A set of lessons to work through chronologically in my unit on Macbeth, covering themes, genre, close language analysis, performance, group work, research tasks, and lots of active learning methods.
An original study map for 'An Inspector Calls' for pupils to work through as they consider the theme of learning lessons, as it is presented in the play. This resource works well as whole class discussion aftter pupils have annotated the map with quotatioons and responses in pairs, groups, or independently. I created this study map for my GCSE class to use as revision for their final exam after studying the whole text. It also forms a good basis for writing a Speaking and Listening presentation on the play.
A presentation that guides KS3 pupils through making a speech for assessment in Talking&Listening; guidance, advice, study, explanation, and examples, as well as markschemes are all included in the presentation. This covered two preparatory hour-long lessons, and then two lessons to see and peer-assess the class's speeches. Due to its size, the presentation is split into two parts.
Detailed notes, a lesson presentation and handout, as well as pupils' responses that can be used as essay plan frameworks, for 'Personal Helicon'; one of the Heaney poems in the new CCEA AS specification in English Literature.
A lesson in two formats, guiding KS3 pupils through language analysis with study of the language techniques in Ted Hughes' poem 'The Jaguar', including expanding vocabulary, enjambment, imagery, similes and metaphors. Lesson culminates in a 25-mark poetry Reading assessment (extension task included: 'Second Glance at a Jaguar' by Ted Hughes).
A comprehensive guide to writing an essay on the question: 'Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Lady Macbeth’s character in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. How would Shakespeare’s audience have reacted to them?' Resource includes contextual detail, in-depth analysis, notes on essay structure and useful phrases, as well as an exemplar past-pupil essay.
A lesson exploring William Blake's 'The Tyger' poem, as part of a larger scheme studying Yann Martel's novel, 'Life of Pi'. I have included two formats of the original presentation, if it's of interest to retain some of the information from the novel, but if you wish to study the poem exclusively, I have also included a stripped-back version of the lesson.
A set of lessons to work through chronologically in my unit on Macbeth, covering themes, genre, close language analysis, performance, group work, research tasks, and lots of active learning methods.
A set of lessons to work through chronologically in my unit on Macbeth, covering themes, genre, close language analysis, performance, group work, research tasks, and lots of active learning methods.
Two original study maps for the play 'An Inspector Calls' for pupils to complete as they study each character, Eric and Gerald. Both study maps include completed versions for teachers to use to go through pupils' responses, which works well as whole class discussion. I created these study maps for my GCSE class to use as revision for their final exam after studying the whole play, but colleagues also used them effectively as resources as they taught the text. They also form a good basis for writing a Speaking and Listening presentation on the text.
Two original study maps for the play 'An Inspector Calls' for pupils to complete as they study each character, Mrs and Mr Birling. Both study maps include completed versions for teachers to use to go through pupils' responses, which works well as whole class discussion. I created these study maps for my GCSE class to use as revision for their final exam after studying the whole play, but colleagues also used them effectively as resources as they taught the text. They also form a good basis for writing a Speaking and Listening presentation on the characters.
Lesson resources for writing AS1 new CCEA specification in English Literature essays on Heaney and Frost: practice questions, guidelines, and two exemplar A* pupil essays.
A 31-page resource containing 14 poem comparison (AO4) grids for the Frost & Heaney anthology, including notes on situation of speaker (AO1), tone and poetic methods (AO2), and context (AO3) for the new CCEA English Literature specification. The grid format can be employed as a basis for first lessons on each of the poems, and should be used to gather quotations and write analysis. Alternatively, pupils may use the resource independently in order to plan an essay framework for practice exam questions. These are also extremely useful at the end of the course for revision purposes, where pupils use the class notes that they have made whilst studying AS1 to complete the grids from memory, as effective exam preparation.
A lesson on the poem 'After the Titanic' by the Northern Irish poet Derek Mahon, in which pupils engage in active, collaborative close reading and language analysis through 'Home Group/Expert Group' activities. Presentation is split into 2 PowerPoints, since the first includes a video and is larger. I have also removed the video and made the presentation into a pdf, if that is an easier format to work with. The handout is for printing, cutting, and distributing to the groups.
Everything needed to teach Creative Writing at KS3: a whole unit in a presentation; a peer evaluation grid; a lesson on similes and metaphors; as well as numerous pupil examples of poetry and prose.
A selection of resources for a first lesson on spoken language/speeches, using Wordles and active learning - visual, audio, and movement. Lesson objective: Understand that different types of speech can be made, and identify key indicators of purpose, audience, and context.
Print and laminate the Wordles and display them around the room, numbering them clearly, then work your way through the 6 presentations for the whole lesson. I have had fantastic results using this for GCSE level English Language.
If the videos fail to play (they are quite big files, exported from my original Keynote into PowerPoint!), then search YouTube for the speeches: when studying the spoken word - and especially in an introductory lesson like this - it is important that pupils listen to language, and don't just read transcriptions of it. They must gain experience of pace, tone, volume, and pauses in order to analyse effective use of spoken language. (I've also made a PowerPoint of 'Just Wordles' in case the embedded videos cause problems, and you could have another window open on YouTube with the videos open in different tabs, and then just swap between the presentation and the browser - I had to do this once when the school's IT systems were playing up!)
As an English teacher, I also kept these up in my classroom afterwards as inspirational posters.
A set of lessons to work through chronologically in my unit on Macbeth, covering themes, genre, close language analysis, performance, group work, research tasks, and lots of active learning methods.
From devising the bones of a piece of a creative work and writing in a set form, to self- and peer-evaluating against exemplars, this will aid you guide pupils to achieve confidence in creative writing.
A small unit studying poetry on the theme of Justice & Revolution (used to complement 'Animal Farm' in a larger scheme); four pieces are explored through a series of activities, resources, and active learning, to investigate the theme. Includes William Blake's 'The Chimney Sweeper', Maya Angelou's 'Still I rise', William Ernest Henley's 'Invictus', and the lyrics of Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song'.