This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for David Wiesner’s picture book masterpiece, Flotsam. Ideal for Key Stage 1 and 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: engaging your class in vibrant discussion applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing illuminating their work with innovative artwork This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: On a trip to the beach, a young boy finds an antique camera washed up on the shore. Once he gets the film developed, however, he realises that it is a glimpse into another, much stranger world. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

This resource contains ideas for planning a creative literacy unit based on ‘The Nowhere Emporium’, an excellent novel by Ross MacKenzie. Suitable for Upper Key Stage 2. Plan a fantastic unit of work that includes a visit to a museum to marvel at treasures, creating your own Book of Wonders through writing and designing and building a snow globe! Story synopsis When Daniel Holmes hides from the local bully in the doorway of a newly appeared shop, he has no idea that he has stepped over a magical threshold. The Nowhere Emporium is the invention of magician Lucien Silver: part shop, part theme park, a place where wonders - amazing sights and experiences - appear at the stroke of a magician’s pen. Fascinated by the wonders of the Emporium, Daniel begins to discover his own magical potential and the places his imagination can take him to. But as Daniel quickly discovers, the world of magic can be a dangerous place. How to use this resource This resource is structured into five parts. Inspiration - sharing the book with your class. Incubation - exploring the ideas in the book through reading, drama and discussion. Connection - making cross-curricular links with this book. Application - getting the children writing creatively. Illumination - bringing the work to life through art and design. Each part is designed to help you deliver a structured literacy unit that offers children room for creativity, develops opportunities for meaningful learning and is plugged in to different areas of the curriculum. This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for the thought-provoking film ‘Dangle’ by Phil Traill. This film is available on the Literacy Shed. Suitable for Key Stage 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: engaging your class in vibrant discussion about the curiosity and responsibility applying their ideas to a write a comic book about the story developing their ideas further by making a film based on Dangle This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: As a man takes a relaxing walk across a snowy landscape, he discovers a rope hanging from the sky. After much thought, he pulls it. Incredibly, day turns to night. But now what? Should he pull it again? Who is responsible when things go wrong? For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

**As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE ** This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for Anthony Browne’s Little Beauty. Suitable for Key Stage 1 and 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: engaging your class in vibrant discussion applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing illuminating their work with innovative artwork This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: Not all is at it seems at this ‘special’ zoo, home to one miserable gorilla. He has everything he could ever need, except perhaps the most important thing: a friend! For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for the beautifully poignant picture book The Great Bear by Libby Gleeson with illustrations by Armin Greder. Suitable for Key Stage 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: engaging your class in vibrant discussion applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing illuminating their work with innovative artwork This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: Across a nameless land, a traveling circus wows audiences with its star attraction: a dancing bear. One night, however, something awakens in the bear: a dream of freedom. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for the intriguing picture book ‘The Whale’ by Ethan and Vita Murrow. Suitable for Key Stage 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: engaging your class in vibrant discussion applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing illuminating their work with innovative artwork This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: Two young explorers go to sea to solve the mystery of the great whale hoax 50 years before. Beautifully illustrated, their amazing discovery brings to light questions of destiny, coincidence and fate. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for the madcap story of ‘The Wolves in the Walls’ by Neil Gaiman. Story synopsis: When the wolves come out of the walls, all manner of mayhem is let loose in Lucy’s house. With the help of her stuffed toy pig, Lucy leads the family to reclaim their home from the mischievous wolves in this funny, strange story. It contains tried and tested ideas for: engaging your class in vibrant discussion applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing illuminating their work with innovative artwork This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for planning a creative literacy unit based on ‘Mortal Engines’, a rip-roaring, steampunk adventure by Philip Reeve. Suitable for Year 5 and 6. Plan a challenging creative writing project for upper Key Stage 2 that uses discussion, design technology and music to explore the incredible world of motorised cities, pirates, aviatrixes and impending war. Perfect for a post SATs project! Story synopsis London is a city on the move. Many centuries after the Sixty Minute War devastated human civilisations, the great metropolises of the past are now rebuilt… as gigantic cities on wheels! These industrial monsters rove around the barren Hunting Ground gobbling up natural resources and smaller towns and conurbations. It is the time of Municipal Darwinism. But as resources dwindle, London’s mayor hatches a sinister plan to secure London’s future. After Tom Natsworthy, a young city historian, has a chance encounter with Hester, a savage outlander, he finds himself drawn into the plot, battling pirates, mechanical warriors and the struggle for London’s future that will change him forever. Mortal Engines is the first instalment in a rip-roaring steampunk epic, told with irreverent verve and energy that will captivate readers young and old. How to use this resource This resource is structured into five parts. Inspiration - sharing the book with your class. Incubation - exploring the ideas in the book through reading, drama and discussion. Connection - making cross-curricular links with this book. Illumination - bringing the work to life through art and design. Application - getting the children writing creatively. Each part is designed to help you deliver a structured literacy unit that offers children room for creativity, develops opportunities for meaningful learning and is plugged in to different areas of the curriculum. This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for the film ‘Pandora’, featured in the blockbuster sci-fi movie Avatar by James Cameron. This film is available on the Literacy Shed. Suitable for Key Stage 2. Story synopsis: The strange planet of Pandora is a world newly discovered by humans. Although the pioneers prize it for its rich mineral content, Pandora’s real treasure is the stunning and beautiful creatures, plants and people who live there. It contains tried and tested ideas for: engaging your class in thought provoking discussion about what objects say about us and alien world building applying their ideas to a write a ‘factional’ account of a new planet developing their ideas through art by creating alien landscapes with collage This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. NB: This is not a set of lesson plans, but ideas to inspire your planning. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for the spine-tingling film ‘Francis’ by Dave Eggars. This film is available on the Literacy Shed. Suitable for Key Stage 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: engaging your class in vibrant discussion applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing illuminating their work with innovative artwork This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: Teenager Francis Brandywine, on a camping trip with her parents, seeks solitude with a night-time jaunt on the lake. Under the stars, she’s perfectly alone. Or is she…? The film’s final twist is the perfect inspiration for creative writing. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for Anthony Browne’s classic picture book, The Shape Game. Ideal for Key Stage 1 and 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: engaging your class in vibrant discussion applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing illuminating their work with innovative artwork This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: On a family outing to the gallery, a young Anthony Browne is introduced to world of art - a moment that would change his life forever. He also learned a new game that would make him into the illustrator he is today! For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for the charming picture book ‘The Willow Pattern Story’, by Allan Drummond. Suitable for Key Stage 1. Story synopsis: Koong-Shee is the daughter of a powerful Chinese mandarin. The greedy mandarin has plans to marry his daughter to a rich merchant but his plans are thrown into chaos when Koong-Shee falls in love with the lowly Chang. What follows is a tale of love, tragedy and crockery. It contains tried and tested ideas for: using the book to encourage oral storytelling developing story writing and performance making cross-curricular links with art This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

As of August 2019, this resource is now free for you to use and share. But if you’d like to sponsor me for the resource you’ve downloaded, please watch the following video: https://youtu.be/1SVp9RRqAeE This resource contains ideas for planning a creative literacy unit based on ‘The Garbage King’, a beautifully written novel by Elizabeth Laird. Suitable for Year 6. Plan a challenging unit of work for your Year 6 class that uses drama, discussion and writing to explore the contrasting lives of two boys who find themselves on the streets of Addis Ababa. Perfect for a post SATs project! Story synopsis Mamo and Dani live opposite lives. For Mamo, home is a ramshackle hut in the slums of Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa with his older sister and troubled mother. On the other side of the city, Dani lives a life of privilege with his parents. But when their lives are both turned upside down, they find themselves alone on the city streets with the beggars, orphans and gangs. Despite the dangers and hardship of their new lives, both boys discover a new side to themselves and their unlikely friendship proves crucial as they struggle to get their lives back on track. How to use this resource This resource is structured into five parts. Inspiration - sharing the book with your class. Incubation - exploring the ideas in the book through reading, drama and discussion. Connection - making cross-curricular links with this book. Illumination - bringing the work to life through art and design. Application - getting the children writing creatively. Each part is designed to help you deliver a structured literacy unit that offers children room for creativity, develops opportunities for meaningful learning and is plugged in to different areas of the curriculum. This ‘Have you Tried?’ resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

This resource contains a Medium Term Planning document outlining a 4 week unit of work for literacy and art based on Shaun Tan’s picture book The Arrival . The MTP covers week by week activities to support the children through the writing process. It contains an editable model text to use with the children. All the ideas are tried and tested in the classroom. The unit outcomes are as follows: a piece of extended emotive writing (with suggestions for differentiation) a comic strip based on the story a decorated suitcase for an art display a cityscape collage based on Shaun Tan’s illustrations The MTP also covers objectives from the English and Art programmes of study from the NC2014. The model text can be edited to suit the needs of the children. Please only copy for teaching purposes.

This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for the puzzling enigma of 'The Mysteries of Harris Burdick' by Chris Van Allsburg. Suitable for Key Stage 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: - engaging your class in vibrant discussion - applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing - illuminating their work with innovative artwork This 'Have you Tried?' resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: This book is a collection of illustrations and captions - a snapshot of the work of author Harris Burdick who disappeared 30 years ago. Or did he? In fact, is any of this real? Forming the perfect starting point for creative writing, these spooky, funny and just plain weird stories will definitely get your class talking. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for I Am Thomas by Libby Gleeson and Armin Greder. Suitable for Key Stage 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: - engaging your class in vibrant discussion - applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing - illuminating their work with innovative artwork This 'Have you Tried?' resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: Thomas is a young boy on the cusp of adulthood. As he moves through the city, he is bombarded by influences asking him to conform. But Thomas has his own idea about where his future lies. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for Bambert's Book of Missing Stories by Reinhardt Jung. Suitable for Key Stage 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: - engaging your class in vibrant discussion - applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing - illuminating their work with innovative artwork This 'Have you Tried?' resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: Struggling author Bambert lives a lonely, detached life with only his stories (and his greengrocer) for company. One night, following a conversation with the moon, he sets his stories loose attached to paper lanterns to find the characters and exotic settings that will make his stories come to life. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for Emily Gravett's Wolves. Suitable for upper Key Stage 1. It contains tried and tested ideas for: - engaging your class in vibrant discussion - applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing - illuminating their work with innovative artwork This 'Have you Tried?' resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: As rabbit goes to the library to find himself a good book about Wolves, we follow him on an unexpected journey where he discovers something with a long, bushy tail and sharp teeth... But is it in his imagination? For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for the Star Wars graphic novel, Skywalker Strikes. If you would like to find out more about using this book with your class, read the following TES Blog Post! https://www.tes.com/news/blog/engaging-your-rogue-ones-bringing-star-wars-classroom Suitable for Key Stage 2. It contains tried and tested ideas for: - engaging your class in vibrant discussion - applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing - illuminating their work with innovative artwork This 'Have you Tried?' resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: As the battle rages for the galaxy far, far away, this graphic novels follows the further adventures of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and the evil Darth Vader. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk

This resource contains ideas for creative literacy planning for Miranda the Explorer by James Mayhew (fiction). Suitable for Key Stage 1 and lower Key stage 2 It contains tried and tested ideas for: - engaging your class in vibrant discussion - applying their ideas to a piece of imaginative and creative writing - illuminating their work with innovative artwork This 'Have you Tried?' resource can form the basis for an outstanding, cross-curricular unit of literacy work. Story synopsis: After winning a competition, young Miranda wins a ride in a hot air balloon. Accidentally whisked away by the wind, she embarks on a round the world adventure and begins a cultural voyage of discovery. For more ideas like this, visit articulateeducation.co.uk