There's been a murder! This exciting, engaging investigation activity allows students to control the direction of their own learning, through speaking, listening, discussing, and reasoning. I initially created these resources to provide something interesting for the students to engage with for their Functional Skills Speaking and Listening discussions, but it has since been used across Citizenship and PSHE departments, as well as by form groups, as a catalyst for social and moral discussions. Students play detectives aiming to solve the case of a death of an old lady. Using a range of evidence, from video clips, to interviews with key suspects, to positioning events on maps, students work in teams to try and solve the case. They must use skills of communication, to decide which leads to prioritise, and which evidence to discount. They also need to use their skills of literacy, to read and understand key evidence, and skills of numeracy to ensure that they keep their case within budget! Included in this resource pack are: - Full PowerPoint lesson talking students through the case; - A range of 'Exhibits' - evidence that the students use to build a case, including video clips; - A map of the local area, to help visualise the events leading up to the death; - Budgetting and recording sheets to track their progress; - A prime supsects list; - Clue cards containing interviews with prime supsects; - Full teacher guidance. Considering the time and effort that it took to create these resources, I think that they offer exceptional value. Whenever I have used this activity before, it has taken at least 2-3 lessons, including the introduction, investigation, conclusions, and evaluation. I orignally have used this with lower ability Year 8,9, and 10 groups, but colleagues have adapted it easily for students of all key stages. All images have been cited at the end of the PowerPoint presentation and are licensed for commercial use.

This engaging and informative lesson helps students to understand one of the key themes running throughout Robert Swindells’ Stone Cold: Homelessness. Students use key information, research skills, and extracts from the text to understand how and why homelessness happens and who it can affect, before composing their own arguments about how they believe homelessness should be tackled. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Considering their own views towards homeless people, and thinking about how these were formed; - Researching how and why people become homeless, and who it affects ; - Reading an extract from ‘Stone Cold’ in which Link describes a night on the streets, to better empathise with those who are sleeping rough; - Answering comprehension questions about the extract, considering the writer’s use of language and retrieving textual information to back up their ideas; - Forming their own arguments about how homelessness should be tackled, using their own research and the information gathered throughout the lesson; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts; Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Research Template; - Selected extracts - Stone Cold - Link’s description of a night on the streets; - Writing to Argue Helpsheet; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with a year 8 class, however colleagues have used them for between years 5 and 9 with minimal adaptations. Please note that internet access/ use of research mechanisms is required for the introduction task. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising knowledge relating to the Romans. It contains comprehensive sections on: Roman Empire map (annotated); Roman Leaders and Emperors; Roman timeline; Roman places and landmarks; Roman daily life. The resource is designed to be printed onto A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images used are licensed for commercial use and are cited on a separate document (included). It is most suitable for children in KS2 and KS3.

The year is 2086, and the students are needed for a special mission! This space mission has been designed to provide students with a fun and interesting group challenge, whilst also building key skills in critical thinking and collaboration, and essential knowledge for Science, English, and Mathematics. Students are placed in a scenario in which Earth is no longer habitable, and humans must seek to move to another planet in the Universe. Compiled for them is information on each of the potentially most habitable planets that are known to man (these are the real planets that have been confirmed by NASA and other agencies as having the most potential for life). In reading the key information, students will be drawing upon their knowledge of Science terminology, and will need to make some Maths calculations to work out implications of living on different planets. What will become clear fairly quickly is that none of the potential planets are perfect, and they must use reasoned judgements to determine which of them have cons that could perhaps be overcome. They then present their ideas, using clear and articulate speaking and listening skills, and write up their report, using appropriate written communication (a scaffold is provided to frame this). Everything is provided for you to download, print, and teach: - A comprehensive, whole-activity PowerPoint that guides the students through the mission; - Detailed and colourful information sheets on each of the contender planets for being the next Earth (these include links to amazing websites that can provide the children with more information); - A ‘Pros and Cons’ scaffold, to help students record their findings; - An information sheet on the ‘habitable zone’ around stars; - A scaffold for writing up findings; - Sorting cards for help with determining the key features of habitable planets; - Full teacher guidance. Considering the time and effort that it took to create these resources, I think that they offer exceptional value. Whenever I have used this activity before, it has taken at least 2-3 lessons, including the introduction, starter challenge, main mission, presentations, and write-up. I originally have used this with mid-ability Year 6,7, and 8 groups, but colleagues have easily adapted it for students across key stages 2-4. All images have been cited at the end of the PowerPoint presentation and are licensed for commercial use.

This lesson aims to help students to write descriptively, using a range of descriptive writing techniques. Students also learn how to incorporate the five senses into their writing. Furthermore, students explore social and moral issues such as 'swimming against the tide' and 'being different,' through the story of Oskar Schindler. Informative and engaging, this lesson follows a clear and logical learning journey. Students learn to: - Define the key term 'humane' - Understand the story of Oskar Schindler, and consider the social and moral dilemmas that he faced; - Consider decisions that they have had to make which contrast to popular opinion; - Remember the five senses, and discuss why they are important to descriptive writing; - Use the five senses to create descriptive sentences based on scenes from Schindler's List; - Write a descriptive piece about a difficult decision that they have had to make; - Peer-assess each others' learning attempts. Resources included are: A whole-lesson PowerPoint, that guides the teacher and learners throughout the entire lesson, an engaging worksheet, a writing to describe help-sheet, and a teacher guidance sheet. Note: I'm aware that this is a 15 film - however the clips that I have selected are not amongst the most graphic, and so I feel that the lesson can be used with students younger than 15. You will need a Youtube connection for the links to work. All images are cited at the end of the PowerPoint presentation, and are licensed for commercial use.

This lesson aims to help students to build their skill at analysing the language choices in texts, whilst also providing students with valuable SMSC messages about the horror of the Holocaust. Students also hone their skills of writing to analyse, in response to extracts from 'Anne Frank's Diary.' Informative and engaging, this lesson follows a clear and logical learning journey. Students learn to: - Define key terms related to the historical context of The Holocaust; - Remember and understand key information about Anne Frank's experiences, that they learn from an engaging PowerPoint presentation; - Read extracts from Anne Frank's diary; - Answer a range of questions to demonstrate their understanding of Anne's diary; - Analyse the language features used by Anne Frank to create dramatic images in the mind of the reader; - Peer-assess each others' learning attempts. Included in this resource pack: A comprehensive, whole-lesson, visually engaging PowerPoint presentation, which guides the teacher and learners through the lesson, a writing to analyse help-sheet, an engaging and helpful worksheet, extracts from 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' and teacher guidance notes. All images are cited at the end of the PowerPoint presentation, and are licensed for commercial use.

This lesson serves as an engaging and confidence-building introduction to any speaking and listening unit. Students learn to use facts and opinions to state their case about a number of interesting and topical issues, whilst also building towards using a range of connectives to link their ideas together. The lesson also links strongly to PSHE and Citizenship, as students discuss a range of moral and ethical issues, whilst simultaneously building their skills of communication. Included in the lesson are: a visually stimulating, step-by-step PowerPoint presentation, a student guidance sheet to scaffold and shape student responses, and teacher guidance to aid practitioner implementation.

This lesson aims to help students understand the historical context of The Holocaust. It is designed to be the first in a series of lessons based upon Holocaust-themed texts, but also makes a fitting introduction to teaching texts such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, Anne Frank's Diary, or simply to be used in a PSHE/form-time lesson to build awareness. Informative and engaging, this lesson follows a clear and logical learning journey. Students learn to: - Define key terms related to the historical context of The Holocaust; - Remember and understand key information about the Holocaust that they learn from an engaging PowerPoint presentation; - Consider the SMSC questions that arise from such a horrific case of genocide; - Create a newspaper article that utilises the features of writing to inform, and shares key facts about the Holocaust; - Peer-assess each others' learning attempts. Included in this resource pack: A comprehensive, whole-lesson, visually engaging PowerPoint presentation, which guides the teacher and learners through the lesson, a writing to inform help-sheet, a tabloid newspaper template, ' a key terms activity, and teacher guidance notes. All images are cited at the end of the PowerPoint presentation, and are licensed for commercial use.

This lesson aims to help students to build their skill at inferring and deducing the hidden meanings in texts, whilst also providing students with valuable SMSC messages about the horror of the Holocaust. Students also hone their skills of writing to argue, utilising information that they gain from reading extracts of John Boyne’s ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.’ Informative and engaging, this lesson follows a clear and logical learning journey. Students learn to: - Define key terms related to reading between the lines of a text; - Consider the concepts of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ using the poem ‘Vultures.’ Use this knowledge to consider the actions of those involved in the Holocaust; - Read extracts from The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas; - Answer a range of questions designed to demonstrate students’ ability to infer and deduce the hidden meanings in texts; - Write an argumentative letter from Bruno’s Grandma to his father, using a writing to argue help-sheet; - Peer-assess each others’ learning attempts. Included in this resource pack: A comprehensive, whole-lesson, visually engaging PowerPoint presentation, which guides the teacher and learners through the lesson, a writing to argue help-sheet, a copy of the poem ‘Vultures,’ extracts from ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ and teacher guidance notes. All images are cited at the end of the PowerPoint presentation, and are licensed for commercial use.

Based on the popular game show ‘Pointless’, this resource is perfect for use as a whole lesson resource, enrichment option, or revision tool. Editable, so that you can change to any other topic or change questions. (I’ve also added a blank template so that you can make your own games from scratch). Containing almost 30 slides of sound clips, interesting tasks, and suitably challenging questions, this resource is effective at both promoting engagement and enhancing learning. There are several full rounds of questions to build or revisit knowledge of characters, plot, and themes in ‘Stone Cold.’ Round 1. The characters in Stone Cold Round 2. Quotations from the text Round 3. Settings and Objects Round 4. Themes in Stone Cold The nature of this game ensures that the resource can challenge students of all levels. A blank template has also been added, so that you can create your own games!

These informative and engaging resources enable students to build the skills needed to interpret and analyse the langauge used in poems. These resources also give students a strong foundation knowledge, including the SMSC implications, of the events of 9/11 - an important historical day that should never be forgotten. Students learn through the following tasks: - Collecting and discussing knowledge of the events of the day through an interactive starter task; - Reading the poem ‘Out of the Blue’ and identifying the descriptive devices throughout the poem; - Discussing a model analytical paragraph about the language used in the poem, in order to form their own success criteria; - Using a template to form their own analytical paragraphs about the language used in the poem; - Using peer or self-assessment in order to establish their success at analysing language. The following resources are provided: - Engaging and colourful step-by-step PowerPoint - Poem - Teacher lesson guidance; - Identifying worksheet; - Analysis template; - Writing to analyse help-sheet - Analysis model All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the PowerPoint.