Hi! I am a teacher with over 20 years' experience at Primary level. I try to make my resources as challenging as possible with a slice of fun, while cramming in as much detail as possible into the guided reading / writing activities, plays, worksheets and comprehension exercises that I produce. I also create and publish a range of free worksheets and resources, which now account for over 40% of my published resources. Any feedback and suggestions welcome!
Hi! I am a teacher with over 20 years' experience at Primary level. I try to make my resources as challenging as possible with a slice of fun, while cramming in as much detail as possible into the guided reading / writing activities, plays, worksheets and comprehension exercises that I produce. I also create and publish a range of free worksheets and resources, which now account for over 40% of my published resources. Any feedback and suggestions welcome!
I have created the first 3 parts to an original myth based on traditional Greek myths, which can be used to teach pupils how to develop their own myth.
Lesson 1 - Creating the setting.
Lesson 2 - Introducing the villain and setting out the problem.
Lesson 3 - Introducing the hero and creating tension in the story.
I have used this exemplar to teach children to write their own ‘myth’ over the course of a week, in stages, with time allowed for editing and improving. I have included the main features of a Greek myth, such as the use of magic, fantastic, hybrid creatures, and the Good vs Bad scenario.
In the course of a lesson, these features will be emphasised as the teacher writes alongside the pupils, discussing the language and why it has been chosen. Characters will be developed with detailed descriptions and the plot will be discussed and used as a model for pupils’ own myths.
I have not written the last parts of the story as this is where I would put the children fully in charge of the story - it is amazing the ideas they will devise for the hero to vanquish the evil villain Voltar and his terrifying creature, the Scorpidon!
As the story is in Word, it can be adapted an lots of ways and also used to develop spelling, punctuation, cloze procedure and grammar activies. I have also included some Greek island images for use in pupils’ books, and an A4 feature list for myths. Enjoy!
This is a literacy pack containing chapter- by - chapter activities for the first five chapters of the book Matilda by Roald Dahl. For each of the five chapters there is a comprehension / guided reading activity and a SPaG activity, plus several additional vocabulary and writing tasks.
Each A4 comprehension worksheet has a variety of questions worth 20 marks and could be used as an independent task, as part of a guided reading session, reading assessment or whole class teaching.
Each SPaG worksheet is double A4 - sized, with space for pupils’ answers. It could be used as part of SATs practice as I have styled the questions in a similar vein. Similarly, pupils could do the worksheet as an independent task or as part of whole class revision for the SATs. There are 25 marks available - which again allows pupils to find their percentage score! At the end of the formal questions there is an extension spelling task on each sheet.
There are two extra Vocabulary and spelling activities included for chapter one, plus a writing task. I have also included a landscape - version of the comprehension task with space on the worksheet for the pupils’ answers.
All activities are created in Word so can be edited to your own designs.
Answer sheets are included!
This is a literacy pack containing chapter- by - chapter activities based on the first seven chapters of the book The Witches by Roald Dahl, plus associated grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and spelling activities. There are ten worksheets in all, comprising:
6 x reading comprehension worksheets (including extension activities)
2 x vocabulary / grammar / punctuation worksheets
2 x spelling worksheets
For each of the seven chapters there is a comprehension / guided reading worksheet which also contains a reading / spelling / writing challenge. (Chapters 6 and 7 are combined as chapter 6 is very short.) There are 25 marks available in each comprehension, allowing pupils to work out their percentage score. The worksheets could be used as part of SATs practice as the questions are set in a similar vein. Similarly, pupils could do the reading comprehension worksheets as independent tasks or as part of whole class revision.
Alternatively, each worksheet could be used as part of a guided reading session, reading assessment or whole class teaching.
Each Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation worksheet is double A4 - sized, with space for pupils’ answers. Pupils could do the worksheet as an independent task or as part of whole class revision for the SATs. There are 25 marks available - which again allows pupils to find their percentage score!
All activities are created in Word so can be edited to your own taste.
A chapter - by - chapter (12 chapters in all) set of comprehension exercises with linked Spelling and Grammar activities. Each comprehension activity has at least 10 questions, which I have designed to allow success for less able children but with challenging, higher order questions for above average pupils. Harder questions are signified by being awarded extra marks (up to 3 marks for a tricky question). Each reading task has a learning objective in and requires the reading of one full chapter of the Sheep-Pig. The worksheets are all A4 size and there are various ways to use the activity sheets, including:
As part of a shared reading session, with the pupils completing the written tasks after discussion and analysis of the text as a class or group.
As independent written tasks for the rest of the class, while the teacher is reading with a smaller group.
As an additional, ready-made resource to support the study of The Sheep - Pig as a Unit of Work / class book.
As a stand-alone, independent reading activity / assessment.
As a useful teacher prompt/ discussion leader when doing a guided read.
Alongside the comprehension task, each worksheet has a Spelling or Grammar challenge - for example: fronted adverbials, dictionary activities, word classes, etc. These could be the focus of the lesson, serve as an extension task or be used as a stand alone / separate activity. All worksheets are created on Microsoft Word so can be easily adapted to suit your needs. For example, in the past I have shrank the 10 set questions to half-page size and photocopied them to stick in pupils’ books, ready for independent work. You could also add your own questions, objectives etc.
Several literacy schemes are asking Year 6 teachers to use The Piano animation (readily available on YouTube) as a resource to teach ‘flashback’ writing.
This is a writing example which could be used to stimulate discussion and help pupils to grasp how they can write a flashback scene.
I wrote it in collaboration with a Y6 class I taught and it took a week to do - and is unfinished as I asked the children to complete it! There are 5 paragraphs and everything written - the names of the characters, their backstories etc. are all from the class’s imagination.
There are two versions, one with text only, one with illustrations added. Both are created in Microsoft Word so can be easily tailored.
I am also including a planning worksheet for a two week block with the main objective being to write a story with flashbacks.
There are 17 questions, based on chapter one of Matilda, on two sides of A4.
The questions are written in SATs format and offer 1, 2 or 3 marks.
Altogether, 25 marks are available, meaning pupils can work out their percentage score at the end.
Answer sheet included.
Could be used as an independent task, homework or for SATs revision.
There is also an A4 spelling worksheet with 3 tasks for independent work.
Two comprehension exercises based on chapter one, with extension challenges, suitable for Y5/6
Comprehension 1 - based on pages 7 to 13. There are 25 marks available with a Dictionary Challenge extension activity.
Comprehension 2 - based on pages 13 to 18. Again, there are 25 marks available with an Astounding Alliteration extension activity.
Could be used in independent work, guided reading, whole class teaching, homework or assessment activities.
Answer sheets included for both comprehension exercises.
A comprehension exercises based on chapter two, with an extension challenge based on compound words,
There are 21 comprehension questions with 25 marks available, allowing for an easy percentage score to be found!
Can be used in independent work, whole class teaching, homework or an assessment activity.
Answer sheets included for the comprehension and challenge.
This is a literacy pack based on the first 5 chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
For each chapter, there is a comprehension worksheet containing a range of around 20 questions, based on the text, producing 25 marks in total. The questions are written on one size of A4 and include an extension activity. The worksheets could be used as independent reading tasks, homework activities or as a tool for guided reading groups. Also included with each comprehension task is an A4 answer sheet. Just for for chapter one, there are two comprehension activities, one based on pages 7 - 13 and the next on pages 13 - 18.
The extension activities attached to each comprehension task are listed below:
Chapter one, pages 7 - 13: Dictionary Challenge
Chapter One, pages 13 - 18: Astounding Alliteration
Chapter Two: Compound Words
Chapter Three: Dictionary Challenge
Chapter Four: Spelling Challenge
Chapter Five: Vibrant Verbs
The literacy pack also includes nine writing resources as follows:
Chapter Two - Dear Diary ( Harry’s point of view)
Chapter Two - Writing activity based on Harry and Dudley’s differing viewpoints
Chapter Four - Mysterious character descriptive writing task
Chapter Four - Letter writing task: Hagrid writing to Dumbledore
Chapter Five - Recount based on the visit to the Leaky Cauldron (Harry’s POV)
Chapters 1 to 5 - Book review
Spooky Picture for use in creative writing
Spelling task - ‘soft c’
Awesome Adjectives Wordsearch
I have created a chapter - by - chapter set of comprehension exercises with linked SPAG activities and additional writing tasks. There are 12 comprehension / SPAG worksheets and 5 corresponding writing tasks
Each comprehension activity has a variety of different questions, with 20 marks available (allowing for a % score to be made!). I have designed questions which allow success for less able children but with challenging, higher order questions for above average pupils. Harder questions are signified by being awarded extra marks (up to 3 marks as in the SATs and key stage tests). Each reading task has a learning objective in line with Year 5/6 National Curriculum objectives and requires the reading of one full chapter or part of a chapter of the Firework - Maker’s Daughter.
The worksheets are all A4 size, written in Word, and there are various ways to use the activity sheets, including:
As part of a shared reading session, with the pupils completing the written tasks after discussion and analysis of the text as a class or group.
As independent written tasks for the rest of the class, while the teacher is reading with a smaller group.
As an additional, ready-made resource to support the study of The Firework-Maker’s Daughter as a Unit of Work / class book.
As a stand-alone, independent reading activity / assessment.
As a useful teacher prompt/ discussion leader when doing a guided read.
Alongside the comprehension task, each worksheet has a SPAG challenge based on the Year 5 and 6 English frameworks - for example: dictionary activities, synonyms, etc. These could be the focus of the lesson, serve as an extension task or be used as a stand alone / separate activity.
As all worksheets are created on Microsoft Word they can be easily adapted to suit your needs. For example, in the past I have shrank the set questions to half-page size and photocopied them to stick in pupils’ books, ready for independent work. You could also add your own questions, objectives etc.
This resource will help children to write their own rhyming, nonsense poems modelled on the Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear.
There sre 2 basic resources to use:
An exemplar of a poem written in the style of The Owl and the Pussycat, called The Dog and the Budgie. It could be displayed on the whiteboard alongside the original or printed out for discussion.
A cloze procedure activity to help lower attaining pupils to succeed in the activity.
I have also included a Twinkl PP of the original poem, to use or delete as necessary.
A comprehension exercises based on chapter five, with an extension challenge based on vibrant verbs
There are 20 comprehension questions with 25 marks available, allowing for an easy percentage score to be found!
Can be used in guided reading, independent work, whole class teaching, homework or assessment.
Answer sheets included for the comprehension and challenge.
A comprehension exercises based on chapter four, with an extension challenge based on spelling / editing.
There are 21 comprehension questions with 25 marks available, allowing for an easy percentage score to be found!
Can be used as guided reading, independent work, whole class teaching, homework or assessment.
Answer sheets included for the comprehension and challenge.
The pack contains a set of comprehension exercises covering all 15 chapters of the book. The activities are presented in two different formats: the first format consists of handy A4 worksheets which the pupils work on. Each A4 worksheet includes a reading challenge extension task. The second format requires the pupils to write the answers in their exercise books, and as there are 2 question sheets per A4 sheet this means the question sheets can be easily cut in half and stuck into the pupils’ books if required.
Each comprehension worksheet has a range of different questions, with 20 marks available (allowing for a % score to be made too!). I have tried to design questions which allow success for less able children but with challenging, higher order questions for above average pupils. Harder questions are signified by being awarded extra marks (up to 3 marks as in the SATs and key stage tests). Each comprehension has a learning objective in line with Year 3/4 National Curriculum objectives and requires the reading of one, two or three chapters of the book (most chapters are small).
The worksheets are are all written in Word, so can be easily adapted - for instance you could also add your own questions, objectives etc.
There are various ways to use this resource, including
As part of a shared reading session, with the pupils completing the written tasks after discussion and analysis of the text as a class or group.
As independent written tasks for the rest of the class, while the teacher is reading with a smaller group.
As an additional, ready-made resource to support the study of George’s Marvellous Medicine as a Unit of Work / class book.
As a stand-alone, independent reading activity / assessment.
As a useful teacher prompt/ discussion leader when doing a guided read.
SPAG ACTIVITIES
I have also included 5 SPAG activities which are based on the first 6 chapters. They include practice in proof reading, verb tenses, spelling and questions based on SATS format.
wo Year 4-5 Comprehensions based on The Shocking Story of Electricity by Anne Claybourne. The first set of questions is more challengiung, the second set more suitable for pupils who require support.
Could be used after a guided reading session or as a stand alone independent task.
1st comprehension - 10 questions , 14 marks
2nd comprehension - 8 questions, 8 marks
Extension / Challenge activity - Keeping Safe
A worksheet designed to teach about trickier connectives such as:
However
Therefore
In addition
Consequently
etc . . . to help build cohesion within a paragraph.
After discussion, pupils will redraft a paragraph about keeping fit. A simple but effective resource.
Based on two poems from the ‘English Alive’ series of literacy books for Key Stage Two. Contains two detailed lesson plans written in simple language, giving step by step instructions to make your lessons go smoothly (!) - plus scope for follow up lessons in reading and writing poetry.
The lessons teach use of verbs, similes and poem structure in fun activities where pupils write and perform their own poems based on the two poems read. Pupils will play interactive starter games, read and discuss poems and write and perform their own poems based on the models provided. The accent is on fun!!!
Theme: Feelings
Objectives include: 1) Compare and contrast poems on a similar theme.
2) Recognise and begin to use similes.
3) Use rhythm and rhyming couplets
This is a unit of work for anyone planning an anti bullying week or anyone teaching anti bullying issues through literacy / drama / PSHE.
It incorporates the excellent book for Upper Key Stage Two, ‘The Angel of Nitshill Road’, in particular using the first two chapters in exploring a range of bullying and peer pressure issues.
Includes:
*Full planning for anti bullying week, with 5 detailed lesson plans.
*Drama activities incorporated into the literacy sessions.
*Anti bullying Posters PP
*Link to further activities for ‘The Angel of Nitshill Road’
*2 comprehension exercises
3 worksheets and a wordsearch to teach about the different food groups / healthy living.
There are questions on the pyramid and a fun activity where the pupils will talk about what sort of foods are represented by cartoon pictures, then list each food under the 5 main food group headings. As a challenge, the pupils then add other foods to the lists to even them up!
The review worksheet is useful for discussing and reviewing what the children know about the ‘Sound’ topic at the start of teaching the unit.
There are six investigations for the pupils to try! The Investigation sheets are written in simple language to allow pupils to read and follow independently. Sheets could be laminated and allocated to different groups. They can then be tackled as a ‘circuit’ of activities, with groups of 5/6 children spending 20 minutes on each, then circulating.This would represent a full afternoon’s session. Alternatively, 3 activities could be tackled in an hour session, with two sessions required to complete the whole six investigations!
Preparation is the key to the success of these investigations; you will need various materials such as string telephones, balloons, a nailboard, paper straws and glass bottles filled with various amounts of water!
Recording of the investigations should be instant and simple; pupils can expand on their findings in a follow up lesson, where their initial ideas can be discussed and improved.