I'm a passionate secondary English and History teacher and am the main planner of resources for my department; as such, I thought I would start sharing them here with the wider community of teachers and professionals. I am Australian trained, but currently teaching GCSE and A- Level (AQA specifications). All lessons are very visually engaging, with images, clips and a variety of activities. You won't find any boring/blank resources here!
I'm a passionate secondary English and History teacher and am the main planner of resources for my department; as such, I thought I would start sharing them here with the wider community of teachers and professionals. I am Australian trained, but currently teaching GCSE and A- Level (AQA specifications). All lessons are very visually engaging, with images, clips and a variety of activities. You won't find any boring/blank resources here!
1/2 lessons that introduce students to extracts from various Gothic texts, such as The Woman in Black, Interview with the Vampire and two short stories from The Bloody Chamber. Creative writing activity at the end.
GCSE skills and related questions: Language Paper 1, Q1, 2, 5
A single lesson focusing on an extract from "Stardust," analysing language and structure.
GCSE related skills and questions: Language paper 1, Q2, 3
Suitable for higher ability classes, these 3-4 lessons cover:
- An introduction to the short story form
- Recap of form, language and structure
- An analysis of the short story “The Flowers” by Alice Walker
- Creative writing
- Self and peer marking activities
Enjoy :)
2 lessons for a higher ability class. These quick paced lessons are highly structured so that students must complete a certain amount of activities in the lesson, and tick off their achievements as they go.
Language analysis is the focus, with an extract from Jekyll and Hyde. The two lessons cover:
- Comprehension
- Analysis of authorial methods
- Model paragraph
- Extended critical writing
- Analysis of sentence forms
A homework activity is also included. Print the first 3 slides for activity sheets.
After marking my year 11 exams, I was disappointed by how many students continue to panic and write huge generalisations instead of proper analysis. E.g. "the imagery really helps the reader picture the scene in their mind" or "this technique creates tension and makes the reader want to read on." This resource can be used with high-ability year 9/10 or low-middle ability year 11s. A couple of different activities walk students through ways of approaching analysis.
A great lesson for introducing these English terms or revising them. The lesson looks at the poem “I Carry Your Heart” by EE Cummings; an excellent poem for examining language, structure and form. Lots of structured activities included: paragraph writing, revision of language techniques, peer marking, and an extension creative writing task.
This unit of work and accompanying series of lessons was designed for a class of Gifted and Talented students in year 8. They were studying fantasy fiction in their general English classes, and withdrawn for 2 separate sessions a week to focus on these extension activities.
This unit can be integrated into a fantasy unit or taught separately. Details are as follows:
PBL, student-centred model
Culminating product is a fantasy narrative fiction
Lots of scaffolds, differentiation and stretch and challenge
Designed as an introduction to understanding literary theory
Built around fostering higher order thinking skills, critical and creative writing, and 21st century skills (collaboration, questioning etc).
Research and digital literacy- some lessons require independent research and inquiry.
Lessons included focus on the following:
Why have people dissed fantasy? Critical readings of Le Guinn and Tolkien
Introduction of project and need to knows
Process of creation: who was Tolkien and what were his methods?
Introduction of complex terminology relating to fantasy world-building
Breakdown of critical reading of “On Fairy Stories” and linking to ‘what is the purpose of fantasy?’
How to build a convincing fantasy world
How to create unique magic systems
What are the ethical considerations of fantasy?
Originally, this powerpoint was made using Google Slides, and students all had their own digital copy. This is why some of the interactive “portals” (pictures where students can right-click and will be taken to a separate resource) link elsewhere. I have included the resources in a different form so that you can give these to students in hard copy form instead.
These three lessons introduce students to the poem “All One Race” by Ooderoo Noonuccal.
Sequence of activities is as follows:
Brief authorial context
Word sort
Guided annotation of the poem
Scaffold for how to write a TEEL paragraph
How to create a meaningful topic sentence
Peer feedback activity
Included also is:
How to analyse techniques effectively placemat
Model paragraph
**Pitched at: **Lower-set year 10
**Context: **Students writing narrative fiction
Lesson content:
Tips and tricks for writing in the historical fiction genre
How to write setting
How to write plot
How to write characters and build a character arc.
Included:
Powerpoint
Examples of historical fiction
Planning sheets
3/4 lessons for if you're starting to teach the GCSE Language Paper 2: Viewpoints and Perspectives, or as a general introduction to non-fiction.
Find included:
- Introduction to non-fiction and persuasive language devices
- Structure of a film review (I've chosen "All Quiet on the Western Front" as it coincides with my class's adjacent war unit, but you can supplement this for any film)
- Analysis of a film review
- Comprehension, analysis and summary exam skills.
Enjoy
My year 7s are continuing their non-fiction unit this term and after seeing (and loving!) Black Panther these holidays, I saw an opportunity for some enlightenment. 1-2 lessons examine a film review of Black Panther, with a series of questions and activities analysing its language features and meaning. Can be taught as a one off. A particularly important lesson for young students who, like mine, come from primary white backgrounds.
A single lesson that builds students' comparison skills for the GCSE Power & Conflict poetry unit. Activities include comparison and contrast for AO1-2, and critical writing.
A useful lesson for revising how to compare poems in the Power & Conflict poetry cluster, for AQA’s GCSE. I recommend this resource if you have already taught the entire unit. A few skills that the lesson covers are:
Detailed revision and analysis of poetic form
Revision of contextual influences and the importance of these
How to structure a comparison paragraph
Activity sheets for printing are included in the PP.
A revision lesson that briefly looks at the main themes, language and contextual features for Macbeth Act 4 and 5, followed by an examination of the Biblical in Macbeth (whole play).
Enjoy!
An in depth series of lessons (2-4 depending on ability) for KS3 looking at William Blake’s “The Tyger”. In-depth, structured activities focusing on themes, language, form and structure. Am quite proud of this lesson! Enjoy
A quick resource I whipped up for my year 10s, who are about to start Jekyll & Hyde for their GCSE. They are going to research an extract from Victorian literature and present on how this text reflects contextual ideas. Please adapt the first few slides for your own use, but thought others might find the project useful!
Includes:
Presentation planning stage
Research questions
Marking criteria (made student friendly)
A one off lesson (could be taught for either KS3 or KS4 depending on class ability) defining charactonyms. The focus is on the character of Minerva McGonagall, with an extract from "The Deathly Hallows", some language analysis and finally, a creative activity.
I've designed this lesson and posted it as a free resource so as to showcase my work in resource planning/creation. If you like this lesson, please check out my other resources which span KS3-5.