This interesting and engaging lesson enables students to build their knowledge of the content, language, and structure of Carol Ann Duffy’s contemporary relationships poem ‘Before You Were Mine.’ In particular, students learn how the poet’s use of vocabulary, devices, and poetic structure portray the contrasts in the mother’s life between past and present. Students learn through a logical and step-by-step learning journey, including: -Discussing and applying the key messages and meanings in the poem; -Understanding key contextual information about the poet and her life; -Reading and interpreting the poem; -Understanding the poem, with a particular emphasis upon the content, language, and structural features; -Writing an extended analysis piece based upon how Duffy reflects on her mother’s past and the changes that she has made to her life since becoming a mother; -Peer assessing their partners' analysis attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful, engaging and substantial; (including hyperlink to a reading of the poem) - Copy of poem; - 'How has Ma Changed?' comparison worksheet; - Analysis template with in-built success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to middle-ability year 9/10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This interesting and highly-stimulating lesson enables students to make clear and sustained inferences and interpretations about the context and themes in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge. In particular, students engage analytically with Alfieri’s opening monologue, demonstrating an understanding of what it reveals about Italian American culture and community at the time. 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: - Understand the relevance of Brooklyn Bridge, both literally and figuratively; - Understand the relevance of Arthur Miller’s life and influences; - Read and understand Alfieri’s opening monologue, in which the geographical, social, and historical context is set, and infer and interpret the key information provided; - Understand the key term ‘Omerta’, and apply codes of honour to their own contexts; - Analyse Alfieri’s opening monologue in terms of the key information it provides the audience with about context and community; -Peer assess each other’s learning attempts. This resource pack includes: - A visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation;; - Paper copies and online links to the extract needed for the lesson (Alfieri’s opening monologue); - Cards for application activity; - Interpretations and inferences worksheet (including answer sheet for teachers); - A logically scaffolded essay template; - 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 interesting and highly-stimulating lesson enables students to demonstrate a developed, sustained understanding of the language devices utilised in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge. In particular, students engage analytically with Miller’s use of language at the beginning of Act II, in which Eddie Carbone appears to lose control over his actions. Students examine how similes, rhetorical questions, imperative commands, and other language features serve to highlight his descent into desperation. 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 provide examples for each of the relevant language devices; - Identify each of the language devices in short sentences, and begin to comment upon their effect; - Understand some of Miller’s intentions behind writing the play; - Critically engage with Miller’s use of language devices at the end of the Act Two, including the events leading up to Eddie’s call to the Immigration Office; -Peer assess each other’s learning attempts. This resource pack includes: - A visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation;; - Paper copies and online links to the extract needed for the lesson (beginning section of Act Two); - Language Devices Cards; - Language Devices worksheet (including answer sheet for teachers); - A logically scaffolded essay template; - 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, in-depth lesson enables students to understand how plot and language are utilised to develop the characters of Beatrice and Benedick in William Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado about Nothing.’ The lesson places a particular focus upon how language is used between the two characters to present the audience with ideas about their intelligence, attitudes, and emotions. Students also analyse how their behaviour develops over the course of the text. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which students learn through: - Taking part in a fun team quiz to secure understanding of the two characters; - Completing a 'love graph' (backed up with textual evidence) to show how the prevailing attitudes and emotions of the two characters develops through the text; - Analysing quotations in which Shakespeare used advanced language techniques to portray both of the characters in a particular light; - Completing an essay style response in which they consider how Shakespeare's use of language helps to develop the two characters; - Peer assessing each other's learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and detailed - just download and teach from it! - Love Graph - to track the two characters' feelings towards one another; - 'Beatrice and Benedick Quotations' worksheet; - Analysis template with success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to higher-ability year 9 and 10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities.

In this engaging and informative lesson, students are enabled to make clear and insightful interpretations of Elizabeth Bennet – the chief protagonist in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. In particular, students learn about her key characteristics- such as her strong ideas, wit, intelligence, grace, and good humour – 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: - Playing a fun and interactive quiz to determine the key events and family life of Elizabeth Bennet; - Establishing her characteristics and traits, utilising textual evidence; - Analysing Elizabeth’s character in relation to the expectations of society in the Regency Era; - Creating clear and creative diary entries, using an in-depth understanding of Elizabeth’s character; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - ‘Character Traits of Elizabeth’ task resources - with teacher answer sheet; - ‘Elizabeth in Context’ task resources - with teacher answer sheet; - Comprehensive 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.

This lesson enables students to 'read between the lines' in texts and infer significant meanings. Utilising a range of visual, kinaesthetic, and reading tasks, students not only gain an increased understanding of the importance of inference in English, but also gain an awareness of its importance in other areas of life. The lesson follows an interesting and engaging step-by-step learning journey, which helps students to: - Define what inference is; - Understand the importance of inference; - Infer what they can see; - Infer what they hear; - Infer what they read, using key sentence starters and textual evidence; - Formulate P.E.E. inference responses, where necessary utilising the included scaffolds and help-sheets; - Peer/self assess their learning attempts. Included in this resource pack: - Full whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation; - P.E.E scaffold sheet; -Writing to analyse helpsheet; - Pictures required for development task; - Teacher guidance All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide.

This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of Arthur Miller’s ‘A View from the Bridge.’ Teachers have found them particularly useful in exam revision, comprehension tasks, or guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of students towards meeting the KS4 expectations within the new National Curriculum framework - this makes the tasks suitable for all examining bodies. Students have found these resources extremely engaging, and for teachers 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 students gain a deep understanding of the text. Activities within the booklet include: - ‘Context: 1950s America’ - to aid students with ‘Drawing on knowledge of the purpose, audience and context of the writing, including its social, historical and cultural context and the literary tradition to which it belongs, to inform evaluation;’ - ‘Miller’s Description’ - to aid students with ‘Analysing a writer’s choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features, and evaluating their effectiveness and impact;’ - ‘Eddie’ - to aid students with ‘Seeking evidence in the text to support a point of view, including justifying inferences with evidence;’ - ‘Editing the Play’ - to aid students with ‘Making an informed personal response, recognising that other responses to a text are possible and evaluating these.’ Plus many, many more activities (the booklet is around 30 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).

This highly engaging and informative double lesson (around 1.5 to 2 hours of teaching materials) helps build students’ ability at using varied and imaginative techniques to describe emotions in their creative writing. Specifically, students learn how to create in-depth paragraphs detailing the emotional state of their narrator and characters, both implicitly and explicitly. I wrote this lesson because I noticed that there are an extremely high volume of students that approach creative writing tasks (even in their GCSEs) offering little depth or detail in terms of their characters emotions. Even though they have clearly learnt a number of writing techniques from their teachers, their emotional writing often merely explicitly states how a character feels, using the same four or five emotions. In this lesson, students learn: - To define what emotions are; - To understand and use the vast range of emotional vocabulary and synonyms available in the English language; - To investigate different emotions, including how they can manifest themselves; - To understand how emotions can be communicated utilising a range of descriptive devices; - To create an imaginative and emotionally-driven piece of creative writing; - To self-assess their creative writing attempts; Included are all worksheets, and detailed and visual PowerPoint presentation, which explains each concept clearly, and a lesson plan for teacher guidance.

Now with PDF version included! This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use in guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of children towards meeting the Year 4 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 are also generic enough to ensure that they are appropriate for use with all texts. Activities and games within the booklet include: - Word Boxing - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Show an understanding of words that capture the readers’ interest and imagination' and 'Use a dictionary to check the meanings of words that you have read' - FBI Vocabulary Agent - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Show an understanding of words that capture the readers’ interest and imagination.' - Information Hunter - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ' Retrieve and record information given from non-fiction texts.' - Storyboarder - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Maintain a positive attitude towards reading by understanding, listening to, and discussing a range of fiction, plays, poems, non-fiction, reference books and text books.' Plus many, many more activities (the booklet is around 20 pages in length!) All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on a separate document (included.)

Now with PDF version included! This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use in guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of children towards meeting the Year 2 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 are also generic enough to ensure that they are appropriate for use with all texts. Activities within the booklet include: - Word Witch - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Spot when a word has been read wrongly by following the sense of text;' - Scary Stepping Stones - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Enjoy reading and discussing the order of events in books and how items of information are related;' - Poets' Got Talent - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Enjoy reading poems and know some by heart. Say what you like or don’t like about a poem;' - Story Mountain - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Enjoy reading and discussing the order of events in books and how items of information are related.' Plus many, many more activities (the booklet is over 20 pages in length!) All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on a separate document (included.)

This full double lesson (the resources require at least 2 hours of teaching time) provides an engaging and highly-informative study of Margaret Postgate Cole's war poem 'The Falling Leaves.' Students learn to analyse the poem in terms of content, language, and structure, learn more about the context of World War I, and gain crucial skills in structuring analytical responses to texts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and substantial; - Engagement quiz to learn more about the context of WWI; - Copy of poem with devices identification task and structural questions; - Analysis template with success criteria for creating well-structured responses; -Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to a middle-ability year 10 group, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation. -

In this engaging and informative lesson, students are enabled to make sustained and developed interpretations regarding the introduction and development of the character of Mrs Bennet in ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ In particular, students learn about how her tiresome, ungraceful, single-minded behaviour ironically alienates the very suitors that she hopes to attract for her daughters. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which students learn through: - Establishing the extent to which Mrs Bennet fits the requirements of the ‘Regency mother’; - Reading and understanding how Mrs Bennet is introduced in the novel, using relevant textual evidence; - Tracking how her character develops through the notable events of the novel; - Analysing how Austen introduces and develops Mrs Bennet’s character throughout the novel; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Extract from Chapter 1; - ‘Development of Mrs Bennet’ task resources - with teacher answer sheet; - Supportive and clear essay template; - Comprehensive 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.

This lesson enables students to build their knowledge of the content, language, and structure of Lord Byron’s classic love/relationships poem ‘When We Two Parted.’ In particular, students learn how the poet’s use of vocabulary, rhyme, and repetition influence the mood and tone of the poem. Students learn through a logical and step-by-step learning journey, including: -Understanding key contextual information about the poet and his life; -Defining key terms and vocabulary from the poem; -Reading and interpreting the poem; -Understanding the poem, with a particular emphasis upon the content, language, and structural features; -Writing an extended analysis piece based upon how Byron gets across the themes of sadness and forbidden love in the poem, through the use of language and structure; -Peer assessing each other's learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and substantial; (including hyperlink to a reading of the poem) - Copy of poem; - Key questions worksheet, with model answers; - Analysis template with in-built success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to middle-ability year 9/10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This resource pack is comprised of: 1.) Observation & Learning Walk Performance Grid 2.) Marking and Feedback Performance Grid 3.) Pupil Progress Performance Grid For use alongside lesson observations, learning walks, book monitoring, and discussions about pupil progress, these succinct performance grids enable observers to gauge, categorise, and feedback on teaching and learning using OFSTED guidance for effective teaching. The documents provide descriptors of 'outstanding', 'good', 'requires improvement' and 'inadequate' practice within appropriately considered teaching and learning focus areas, for example: Questioning, Positive Feedback, Use of Additional Adults, Noticing Data Trends and Plotting Interventions etc. Schools who opt to grade individual teachers on their performance have noted that these are helpful aids in arriving at an overall judgement.

This interesting and engaging lesson enables students to build their knowledge of the content, language, and structure of Simon Armitage’s contemporary relationships poem ‘Mother, Any Distance...’ In particular, students learn how the poet’s use of figurative language portrays the key messages in the poem, for example the maternal relationship between the speaker and his mother. Students learn through a logical and step-by-step learning journey, including: -Discussing and applying the key messages and meanings in the poem; -Understanding key contextual information about the poet and his life; -Reading and interpreting the poem; -Understanding the poem, with a particular emphasis upon the content, language, and structural features; - Identifying and analysing the poet's use of figurative language; -Writing an extended analysis piece based upon how Simon Armitage presents the strength of the maternal bond in Mother, Any Distance; -Peer assessing their partners' analysis attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful, engaging and substantial; (including hyperlink to a reading of the poem) - Copy of poem; - Figurative Language in 'Mother, Any Distance' worksheet; - Figurative Language in 'Mother, Any Distance' answer-sheet; - Analysis template with in-built success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to middle-ability year 9/10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

Now with PDF version included! This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use in guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of children towards meeting the Year 6 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 are also generic enough to ensure that they are appropriate for use with all texts. Activities and games within the booklet include: - Texts from other Cultures - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Increase their familiarity with a wide range of books, including from our literary heritage, and books from other cultures and traditions.' - Court Case: Defending a Text, and Room 101 - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Provide reasoned justifications for your views, Explain and discuss and understanding of what has been read, including through presentations and debates, maintaining a focus on topic.' - Stress Graph - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: 'Understand what you read by drawing comparisons within and between books.' Plus many more activities (the booklet is over 20 pages in length!) All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on a separate document (included.)

This lesson enables students to build their knowledge of the content, language, and structure of William Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 116.’ In particular, students learn how metaphor, the sonnet structure, rhyme, and iambic pentameter help the poet to get across his message about love. Students learn through a logical and step-by-step learning journey, including: -Exploring the key concept of 'love' and its many meanings; -Understanding key information about William Shakespeare and his sonnets; -Reading and interpreting the poem; -Understanding the poem, with a particular emphasis upon the content, language, and structural features; -Writing an extended analysis piece based upon how Shakespeare gets across his messages about love in the poem, through the use of language and structure; -Peer assessing each other's learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and substantial; (including hyperlink to a reading of the poem) - Copy of poem; - Structural devices worksheet - Analysis template with in-built success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to middle-ability year 9/10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This lesson aims to improve students’ understanding of Owen Sheers' key messages about war in the poem ‘Mametz Wood.’ By the end of the lesson, students demonstrate their knowledge of the text analytically, through assured, appropriate, and sustained interpretations of the content, language, and structure. Students learn through a logical and step-by-step learning journey, including: -Understanding the context of the poem and the horrific events that took place in the battle; -Understanding key information about Owen Sheers' life; -Reading and interpreting the poem; -Interpreting the poem, with a particular emphasis upon the language and structural features; -Finding and analysing the language features used throughout the poem, and considering how these link to the poet's message; -Writing an extended analysis piece based upon how Sheers gets across his message about war; -Peer assessing each other's learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and substantial; (including hyperlinks to informative and engaging videos) - Copy of poem; - Language devices worksheet - Analysis template with success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to middle-ability year 9/10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

These resources enable students to build their knowledge of the content, language, and structure of Denise Levertov’s Vietnam War poem ‘What Were They Like?’ In particular, students learn about the historical context of the Vietnam War. They also learn how features of language and structure aid the impact of the poem. Students learn through a logical and step-by-step learning journey, including: -Exploring the historical concept of the Vietnam War; -Understanding key information about Denise Levertov and her life; -Reading and interpreting the poem; -Understanding the poem, with a particular emphasis upon the content, language, and structural features; -Writing an extended analysis piece based upon how Levertov gets across her feelings about war in the poem, through the use of language and structure; -Peer assessing each other's learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and substantial; (including hyperlink to a reading of the poem) - Copy of poem; - Structural devices worksheet - Analysis template with in-built success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to middle-ability year 9/10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

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.