This stimulating and thought-provoking lesson enables students to create playscript texts containing appropriate and imaginative content choices, using knowledge of genre and narrative structure to form engaging subject matter. In particular, students learn how key features such as the setup, confrontation, and resolution, in addition to characters (such as heroes and villains) can aid the creation of original and engaging playscripts. The lesson follows a clear, logical, bite-size learning journey, which guides students towards differentiated learning objectives. Over the course of this journey, they become able to: - Define and exemplify the different genres of playscripts; - Research and identify the key features of different genres; - Gaining an in-depth understanding of the narrative structure of playscripts; - Applying this understanding to popular playscripts, and then using this information to create their own playscripts; - Write their own playscripts, with interesting, varied, and appropriate subject matter; - Self/peer assess their playscript attempts. This resource pack includes: - A visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation; - A helpful and well-structured research template; - A comprehensive planning sheet for designing their own playscripts; - A detailed lesson plan, complete with what the teacher and students should aim to achieve at each stage of the lesson. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the PowerPoint.

This stimulating and thought-provoking lesson enables students to create playscript texts containing varied and imaginative dramatic language and devices, using techniques appropriately to engage audiences. In particular, students learn how key features such as dramatic irony, dramatic tension, pauses, hesitations, and stage directions can aid the creation of original and engaging playscripts. The lesson follows a clear, logical, bite-size learning journey, which guides students towards differentiated learning objectives. Over the course of this journey, they become able to: - Define and exemplify the key language devices of playscripts; - Identify the key features within an extract of an existing playscript, commenting upon effect; - Gaining an in-depth understanding of the application of some of the more complicated language features; - Completing short, fun, application tasks to check their understanding; - Write their own playscripts, with accurate language and devices; - Self/Peer assess their playscript attempts. This resource pack includes: - A visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation; - An engaging and appropriate playscript extract to learn from; - Cards for the card-sorting task; - An analysis worksheet; - A detailed lesson plan, complete with what the teacher and students should aim to achieve at each stage of the lesson. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the PowerPoint.

This engaging and informative lesson helps students to demonstrate a clear understanding of the setting in ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ - The Secret Annex. Students explore the language used by Anne Frank in her description, explore the annex for themselves on a virtual tour, and then write imaginative and original descriptions based on what they have seen and read. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: -Empathising with the Frank family's situation by discussing the idea of displacement; - Reading and understanding extracts from the opening section of Anne Frank's Diary, in which Anne describes the annex; - Information gathering on each of the rooms in the annex through observing a virtual tour; - Linking information and using imaginative thoughts to produce detailed, original, and imaginative descriptions of rooms in the annex; - Self assessing their own learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Information Gathering Template; - Selected extracts - The Diary of Anne Frank; - Link to a virtual tour video (you will need internet access to view); - Writing to Describe 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 mixed-ability 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 resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate and engaging comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of R.J. Palacio’s 'Wonder.’ Teachers have found them particularly useful in comprehension or guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of children towards meeting the KS2 expectations within the new National Curriculum framework. Children love learning from these resources, whilst they are also of great use to teachers, as there is explicit information within each task regarding which comprehension strands the task is designed to demonstrate. They also relate to key extracts, characters, and themes from the story, ensuring that children gain a deep understanding of the text. Activities within the booklet include: ‘An Interview with Auggie’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Understand what is read by drawing on information from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas, and using quotations for illustration;’ ‘Palacio’s Description’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Explain meanings of words that they know and ask the meaning of new words. Link the meaning of new words to words that they already know;’ ‘Julian Alban’s and Summer’s Character Profiles!’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Understand what is read by drawing on information from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas, and using quotations for illustration;’ 'Figurative Language in ‘Wonder’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, to create an impact on the reader.’ Plus many, many more activities (the booklet is 21 pages in length!) I’ve also added it as a PDF in case the formatting differs on your computer. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on a separate document (included).

In this engaging and informative lesson, students make clear and insightful interpretations of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson – the chief protagonists in Arthur Conan Doyle’s 'The Sign of Four.' In particular, students learn about their key characteristics, mannerisms, appearance, and interactions of others – and relate these to ideas of societal expectations of the time. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which students learn through: - Inferring and deducing what the novel may be about, from clues in the title; - Reading and understanding chapters 1 and 2, and demonstrating understanding through answers to comprehension questions; - Establishing the key character traits of Holmes and Watson, including their appearance, mannerisms and personality, using precise and relevant textual evidence; - Analysing how each character is presented in the opening two chapters; - Peer assessing each other's learning attempts. Included is: - Whole Lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Paper Copies of Chapters 1 and 2; - Holmes Character Profile (and PDF); - Watson Character Profile (and PDF); - Essay Template; - Detailed Lesson Plan There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. These resources were originally taught to GCSE students, but with subtle adaptations they have also been used with both younger and older (up to A Level) students. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.