A teacher and tutor with more than thirty years' experience working in both mainstream and independent schools. I have an Honours degree in English Literature and Linguistics from UEA and have written a dissertation about encouraging children to write. I am a mother of three and interested in all things green. I am in the process of setting up my TES shop and hope to launch my "Spagbag" resources which are suitable for both Primary and Secondary aged pupils.
A teacher and tutor with more than thirty years' experience working in both mainstream and independent schools. I have an Honours degree in English Literature and Linguistics from UEA and have written a dissertation about encouraging children to write. I am a mother of three and interested in all things green. I am in the process of setting up my TES shop and hope to launch my "Spagbag" resources which are suitable for both Primary and Secondary aged pupils.
This resource is ideal for Father’s Day and has two poems describing dads. One dad has extremely smelly feet that stink of gorgonzola and stale underwear. The other poem describes Dad as more of a super hero type who is earth-quaking, nerve-shaking and fast talking (but only before 6pm.). Pupils will enjoy the humour and vivid imagery within the poems and will be inspired to think of adjectives that describe their own father’s finest qualities. They are asked to think of a special memory about their Dad and perhaps create their own poetry in celebration of Father’s Day.
Suitable for all ages.
This animated powerpoint celebrates Halloween with a collection of spooky activities surrounding adjectives, adverbs and rhyming words. The children are asked to provide suitable adverbs to create a spooky atmosphere and to think of a revolting recipe for a witch's spell. A black cat has an encounter with a hat in a poem inspired by Dr Seuss. This resource is intended to be used with younger children on the run up to Halloween and could be used to inspire creative writing and poetry on a spooky theme.
This animated power point presentation is of a poem written by a 15 year old about remembrance. November is the time of year to remember lives lost in war and this poem compares late autumn to this sense of loss in a very poignant way. The audience is asked to focus on particular words and phrases which the poet uses to compare the decaying leaves and the perforated bodies of the battleground. Pupils are also asked to consider the symbolic significance of poppies.
This resource would be ideal to use when studying war poetry or reflecting on Remembrance Sunday.
This resource is suitable for students aged 11 to 16 years.
I include puzzles which will aid the revision of poetry such as Keats' ode to Autumn as well as Tennyson's Charge of the Light Brigade.
This power point presentation looks particularly at the letter received by Lord Monteagle on November 4th 1605 and asks students to consider the implications and explore the inferences within. Questions are asked about the morality of the situation and the audience is asked to put themselves in the position of having a relative in Parliament and knowing full well something bad is going to happen. Students are required to reorganise the major events of the Gunpowder Plot into a cartoon strip to reinforce chronology. Background information is given about Guy Fawkes and we are asked to question why it is only his name we remember all these years later.
I enclose information about the forthcoming three part screenplay entitled Gunpowder in which Kit Harington plays Robert Catesby and reveals he is related to him.There is a comprehension related to this article and opportunties for further research into Kit Harington's biography, a story board of the major events of the Gunpowder Plot or a comparison of crime and punishment then and now.
Answers are provided to the questions.
This resource is suitable for ages 10+
This animated power point collates ten facts about Guy Fawkes and his part in the Gunpowder Plot that are not widely known.
I include information about the drama series in which the Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington plays Robert Catesby, the brains behind the Gunpowder plot. Harington reveals there is a family connection which prompted him to get involved in the screenplay.There is a comprehension related to this article and opportunities provided for further writing and research such as a biography, a story board and a comparison of crime and punishment then and now. All answers are provided to the comprehension for ease of marking.
This resource would prove useful as a lesson starter or as a means of starting a discussion about this infamous historical figure. Was he really a bad guy? Why is it that we know Guy Fawkes' name and yet Robert Catesby's name is less well known today.
The resource is suitable for ages 10+
I have bundled together four resources which will prove useful on the approach to Halloween. Powers of comprehension will be tested, punctuation will be practised and letters will be written. Potter fans will be encouraged to widen their reading as they explore the history of broomstick games through the ages...
Suitable for ages 10+
I have bundled together three resources which will be useful for the study of letter writing and in particular how a letter saved the day when we look at the intrigues surrounding the Gunpowder Plot.
This resource has more relevance today because of the new drama series entitled Gunpowder which stars Kit Harington of Game of Thrones fame who plays Robert Catesby, the brains behind the plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Here Harington reveals he is a direct ancestor of Catesby.
This animated Power Point resource is ideal for the run up to Easter. It includes a short story about a visit to a free range egg farm and comprehension questions to check understanding of the humorous nuances. The differences between free range and caged hens eggs could be used to inspire further independent investigation and research.A passage from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone is included which describes the birth of Norbert a baby dragon. A poem is included about a dragon birth and students are invited to write descriptively about the birth of a dragon as it bursts from its shell.
Lots of ideas and explorations here around eggs and the symbolism surrounding them. Ideal for Potter fans .
Suitable for ages 8+
This Power Point presentation tells the story of how the animals took part in a race across a river in order to impress the Emperor with their physical prowess and skill. As the animals splashed and scrambled around in the water , the Emperor decided which animal was worthy to represent each year. Not only will the students enjoy the story but also they will be required to work out which animal represents year 2020 in the Chinese Zodiac. Pupils are required to think about their own strengths and weaknesses and to set goals in order to improve on their own capabilities in 2020.
Suitable for ages 7+
This resource is ideal to use on the run up to Easter. It contains a crossword where all the answers are the names of well known chocolate bars. When the answers are placed correctly onto the grid the highlighted letters, when rearranged will spell out the name of a famous Roald Dahl character. Pupils are required to think about a place to go where their family would enjoy a special day out and also design their own chocolate bar thinking about the ingredients contained within it as well as the packaging.
Suitable for ages 10+
I include one of my popular Spagbag quizzes which should prove useful when revising aspects of grammar, spelling and punctuation.All answers are provided for ease of marking.
This animated Power Point tests knowledge of adjectives, adverbs and verbs. Students are asked to supply suitable adjectives to describe Spring and are required to describe their own favourite season. They have anagrams to solve and adjectives to identify. In a playground scene, students are asked to supply relevant adjectives, adverbs and verbs to complete the description. Students are required to sort colour synonyms for green and yellow. I include a word document on the use of adjectives and adverbs which could be used as an extension task.
This resource is ideal for revising adjectives, adverbs and verbs as well as descriptive writing about settings.
This resource would be ideal to be used for revision purposes during the Spring term.
Suitable for ages 10+
This animated Power point showcases data about Saturn and the Cassini mission to discover more about the planet. Pupils are then presented with fourteen questions to test their powers of comprehension about what they have read. Links are provided to enable further independent research.
Answers are provided to the comprehension for ease of marking.Finally pupils are presented with a short poem about space exploration and are asked to produce some descriptive writing of their own about visiting a planet of their own choosing.
This resource would complement studies during Space Week and also poetry linked to space exploration.
Suitable for ages 8+
This resource looks at how manatees are becoming an endangered species and how these majestic creatures have been mistaken for mermaids. There is an information text and associated questions and worksheets which will allow pupils to investigate further. One of the questions requires pupils to work out 20% of a given statistic. This resource will support World Oceans Day /
World Environment Day and any investigation into conservation.
Suitable for ages 10+
I have bundled together ten resources which will prove useful for revision purposes. Each quiz is complete with answers providing ease of marking. The sections to each quiz can be easily tweaked in order to meet specific problems within the group. When used on a regular basis, students will come to love the character of Joe who struggles with spelling and who is in desperate need of advice as exams and assessments appear on the horizon.Each quiz contains exercises to do with different aspects of spelling, punctuation and grammar. When used regularly and on a rotational basis, standards will improve.
Suitable for ages 10+
I have bundled together ten resources which will assist with revision of reading and writing skills on the approach to assessment weeks. Each individual resource is inspired by J K Rowling’s Harry Potter and so will inspire further reading and investigation whilst fundamental skills are being honed. Prior knowledge of the Potter books is not necessary in order to complete the tasks and all answers are provided.
The intention of this bundle is to make revision more appealing to Potter fans of all ages.
Suitable for ages 10+
I have bundled together ten resources which will assist with the revision of adjectives and adverbs and descriptive writing. Each individual resource comes complete with answers and quiz content can be easily tweaked to address specific needs within the group. These resources could easily be dropped into revision sessions on the approach to assessment weeks. Longer writing tasks are suggested as extensions to each presentation.
Suitable for ages 10+
I have bundled together seven resources which will be useful when revising skills needed for letter writing. The majority of these resources include extracts from the Harry Potter books and so will appeal to students familiar with the characters from the books or films. These resources will enable students to hone their letter writing skills but will also encourage further reading at the same time.
Suitable for Potter fans of all ages.
This animated Power Point asks the audience to look outside and identify signs in nature that Autumn is on its way. Pupils are encouraged to use all five senses to experience the season by observing colour changes as well as noticing the passage of time through the alteration of clocks. A recipe for vegetable stew is included to appeal to taste buds and to create a lingering aroma. Students are asked to find out some interesting facts about spiders and to look out for nature’s crochet patterns on the hedgerows as they travel to school. The splendid sights, sounds , smalls and tastes of Autumn can be found here in poetry, of different formats including a haiku in which syllables need to be counted . Pupils are asked to consider the colour red and its synonyms and are encouraged to write poetry of their own. A poem about the wind is included which personifies this weather phenomenon and shows how nature can adopt human characteristics, sending shivers down our spines.
This resource would be ideal to use during the Autumn term as a collection of poetry or to stimulate sensory exploration and creative writing about the seasonal changes.
Suitable for ages 7 +
This bundle of four Power Point presentations aims to build confidence in spelling, punctuation and grammar within the wider context of caring for the environment. A quiz tests knowledge of plurals, prefixes, apostrophes and commas.
Informative texts highlight the problem of plastic waste in our seas and oceans.One of the resources focuses on the albatross and makes reference to Sir David Attenborough’s attempt to shine a light on the problem of pollution in our seas and oceans. The intent is to open up debate and discussion and to promote independent research into environmental issues whilst also honing fundamental writing skills. Answers are provided to quizzes to ensure ease of marking.
Suitable for ages 8+
This bundle of four Power Point presentations aims to build confidence in spelling, punctuation and grammar.Emphasis is placed on homophones and using prefixes to form opposites.Pupils are given advice on how to structure a story with paragraphs and how to develop descriptive writing techniques.One of the resources focuses on the use of awesome adjectives and nouns. Answers are provided to quizzes for ease of marking, saving valuable teaching time.
This is one of a series of bundles which can be found within my shop which focus on different aspects of English language learning.
Suitable for ages 8+