This engaging and informative lesson helps students to understand one of the main recurring themes in Louis Sachar’s Holes: The effect of the past upon the present. Students study several of the flashbacks in Sachar’s non-linear narrative, and establish how different objects, ideas, and settings are evidence of the links between past and present at Camp Green Lake. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Reading and understanding the selected extracts to comprehend how past and present events are linked at Camp Green Lake; - Exploring different objects and ideas, such as the spiced peaches and the treasure, to demonstrate how different sub-plots are interwoven; - Using textual evidence to show a deeper understanding of the writer’s purpose in linking the features of past and present together; - Analysing how the effect of the past becomes an effective theme throughout the story; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts; Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - ‘Text Detectives’ worksheet - (PDF and Word versions); - Selected extract - Chapter 7; - Essay template for analytical paragraphs; - 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 year 7 and 8 classes, however colleagues have used them for between years 4 and 9 with minimal adaptations. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Louis Sachar's 'Holes.' It contains comprehensive sections on: - Context; - Chapter by Chapter Summary (with quotes); - Main Characters; - Themes; - Sachar's Language Devices; - The Sub-Plot of Kissin' Kate Barlow. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. 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).

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for Year 2 children, teachers and parents covering knowledge relating to ‘Living Things and their Habitats’, as a part of their science learning. It contains comprehensive sections on: Overview; Characteristics of Living Things; Alive, Dead, and Never Been Alive; Food Chains; Habitats; Key Vocabulary (underlined). The content is fully aligned with the NC expectations for Year 2 children relating to ‘Living Things and their Habitats:’ -explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive; -identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe; how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other; -identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including microhabitats; -describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food. 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).

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for Year 1 children, teachers and parents covering knowledge relating to ‘Everyday Materials’, as a part of their science learning. It contains comprehensive sections on: Overview; Types of Materials; What are Objects Made from? Composites; Soft/Hard Materials Continuum; Key Vocabulary (underlined). The content is fully aligned with the NC expectations for Year 1 children relating to ‘Everyday Materials:’ -distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made -identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock -describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials -compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple physical properties. 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).

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students revising knowledge relating to the United States of America, as a part of their study of place, human and physical geography (‘understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom…and a region of North America.’) Overview and Maps; Physical Geography; Human Geography; Comparison with the United Kingdom; USA Timeline; Key Vocabulary. 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).

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for Year 2 children, teachers and parents covering knowledge relating to ‘Use of Everyday Materials’, as a part of their science learning. It contains comprehensive sections on: Overview; Types of Materials; Properties of Materials; Development of Materials; Key Vocabulary The content is fully aligned with the NC expectations for Year 2 children relating to ‘Use of Everyday Materials:’ identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching. 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).

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children, teachers and parents learning about ‘Mechanisms’ as a part of the KS1 curriculum in Design and Technology. The organiser is clear, logical and fully meets the expectations of the National Curriculum. This organiser has a particular emphasis on sliders and levers. It includes sections on: -Overview - Mechanisms, Sliders and Levers; -Example Mechanisms - Seesaw, Scissors, Children’s Books, Drawers; -Designing; -Making and Evaluating; -Health and Safety Guidance. 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).

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising William Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Scene by Scene Summary (with quotes); Main Characters; Themes; Dramatic Devices; Features of Tragedy. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. 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).

This engaging and informative lesson aims to improve students’ understanding of Act 5 Scene 5 (the final scene) of William Shakespeare’s ‘Julius Caesar.’ The lesson focuses upon the role of Brutus as the ‘tragic hero’ of the play. Through the comprehensive slideshow, learners are guided on the following learning journey: -Identifying and understanding the features of tragedies (aided by a card sorting activity); -Reading and comprehending Act 5 Scene 5, and answering a range of comprehension questions to check their understanding; -Participating in discussions about how the death of Brutus compares to the earlier death of Cassisus; -Identifying and analysing how Brutus meets the role of the tragic hero throughout the play; -Using a template, with embedded structure strip, to answer an essay-style question about the role of Brutus as a tragic hero; -Demonstrating their understanding of the scene through a recall quiz. The lesson includes a colourful and detailed PowerPoint presentation, a research template for introductory task, and a copy of the necessary extract from the play - all provided in both Word (to allow editing) and PDF (to protect formatting) versions. All images in this resource are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the lesson presentation.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for Year 4 children, teachers and parents covering knowledge relating to ‘States of Matter’, as a part of their science learning. It contains comprehensive sections on: Overview; Solids, Liquids and Gases; Changing States of Matter; Role in the Water Cycle; Solids, Liquids and Gases Continuum; Key Vocabulary. The content is fully aligned with the NC expectations for Year 4 children relating to ‘States of Matter’: -Compare and group materials together, according to whether they are solids, liquids or gases -Observe that some materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and measure or research the temperature at which this happens in degrees Celsius (°C) -Identify the part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle and associate the rate of evaporation with temperature. 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).

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children learning about Ibn Battuta, particularly those studying ‘Significant Individuals’ in history, or those learning about people of discovery in geography/ social studies. It contains comprehensive sections entitled: Overview; Times in His Life; Important Vocabulary; Ibn Battuta Timeline; Answers to the Important Questions; Top Ten Facts. 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.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for Year 6 children, teachers and parents covering knowledge relating to ‘Programming’ as a part of their computing learning. The organiser has a particular focus on introducing children to code micro:bit devices. It contains comprehensive sections on: -Overview; -Basics of Micro:bits; -Using Micro:bit Software; -Transferring to Micro:bit; -Sensing Inputs; -Key Vocabulary. The content is fully aligned with the age-related expectations for Year 6 children in computing. 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).

This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of Lewis Carroll's 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.' Teachers have found them particularly useful in comprehension or guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of children towards meeting the upper 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 Alice' - 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;' - 'Carroll'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;' - 'The Cheshire Cat!' - 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 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' - 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 22 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 clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children learning about Mary Anning as a part of their history study. It contains comprehensive sections entitled: Overview; Times in Her Life; Important Vocabulary; Mary Anning Timeline; Answers to the Important Questions; Top Ten Facts. 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.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising knowledge relating to the The Age of Exploration (sometimes known as The Age of Discovery). It contains comprehensive sections on: The Age of Exploration Overview; Overview; Key People (Christopher Columbus, Vasco de Gama, Abel Tasman); The Age of Exploration Timeline; Answers to the Important Questions; Key Vocabulary; Top Ten Facts. 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 students in KS1/ lower KS2. Another version of this organiser is available for older children.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Scene by Scene Summary (with quotes); Main Characters; Themes; Dramatic Devices; Features of Tragicomedy. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. 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).

This lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of the balcony scene in William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Students learn to demonstrate a developed understanding of language, supported by precisely-selected textual evidence. Students develop clear interpretations of the key meanings within the scene, as the lesson provides a close analysis of the figurative language, rhyme, and repetition strategies utilised by Shakespeare throughout. The lesson utilises a range of tasks, that require students to be attentive and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey: - Establishing the events leading up to the scene, and the predicament that Romeo and Juliet are in; - Reading and interpreting Act II Scene II, interpreting and inferring the key meanings; - Understanding the key themes throughout the scene, including Juliet’s comparison with sunlight; - More closely analysing Shakespeare’s use of language in Juliet’s ‘What’s in a name?’ speech; - Peer/self evaluating the learning in the lesson. Included in this resource pack are: - A well-presented, thorough, and informative, whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation; - Resources for the reading and interpreting activity - full scene transcript with space for notes; - A template to help scaffold the main task, complete with P.E.E instructions; - A challenging and thought-provoking worksheet, and an answer sheet for the teacher. All images in this resource are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the lesson presentation.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s fluency and comprehension skills whilst reading key extracts from an age-appropriate adaptation of Romeo and Juliet (the pages needed for the lesson are provided). The extract is from the ‘Shakespeare Stories: Romeo and Juliet’ adaptation by Andrew Matthews and Tony Ross. The sections of the story that children read are when Romeo and Juliet meet at the ball (Act 1 Scene 5) and the balcony scene (Act 2 Scene 1). The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s VIPERS skills: vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval, sequencing and summarising. It also contains a vocabulary check immediately after the extract is read to clarify any unfamiliar/ difficult language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The text to read is provided in both PDF and Word format. The session is best suited for children across KS2 - the lesson has been tried and tested with children in years 4 to 6. Hope that you find it useful!

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make clear, detailed and well-informed interpretations regarding the purpose of Boo Radley’s character in To Kill a Mockingbird. In particular, students develop their understanding of how the character is introduced, before understanding how perceptions of him change across the novel. Students then consider Lee’s purposes for Boo’s inclusion, considering social and historical context. -The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: -Reading selected extracts from the text and answering comprehension questions about boo’s introduction at the start of the novel; -Tracking how Scout’s perception of Boo changes over the course of the novel; -Understanding how the character of Boo aids Lee in getting across her key messages about society, considering social and historical context; -Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Boo Radley development graph sheet; Selected extract (from chapter 1); Character Profile template; Essay template; 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 year 10 and 11 classes, however colleagues have used them for between year 8 and year 13 with some adaptations. 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, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of Kazuo Ishiguro’s ‘Never Let Me Go.’ 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: Cloning and the Future’ - 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;’ ‘Ishiguro’s Description’ - to aid students with ‘Analysing a writer’s choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features, and evaluating their effectiveness and impact;’ ‘Madame, Tommy, and Ruth’ - to aid students with ‘Seeking evidence in the text to support a point of view, including justifying inferences with evidence;’ ‘Editing the Text’ - 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).