I am an experienced Primary school teacher with over twenty years experience in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. I have made and used all of the interactive topic based lesson plans, power-points and resources in this shop with my classes. I hope you enjoy using them with your classes too.
I am an experienced Primary school teacher with over twenty years experience in EYFS, KS1 and KS2. I have made and used all of the interactive topic based lesson plans, power-points and resources in this shop with my classes. I hope you enjoy using them with your classes too.
Famous artists and paintings cards. Set of 60 cards with a painting by a range of inspirational and well-known artists. The cards can be used to encourage recognition of the most well-known artists and their work. I have included a few examples of sculpture, stained glass, pottery, design. The images I have chosen range from 11th to 20th century from worldwide artists. Pupils can use them as a paired or group ‘guessing game’. Can be placed in the class library area or the ‘Early Finisher’ box/tray. I have used these to help pupils develop work on or research about a famous piece of artwork that they like by finding images of other work by the same artist or derivatives of that style, writing a descriptive piece about the work or a subjective paragraph about what the work means to them. Can be used by Y2 -Y6. Useful for topics on Art, Famous Paintings/Artists, using art as a starting point for writing or historical reference.
A fun quiz for Halloween on 32 separate cards which have been differentiated into three levels: 1 star - easy, 2 stars - average, 3 stars - hard so you can award extra points or target specific pupils with leveled questions.
Bats fact sheet.
Includes information about bat anatomy, habitats, Micro and Megabats and echolocation broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos. A great topic which can be linked to Halloween, animal topics and conservation.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about bats in different genres (science report, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Bats KS1 Weekly planning grid
This is two-week (could be stretched to three weeks depending on the depth of study) cross curricular plan for a KS1 topic based on the subject of ‘Bats’. I have used this plan as a run up to Halloween. It has been planned to include all the learning objectives and ideas for two weeks of teaching and includes differentiated planning in Literacy and Numeracy for HA, MA and LA groups. Includes non-negotiable vocabulary and linked learning activities in all subjects. Links well with topics on ‘Animals’, ‘Halloween’, ‘Conservation’ and ‘Day and Night or Nocturnal Animals.’
KS2 Reindeer Power-point lesson. Whole lesson of 35 slides which include geography and mapwork, paired activities. Pupils will need access to maps and globes to identify the Arctic Circle and regions. Activities also include written tasks (completing sentences, writing definition in own words, solving a warm up riddle, watching a short information clip on Youtube and a follow up quiz with written answers). There is a linked maths measuring task and an information table with linked questions. Also includes photographs of real (not cartoon!) reindeer. There are supporting worksheets/templates for pupils to write a non-chronological report about reindeer using the information they have learnt in the power-point.
Learning Objectives
• To identify where reindeer live in the world.
• To use information about reindeer to work out how they have adapted to their habitat.
• To use specific geographical and scientific vocabulary.
• To write a non-chronological report about reindeer using the information I have learnt.
KS1 & 2 Poetry review blank template. A quick review resource template for pupils to use to comment on poems they have read in class and as part of World Book Day or library events. Space to write a short summary, identify key vocabulary, repetition, rhyme and a space to rate/recommend the poem. Great to use in a class library for pupils to share ideas about their favourite poems and poets.
Pupil Assessment End of KS1 to end of KS2 progress tracking grid
Plot each pupil against their KS1 SATs actual result then track along the grid and write the pupil’s name in the box corresponding to the most recent actual assessment in their current year group. Use the Green shaded square to identify whether that pupil is on track for expected progress at the end of KS2 (Y6) based on KS1 outcomes.
This progress tracker can be used for each Year group from Y3-Y6.
Each year group or class(es) in a given year group should could use one tracker for all pupils in the year group.
The tracker can be updated each half term or termly depending on when and how the school carries out assessment of pupil progress (eg during an assessment week). I used a different pen colour for each assessment when updating the tracker with pupil names. As a working document, it was a bit messy by the end of the year but I had an at a glance picture of all pupils and their progress.
Pupils can be closely monitored and highlighted for intervention if they are not making expected progress towards their individual or group targets. I highlight SEN pupils in pink and use the key code for the area of SEN for each pupil.
The tracker can be passed onto the teachers at the beginning of each academic year. At the start of a new academic year teachers may wish to begin a new tracker using the outcomes (end of year assessment for the previous year) as well as the end of KS1 outcome for each pupil.
This tracker can also be recopied for tracking Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening and Maths.
Grace Darling Famous person fact sheet.
Includes key events and important stages in their life broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
KS1 A fun Pirate themed powerpoint lesson. Secret Agent Academy is a lesson (s) set in a ‘real’ stolen goods context where pupils are ‘trained’ for a special mission to catch a pirate villain. They create Agent Code Names and numbers, work as part of an Agent Cell, and take an oath of secrecy. Their mission consists of 4 main tasks which include cracking reverse alphabet and number codes, Maths number problem solving challenges and a geography map/flag challenge.
Slides 2-9 include a simple introduction to ‘what is a code?’ followed by a chance to practise cracking simple words using a reverse alphabet code before pupils enter the Secret Agent Academy.
Slides 10-16 focus on creating their own secret agent cell (decided by equivalent numbers maths task), creating code names, handshakes and taking the Agent’s promise etc
Learning Objectives
Solve an important mission for the Prime Minister by:
• Using number, reasoning and geographical skills to resolve a ‘real life’ situation.
• Deciphering messages using simple codes.
• Working out problems and puzzles to track and catch a pirate!
Slides 17-20 setting out the mission.
Slides 21-24 Mission 1: Crack a number coded message.
Slides 25-30 Information about Edward Teach/Blackbeard in preparation for Mission 2.
Slide 31 Label the pirate ship worksheet. Pupil template and answers provided.
Slide 32 Mission 2: Create a Wanted Poster (template provided)
Slide 33-38 Mission 3: Island geography of the Caribbean Islands. Pupil worksheets provided.
Slides 39-43: Identifying the Blackbeard’s hideout from the clues covered. Worksheet and answers provided.
Slides 44- 51: Solving number puzzles to track Bluebeard through underground caves. Pupil worksheet and answers provided.
Slides 52 A message from the King for returning the treasure.
There is a template for pupils to use at the end of each mission to record their Agent cell report plus spare code grids in case the children catch the code bug and want to make up their own coded messages!
I made this template for KS2 to make simple topic research and information gathering more practical and fun but I have also used it with groups in KS1. The children cut out the ‘head and shoulders’ template and decorate it as their chosen historical character (it could be anyone from the past eg. Kings & Queens, explorers, inventors, designers etc). Then the children cut out the paper strips and complete the spaces beneath the headings.
They make a colourful and informative class display and the children love reading each other’s contributions.
I made this resource for Y5 to research simple facts about their sporting favourites in a practical and fun way. the children loved to activity and really enjoyed reading each-other’s work which we made into a colourful display. Useful fun activity for any event in the annual sporting calendar (World Cup, Olympics, Rugby etc).
Ancient Rome KS2 power-point of 24 slides.
Learning Objectives
• I must explain where the Romans came from using geographical vocabulary.
• I should retell the legend of Romulus and Remus
• I could explain BCE and AD
• I could order a timeline of Ancient Rome from 753BCE to 79AD.
Includes activities for pupils to locate Rome/Italy using an atlas, a simple story of how Rome was founded, timeline activity to distinguish BCE and CE. Useful to link in with topics on The Roman Empire, Time, Calendars, Beginnings.
September Welcome back! Y1-Y6 Powerpoint lesson(s) of 50 slides. Includes simple class and paired games, talk activities and worksheets to help your pupils restart their year together and restart their friendships. The power-point explores feelings, belonging and finding out about the interests of other pupils in the class including hobbies, favourite books, sports etc. There is a section at the end to help pupils model how to make a new friend and how to start/sustain a conversation/make an arrangement to do something. The modelled activities use images of animals to help remove self -consciousness and help pupils take a step back from their own situations.
Learning objectives
To find out about adults and children in my class so I feel comfortable about talking to them.
To recognise that I belong to more than one different group and be able to identify those groups.
To describe feelings about being in a group and help others feel welcomed and included.
To use the story of Kung Fu Tsu to understand positive behaviour towards
To know and practise strategies for making new friends.
To describe how a good friend behaves.
To explain how it may feel for someone who is uncomfortable in social situations and offer solutions to help them.
KS1&2 The Great Fire of London story and sequencing activity.
Learning objective: To sequence and retell the story of the Great Fire of London in order.
Pupils cut out the images and descriptions and sequence the story onto a storyboard template. There are three templates attached which support differentiation and reading levels. HA template is numbered only and pupils order the story into the numbered boxes. MA is differentiated using key times when events took place from the main text in the numbered boxes. LA pupils can order the story into the numbered boxes with the support of key sentences which they can match to the main text.
Mountain environments KS2 Geography pp of 27 slides.
Complete lesson with talk partner activities, youtube clips, tasks and worksheets. There is a challenge activity and simple plenary/assessment activity at the end of the lesson. Great to link with topics on ‘Landforms’, ‘Explorers’, ‘Weather and climate’.
Learning Objectives
I must find mountain ranges on a map.
I should recognise some of the features of mountains.
I could describe mountains using geographical words.
I must explain the definition of the words ‘summit’ and ‘valley’.
I could explain different types of weather conditions on a mountain.
Florence Nightingale pack of 8 worksheets.
I used this set of worksheets with class of KS1 pupils.
Includes A4 factsheet of her life with pictures. Great to help pupils start their own research or to use as an information source for writing diaries/letters/newspaper article etc.
Template and simple scaffolding for a handwashing leaflet for children to personalise. (Note will need to be cut and pasted onto landscape format for pupil use).
Worksheet of Florence with speech bubbles to argue her case for being a nurse. This is a good introduction in preparation for drama or a hot seat activity.
Scutari hospital improvements worksheet.
‘Cut and Sequence’ sentence activity of Florence’s life.
Sort and stick the Victorian/modern day hospital items activity.
Improvements Florence made to the hospitals worksheets with question space to formulate questions for Florence. Also good for preparation for a drama activity. I used this for groups of 4 pupils (in role as 2 reporters + Florence + modern day nurse) with the reporters interviewing Florence about her impact on hospitals and the modern-day nurse saying how Florence’s work has continued today.
Hospitals and germ prevention pupil worksheet.
Japan fact sheet.
Includes locational information and geographical features broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a country in a range of genres (newspaper report, non-fiction report, weather report or information text etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the country followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
In geography lessons I have used this factsheet with a small group and asked the pupils to compare the physical and geographical features of Japan with the UK.
Famous animal fact sheet. Greyfriars Bobby.
Includes key events and important stages in their life broken into short easy to read sections with pictures and photos.
I have used this with pupils in Years 1-4 to help them retrieve information / develop their knowledge to write about a famous person/animal in a range of genres (newspaper report, biography, letter or diary writing, fiction, non-fiction etc). I have also used it with a guided reading group and a set of questions linked to the topic followed up with a written comprehension exercise.
Useful to use with cross curricular PSHE and History topics eg ‘Pets’, ‘Animals’, ‘People who help us’, PSHE topics.