I am currently teaching in a state secondary school although I have also taught in primary, independent and international schools. I really hope you find my resources useful!
I am currently teaching in a state secondary school although I have also taught in primary, independent and international schools. I really hope you find my resources useful!
‘War Photographer’ by Carol Ann Duffy and ‘Blessing’ by Imtiaz Dharker
This is a colourful document in the form of a super clear grid that shows students how to compare the poems using the themes of strong images/ strong feelings/ challenging situations. The grid can easily be used to write about other themes from the poems.
5-6 short key quotations from each poem
high-end language analysis
tight comparison
It is really useful for effective revision. I created this for a student who went on to get a grade 9 just using this (and others I have made) as her revision aid.
Search for My Tongue by Sujata Bhatt and Half-caste by John Agard
This is a colourful document in the form of a super clear grid that shows students how to compare the poems using the themes of identity and strong feelings.
5-6 short key quotations from each poem
high-end language analysis
tight comparison
It is really useful for effective revision. I created this for a student who went on to get a grade 9 just using this (and others I have made) as her revision aid.
This is a super clear powerpoint consisting of 44 slides that guides the class through the theme of the generational divide in ‘An Inspector Calls’.
There are lots of activities for the students which can be completed as a class, in groups/ pairs or individually. There are answers on separate slides to all questions/activities.
Use of short key quotations allow plenty of opportunities for students to closely analyse language.
Additionally, there are also some ideas for top-level context and exploring the text in different ways which helps students reach the highest grades.
The lesson finishes with two essay questions so teachers can choose the one they need to teach according to their exam board.
One is an essay question which follows the format of AQA and Edexcel. There is a full top level answer as well for students to read.
One is with an extract-based exam paper suitable for Eduqas students. This includes detailed slides showing how to annotate, how to plan and, really usefully, an example of a top level answer.
My students found this really helpful- I hope yours do too!
If you like this resource, please do leave a review and have a look at my TES shop MsLarkinsResources for more material that will help your GCSE students achieve their best.
Ms Larkin’s Resources
A super clear, colourful 43 slide powerpoint that covers the theme of guilt in ‘Macbeth’. This works best as a lesson after the class has read the whole play.
There are plenty of opportunities for students to work individually, in pairs or small groups, depending on the class dynamics. There are sample answers for all tasks and engaging activities which help students improve their skills.
There are guided writing tasks as well to support students.
There is an AQA/OCR style essay question at the end with structured guidance to help the students annotate an extract and plan an answer. There are guided writing tasks as well to support students.
There is a full sample answer at the end.
This lesson takes 1-2 hours, depending on how much writing you ask the students to complete.
My students have found it engaging and really helpful. I hope yours do too!
If you find it useful, please do leave a review and have a look at other lessons and activities in my shop.
An engaging, super clear 29 slide powerpoint which takes a class through the stages of tackling an exploding extract question for ‘A Christmas Carol’ using the setting of the novella as the question focus.
The extract is from Stave 1. There are plenty of opportunities for short, focused activities by the students and short clips of films to help illustrate ideas. The lesson finishes with an exam question, with two sample model paragraphs and a writing scaffold for students to complete the essay.
This is suitable for the AQA and Eduqas exam boards but can be adapted for other exam boards.
A super clear, colourful 44 slide powerpoint that covers the theme of the supernatural in ‘Macbeth’. This works best as a lesson after the class has read the whole play.
There are plenty of opportunities for students to work individually, in pairs or small groups, depending on the class dynamics. There are sample answers for all tasks and engaging activities which help students improve their skills.
There are guided writing tasks as well to support students.
There is an AQA/OCR style essay question at the end with structured guidance to help the students annotate an extract and plan an answer. There are guided writing tasks as well to support students.
There is a full sample answer at the end.
This lesson takes 1-2 hours, depending on how much writing you ask the students to complete.
My students have found it engaging and really helpful. I hope yours do too!
If you find it useful, please do leave a review and have a look at other lessons and activities in my shop.
This bundle is a series of documents in the form of super clear grids that shows students how to compare ALL the poems from the Edexcel GCSE Time and Place cluster.
5-6 short key quotations from each poem
high-end language analysis
context fully covered
tight comparison
They are really useful for effective revision. I created these for a student who went on to get a grade 9 just using these grids as her revision aids.
Search for my Tongue by Sujata Bhatt and Prayer Before Birth by Louis MacNeice
This is a colourful document in the form of a super clear grid that shows students how to compare the poems using the theme of identity. The grid can easily be used to write about other themes such as strong images or strong feelings.
5-6 short key quotations from each poem
high-end language analysis
tight comparison
It is really useful for effective revision. I created this for a student who went on to get a grade 9 just using this (and others I have made) as her revision aid.
An engaging, super clear 30 slide powerpoint which takes a class through the theme of violence in ‘Macbeth’.
There are plenty of opportunities for short, focused activities by the students to help consolidate skills of language analysis and writing about context. The lesson finishes with an exam question, using an extract from Act 4 scene 3, with two separate detailed plans showing how to tackle an essay.
This is suitable for the AQA exam board but can easily be adapted for other exam boards.
An engaging, super clear 41 slide powerpoint which takes a class through the relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, using key quotations which are then used to tackle an exploding extract question.
There are plenty of opportunities for short, focused activities by the students with slides giving answers for all activities. The lesson finishes with an exam question and guided activities to help students plan and then write their answers.
A full model answer is also included.
The lesson works best as revision. It takes between 1 and 2 hours, depending on how much writing the students complete.
This is suitable for the AQA and OCR exam boards but can easily be adapted for other exam boards.
A super clear powerpoint (20 slides) which takes a class through the stages of tackling an extract question.
The extract is from chapter 8 and the question is based on the theme of secrecy and mystery. There are opportunities for short, focused activities by the students and also a ‘moving up the levels’ illustration of how to analyse language and structure closely. It finishes with a complete model answer at grade 9 standard.
This is written for the Edexcel exam board but can easily be adapted for other exam boards.
A super clear, colourful 45 slide powerpoint that covers the character of Mercutio in ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
There are plenty of opportunities for students to work individually, in pairs or small groups, depending on the class dynamics. There are sample answers for all tasks and engaging activities which help students improve their skills.
There is an AQA style essay question at the end with structured guidance to help the students annotate an extract and plan an answer. There are guided writing tasks as well to support students.
There is a full sample answer at the end.
This lesson takes 1-2 hours, depending on how much writing you ask the students to complete.
My students have found it engaging and really helpful. I hope yours do too!
If you find it useful, please do leave a review and have a look at other lessons and activities in my shop.
This is a super clear powerpoint consisting of 52 slides that guides the class through the character of Mr Birling in ‘An Inspector Calls’.
There are lots of activities for the students which can be completed as a class, in groups/ pairs or individually. There are answers on separate slides to all questions/activities.
Use of short key quotations allow plenty of opportunities for students to closely analyse language.
Additionally, there are also some ideas for top-level context and exploring the text in different ways which helps students reach the highest grades.
The lesson finishes with two essay questions so teachers can choose the one they need to teach according to their exam board.
One is an essay question which follows the format of AQA and Edexcel. There is a full top level answer as well for students to read.
One is with an extract-based exam paper suitable for Eduqas students. This includes detailed slides showing how to annotate, how to plan and, really usefully, an example of a top level answer.
My students found this really helpful- I hope yours do too!
If you like this resource, please do leave a review and have a look at my TES shop MsLarkinsResources.
Thank you!
This is a super clear powerpoint consisting of 43 slides that guides the class through the character of Eric Birling in ‘An Inspector Calls’.
There are lots of activities for the students which can be completed as a class, in groups/ pairs or individually. There are answers on separate slides to all questions/activities.
Use of short key quotations allow plenty of opportunities for students to closely analyse language.
Additionally, there are also some ideas for top-level context and exploring the text in different ways which helps students reach the highest grades.
The lesson finishes with two essay questions so teachers can choose the one they need to teach according to their exam board.
One is an essay question which follows the format of AQA and Edexcel. There is a full top level answer as well for students to read.
One is with an extract-based exam paper suitable for Eduqas students. This includes detailed slides showing how to annotate, how to plan and, really usefully, an example of a top level answer.
My students found this really helpful- I hope yours do too!
If you like this resource, please do leave a review and have a look at my TES shop MsLarkinsResources for more material that will help your GCSE students achieve their best.
MsLarkinsTesShop
Thank you!
A super clear, colourful 39 slide powerpoint that covers the theme of the supernatural in ‘Macbeth’.
There are plenty of opportunities for students to work individually, in pairs or small groups, depending on the class dynamics. There are sample answers for all tasks and engaging activities which help students improve their skills.
There are guided writing tasks as well to support students.
There is a full sample answer at the end. Please note: this essay and the activities cover AO2 and AO3. Depending on whether you are teaching Edexcel or Eduqas, you would want to play up or down the AO2 or AO3. None of it is irrelevant- although context is not assessed in Eduqas, good use of it can enhance students’ points. Similarly, AO2 is assessed in the extract question for Edexcel which means the practice of the skills here for the essay question can help students improve these important skills.
This lesson takes 1-2 hours, depending on how much writing you ask the students to complete.
My students have found it engaging and really helpful. I hope yours do too!
If you find it useful, please do leave a review and have a look at other lessons and activities in my shop.
A super clear, colourful 36 slide powerpoint that explores the poem ‘Playgrounds’ by Berlie Doherty
I have delivered this lesson to KS3 and KS4 students very successfully, and I think it is accessible for KS2 as well.
There are plenty of opportunities for students to work individually, in pairs or small groups, depending on the class dynamics. There are sample answers for most tasks and engaging activities which help students improve their skills.
This lesson takes 1-2 hours, depending on how much writing you ask the students to complete.
My students have found it engaging and really helpful. I hope yours do too!
An engaging, super clear 28 slide powerpoint which takes a class through the theme of manipulation in ‘Macbeth’.
There are plenty of opportunities for short, focused activities by the students to help consolidate skills of language analysis and writing about context. The lesson finishes with an exam question, using an extract from Act 2 scene 2, with two separate detailed plans showing how to tackle a GCSE essay.
This is suitable for the AQA exam board but can easily be adapted for other exam boards.
A super clear powerpoint (20 slides) which takes a class through the stages of tackling an extract question.
The extract is from ‘The Incident at the Window’ . There are plenty of opportunities for short, focused activities by the students and also a ‘moving up the levels’ illustration of how to analyse language and structure closely. It finishes with a complete model answer at grade 9 standard.
This is suitable for the Edexcel exam board but can be adapted for other exam boards.
Please leave a review if you found this resource useful:-)
This is a game that is easy to set up and fun to play. It’s very similar to ‘Articulate’ or ‘Don’t Say a Word’ so it’s interactive and entertaining.
All you need to do is print off the cards and cut them up (a 5 minute job) and then it’s ready to play. Once this is done, the cards can be reused for other classes and lessons.
My students really enjoy this game. We play with other texts as well and it’s a good break from mind maps and timed essays etc.
Rules and how to play all on the document.
If you like it, please do leave a review and check out my other resources in my MsLarkinsResources shop.
Have fun!
This is a simple guessing game teaching modal verbs.
The game takes minimal set-up from the teacher; you just need to print and cut up 2 slides of the power point. Students really enjoy this and it’s designed so that all children can be fully engaged.
Enjoy! If you like it, please do leave a review!