This lesson enables students to make precise interpretations of the final chapter of Philip Pullman’s ‘Northern Lights.’ They also learn how the different features of the endings (for example plot twists, dark moments, and unpredictable elements) combine to create endings that are engaging and effective. At the end of the lesson, they use this understanding to create their own alternate endings to the text. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: -Recapping the key events from earlier in the text, (in order to lay the foundations for understanding the ending); -Reading and comprehending the ending of the text, through reading chapter 23 and answering thoughtful comprehension questions; -Analysing the effectiveness of the ending, considering a range of techniques used by Pullman to structure his ending; -Creating their own alternate ending, using the agreed features of effective endings; Self assessing their learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Extract from Chapter 23 of Northern Lights; Analysis template; Comprehensive lesson plan. 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 zipfile. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This interesting and engaging lesson enables students to know what reviews are and why people read them, understand the features that make effective reviews, and write their own interesting and appropriate reviews. In particular, students learn to use a range of appropriate features in writing their own magazine reviews, including facts and opinions, jargon, connectives, and statistics. There are easily enough resources here for 2-3 lessons on this topic. Over the course of their learning journey, students: - Define and exemplify what reviews are; - Understand why people read reviews; - Understand and categorise the different techniques used by reviewers; - Identify the features of reviews in model examples; - Analyse the effect of techniques in reviews upon the reader; - Use a wide-range of techniques in writing their own reviews; - Peer and self assess each other's review attempts. The resources include: -Visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint; -A colourful and helpful 'Writing Reviews' Help-Sheet; -Pointless Jargon Game; -Techniques cards for defining the key key features of reviews; -Connectives worksheet; -Blank book review template and film review template; -A model example (Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone); -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 detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Sylvia Plath’s poem ‘You’re.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; More About the Poem. 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 students learning about the artist Wassily Kandinsky, as a part of their art and design study. It contains comprehensive sections on: -Biography of the Artist; -Styles and Techniques; -Kandinsky Timeline; -Significant Works; -Key Vocabulary; -How do I create art like Kandinsky? This resource can be adapted for all ages, but was originally designed for KS2 and KS3 children. 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 KS1 students learning about the Arctic and Antarctic, as a part of their study of place, human and physical geography. It contains comprehensive sections on: Overview; Maps; Arctic (terrain, weather patterns, climate, animals); Antarctic (terrain, weather patterns, climate, animals); Polar Exploration Timeline; Key Vocabulary. The organiser is designed to help children to learn the relevant place, human and physical geography knowledge from the Geography National Curriculum. It 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 enables students to understand the key techniques used by writers when opening narratives, and to use these features in their own story openings. In particular, students analyse the features that make the openings to famous children’s narratives effective, before utilising this understanding to compose their own imaginative story opening. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: Collectively defining the features of effective story openings; Reading the opening to several famous narrative opening examples, identifying the story opening techniques; Analysing the effectiveness of each of the authors’ story opening techniques; Creating their own engaging story openings, utilising story opening techniques effectively and imaginatively throughout; Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; The opening chapters of Mr Stink, Holes, and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (freely available online); Stupendous Story Openings analysis template; Teacher answer sheet; -Comprehensive lesson plan. 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 4 and 9 with some adaptations. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

In this engaging lesson, children are introduced to the Bronze Age. In particular, they learn how: -the world changed from the stone age to the bronze age; -people made and used bronze; -the bronze age came to different civilisations at different times; -the discovery of bronze, alongside other discoveries, changed daily life. The learning is guided by a clear and colourful PowerPoint presentation, which guides students through the following step-by-step journey: -Knowledge recall - gauging what children know/ can remember about the Stone Age, in order to secure a foundation for their learning; -Discovering how bronze was made, and how it was first used at different times by different civilisations; -Reading and comprehending information about daily life in the Bronze Age; -Creating a report about what they have learnt, using the clear and logical report template; -Self-reflecting on the extent to which they feel they have met the learning objective. Included is the comprehensive PowerPoint presentation (22 slides), the reading comprehension extract and the report template (provided in both Word and PDF) In the past, I have used this lesson with children in lower KS2 (years 3 and 4) - the key learning is aligned with curriculum expectations for history. All images are licensed for commercial use.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising knowledge of The Iraq War. This is an important component in studying ‘Conflict and Tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan, 1990-2009.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Major Events - dates, images, descriptions, and key facts - including the September 11th Attacks, Build-up to the Iraq War, The Invasion of Iraq, Continued Conflict and Tensions, and Impact/Aftermath ; Key People - Saddam Hussein, George W. Bush, Muqtada Al-Sadr, Barack Obama and Tony Blair. Context - Conflict and Tension in the Gulf and Afghanistan Overview and Map; Timeline of Major Events. 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 are from Wikimedia Commons and are licensed for commercial use.

This engaging and thought-provoking triple-lesson resource aids students in developing a secure understanding of the chapters 19 to 21 of Katherine Rundell’s 'Rooftoppers.’ The comprehensive and colourful PowerPoint presentation enables students to understand the text through: -Retrieving information; -Inferring hidden meanings; -Empathising with characters. The sessions include a range of retrieval, vocabulary, inference, explanation and deeper thinking activities. A clear, colourful and comprehensive PowerPoint presentation guides students through the learning. The lesson also includes an answer key for the retrieval questions, and model answer ideas for the more detailed responses. There’s a lot here (24 slides in total) so I would recommend breaking into two or even three separate lessons. The lessons are suitable for students in either upper KS2 or lower KS3, depending upon the individual context of the school and students. I originally used them with year 5 and 6 children.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising the Robert Frost poem 'Out, Out-.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; More About the Poem. 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).

In this engaging lesson, children are introduced to the Iron Age. In particular, they learn how: -the world changed from the bronze age to the iron age; -people retrieved and used iron; -the iron age came to different civilisations at different times; -the discovery of iron, alongside other discoveries, changed daily life. The learning is guided by a clear and colourful PowerPoint presentation, which guides students through the following step-by-step journey: -Knowledge recall - gauging what children know/ can remember about the Stone Age and Bronze Age, in order to secure a foundation for their learning; -Discovering how iron was retrieved, and how it was first used at different times by different civilisations; -Being ‘Iron Age Detectives’ and exploring a range of sources (provided) to find out important information about daily life in the Iron Age; -Designing an Iron Age village based on everything that they have learnt about Iron Age life; -Self-reflecting on the extent to which they feel they have met the learning objective. Included is the comprehensive PowerPoint presentation (17 slides), the four historical sources and the research template (provided in both Word and PDF) In the past, I have used this lesson with children in lower KS2 (years 3 and 4) - the key learning is aligned with curriculum expectations for history. All images are licensed for commercial use.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Charlotte Mew’s poem 'Fin de Fête.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; Links to Wider Reading. 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 John Keats’ poem ‘When I have fears that I may cease to be.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; More About the Poem. 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 Gillian Clarke’s poem ‘Cold Knap Lake.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; More About the Poem. 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 students learning about the artist Vincent van Gogh, as a part of their art and design study. It contains comprehensive sections on: -Biography of the Artist; -Styles and Techniques; -Vincent van Gogh Timeline; -Significant Works; -Key Vocabulary; -How do I create art like van Gogh? This resource can be adapted for all ages, but was originally designed for KS2 and KS3 children. 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 learning about the artist Henri Rousseau, as a part of their art and design study. It contains comprehensive sections on: -Biography of the Artist; -Styles and Techniques; -Rousseau Timeline; -Significant Works; -Key Vocabulary; -How do I create art like Rousseau? This resource can be adapted for all ages, but was originally designed for KS2 children. 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 learning about Joseph Stalin. It serves as a useful tool in a wider study of the Russian Revolution, The Great Purge, The Cold War, etc. or when learning about ‘significant people’ in history. It contains comprehensive sections entitled: Overview; Times in His Life; Important Vocabulary; Joseph Stalin 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 about the sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, as a part of their art and design study. It contains comprehensive sections on: -Biography of the Artist; -Styles and Techniques; -Goldsworthy Timeline; -Significant Works; -Key Vocabulary; -How do I create sculptures like Goldsworthy? This resource can be adapted for all ages, but was originally designed for KS2 and KS3 children. 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 Thomas Hardy’s poem ‘Midnight on the Great Western.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; More About the Poem. 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 the Anne Brontë poem ‘The Bluebell.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; More About the Poem. 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).