A lesson on Ted Hughes’ ‘Bayonet Charge’ for lower ability learners, It includes: Starter - a short explanation of what a bayonet is and how they were used in WW1. Learners then answer ‘Why do you think the bayonet was considered to be a suitable weapon for infantry attacks?’ Feedback slide Basic contextual information about the poet. A link to a relevant YouTube video Learners then read the poem and use choose quotations to caption six images on a storyboard depicting the main events of the poem. This is followed by a worksheet in which learners are asked to make three basic comparisons with ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ (this will have to have been covered beforehand). The table is partly filled in. Review

A lesson on ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ for lower ability learners. It includes: Starter multiple choice question Context sheet and storyboard activity Suggested annotations for lower ability learners Discussion: how is this a power and/or conflict poem? Article writing task

This lesson enables learners to explore ‘Kamikaze’ by Beatrice Garland. It includes: Lesson Starter (see cover image) An image of the sinking US Arizona with the question, ‘When do you think this photograph was taken’? Learners discuss and then feedback. A context sheet contained a simplified explanation of the Pearl Harbour attack and the rise of Kamikaze pilots. There is a corresponding worksheet for this. A link to a BBC interview with a surviving Kamikaze pilot with three questions to answer. A sheet of questions to prompt annotation of the poem. The lesson is aimed at lower ability learners whose primary goal is understanding.

A PPT that enables an exploration of ‘War Photographer’ by Carol Ann Duffy. It includes: Lesson starter that encourages learners to think about the role of the war photographer Feedback slide Basic contextual information Suggested annotations aimed at lower ability learners A summary sheet and worksheet Comparison task with ‘Remains’ Review

A lesson that follows on from this introduction to speech writing for KS3: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/an-introduction-to-speech-writing-for-ks3-12049010 This is a speech-writing lesson based on the issue of homework. It includes: Starter - learners say to what extent they agree with a series of statements relating to homework Feedback slide Keywords for the lesson + extension task A link to a relevant article for research and a YouTube link An exploration of the main arguments for and against homework Sample GCSE question (AQA-style) WAGOLL Writing time Peer assessment and review This lesson is aimed at lower-middle ability learners and should take about two hours.

The 7th in the MRS SOAP creative writing series for lower ability KS3. The starter asks learners to read an extract from a story and then write the next paragraph based on what they have read. Feedback slide What is repetition? To check understanding, there are three images representing three fairytales: Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel and The Three Little Pigs. Ask learners if they can identify the fairytale from the image and if they know what key phrase is repeated in these stories. This is followed by a worksheet in which learners read four mini extracts and identify the repeated words/phrases. They then comment on the effect of the repetition. After this, learners write the opening of their own fairytale based on one of several image prompts. They then say what they would repeat and why and how they would continue the story. An example is provided. Review Estimated time: about 1.5 hours. Update: if you have recently purchased this lesson, please note that I have added a sheet detailing the features of the MRS SOAP acronym, as it is referred to in the Review. However, you may wish to adapt this review question if you have not bought the previous PPTs in the series.

The sixth in the MRS SOAP creative writing series for lower ability KS3. It includes: Starter - write the opening of a story based on one of four given images. Each response should include one complex sentence and one specified descriptive technique. Feedback slide What is onomatopoeia? There are links to several YouTube videos so that learners can suggest onomatopoeic words. Learners fill in a table, suggesting onomatopoeic words appropriate to a range of environments. There is a table of 126 onomatopoeic words to help. Descriptive or poetic writing task with image prompts. Review This lesson can stand alone but assumes some knowledge of the following terms: complex sentence, simile, metaphor and personification.

A ready-to-go lesson on ‘Remains’ in the P&C Anthology. It is aimed at low ability learners whose primary goal is understanding the poem. The lesson includes: A starter that encourages learners to think about PTSD and how they might advise someone who is showing symptoms of PTSD Feedback slide What is trauma? What events could be considered traumatic? Discuss in pairs. Feedback slide with link to YouTube video A storyboarding activity in which learners read the poem and then label the nine scenes with quotations from the poem. This comes with two additional challenge tasks. A straightforward comparison table with ‘Poppies’, by Jane Weir, on the subject of internal conflict. Review. A free lesson on ‘Poppies’ can be found here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/poppies-for-lower-ability-12073600 You may wish to undertake this lesson before moving onto ‘Remains’.

A lesson on Jane Weir’s ‘Poppies’ in the AQA Power and Conflict Anthology. It is aimed at a lower ability set and includes: A true or false starter about the important of the poppy (answers provided) A double-sided activity worksheet to enable comprehension Role on the wall activity Letter-writing extension task Review Learning Expected time: 1.5 - 2 hours

A lesson that follows on from this introduction to speech writing for KS3: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/an-introduction-to-speech-writing-for-ks3-12049010 This is a speech-writing lesson based on the issue of arming teachers, similar to the US. It includes: Starter - learners examine four related images and say how they are similar and different A keywords match-up task with extension A link to a relevant article which serves as useful research/pre-reading A summary of the main arguments and some key statistics about gun crime in the US versus the UK Sample GCSE question (AQA-style) WAGOLL Writing time Peer assessment and review This lesson is aimed at lower-middle ability learners and should take about two hours. If you like this lesson, please consider other lessons in the KS3 speech writing series, as and when they are published. For example: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks3-speech-writing-the-plastics-debate-12058293 UPDATE: Corrections made to Teacher/Pupil Keywords sheets.

A straightforward lesson on the homophones there, they’re and their. It is part of the lower ability skills series and follows on from this lesson on ending sentence correctly: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/lower-ability-ks3-ending-sentences-12066805 It could stand alone but assumes some knowledge of when to use a full stop. This lesson includes: A starter (see cover image) with feedback slide What is a homophone? Homophone identification challenge The differece between there, they’re and their There, they’re and their worksheet Learning Review

The fifth in the ‘MRS SOAP’ Creative Writing series for lower ability KS3. This is an extended lesson that covers some basic grammatical concepts: Subject Predicate Main clause Dependent clause Simple Sentence Compound Sentences Complex Sentences The starter links to the previous lesson on adverbs and adjectives. After this, the lesson progresses steadily towards complex sentences. There are activities to test and apply learning at each stage and the lesson culminates in a creative writing task with a picture prompt. You would need to allocate about 2 hours, maybe a shade longer, depending on your group.

The fourth in the creative writing series for lower ability KS3. It includes: Identify the personification, simile and metaphors in a passage of fiction (links to previous lesson) Feedback from starter slide What are adverbs and adjectives? Identifying adverbs and adjectives in a range of sentences, with extension task. Re-writing sentences using more ambitious adverb and adjective choices (list provided) Review

A straightforward lesson on personification for lower ability KS3 learners. It is the third in a series that begins with this introductory lesson: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/introduction-to-creative-writing-la-ks3-12065152 It provides: A lesson starter in which learners use a series of pictures as a prompt for creating similes and metaphors What is personification? Identifying personification and its effects in an extract from the opening of a story A storyboarding task that encourages learners to use personification in a six-scene description of their day Plenary

This is a ‘crash course’ in Act Five aimed at lower ability learners who need to get through the text quite quickly. It includes: An overview of Act 5 (see cover image) with tasks. Scene summaries for Scenes 1, 5 and 8. A storyboard for learners to fill in for Scenes 1 and 8. On a basic level, they can use the scene summaries to create captions for each scene, although you can increase the challenge by removing the quotations as well. An activity which encourages learners to contrast the presentation of Lady Macbeth in Acts 1-3 with the sleepwalking scene. A focus on Macbeth’s ‘Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow’ speech. Learners number the images according to when they appear in the speech. These resources were created for low-ability learners who only had a limited amount of time in which to approach Act 5. However, you could use these as starters or revision tasks for more able learners.

This is a ‘crash course’ in Act 4 for lower ability learners. It comprises of three storyboards and scene summaries for Act Four of ‘Macbeth’. The aim is for learners to use the scene summaries to describe what is happening in each scene, based on the images and quotations. This could be used for revision of Act Four or to promote understanding. It was designed with time pressure in mind.

A straightforward lesson on choosing between a full stop and a comma. The starter encourages learners to revise the terms subject and main verb. The term predicate is introduced. Learners identify the subject, main verb and predicate in a range of different sentences contained within a table. Slide 2: The idea of a comma splice is introduced. Slide 3: Learners identify whether a comma splice exists in five different sentences. It would be helpful to have an interactive board so that the sentences can be annotated on screen. Slide 4: Learners are directed to a paragraph which contains multiple comma splices. They must identify them. Slide 5: Feedback on screen Slide 6: Learners write a paragraph about themselves, ending their sentences correctly. Slide 7 Review/Check Learning

Following on from this introductory lesson: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/an-introduction-to-creative-writing-ks3-12065152 This lesson develops learners’ understanding of similes and metaphors. It draws slightly on material from this much older lesson: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/simile-metaphor-and-personification-11747189 This lesson provides: Anagram starter using devices from MRS SOAP (descriptive techniques) What is a simile? Learners identify which statements, 1-3, are similes. Simile challenge worksheet What is a metaphor? Check understanding with common metaphors from everyday language Learners then complete metaphors 1-8 using their own imagination. Review task. Target ability: Lower KS3 Lesson time: 1hr approx.

A straightforward introduction to creative writing for lower ability KS3 learners. It provides: A starter (see cover image) An introduction to using language descriptively. Learners read two sentences, A and B. B incorporates personification whereas A is simple ‘telling’. Learners say which one they prefer and why. An introduction to descriptive writing techniques using the acronym MRS SOAP. Learners match the technique to the letter in the acronym. Learners go on to create a structured poster that lists the letters of the acronym, what they mean and one example. Two extension tasks. Review.