I have been an SLT co-ordinating English, dance, drama and music. I have covered PPA by delivering drama and dance to children from EYFS - Y6. I have delivered INSET on drama, dance and music both in schools and at a county level. I have delivered the drama module for B.Ed students at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford.
I write children's poems and have had some published in compilations. I have written drama and dance lessons based on poetry, for Early Years Educator and Scholastic.
I have been an SLT co-ordinating English, dance, drama and music. I have covered PPA by delivering drama and dance to children from EYFS - Y6. I have delivered INSET on drama, dance and music both in schools and at a county level. I have delivered the drama module for B.Ed students at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford.
I write children's poems and have had some published in compilations. I have written drama and dance lessons based on poetry, for Early Years Educator and Scholastic.
This is a unit of five dance lessons based on the jungle and rainforest. Each lesson is individual and will stand alone, however I would recommend that you do ‘The Machines are Coming’ after doing either ‘Rainforest’ by Helen Cowcher or ‘Rainforest Dance’ so you won’t have to use time going over the same animals.
Lesson 1: 'The Jungle' - group dances based on a poem
Lesson 2: The Machines are Coming - whole class dance based on the diggers coming into the rainforest. Uses the CD 'The Art of Noise' but any music with a mechanical, heavy beat will do
Lesson 3: 'Where the Forest Meets the Sea' by Jeannie Baker - whole class dance telling the story of the book
Lesson 4: Rainforest Dance - upbeat dance using the movements of the rainforest animals. Uses CD 'One World - A Musical Journey Around the Globe' but any upbeat piece of music will do
Lesson 5: 'Rainforest' by Helen Cowcher - whole class dance telling the story of the book.
This pack is accompanied by a power point presentation of the resources used in the lesson ‘The Jungle’. If you don’t have an IWB in the hall, the resources are also included in the lesson pack for you to print out.
This is a 12 stanza, non-rhyming poem about the affects humans are having on the environment. The first half is about the wonderful things on the planet, and the second half is about what’s happening to them now.
It is presented as a 13 slide PPT presentation, with each verse having a powerful image as the background. There is also a written version of the poem.
This poem would be ideal for individual, paired, group or whole class poetry, as well as perfect to support work on the environment.
'Emilio lives with his mother, in a village on a Caribbean island. He is a very naughty boy and causes lots of problems. When he’s naughty he makes sparks fly. His mother gets very angry with him, and when she is angry the air rumbles loudly. The villagers are scared of them both. The Village Leader decides that the villagers have had enough, and he sends them both far away. It takes three attempts before Emilio and his mother are sent far enough away, so they can’t scare the villagers anymore…'
This short play (for a whole class assembly) is based on a traditional Caribbean tale and would link very well to a topic on the weather. There are speaking parts for every child in a class of 30. However, you can change this by simply giving fewer children more to say, and have some children with non-speaking parts. For example, there are seven Ibis birds all saying one line each; this could easily be changed to less birds speaking.
I have left the play as a word document so changes can be made.
Characters:
4 narrators
Emilio (This could be changed to Alesha if you want it to be a girl instead of a boy)
Mother (This could be changed to father if you want it to be played by a boy)
Village Leader (This would traditionally be a man but could easily be played by a girl)
4 rabbits
4 hens
4 sheep
4 villagers
7 Ibis birds
Line count (the number of times the character speaks in the play, not the number of sentences spoken. There is a lot of repetition e.g. the villagers say the same thing every time they come on):
Village Leader – 16
Emilio – 7 (including singing his song accompanied by the class)
Mother – 7 (mainly singing her song accompanied by the class)
Narrator 1 - 2
Narrator 2 – 2
Narrator 3 – 2
Narrator 4 – 2
Villagers (1-4) - 3
Rabbits (1-4) – 2
Hens (1-4) – 2
Sheep (1-4) – 2
Ibis birds (1-7) - 1
This is a set of eight original poems all about ME! The poems are all simple and rhyming. They follow a quatrain pattern, vary in length and have a similar rhythm. They are great for using with actions.
Each poem has a worksheet with a writing idea - this can then be turned into the children's own poems.
There is a PPT presentation of the poems included.
Magic Me! - this is about the five senses with a stanza for each sense
I Like... - this is seven stanzas long and looks at some of the things that children typically like
I Don't like... - this is seven stanzas long and looks at some of the things that children typically don't like. It is in the same style as I Like...
How Do I Feel? - this looks at emotions, with a new stanza for each one
I'm Really Rather Complex - this is six stanzas long and looks at what makes us unique, both in how we look and how we behave
Friends - a simple three stanza poem
What Can I Do? - this looks at some of the different things that parts of the body can do, with a new stanza for each body part
Will I Have Some Post Today? - this is six stanzas long and looks at a child waiting for the post, imagining what might be delivered
This bundle includes a story poem and a play script.
Story Poem: This is an original story poem telling the tale of Jonah and the Whale.
It has 11 eight line, rhyming stanzas.
This pack includes a 12 slide PPT presentation of the poem, as well as a written version.
It is ideal for telling the children this familiar story; doing so succinctly and with humour. It could also be used as the basis for a whole class assembly.
Play Script: This is a play suitable for an end of year production or Year 6 leavers’ assembly. It lasts about 30 minutes. It is set in the modern day which makes the story more accessible to the children. It is amusing and appeals to both boys and girls.
There are 24 speaking parts (including 11 narrators which could be condensed into less) and non-speaking parts for the football fans, the rock group, the storm sequence and the underwater sequence.
Music suggestions are made for the various sequences and these can be kept very basic or choreographed as full dances. Costume is left up to you as it is set in modern day.
This is a play suitable for an end of year production or Year 6 leavers' assembly. It lasts about 30 minutes. It is set in the modern day which makes the story more accessible to the children. It is amusing and appeals to both boys and girls.
There are 24 speaking parts (including 11 narrators which could be condensed into less) and non-speaking parts for the football fans, the rock group, the storm sequence and the underwater sequence.
Music suggestions are made for the various sequences and these can be kept very basic or choreographed as full dances. Costume is left up to you as it is set in modern day.
This is a 14 stanza, rhyming poem about creatures that live in the sea. It is ideal for K.S.1 children.
It is presented as a 15 slide PPT presentation. Each stanza is about a different creature and is accompanied by a beautiful picture of said creature.
There is also a written version of the poem.
This poem would be ideal for individual, paired, group or whole class poetry work, as well as perfect to support work on the sea. It would also be excellent for use in an assembly.
Five poetry lessons about Spring:
Lesson 1. Umbrella Chant - a choral chant, performance poem
Lesson 2. Spring Acrostic - a non-rhyming acrostic poem (includes a framework)
Lesson 3. A Tale of Spring - a rhyming list poem (includes a framework)
Lesson 4. Golden One - a non-rhyming descriptive poem (includes a format)
Lesson 5. Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer poem (includes a framework)
All lessons are supported with power point slides and resources
This unit uses three traditional stories from Spain, Poland and Norway.
Copies of the three stories are included.
SPAIN: Half-a-Chick - This story has three accompanying drama lessons and covers body language, tone of voice, conversations, characters' thoughts & feelings and the giving & receiving of feedback. The drama strategies used are: listening circle, improvisation and conscience alley.
POLAND: The Dragon of Krakow - This story has two accompanying drama lessons and covers creating a setting, role work and whole class performance. The drama strategies used are: sculpture, process drama, T.I.R., moving pictures and scene carousel.
NORWAY: The Boy Who Went to the North Wind - This story has three accompanying drama lessons and covers the use of effects to illustrate key points in a scene. The drama strategy used is scripts
If you want to learn more about drama strategies take a look at my pack of 23 strategies for £5
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/drama-strategies-primary-23-strategies-for-the-non-specialist-to-develop-speaking-and-listening-11602421
This is a pack of 23 drama strategies. Each strategy is fully explained and has examples for every relevant stage of the primary age range - I am a primary school teacher. However, these strategies are just as suitable in secondary schools, and they can ALL be used in a secondary setting. The strategy remains the same, it's just the topic or text that has to be changed for the older age groups.
The strategies have been selected for the non-specialist to use, and focus on the development of speaking & listening. The pack is ideal for EAL children.
There are two types of strategy:
1) Speaking is the end goal
2) The actual drama process relies on speaking & listening for its success
Where required, resources are provided to accompany the strategies.
There are several short script excerpts included.
This is a pack of six original poems - spanning both key stages - using autumn as the stimulus.
Autumn - a rhyming poem about the transition from autumn to winter
Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer poem about autumn
Friend or Foe? - a rhyming poem about Halloween which can be written in three different ways
Crackle! Spit! - a rhyming poem with a pattern, about Bonfire Night. There are two accompanying dance lessons for K.S.1 with this poem
Bonfire Night - a non-rhyming poem which can be written in a straightforward way, or as calligrams
We Dare You To! - a rhyming poem about the dangers of playing with fireworks, and also the issue of wanting to fit in. This has an accompanying Y5/6 drama lesson
The pack includes general activities to do with the poems, as well as specific activities for the individual poems.
There is a 40 slide PPT presentation to support the activities.
This unit is ideal for poetry work as well as P.S.H.E. The unit is supported by a 25 slide PPT presentation, as well as resource sheets and five original poems.
The Red Hot Feeling - anger (a four stanza rhyming poem)
I Fear... - fear (a seven stanza non-rhyming poem covering various things a child is scared of eg not being picked, falling out with friends, walking home alone etc)
Please Someone Try to Change It - loneliness (a four stanza non-rhyming poem covering a child with no friends and not understanding why)
Draining Hope Away - sadness (a one stanza non-rhyming poem using similes)
A Cosy Feeling of Warmth - happiness (a four stanza rhyming poem covering various things that make children happy)
There is a list of general activities to use with all of the poems, as well as specific activities for each individual poem.
A pack of five original poems using Christmas as their stimulus, for K.S.1 and K.S.2. There are general activities which can be used with all of the poems, as well as specific activities for some of them. The poems are supported with a 43 slide power point presentation.
I Looked Outside - a rhyming poem about a snowfall in the night
No Crown of Jewels - a rhyming poem about the birth of Jesus, and the truth about Christmas rather than the glitz
It's Christmas! - a rhyming poem using a different Christmas element for each stanza, for example; the tree, Santa and a present. This poem also follows an obvious pattern
What? - a rhyming poem comparing the baby Jesus to the latest toy that children desperately want at Christmas
Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer (verse and chorus) poem, again with an obvious pattern.
Five packs of dance lessons for KS1 (23 lessons in total).
Fairy Tales (three lessons for Y1)
Minibeasts (five lessons for Y1/2)
The jungle & the Rainforest (five lessons for Y2)
Toys (five lessons for KS1)
Weather (five lessons for KS1)
These five packs would sort out your KS1 dance curriculum for a whole term!
Lessons are very detailed and resource sheets are included. Music recommendations are made where required.
This is a pack of eight original poems to use with various science topics for K.S.2. Included are general activity suggestions for all of the poems, and specific activities for the individual poems.
The poems are supported by a 37 slide PPT presentation.
1) Colours Say...: a non-rhyming poem with a pattern. Each stanza is about a different colour
2) FIZZLE! CRACKLE!: a rhyming poem about electricity. This would be ideal for a rap
3) FIRE! FIRE!: a non-rhyming two stanza poem which describes fire, using two different viewpoints
4) Machine: a rhyming poem about the sounds and movements of a machine. This would make an excellent performance poem, and could also be used for a dance lesson
5) MAGIC ME!: a simple rhyming poem about the five senses. Ideal for an U.K.S.2 class to prepare as a performance for K.S.1 children
6) How Does an Animal Move?: a non-rhyming poem with each stanza looking at the movement of a different animal
7) Sounds Around...: a rhyming poem about the sounds of everyday objects, without actually naming the objects.
8) A Mass of Puzzling Questions: a non-rhyming poem about space
This is a pack of 16 poems to cover ‘The Seasons’; four poems for each season. Each poem comes with an activity and writing frames where applicable. Two poems are accompanied by K.S.1 dance lessons.
The pack includes a 51 page resource booklet including the poems, activities and writing frames.
There are also four PPT presentations - one for each season. These contain the poems and teaching slides. There are two example pages from each PPT presentation in the preview section
See previews for full description, of the poems.
AUTUMN
AUTUMN - seven stanzas, rhyming & non-rhyming with a pattern
BONFIRE NIGHT - one stanza, non-rhyming using calligrams
FRIEND OR FOE? - presented in three different ways, rhyming
CRACKLE! SPIT! - four stanzas, rhyming poem using onomatopoeia and a pattern. Comes with two K.S.1 dance lessons
WINTER
I LOOKED OUTSIDE - four stanzas, rhyming. Comes with a K.S.1 dance lesson
THE WEATHER OF WINTER - six stanzas, non-rhyming performance poem using descriptive language and metaphors
SNOWDROP - two stanzas, rhyming shape poem
IT’S CHRISTMAS - eight stanzas, rhyming with a pattern
SPRING
A TALE OF SPRING - rhyming, conversation poem between two people. Also contains a list poem within it
GOLDEN ONE - one stanza, non-rhyming with a pattern, a simile and metaphors
SPRING’S HERE - six stanzas, non-rhyming containing a poem within a poem
SPRING ACROSTIC - one stanza, acrostic
SUMMER
THE SUN - one stanza, rhyming using similes
SUMMER HOLIDAY - two stanzas, rhyming, contrasting
YES, YES, YES, IT IS! - eight stanzas, non-rhyming question & answer poem with a pattern
LOLLIPOP - one stanza, rhyming shape poem
This is an original poem written to support a theme on food and shopping. It has 13 four line, rhyming stanzas
This pack includes a 14 slide PPT of the poem as well as a written version.
It is ideal for using to inspire the children to write their own list/rhyming poems, or for group/whole class poetry lessons, or to support the class work on shopping.
This is a dance scheme based on the city, for years 5 & 6. Over the course of the five lessons the work builds to a whole class dance.
The music used is Axel F from Beverley Hills Cop. This track can be found on many synthesizer CDs; I have suggested Synthesizer Hits 2 which can be found on Amazon.
There is a 10 slide PPT presentation to support the unit.
Lesson 1: The children work out a sequence of walking, changes of direction and freezing in groups. Individually they then add in city actions to a walking and freezing sequence.
Lesson 2: The children create their own movements for the city actions. They then create a sequence using these actions in pairs. This pair work then builds into group work.
Lesson 3: The children think about actions done in the morning before leaving the house, and what happens when people meet in the street. In groups they work on one city action and by the end of the lesson they are starting to put together the whole class dance.
Lesson 4: The children use exaggeration to stretch out the actions and with a partner they create a sequence using these movements. In pairs they use mirroring and matching.
Lesson 5: The children create city buildings and skylines, in pairs then groups. These are then added in as the finale to the dance.
This is a unit of four lessons. Each lesson uses a poem with a different pattern:
Lesson one - Colours Say... (non-rhyming and descriptive)
Lesson two - Sounds Like School (rhyming couplets and performance)
Lesson three - What is This, What is This? (rhyming and nonsense words)
Lesson four - One Little Man (a rhyming number poem)
Includes all the necessary resources, frameworks and a 22 slide PPT presentation to support the lessons.
This pack contains 14 drama lessons based on five popular fairy tales. It is accompanied by 22 resource sheets and a PPT presentation. The lessons include individual, paired and group work.
There are full descriptions of the drama strategies used.
The Three Little Pigs: three lessons using mime, freeze frame, hot seating, T.I.R and sculpture.
Hansel and Gretel: three lessons using mime, script work, sculpture and T.I.R
Little Red Riding Hood: three lessons using sculpture, thought circle, mime, hot seating and movement to music
The Enormous Turnip: two lessons using mime, thought circle, hot seating and movement to music
The Three Billy Goats Gruff: three lessons using sculpture, improvisation, script work, hot seating and movement to music