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.

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 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 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 lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of the characters of Friar Laurence and The Nurse in William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Students learn to demonstrate a developed understanding of their character traits, relationships with the title characters, and impact upon plot developments. Students also learn to empathise with the two characters, inferring and interpreting the motives behind their actions. The lesson utilises a range of tasks, that require students to be attentive and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey: - Remembering and understanding the impact of Friar Laurence and The Nurse up to Act IV; - Reading and interpreting Act IV, particularly interpreting and inferring the key involvement of Friar Laurence and The Nurse; - Identifying and analysing the key features of their characters; - Empathising with the two characters through a fun and interactive drama activity, in order to understand their motives a little better; - Anlaysing their impact upon the plot in Act IV, including their influence upon the two title characters; - 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 - including a teacher answer guide; - Full Act IV transcript with space for notes; - ‘In Your Shoes’ cut-out soles for the development task; - A template to help scaffold the main task, complete with P.E.E instructions; All images in this resource are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the lesson presentation.

This interesting and engaging lesson enables students to understand what determiners are, categorise different types of determiners accurately, and use a wide range of appropriate determiners in their writing. In particular, students become familiar with the importance of determiners in a wide range of writing types, whilst learning through fun and interactive tasks: Over the course of the lesson, they learn to: - Define and exemplify determiners; - Understand and categorise the different types of determiners; - Analyse the effect of different types of determiners; - Use a wide-range of accurate determiners in writing about interesting topics; - Peer and self assess the use of determiners in writing. The resources include: -Visually engaging whole-lesson/s PowerPoint (around 26 slides) -A colourful and helpful 'Delightful Determiners' Writing Mat; -'The Effect of Determiners' worksheet and teacher's answer sheet; -Noun cards to assist with the main task -A model example; -Step-by-step lesson plan. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final page of the slide.

This colourful writing mat categorises, defines, and exemplifies the different types of determiners. I found it really useful when teaching determiners to both KS1 and KS2 children. Hope that you also find useful! Note: This mat works well with the 'Delightful Determiners' lesson, available at just 2 pounds.

This detailed and informative lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of the features of tragedy evident throughout final act of William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. Students learn to demonstrate a developed understanding of key plot meanings and tragedy features such as inevitability, idealism, and vengeance, through analysis of precisely-selected textual evidence. The lesson utilises a range of tasks, that require students to be attentive and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey: - Defining the key features of tragedy; - Remembering and sequencing the key events of the text leading up to Act V - Reading and interpreting Act V, interpreting and inferring the key meanings; - Identifying and analysing the key features of tragedy used throughout the scene; - Considering the effect that these features are intended to evoke; - 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 Act V transcript with space for notes; - A closer analysis worksheet based upon the features of tragedy (with teacher answer sheet); - Features of tragedy definition cards; - 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 lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of the dramatic devices used by William Shakespeare in his romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Students learn to demonstrate a developed understanding of features such as dramatic irony, stage directions, and puns, through analysis of precisely-selected textual evidence. The main scene analysed throughout the lesson is Act III Scene V, in which Juliet defies the orders of her parents to marry Count Paris. The lesson utilises a range of tasks, that require students to be attentive and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey: - Defining the key dramatic devices; - Contextualising Juliet’s behaviour in the patriarchal society of the time; - Reading and interpreting Act III Scene V, interpreting and inferring the key meanings; - Understanding the key themes throughout the scene, including Juliet’s struggle between obeying orders and following love; - Identifying and analysing the key dramatic devices used throughout the scene; - 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 closer analysis worksheet based upon Shakespeare’s dramatic devices; - Dramatic devices definition cards; - 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.

Two free, original, child-friendly limericks - one about an extremely timid brown bear, and the other about the most mischievous chimp in the jungle! Both sheets contain a few comprehension questions. Perfect if you're looking to help your children get to grips with the form and structure of limerick poems. These limericks are a part of a wider collection of limericks found in the 'Ludicrous Limericks' lesson pack (for 2 pounds) or with an anthology of 20 other animal limericks and comprehension activities in the 'Crazy Animal Limericks' (3 pounds). Many Thanks!

This limerick anthology and comprehension pack contains over 20 pages of original, child-friendly, and humorous limerick poems, alongside differentiated comprehension resources for beginner, intermediate, and expert limerick learners. I made these resources when I was writing a limerick scheme of learning a while back - I was disappointed with the lack of age-appropriate limericks available (that were suitable for KS1 and KS2 children, and still met the structural requirements of the poetic form). Therefore I began designing this anthology - from fashion-loving crocodiles, to sun-bathing penguins, to crime-fighting fish, to geese with anger management issues, all of the limericks here have gone down really well with all of the children that I have taught. The comprehension tasks enable students to meet a number of the key expectations for Reading within the new National Curriculum. They focus upon comprehension of key elements such as interpretation of subject matter, analysis of language, and comments upon structural organisation. The anthology contains a number of images, all of which are licensed for commercial use. Citations of these can be found on the final page of the anthology. Many Thanks!

This interesting and engaging lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of the fight scene in William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy Romeo and Juliet. Students learn to demonstrate a developed understanding of the plot and meanings throughout the scene, with the support of precisely-selected textual evidence. In particular, students consider Romeo’s struggle between love and honour throughout the duration of the scene, and how social demands lead him towards his demise. 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 fight, including a discussion regarding the characters and events that make a physical confrontation inevitable; - Reading and interpreting Act III Scene I, interpreting and inferring the key meanings; - Understanding the key themes throughout the scene, including Romeo’s struggle between love and honour; - More closely analysing the key meanings and developments within the scene; - 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 closer analysis worksheet based upon Romeo’s struggle; - 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.

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, engaging visuals, 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 ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ Round 1. The characters in Romeo and Juliet Round 2. Quotations from the play Round 3. Settings, themes, and objects Round 4. Who appears in Act 1 Scene 1? The nature of this game ensures that the resource can challenge students of all levels.

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 interesting and engaging lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of the masquerade ball scene (Romeo and Juliet’s first meeting) in William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ Students learn to make sustained and detailed inferences and interpretations in relation to the language and structures utilised by Shakespeare. The lesson also guides them through a close analysis of the figurative language used by the lovers in their opening dialogue. The lesson utilises a range of tasks, that require students to be attentive and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey: - Establishing the events that lead up to the Masquerade Ball; - Reading and interpreting the prologue and Act I Scene V, interpreting and inferring the key meanings; - Understanding the complications of Romeo and Juliet’s feelings for one another; - Analysing Shakespeare’s use of language and structure throughout Romeo and Juliet’s opening dialogue; - 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 interesting and engaging lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of Act I Scenes I-IV in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, in which the title characters (Romeo and Juliet) are introduced. Students learn to develop sustained and developed interpretations regarding both the characterisation and the plot development of both characters. They partake in tasks such as comprehension questions, character case studies, and a diary writing exercise to build these skills. The lesson utilises a range of tasks, that require students to be attentive and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey: - Defining the key term ‘social influences’ and apply this to both Shakespearean and modern contexts; - Reading and interpreting Act 1 Scene 1 to Act 1 Scene 4, and establishing how Shakespeare introduces and develops both Romeo and Juliet; - Reflecting upon the key social influences that are acting upon both characters; - Making detailed inferences/ interpretations into clues about characterisation and social structure through a case study; - Showing an understanding of character viewpoint and reasoning through the diary writing task; - 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 transcript of scenes with space for notes; - A case study template - A challenging and thought-provoking worksheet, and an answer sheet for the teacher. - A detailed lesson plan 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 interesting and highly-stimulating lesson enables students to gain a clear and understanding of the key meanings in the Greek Myth ‘Daedalus and Icarus.’ Through close study of the myth, they learn to interpret and infer the key meanings in a myth, understand the moral viewpoint of a myth, and react to the moral message of a myth with their own thoughts and ideas. 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 the key term ‘hubris’ and apply the notion to other examples; - Read the story ‘Daedarus and Icarus’ and interpret and infer the key meanings; - Identify, explain, and analyse the moral of the story in ‘Daedarus and Icarus;’ - Engage deeply with the myth by challenging and building upon the ideas raised in the myth; - Test their understanding of the story by answering an exam-style comprehension question. -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 text; - Interpretation worksheet; - 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 lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of the opening scene in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Students learn to make sustained and developed inferences and interpretations in relation to both characters and plot. Students also produce a family tree to demonstrate the relationships between the characters, using colourful and interesting images and resources. The lesson utilises a range of tasks, that require students to be attentive and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey: - Defining the key term 'feud' and apply this understanding to a range of contexts; - Reading and interpreting the prologue and Act 1 Scene 1, and establishing how Shakespeare sets the scene in Verona; - Reflecting upon what effect this may have had on audiences at the time; - Making detailed inferences/ interpretations into clues about characterisation and social structure; - Analysing Shakespeare's intentions in including such an energetic scene at the outset of the play; - 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 family tree template and character list; - 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.