This lesson plan uses a mix of scaffolding and SOLO taxonomy methods to support an essay on Macbeth. It starts with the wider question then works back to help pupils identify how best to approach the question, ensuring points are tightly linked to the question and avoiding repetitive structures. I have used with both my year 10 and 11 classes with great success! Please do feedback - your comments are much appreciated!

A worksheet designed to explore the role of the character of Aunt Lizzy and prepare pupils for an essay style question at AS Level. If you like this resource, please visit my shop for a full unit of work on the play, together with other resources on other texts at KS3-5.

A resource designed to teach the entirety of the AS Level for the Cambridge AS level exam (paper 4) drama text, Philadelphia, Here I Come! The resource lasts 10 hours in total, not including homework tasks. It includes context, themes, structure and characterisation as well as a bridge into different interpretations in preparation for AO5 A Level analysis. It could also assist with study for this text at GCSE as it covers all the main elements for approaching and analysing the play. It comes with lesson plans/teacher notes to support, a worksheet for homework. Please do leave a review so that I can continue to improve my products.

Powerpoint x 20 hours. Explores Twelfth Night looking at various aspects which coincide with the AS Level Scheme of Work: Context and interpretations; Language and conventions; Characterisation; Essay writing skills (which includes a recap on PEE paragraphs): and Form and Structure. It provides support for the entire work and covers about 20 or so hours of lessons, depending on how long you dedicate to discussions.

This fun activity is designed to help pupils imagine Macbeth’s response to the witches prophetic apparitions when he returns to see them in Act 4, scene 1. The worksheet asks them to summarize what Macbeth sees then write Macbeth’s Whatsapp message to Lady Macbeth, telling her what he’s seen.

This is a resource for teachers of KS3 who need a bit of extra help getting pupils to write PEE paragraphs at this level. It deals with the elements of a good PEE paragraph, breaking down what a point is, looking at how to select appropriate evidence and finally how to explore and analyse the quote in detail. It is based on the novel Wonder by RJ Palacio, but could be adapted to suit another text as necessary. I have used this format with my KS3 classes and the results have been fantastic!

A worksheet to help pupils prepare for a diary entry based on the events leading up to and during Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet. Worksheet can be completed in class and the diary entry finished for homework. Helpful introduction to Shakespearean English with a simple matching exercise which can be used as a starter to the lesson. Suitable for KS3 or KS4 pupils.

A resource designed to teach the entirety of the AS Level for the Cambridge AS level exam (paper 3) Songs of Ourselves Volume 2 Anthology. Could be adapted to suit other poetry modules at this level. It could also assist with poetry at GCSE as it covers all the main elements for approaching and analysing poetry. It includes example response essays that can be used as a demonstration for teaching. Please do leave a review so that I can continue to improve my products.

This resource is designed for students preparing Americanah as a text for A Level. The material focuses largely on the first half of the story and provides up to 10 hours of lessons and discusssion (27 slides). It is designed to cover various discussions around themes of race, identity, and the concept of hair. It also provides links to other resources that can help towards AO5 part of the assessment. A number of essay titles are planned and developed to help critical thinking. The resource includes an example essay that could be used as a class marking activity. The chapter summary grid should be used at home while pupils read the novel so that they have an easy reference to the different sections.

This resource is designed to help students create insightful and analytical PEE (or APE) paragraphs in preparation for writing either a passage based or essay style question at GCSE. It can easily be adapted to suit another text besides A View from the Bridge

This lesson, based on an article by Peter Bradshaw which reviews the film 127 is designed as a way to engage pupils with the Response Writing task for the Extended paper at IGCSE, but could also be used for directed writing. The lesson deliverable is a Newspaper report based on the contents of the article.

This lesson is based on an article that discusses addictions to social media. It is designed to mimic the Cambridge extended Language paper for Reading (papers 1 & 2: Core and Extended) and the Writing (paper 3). It uses one source text (as opposed to two for the reading and 1 for the writing paper). Initial activities are meant to help pupils access and understand the meaning of the text, whilst enhancing their vocabulary, whereas the later activities are replicas of the questions they would be asked in the Reading and then Writing exam. It could equally be used as the basis for a PSHE discussion regarding sensible use of social media.

This resource is to help teach pupils correct punctuation rules for punctuating dialogue correctly. It includes a short activity at the end which is based on the book Wonder by RJ Palacio. It can be adapted to any class reader.

This resource is designed for teachers who want to ensure that the pupils are making analytical comments in PEE paragraphs, rather than falling into the trap of simply summarising the narrative or explaning the action occuring on stage or in the story. It is based on Macbeth but could easily be adapted to another text.

This resource is designed as a group activity for students to practise close reading of a passage in preparation for the GCSE passage based questions. After a brief run through of what is required in the exam, pupils work in groups to analyse a passage from the play, which advice on what to look for. This then feeds into an essay planning process (again in groups) and finishes with peer assessment. I've had some really positive results and the essay plans students produced as a result were A* standard! They can be asked to write up the essay as homework, or explore another passage, depending on how confident they felt at the end. This resource also works well if used in conjunction with my other resource on PEE paragraphs on A View from the Bridge.

1.5 hour lesson is aimed at KS3, GCSE and possibly A Level pupils who need a bit of an extra helping hand constructing PEE paragraphs based on poetry. It was inspired by the fact that I had read one too many poems where pupils simply ‘translate’ the surface meaning of poem into simple English without really analysing the poem in any way. It could be adapted to another poem relatively easily.

A 3 hours, differentiated lesson. Contains an interactive information exchange activity, the purpose of which helps to highlight to pupils the importance of efficient and clear summary points. Tried and tested with great success - I can confirm that pupils were really motivated by this and I have never seem them so eager to write a summary before! I recommend preparing a prize for the winning team as this helps spur them on even more. This lesson plan could also be used as a basis for a PSHE class on healthy lifestyle as it deals with the need to get a good night’s sleep, the impact of not sleeping and how best to ensure the sleep we get is restful.

This worksheet helps pupils prepare for an essay questions about use of Symbolism at GCSE level. It guides them through basic comprehension of the main ideas of the story and leads onto an essay style question. Suitable as a class activity or can be done for homework. Similarly it could be used as a revision exercise.

A 2 hour class which consists of students creating their own revision worksheets on the poetry studied in class. Pupilis work in groups and respond to a series of questions, the answers of which should be included on the worksheet. At the end, pupils present their final worksheet to the rest of the class and then the teacher can collect these and photocopy/scan and share with all the class. Dead simple but very effective and engaging for pupils!

This 1 - 2 hour lesson allows pupils to review techniques for responding to essay based questions. It includes a print out of the passage that is being considered and some teachers notes which give some suggested responses. Time will vary depending on prior knowledge of the play, however it would be best to approach this task only once the whole play has been covered. Pupils can work in groups or independently and peer review allows for reflective learning.