With the right tools, your students can write narrative pieces that blaze. In these four activities they will turn life’s strangest moments into a dramatic story. They’ll gain the skills to become highly attuned to the world around them, develop their voices and create their best work. They will learn how to - • Identify and develop strong ideas that add heat to a story. • Use popular song lyrics to find story ideas. • Beat writer’s block. Discover the technique that award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin uses to make a great start, every time. • Craft compelling stories that are relevant and timeless. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with any questions. Activities Speaking and listening, planning, writing, reviewing. Resources included in this plan Writing and Mini Writing Activities Story prompts Reading and Comprehension Quotes and song lyrics Online resource links

There’s nothing quite like staring at a blank page. Using these five activities students will apply secrets from master storytellers as they discover techniques to conquer those first line blues. They will learn to - Grab the reader’s attention from the very first line and hold onto it. Review the first lines of famous novels and develop their own style. Write to inform and entertain. And be ruthless about the editing process. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Activities Speaking and listening, planning, writing, reviewing. Resources included in this plan Writing and Mini Writing Activities Story prompts Reading and Comprehension Story planner Online resource links

With the right tools, your students can write confident and compelling narrative pieces. These four comprehensive activities apply secrets from master storytellers to build on existing skills, Students will discover how a character’s flaws or mistakes can become the engine for an electrifying plot. Your students will learn to - • Craft compelling, honest, potentially hilarious characters using various writing techniques. • Quickly set themselves up for a successful first draft. • See that it’s good for a story when nothing goes according to plan. Resources included in this plan Reading and Comprehension Activities Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities Famous quotes for discussion Story prompts Story planner for students Online resource links Plus Bonus Antihero poster Activities Speaking and listening, reading comprehension, planning, writing, reviewing. Learning objectives Reading Understanding the author’s craft: story shape Writing Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect Speaking and Listening Developing active listening skills and strategies Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with other questions.

Dialogue: Creative Writing Activities_11 to 14 yrs Realistic dialogue elevates and sharpens any story. These four activities apply secrets from master storytellers to build on existing skills. Your students will discover how and why conversations drive their plot forward. Your students will learn to - Explore what informs and motivates their characters’ dialogue. Recognise and avoid common pitfalls when framing conversations. Look for authenticity in the way their characters speak. Punctuate and format correctly, before they start tearing their hair out! Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Resources included in this plan Reading and Comprehension Activities Writing Activities Famous quotes for discussion Literary examples Story prompts Story planner for students Online resource links Learning objectives Reading Understanding the author’s craft: story shape Writing Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect Speaking and Listening Developing active listening skills and strategies Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies

Realistic dialogue elevates and sharpens any story. With these four activities your students will discover how and why conversations can drive their plot forward. And, what characters think or don’t say can reveal even more. Your students will learn to - Recognise terrible dialogue in books and movies and discover fixes. Explore what informs and motivates their characters’ dialogue. Recognise and avoid common pitfalls when framing conversations. Look for authenticity in the way their characters speak. Punctuate and format correctly, before they start tearing their hair out! Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Activities Speaking and listening, reading comprehension, planning, writing, reviewing. Learning objectives Reading Understanding the author’s craft: story shape Writing Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect Speaking and Listening Developing active listening skills and strategies Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies Resources included in this plan Reading and Comprehension Activities Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities Famous quotes for discussion Literary examples Story prompts Story planner for students Online resource links

The secret to a memorable story is to start big, apply heat and reduce until you have the essence - everything that’s good. These activities apply secrets from master storytellers to help students discover how to review and edit their stories. They will learn to - • Let the mess out and fix problems later. • Throw away anything that isn’t plot. • Improve any confusing bits / plot holes. • Fix spelling, punctuation and grammar. • Uncover their stories in a new and improved way. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Resources included in this plan Reading and Comprehension Activities Mini and Comprehensive Writing and Editing Activities Story prompts

Your students can have lots of fun creating compelling settings for their stories. These four comprehensive activities apply secrets from master storytellers to build on existing skills. Your students will learn to: • Bridge information with imagination to create fiction that builds credibility. • Understand how settings can act as secondary characters in their stories. • Use 5 senses as a secret weapon to uncover great ideas for a story. • Learn how to structure their story for success. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Resources included in this plan Reading and Comprehension Activities Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities Famous quotes for discussion Literary examples Story prompts Story planner for students Online resource links

We’ve all read great stories that end in a rush, and others that should have ended sooner. These four comprehensive activities apply secrets from master storytellers to help students discover how to write effective story endings. They will learn to - • Review the closing lines of famous novels and develop their own style. • Discover how to use writing prompts to find their starting point. • Try out expert techniques to bring their stories to a close. • Stay motivated, right to the end. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Resources included in this plan Writing Activities Story Prompts Leveled Literary Examples Reading and Comprehension Story Planner Online Resource Links Activities Speaking and listening, planning, writing, reviewing.

Want a comprehensive SAT vocabulary list and associated gap fills to help with context and memorization? Here’s a compilation of A-C words that includes - • All the SAT A-C vocabulary that comes up regularly in SAT Reading and Writing. And on respected SAT online vocab sites. • Bitesize definitions, parts of speech and usage for each word. • Gapfills using 10-12 A to C words at a time, to help students identify and use words they will need for SAT Reading and Writing. • The full A to C list for students to take away.

To help your children to develop great reading strategies, this handy packet contains easy to use activities that cover 5 key reading comprehension skills. Written by a children’s author and teacher, this fun kit also contains fiction passages, games and discussion starters, specifically designed for your children to develop 5 reading strategies. Reading Skill 1: Question a character Reading Skill 2: Analyse a quote Reading Skill 3: Sequence paragraphs Reading Skill 4: Explore mood Reading Skill 5: Discuss the role of setting Resources included in this packet Reading & Read Aloud excerpts Comprehension questions Games Discussion starters and images Activity suggestions & instructions Reusable templates Worksheets Online resources Song lyrics

There are many great reasons why The Lighthouse Keepers Lunch is so fun to read and teach. Here are four lesson plans plus all the resources you need to turn up, engage, and teach this fantastic story. Lessons include listening and speaking, comprehension, writing, art and drama. Delicious! Includes 4 Full Lessons Plans Learning Outcomes Printables Sequencing activity Story Mountain Story Planner Worksheets Online resources Learning outcomes English • listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers • give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings • use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising • imagining and exploring ideas • listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently • making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done • predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far • sequencing sentences to form short narratives • re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense • discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils • develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing by: writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional) writing about real events Art • use drawing and imagination to develop their ideas of 17th Century London. • Use tone, pattern, line and shape in pictures. Drama • develop confidence using movement • develop spatial awareness • act out a story • facilitate the creation and communication of ideas These lessons are written by children’s author and tutor Claire Vorster. Enjoy!

Mr Grinling locks himself out of the lighthouse. Not only is Hamish the cat trapped inside, he also needs to switch on the light to warn the ships that they’re near the rocks! Mrs Grinling has an ingenious plan to get back in…but will it work? The Lighthouse Keepers Catastrophe Kit includes four lesson plans plus all the resources you need to turn up, engage, and teach this fantastic story. Lessons include listening and speaking, comprehension, information and story writing, art and a memory game. Delicious! Includes 4 Full Lessons Plans Learning Outcomes Printables Sequencing activity Story Mountain Story Planner Worksheets Online resources Learning outcomes English • listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers • give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings • use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising • imagining and exploring ideas • listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently • making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done • predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far • sequencing sentences to form short narratives • re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense • discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils • develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing by: writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional) writing about real events Art • use drawing and imagination to develop their ideas. • Use tone, pattern, line and shape in pictures. These lessons are written by children’s author and tutor Claire Vorster. Enjoy!

How do I make a good first impression? How do I learn to attend an interview, communicate effectively and grow in confidence? Here are practical answers; an antidote to anxiety. Immediately, you can use these lesson plans and activities that contain an element of fun. Coupled with fit-to-purpose resources, your students will build confidence and skills as they learn to - • Build rapport from the outset. • Know the difference between helpful and distracting body language. • Learn skills and quickly practice them. • Analyse presentations given by famous people. • Acquire practical skills that make for effective presentations. • Stay motivated, right to the end. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or with other questions. Resources included in this pack Confidence building activities Discussion starters Expert advice and tips Examples of presentations (good & bad) Games

Mr and Mrs Grinling are looking forward to an extra-special Christmas with their great-nephew, George. But on Christmas Eve, Mr Grinling and George get stranded in the middle of a storm! Can Mrs Grinling reach them in time for a Christmas Dinner? The Lighthouse Keepers Christmas Kit includes four lesson plans plus all the resources you need to turn up, engage, and teach this fantastic story. Lessons include listening and speaking, comprehension, writing, art and a memory game. Delicious! Includes 4 Full Lessons Plans Learning Outcomes Printables Sequencing activity Story Mountain Story Planner Worksheets Online resources Learning outcomes English • listen and respond appropriately to adults and their peers • give well-structured descriptions, explanations and narratives for different purposes, including for expressing feelings • use spoken language to develop understanding through speculating, hypothesising • imagining and exploring ideas • listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently • making inferences on the basis of what is being said and done • predicting what might happen on the basis of what has been read so far • sequencing sentences to form short narratives • re-reading what they have written to check that it makes sense • discuss what they have written with the teacher or other pupils • develop positive attitudes towards and stamina for writing by: writing narratives about personal experiences and those of others (real and fictional) writing about real events Art • use drawing and imagination to develop their ideas. • Use tone, pattern, line and shape in pictures. These lessons are written by children’s author and tutor Claire Vorster. Enjoy!

With the right plot, your students can write confident and exciting stories. These Creative Writing lessons start with a simple plotting tool and will build on existing skills, each time adding a new story telling element. Your students will learn how to - • Develop a solid plot structure. • Quickly set themselves up for a successful first draft. • Get tools to keep their stories clear and on track. • Discover how to use a writing prompt to find their starting point. • Remove the fear from the thought of writing a whole story. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Time Allowance 2-4 lessons Activities Speaking and listening, planning, writing, reviewing. Learning objectives Reading Understanding the author’s craft: story shape Writing Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect Speaking and Listening Developing active listening skills and strategies Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies Resources included in this plan Story Mountain Story Mountain for Advanced Climbers Images - Flood, Worst Hotel Reading - Why should I plan? Reading / Ranking Activity - Famous quotes Activity Sheets Online resource links Please contact Claire Vorster with any questions. Many thanks!

We’ve all read great stories that end in a rush, and others that should have ended sooner. These bundled lessons apply secrets from master storytellers to help students discover how to write effective story endings. They will learn to - • Review the closing lines of famous novels and develop their own style. • Use a great piece of advice from Pixar Story Artist, Emma Coates. • Try out expert techniques to bring their stories to a close. • Stay motivated, right to the end. • Know when it’s time to simply let go. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Activities Speaking and listening, reading comprehension, planning, writing, reviewing. Learning objectives Reading Understanding the author’s craft: story shape Writing Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect Speaking and Listening Developing active listening skills and strategies Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies Resources included in this plan Reading and Comprehension Activities Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities Famous quotes for discussion Literary examples Story prompts Story planner for students Online resource links

There’s nothing quite like staring at a blank page. These bundled lesson plans apply secrets from master storytellers as students discover techniques to conquer those first line blues. They will learn to - Grab the reader’s attention from the very first line and hold onto it. Review the first lines of famous novels and develop their own style. Saturate their stories with atmosphere and meaning. Write to inform and entertain. And be ruthless about the editing process. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Activities Speaking and listening, reading comprehension, planning, writing, reviewing. Learning objectives Reading Understanding the author’s craft: story shape Writing Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect Speaking and Listening Developing active listening skills and strategies Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies Resources included in this plan Reading and Comprehension Activities Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities Famous quotes for discussion Literary examples Story prompts Story planner for students Online resource links

From Sherlock Holmes to Mary Poppins, some characters stay with readers far beyond the final page. This bundled lesson guide will help your students to master the techniques required to create memorable and complex characters. Your students will learn to: Bring characters to life using key details that contribute to their experience and journey. Create a storytelling style that fits their unique characters. Keep their character’s journey at the heart of their narrative. Avoid the mistakes that turn readers off. Learning objectives Reading Understanding the author’s craft Writing Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect Speaking and Listening Developing active listening skills and strategies Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies Resources include Range of activities Visual character prompts Examples of characterisation Discussion starters Comprehension questions Online resource links Please contact Claire Vorster with any questions. Many thanks!

With the right tools, your students can write confident and compelling narrative pieces. These lessons apply secrets from a master storyteller to build on existing skills, adding a dynamic story telling element. Your students will learn how to - • Develop a solid plot structure. • Quickly set themselves up for a successful first draft. • Get tools to keep their stories clear and on track. • Discover how to use a writing prompt to find their starting point. • Remove the fear from the thought of writing a whole story. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Time Allowance 1-2 lessons Activities Speaking and listening, planning, writing, reviewing. Learning objectives Reading Understanding the author’s craft: story shape Writing Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect Speaking and Listening Developing active listening skills and strategies Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies Resources included in this plan Story prompts Story planner for students (2 pages) Online resource links Please contact Claire Vorster with any questions. Many thanks

We’ve all read great stories that end in a rush, and others that should have ended sooner. These bundled lessons apply secrets from master storytellers to help students discover how to write effective story endings. They will learn to - • Review the closing lines of famous novels and develop their own style. • Use a great piece of advice from Pixar Story Artist, Emma Coates. • Try out expert techniques to bring their stories to a close. • Stay motivated, right to the end. • Know when it’s time to simply let go. Please contact Claire Vorster for free resources, or other questions. Resources included in this plan Reading and Comprehension Activities Mini and Comprehensive Writing Activities Famous quotes for discussion Literary examples Story prompts Story planner for students Online resource links Activities Speaking and listening, reading comprehension, planning, writing, reviewing. Learning objectives Reading Understanding the author’s craft: story shape Writing Composition: generating ideas, planning and drafting Composition: shaping and constructing language for expression and effect Speaking and Listening Developing active listening skills and strategies Group discussion and interaction: Developing and adapting discussion skills and strategies