag’s Pyramid and understand how the action falls towards the end of the play.
Students will read and discuss a summary of Act 5 scene 1.
Students will evaluate the experience of different characters at the ending of the play.
Students will write a review of the play.
Lesson Outline:
Do it now: Recall questions about Act 4
Starter: Introduction to Freytag’s Pyramid.
Activity one: Read and discuss summary of Act 5.
Activity two: Students complete a worksheet about whether the characters have a happy, sad or mixed ending. Students then swap and peer assess each other’s work.
Plenary: Students write a review of the play.
More Resources for The Merchant of Venice
Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters.
Freebies:
For character revision posters for your classroom, click here.
For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here.
For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here.
Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
This bundle contains three of my most popular English resources, which can be used multiple times and are easily adaptable to different classes.
The bundle contains:
A 40 question quiz on Shakespeare with questions on his plays, his life and the Globe Theatre.
A 40 question quiz on poetry - covering poetic forms, poetic techniques, famous poets and iconic lines of poetry.
A general knowledge reading quiz - great for World Book Day or for any literacy activities throughout the school year.
Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
This is an engaging and fully-resourced one hour lesson to introduce students to the characters of the witches and some of the key themes in Act 1 Scene 1 of ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare.
This resource includes a full PowerPoint including all teacher instructions that is ready to download and teach straight away. Students will consider pathetic fallacy and the paradox of ‘fair is foul, and foul is fair’.
Students will work in groups to complete an engaging worksheet and then will work individually to write an analysis paragraph (which is scaffolded with an example paragraph included).
Students will also have the opportunity to stage the opening scene and consider how they could increase the fear for the audience.
Lesson Objective: Analyse how Shakespeare creates fear at the start of Macbeth.
Learning Outcomes:
Understand how the opening scene introduces some important themes in Macbeth.
Evaluate Shakespeare’s use of literary devices.
Distinguish between the reactions of a Shakespearean audience and a modern audience.
Lesson Outline:
Do it now: Questions for students to consider how a Shakespearean audience would have reacted to the witches.
Starter: Think – Pair – Share about witches in Shakespeare’s time.
Activity 1: Read act 1 scene 1 and students complete worksheet to identify language techniques with answers provided.
Activity 2: Students write an analytical paragraph to answer the question ‘how did Shakespeare create fear for a Shakespearean audience?’ They will see a modelled paragraph first and peer assess afterwards.
Activity 3: In groups of 3, consider how they would stage and direct the scene to really terrify a Shakespearean audience.
Plenary: How would a modern audience react differently to the opening of Macbeth? Do you think it is still as scary even though the belief in witchcraft isn’t as widespread?
Leave a review and choose any other resource, of up to the same value, for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
This unit is designed as an introduction to poetry for key stage 3 to build upon the knowledge they will have from key stage 2. It aims to challenge students to apply poetic techniques in a creative and sophisticated way and also to support them in their own poetry analysis.
This bundle contains:
A detailed knowledge organiser for homework and class quizzing.
A 40 question quiz that covers the key knowledge on the knowledge organiser.
A poetic terms match-up exercise for revision.
An adaptable booklet to help students to create their own anthology of poetry.
A unit overview document and end of unit assessment.
An easy start-of-year activity to write an acrostic poem about yourself. This could be set as homework.
Lesson 1: Poetry vs prose
Lesson 2: Figurative language - write powerful similes and metaphors.
Lesson 3: Personification
Lesson 4: Poetry analysis for beginners - The Lesson by Roger McGough
Lesson 5: Sibilance
Lesson 6: Assonance
Lesson 7: Annotating poetry - ‘I am Offering this Poem’
Lesson 8: Write a PEE analytical paragraph about poetry
Bonus lesson: how to write a slam poem.
Leave a review and get any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
A collection of knowledge organisers about various topics that are commonly taught in secondary English Language and Literature. If you purchase this bundle, you will also be able to download any additional knowledge organisers that I add in the future.
This bundle includes knowledge organisers on the following topics:
Introduction to Poetry
Macbeth
Of Mice and Men
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
The Merchant of Venice
Writing Skills (SPAG)
World War 1 Poetry
Cambridge IGCSE 0500 English Language
Romeo and Juliet
Horror Writing
Analytical writing
Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
A fun and addictive ‘Of Mice and Men’ revision tool that lasts 20-40 minutes to help students revise themes and quotes. The game ends differently each time, so this can be played multiple times to support students in revising the themes and ideas in Of Mice and Men.
Students play as either George, Lennie, Candy or Curley and the aim is to achieve their dream. They play through 40 event cards, which will give them plus or minus DPs (dream points). If they can achieve positive DPs by the end of the game then they achieve their dream. If they don’t then they are doomed to a migrant worker life of working for other people.
This game helps students to revise key events in the book, important quotes and presses them to consider the challenges that characters face to achieve their dreams. Reflection questions for students are included.
It is a print and play game. It is quick and easy to cut out. I would suggest laminating for quick further use, however this is not required. The only additional materials you will need are one die per game and scrap paper for students to keep track of their scores.
Included:
How to play card
Character profiles sheet
Event cards
Reflection questions
Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
I have a whole range of Of Mice and Men revision resources available in the shop and a range of revision videos on my YouTube channel (this is linked to in my shop).
A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring the question of ‘how is Prince Arragon presented in The Merchant of Venice?’ Students will be guided through a class discussion of the scene and then will complete a slow writing PETER paragraph on Prince Arragon.
Learning Objective: Write an analytical paragraph about how the Prince of Arragon is presented in Act 2 Scene 9.
Learning Outcomes:
Students will consider the morphology of the word ‘analysis’.
-Students will unpick the meaning of Act 2 Scene 8 with teacher support.
-Students will be guided through how to write a PETER analytical paragraph.
Students will write predictions about what will come next in the play.
Lesson Outline:
Do it now: Recall questions about the first casket in act 2 scene 7
Starter: Think – pair – share about the meaning of the word ‘analysis’ followed by morphological explanation of the word.
Activity one: Class discussion and reading of Act 2 Scene 9 to support students in unpicking the meaning of the text.
Activity two: Slow writing of PETER paragraph to answer the question of ‘how is the Prince of Arragon portrayed?’
Peer Assessment
Plenary: Based on selected points, students write a prediction for what will happen next in the play.
More Resources for The Merchant of Venice
Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters.
Freebies:
For character revision posters for your classroom, click here.
For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here.
For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here.
Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
This bundle contains 20 resources that can be used and adapted for key stage 3 English lessons. It contains resources that cover reading, writing and speaking skills.
All lessons are ready to download and teach immediately. This bundle contains the following:
Writing Skills
Lesson on colons vs semi colons
Lesson on commas, dashes and brackets
Lesson on complex sentences
Lesson on compound sentences
Writing skills (SPAG) knowledge organiser
Writing skills for key stage 3 assessment with answer rubric included.
Figurative language - writing similes and metaphors
Lesson on punctuating dialogue
Lesson on assonance
Lesson on sibilance
Lesson on personification
Reading Skills/Poetry
12) Booklet to help students create their own poetry anthology
13) Lesson on the features of poetry and prose
14) 2 lessons on successful annotation and analysis of poetry.
15) Lesson on how to write a slam poem
16) Reusable lesson to embed close reading skills
17) Introduction to poetry knowledge organiser
18) World Book Day reading quiz
19) Poetry analysis lesson on ‘The Lesson’ by Roger McGough
Speaking and listening skills
20) Introduction to group discussion lesson
Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
Enhance your students’ analytical skills with this comprehensive lesson on Macbeth, designed to deepen their understanding of Shakespeare’s use of tension, dramatic irony, and paradox. This 90-minute lesson (or two one-hour lessons) guides students through key segments of Acts 3 and 4, helping them unpick the Bard’s meaning with structured support and discussion prompts. Ideal for Key Stages 3 and 4, this lesson is perfect for exploring how Macbeth’s ambition begins to consume him as the witches’ prophecies unfold.
Resource Highlights:
27 Fully-Prepared Slides: All the resources you need for a complete, engaging lesson.
In-Depth Literary Analysis: Focuses on Shakespeare’s use of tension, dramatic irony, and the impact of the witches’ prophecies.
Teacher Support: Detailed discussion questions and provided answers ensure you can guide students effectively.
Learning Outcomes:
Comprehensive Understanding: Students will read and interpret key scenes from Acts 3 and 4.
Collaborative Analysis: Encourages group discussions and class engagement to deepen analysis.
Focused Literary Device Exploration: Students will learn to identify and explain the effect of literary devices such as dramatic irony and paradox.
Lesson Breakdown:
Do It Now: A quick 90-second recall on Jacobean beliefs in witches to set the context.
Starter: Introduce key literary terms, followed by a guided reading and discussion of Act 3, Scene 1, leading to a 100-word student summary.
Activity One: Delve into Act 3, Scene 4 with student-led discussions and summary writing.
Plenary: Students reflect on how Shakespeare builds tension, using key vocabulary to articulate their thoughts.
Why Choose This Resource?
Designed for Confidence-Building: Helps students feel secure in their analysis of complex texts.
Ready to Use: Download and start teaching immediately with no prep required.
Leave a review and select another resource of equal value for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.
This bundle contains:
A detailed knowledge organiser containing key quotes, facts about Shakespeare and a character summary!
An engaging lesson introducing the context of Macbeth.
A detailed lesson introducing the characters and themes of the play (including all teacher instructions).
A detailed lesson introducing the themes in act 1 scene 1.
A lesson introducing Macbeth in act 1 scene 2.
A detailed lesson on act 1 scenes 3 and 4.
A detailed lesson on act 1 scene 5 analysing Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy.
A lesson examining the persuasive techniques used by Lady Macbeth in act 1 scene 7.
A lesson guiding students to analysing Macbeth’s soliloquy in act 2 scene 1.
A lesson on independent STEAL analysis in act 2 scene 2.
A lesson on dramatic tension in act 2 scene 3.
An extension task/homework sheet for further application of the skills analysed in act 1 scene 7.
Detailed character profiles of the five main characters: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, King Duncan, Banquo and the three witches.
A Shakespeare pub-style quiz with 40 questions about the Bard!
A homework menu to give students ownership over their extended study.
Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.