Looking for interesting missionaries and evangelists to write about I came across this lady. Incredible, as it might seem, Amanda Berry Smith started life as a slave but ended up becoming an evangelist going to both India and then to Africa. Later in life she ended up funding and opening up a children's orphanage.

This is the story of how Gladys Aylward, a missionary in China during the second World War, helped Chinese orphans safely across a mountain. When she returned to England she realised a film had been written showing her life and a book called The Small Woman had been published. On Google, and Youtube there is a great deal of information about how from her humble beginnings as a housemaid/domestic help became a successful missionary.

James Hudson Taylor was the founder of the interdenominational China Inland Mission. He dreamed as a child of going to China as a missionary. He fulfilled his dream but he had to set up his own mission to make it successful. He was frustrated the first time he went out because he had little support from the mission which sent him out. He did such a good job setting up his own mission for China that other faith missions followed his methods. His chief emphases were to identify with the local people by dressing 'native', direction to come from the mission field not home, efficient administration and wanting a deepening of Christian life in the home churches to encourage more to go into the mission field. He was happily married twice and both his wives Maria and Jane supported him in his endeavours to evangelise China. He spent 50 years as a missionary and went 11 times to China. Through a lifetime of ministry he fulfilled his calling.

Caroline Chisholm is a woman spent a great deal of her time trying to help others get on in life -especially other women. With her husband Archibald she spent time in both India and Australia. In India where she opened a school. In Australia she wanted to help emigrants settle successfully there- she set up the Female Immigration Home and also helped set up a safe route for the gold pioneers to follow. She also helped migrants wanting to go to Australia from the UK. It has been suggested that Charles Dickens, in his book Hard Times, wrote his character Mrs. Jellyby as a criticism of female activists like Caroline Chisholm.

Albert Schweitzer was undoubtedly one of the most gifted men of his generation. His strong faith took him to Africa. His 1931 autobiography, 'Out of My Life and Thought' described much of his work in Africa. His musical talent as an organist, giving benefit concerts, paid largely for the founding and running of the hospital. He wrote many books in his lifetime on different themes - theological, the organ works of J.S. Bach, how an organ works and anti nuclear. Unfortunately, in today's culture, the comments he made then about those he treated are seen as racist and having a colonialistic view of Africans. In the 50 years he worked there he positively influenced the lives of those he cared for as a doctor, surgeon and pastor. The hospital continues to be the primary source of healthcare for the surrounding region and in 2011 an African, for the first time, leads the hospital..

Over the years I have encouraged children to write about fires with a different emphasis at times. The first two sheets were created following a strike by the fireman and the army were using their green goddess fire engines - current event. The short story was written by me. Six of the sheets have a strong history connection - the Fire of London and the Gun Powder plot during the reign of the Stuarts. The two sheets on fire in the countryside deal with the every day problem of fires which can occur on very hot days in the summer. Three poem aids are included. The first two deal with fires the third deals with fireworks. Over the years I had a number of interesting poems to read.

I thought this would be a topical piece of Creative Writing for pupils in years 5/6 to tackle when they return to school after the Christmas holidays . The original story, based on the four pictures, is about a lad going with his mother to buy a special game with his birthday money. I created a phrase and vocabulary list plus an example answer a number of years ago. The Poetry Aid is a new extra.

I have created some work sheets which can be used to help the children understand the importance of Remembrance Day. I have included a vocabulary, a Poetry Aid a 'blank' for their writing, a word search and a 'How many words can you find in ______-' plus answers. Illustrations are by David Woodroffe.

I have put together 10 New Testament profiles which I hope should prove of use. I have included all/many of the biblical references for all of them. Mary and Joseph the parents of Jesus, and Zechariah and John the Baptist are related. Zechariah's wife, Elizabeth, is a cousin of Mary and John the Baptist is their son. I have included a statement explaining what happened normally to illegitimate babies in Israel 2000 years ago. Andrew, Simon Peter and Matthew are three of the disciples of Jesus. Mary Magdalene, according to the gospels, only had seven demons removed by Jesus. There is actually nothing to say what she did before she became a follower of Jesus. Lazarus was raised from the dead and Stephen was the first Christian martyr.

Classes often have a 'starter' for the day. This can be How many words can you find in _________ On a special Christian festival why not take the name(s) as the starter. This could be looked at 4 ways:- 1. Creating a list. 2. Placing the words in a 3x3 or 4x4 square. 3. Creating a simple crossword with clues. 4. The teacher/parent creating a crossword for the children to solve using the answers given. The starter would be a combining of R.E. with an English spelling exercise.

Earthquake word search written after Earthquake material.

One way to introduce a geography idea is to create a before/during/after picture. My pupils used to create a small example and then turn it into a large picture for display.

John Newton loved to go to sea. He had a very eventful early life. He went to sea with his father aged only 11. Aged 18 he was press ganged by the Royal Navy. He became the ‘slave’ of Princess Peye. He eventually became a captain of three slave ships. Whilst a slave trader, on 10th March, 1745, following a very sever storm where his boat nearly sank ,he had a spiritual conversion.He started to read his Bible. He left the slave trade behind in 1755 and became the tide surveyor (tax collector) for the Port of Liverpool. He began to study to become a clergyman. Persistence paid off and eventually in 1764 to become a deacon. William Cowper, the poet, attended his church and together they wrote many hymns - Amazing Grace was one of them. He encouraged the young William Wilberforce to stay in politics. He waited 34 years before he wrote a pamphlet ‘Thoughts Upon the Slave Trade’. He sent a copy to every MP He died in 1807 knowing the British Passage of the Slave Trade act had been passed by parliament. I have included a copy of Amazing Grace, a list of the books he wrote and a word search (answers provided) . The slave trader who became the slave abolitionist and hymn writer. He was also the author of many Christian books.

William Wilberforce, although small in stature (5ft. 3 in,) and suffering from poor health, was the GIANT against the Slave Trade and Slavery. Whilst still a student at Cambridge he paid the 'customary ’ amount of £8,000 ( a fortune in those days) to become the member of Parliament for Kingston on Hull, his home town. Early on he became an evangelical Christian and wondered whether to stay a MP. John Newman, his mentor, persuaded him to ‘serve God where he was’. In his late 30’s he married Barbara Spooner and they had 6 children over a 10 year period. Barbara nursed William after he resigned from his parliamentary seat, in 1824 . For 50 years he fought,supported by his friends, for the banning of the slave trade and slavery. Persistence finally paid off. His bills originally were turned down or ‘watered down’ so they were of little effect. It was only on his death bed did he succeed. In 1833 he wrote his last petition. The Abolition of Slavery Bill had its third and final reading, on 26th July 1833, after three months of debate. William was immediately told and he died three days later. I have included two brief history, some gap work and a word search (answers given).

have created three word searches about three of William Shakespeare’s plays -Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet plus A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They are based around the characters in each play . Answer sheet provided.

I have created a phrase and vocabulary sheet so pupils can try and imagine they are driving at speeds approaching 1000 mph. I have included pictures of the fastest jet propelled ‘cars’ in the world. There is also a word search which looks at the drivers, names of the cars and where the records were attempted by British drivers - answer sheet provided.

In 1967 Donald Campbell died tried to set a new world record for water speed. In 2018 the restored Bluebird began trials Quicksilver is also trying to break the World Speed Record. I have included the list of World Speed Records There is also a word search with the names names of the drivers, boats and the waters where the records were attempted

The first two sheets Researching Information and Animal Cycle can help children put together material before they begin to write a story. I have put together a number of phrase/vocabulary/poetry sheets(16 )to encourage children to write about animals- one of their favourite topics to write about. There are some A5 Clip art pictures, which could be enlarged, for their best ‘copy’. There are also five word searches/crosswords.to

I have put together some Phrase, Vocabularies and Poetry Aids about pets and farm animals. The work about Looking after a Miptor was originally a SATS question. There is some A5 clip art for 'best ’ copy which can be enlarged to A4.

Debatable Eight ideas with eight example answers. I have looked at Can I stay up?, Dear Diary, Fire,School Uniform, Snacks, Superstores. This work was created to be used with years 5/6.