This fun and original assembly aims to assist children in celebrating the differences between themselves and others, through: -Understanding how diversity is needed in the world; -Recognising and valuing the differences in their own school; -Considering how kind words can help us to unite together. I love leading this assembly, because I feel that the key message within it is so vital, especially in the present climate. More importantly, wherever I have presented this (to a wide-range of students from a wide-range of contexts) it has always gone down extremely well, with students being extremely engaged and informing me of the different ways in which they have celebrated differences in the months that follow! The slides are visually engaging and well-presented, and the subject matter is tailored to the interests and needs of young people. For example, there are references to Prince Harry, Emma Watson, and others in popular culture, to help engage the children in the idea that each individual has their own strengths, weaknesses, like and dislikes, no matter who they are or how successful they appear. There is also an exciting ‘toothpaste challenge’ included, which demonstrates the importance of ensuring that our words to others are kind and respectful. The challenge includes a hyperlink to a countdown clock. In addition to this, all other resources that you will need are provided in the pack. The slides are fairly self-explanatory, but I’ve included guidance notes to assist the speaker. Hope that you find this useful!

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising William Shakespeare’s ‘Othello.’ 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).

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 ‘Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.’ Round 1. The characters in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Round 2. Quotations from the text Round 3. Settings and Objects Round 4. Themes in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 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!

This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men.’ 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: The Great Depression’ - 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;’ - ‘Steinbeck’s Description’ - to aid students with ‘Analysing a writer’s choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features, and evaluating their effectiveness and impact;’ - ‘Curley’s Wife’ - 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).

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Chapter by Chapter Summary (with quotes); Main Characters; Themes; Lee’s Language Devices; Influences on the Writer. 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 detailed and engaging lesson enables students to gain an understanding of simple, compound and complex sentences, and to use a variation of sentence types in their own writing for clarity and effect. Students learn through a number of fun and interactive tasks, which enable them to: - Define and exemplify simple, compound, and complex sentences; - Identify them in writing; - Understand and analyse how different types of sentences can be used for clarity and effect; - Create a written piece using a variety of sentence structures for clarity and effect; - Evaluate their use of different sentence structures. The resources include: -Visually engaging and comprehensive whole-lesson presentation; -Resources for the card-sorting activity; -A model example and analysis worksheet; -A success criteria; -Step-by-step lesson plan. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final page of the slide.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s comprehension skills through a reading of the prologue and opening chapter of Abi Elphinstone’s ‘Sky Song.’ The resource pack includes the extract and all of the activities for the session, which the class are guided through via a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, prediction and summarising skills. 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 session is best suited for children in Years 4-6, but it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups. The session is also suitable for home/ remote learning.

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make precise and perceptive interpretations of the character of Bertha Mason in Jane Eyre. Through close analysis of specific extracts from the text, students develop an understanding of how Bertha fits the conventions of a quintessential ‘gothic monster’, and also explore her position as a prime example of the ‘Other’ in Victorian society. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which students learn through: Defining the key term ‘gothic novel’ and understanding the key conventions of gothic literature; Reading selected extracts from the text and answering comprehension questions considering Bertha Mason as fulfilling the role of the gothic monster; Considering ideas of the Victorian ‘Other’ and establishing how Bertha Mason recycles these ideas; Analysing how ideas of Bertha link to predominant 19th Century ideas about mental health and ethnicity; Using the knowledge they have gathered over the lesson to design and describe their own gothic monsters; Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Bertha Mason worksheet; Selected extracts (from chapters 11, 20, and 26); Character profile 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. Worksheets are provided as word docs (so that you can edit) and PDFs (to protect formatting). 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 plot and characterisation in Mary Shelley’s gothic horror novel ‘Frankenstein,’ through critical engagement with the monster’s justification for murder. The lesson places a particular focus upon the hardship and suffering experienced by the monster, in addition to the discrimination and loneliness that he experiences. The lesson concludes with students completing a highly-informed argumentative piece, detailing whether they feel the monster was justified or not. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Recalling and understanding who, when, and why the monster kills individuals throughout the text; - Reading and understanding key extracts from the text, which include third-person narration from the monster discussing his actions; - Comprehending the key elements of plot development and character, through interpreting and inferring the key meanings in extracts; - Listing opposite sides of an argument in regarding the monster’s justification, in order to build a stronger case; - Using the features of writing to argue in order to contend whether the monster was justified in his actions or not; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and substantial; (including an animated Frankenstein’s monster to guide them through the lesson); - Comprehension worksheet (and a teacher answer sheet); - Extracts from Chapters 16 and 24; - Card-sorting resources for the introduction task; - Writing to Argue Help-sheet; - 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.

This interesting and engaging enables students to know what newspaper articles are and why people read them, understand the features that make effective newspaper articles, and write their own interesting and appropriate newspaper articles. In particular, students learn to use a range of appropriate features in writing their own newspaper articles, including facts and opinions, jargon, testimonies, and puns. There are easily enough resources here for 2 lessons on this topic. Over the course of their learning journey, students: - Define and exemplify what newspapers are; - Understand why people read newspapers; - Understand and categorise the different techniques used by newspapers; - Identify the features of newspapers in model examples; - Analyse the effect of techniques in newspapers upon the reader; - Use a wide-range of techniques in writing their own newspaper articles; - Peer and self assess each other's newspaper article attempts. The resources include: -Visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint; -A colourful and helpful 'Writing Newspaper Articles' Help-Sheet; -Techniques cards for defining the key key features of newspaper articles; -Analysing newspaper articles worksheet; -Blank newspaper article template; -A model example of a newspaper article; -Helpful and comprehensive step-by-step lesson plan. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final page of the slide.

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make precise interpretations of the descriptive language used by Philip Pullman in his descriptions of settings in ‘Northern Lights.’ They also learn how the depiction of settings can have a profound impact upon the tone and atmosphere of a novel, and apply this understanding (along with their knowledge of the key language devices) to form their own vivid and imaginative descriptions of places. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: Understanding the power of places and settings, especially the impact that they have on atmosphere and tone; Defining each of the different types of descriptive devices, through completing an interactive group activity; Reading extracts from the text in which Pullman describes ‘The North’ and ‘The Bear Palace,’ and identifying the language techniques used to paint an image of place in the minds of the readers; Analysing the effectiveness of each of Pullman’s descriptive devices; Creating their own description of an awe-inspiring place, utilising appropriate and effective descriptive devices throughout; Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Cards for the Card Sorting Activity;’ Extracts from Northern Lights; ‘Bear Palace’ analysis worksheet; Writing to Describe Helpsheet All resources are provided in Word (for easy editing) and PDF (to ensure formatting remains fixed between different computers). There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with year 7/8 classes, however colleagues have used them for between years 5 and 10 with some adaptations. The PowerPoint is in the zip file. All images are liensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

In this lesson, students learn about the key features of Anglican churches. Some of the features covered include: the font, the altar, the pulpit, the lecturn, the nave, the crucifix and stained glass windows. Students learn about the key purpose of the features, and where they can be found in the church. Students also begin to comprehend what the features symbolise. This resource pack contains a comprehensive 16-slide Powerpoint, alongside an eye-catching worksheet. Two extension activities are provided in order to challenge higher ability learners. In the past, I have used this lesson with children from across Key Stage 2 - the key learning is aligned with NC expectations for RE, and also the content prescribed by most diocese regions. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet.' 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 detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising J.B. Priestley's 'An Inspector Calls.' It contains comprehensive sections on: - Context; - Scene by Scene Summary (with quotes); - Main Characters; - Themes; - Priestley's Dramatic Devices; - Features of Form. 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 highly-purposeful lesson enables children to write about emotions and feelings using vivid imagery. Children learn how to show, not tell in their writing, focusing on precise details relating the senses. This helps to make their writing more immersive - painting an image in the mind of the reader with their words. Children learn through: -Defining and understanding what is meant by showing, not telling; -Considering how each of the major emotions/ feelings can be shown; -Turning their ‘showing’ simple sentences into compound and complex sentences; -Editing and enhancing their showing sentences through consideration of precise verbs, adverbs and the use of analogies. Provided in this resource pack are: -Colourful and comprehensive PowerPoint presentation, offering a step-by-step guide through the lesson; -Showing Emotions table template; -Showing Emotions helpsheet (for LAP students). The worksheets/ templates are provided as Word (for ease of editing) and PDF (to prevent formatting issues between devices). The lesson was originally created for children in upper KS2, however with minor adaptations could easily be suitable for those in lower KS2 or lower KS3.

This whole class reading session aims to develop children’s comprehension skills through reading and interpreting the opening section of Katherine Rundell’s ‘Impossible Creatures.’ The resource pack includes the extract needed and a clear and well presented PowerPoint, guiding the teacher and learners through the various activities. The reading is followed by a series of activities aiming to develop children’s retrieval, explanation, inference, sequencing and summarising skills. A vocabulary check helps to secure children’s understanding of any new or unfamiliar language. The tasks are comprised of quick-check questions, solo thinking, pair/ group discussions and deeper thinking activities. The session is best suited for children in years 5-6, although with minor adaptations it could feasibly be used with slightly younger and older year groups.

An engaging, challenging, age-appropriate quiz, which features 50 questions in total, in addition to a tie-breaker question (if needed). The quiz includes 5 rounds of 10 questions each: Round 1: Santa Round 2: The Nativity Story Round 3: Christmas Traditions Round 4: Christmas Food Round 5: A Bit of Everything! Each question is multiple choice, with 4 possible answers. Answers are revealed after each question. Tried and tested, and always popular, this quiz helps to provide structure in an engaging way in the lead-up to the Christmas break. Enjoy!