This bundle contains a range of resources designed to be taught in conjunction with Morpurgo’s ‘Private Peaceful’. As well as lots of activities related to the novel, there are non-fiction extracts and various WWI poems. I have taught this unit to a mixed ability Year 7 and Year 8 class - I think it would be suitable for any LKS2 class. The bundle includes: WWI initial research task Private Peaceful Extended reading list Private Peaceful initial predictions task Mr Munnings and Miss MacAllister character comparison ‘Brothers’ by Andrew Forster poem comprehension Mother character analysis and related descriptive writing about a garden Close language analysis of the aeroplane and the marching band Extract analysis looking at the changing relationships between Molly, Charlie and Tommo POV diary entries task Persuasive language in the Sergeant’s speech Persuasive language in WWI propaganda posters ‘Who’s for the Game’ by Jessie Pope poem comprehension Life in the Trenches - multiple source comprehension ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ by Wilfred Owen essay question and writing task Military punishment non-fiction comprehension and related letter-writing task ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae essay task If you would like to preview these resources, please look at ‘Brothers’ by Andrew Forster, which I have uploaded as a free resource

This unit of work has been taught successfully to Year 5, but could be easily adapted for Y4-6. It includes the following worksheets: Comprehension activities Multiple choice book quiz Initial predictions Chapters 1-2 Mr Sir character study Chapter 7 The Warden character study Chapter 23 Chapter 28 Chapter 37 Chapter 46 Sahara poetry comprehension Comprehension worksheets have a challenge task at the end Fiction/non-fiction activities Research task about dangerous animals Advert for an invention using DAFOREST persuasive techniques Article on Stanley going to court Story about the backstory of Madam Zeroni Informal letter to mom Story about a discovery, inspired by discoveries throughout history Kate Barlow’s diary entries Article about outlaw Kate Barlow Plus Extended reading list Vocabulary activities If you would like to preview this pack, please download the ‘discovery story’ task https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13067890

This bundle contains a large number of worksheets for study of ‘The Highwayman’. I have taught this to a mixed ability Year 5 group, but it could easily be adapted for Year 6. The worksheets include: Comprehension questions for each ‘section’ of the poem, including challenge questions An extended reading list A glossary table for them to define more difficult vocabulary Grammar Parenthesis recap Hyphens and dashes activity Direct and reported speech Writing Character monologues activity Rewriting the first stanza following the poet’s structure/rhyme Story writing Tim’s letter to the King’s Men If you would like to preview this bundle, you can download the character monologue writing activity https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13068174

This contains 12 poems suitable for upper KS2, each with 5-10 comprehension questions and an extension task. Several also contain related writing tasks. Poems include: An Extract from ‘Rural Evening’ by John Clare By the River by Matt Simpson First Day at School by Roger McGough My Mind by Ros Asquith My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson Night Mail by W H Auden Sahara by N Ellis Since Hanna Moved Away by Judith Viorst The Car Trip by Michael Rosen The Lake Isle of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats The River by Valerie Bloom The Tyger by William Blake If you would like a sample of these resources, you can download ‘The Tyger’ for free here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13067680

This contains 17 poems with comprehension tasks suitable for KS3 children (year 7-9). The vast majority contain 5-10 comprehension questions with marks attached, as well as a challenge task. Some have an essay task or a close language analysis task. Poems included are: A Case of Murder by Vernon Scannell Brothers by Andrew Forster Children in Wartime by Isobel Thrilling Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen Forest by Carol Ann Duffy Great-grandmother’s Lament by Jackie Kay Half-Caste by John Agard In Flanders Fields by John McCrae Island Man by Grace Nichols Lucozade by Jackie Kay Poem for My Sister by Liz Lochhead Still I Rise by Maya Angelou The Sea by James Reeves To a Daughter Leaving Home by Linda Pastan Walking Away by Cecil Day Lewis Who’s For the Game by Jessie Pope Your Dad Did What by Sophie Hannah If you would like to preview these resources, look at ‘Brothers by Andrew Forster’ which I have uploaded for free https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13067662

This comprehensive unit lasts approximately one term and includes a variety of short stories from acclaimed authors. Each story has related comprehension and writing (both fiction and non-fiction) activities, as well as some grammar, spelling and related research tasks. Taught to a mixed ability Year 7 class, but could easily be adapted for Y6-Y8. Unit includes: Key Ingredients of story writing** Key ingredients of short stories looking at ‘Boo’ by Kevin Crossley-Holland Spotlight on vivid characters, looking at various extracts Spotlight on evocative settings, looking at various extracts Spotlight on engaging openers, looking at various extracts A selection of short stories and related activities ‘Charles’ by Shirley Jackson (comprehension questions and letter writing activity) ‘The Doll’ (analysing the author’s use of foreshadowing and writing a story) ‘I Used to Live Here Once’ by Jean Rhys (comprehension questions and story from the POV of a ghost) ‘The Wife’s Story’ by Ursula le Guin (comprehension questions and a twisted fairytale) ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ by Roald Dahl (comprehension questions and a story focusing on dramatic irony) ‘Examination Day’ by Henry Slesar (comprehension questions, script writing and a discursive essay) ‘All Summer in a Day’ by Ray Bradbury (comprehensive analysis of figurative language) PLUS Short Stories extended reading list to allow pupils to read around the topic Look at my free resource ‘Spotlight on engaging openers’ to preview content in this pack https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12952918

Suitable for UKS2. Inspired by the discovery of the lipstick tube in ‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar, students learn about famous discoveries throughout history (Easter Island Moai, Pompeii, the Terracotta Army). After reading about them, they choose one to inspire a discovery story of their own. Includes brief non-fiction texts to summarise and a planning sheet for their own story. If you like this, please have a look at my ‘Holes’ unit of work! https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13067878

Once pupils have read the poem, they can choose to write a monologue from the point of view of either Bess, Tim or The Highwayman. This resources gives example monologues, includes guided planning sheets for each character and an extension activity where students can ‘play’ the teacher. If you like this resource, make sure to check out my ‘The Highwayman’ bundle https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13068092

Please find attached comprehension questions and a related writing task, suitable for Year 6/7. Pupils will read the story and answer comprehension questions. They will then look at a description of a tiger taken from ‘The Marriage Portrait’ by Maggie O’Farrell, analysing it for descriptive language. Lastly, they will write their own description of a tiger. If you like this resource, make sure to check out my KS2 comprehension poetry bundle https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13067666

A free resource that I have used with Year 7 pupils. If you like this, please look at my KS3 Poetry Comprehension bundle for lots more resources like this! **This resource is also part of my ‘Private Peaceful’ by Michael Morpurgo unit https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-13067653

A bundle of comprehension and writing activities to support a reading of ‘The One and Only Ivan’ by Katherine Applegate. This was delivered to a mixed ability Year 5 group, but suitable for any KS2 class. The bundle includes: COMPREHENSION Comprehension questions on the following chapters of the book: Bob Stella Artists Protector/A Perfect Life A New Beginning Plus comprehension questions about two related non-fiction articles: Christian the Lion The Real Ivan from ‘The One and Only Ivan’ Each comprehension activity contains the passage and related comprehension questions, focusing on VIPERS skills. Every comprehension contains an extension activity. **PLUS **A suggested reading list: books similar to ‘The One and Only Ivan’ to enable children to read around the class text COMPOSITION Worksheets (and some accompanying PowerPoints) for the following writing activities, all linked to the text: Description of a circus focusing on sensory language Story about visiting a zoo focusing on using a story mountain Mixed up animal poems Description inspired by a famous artwork Rewrite of Ruby falling into the well, focusing on how to build suspense Discursive essay: Should Zoos Be Banned? Article writing: Ivan’s Billboard Script writing: Interview with Mack, George and Julia** Writing worksheets contain success criteria, planning sheets and an extension task. Therefore, in total, this bundle contains 7 comprehension activities and 8 writing activities, as well as an extended reading list.

A set of revision notes for ‘Jane Eyre’ by Charlotte Bronte. This is tailored to the GCSE AQA course, but applicable for anyone studying the novel. The notes consist of the following: key contextual information split into historical, social, literary, biographical and religious subsections up to five key quotations for each of the main characters and themes in the novel, with reference to Bronte’s intentions language devices (please note there is purposely crossover with these quotations to enable students to more realistically remember them under exam conditions) key symbols in the novel and their significance past paper questions

I made these resources myself when tutoring an 11+ pupil interested in sitting the City of London School for Girls 11+ exam. The exam format has recently changed, and now consists of a short extract from a text with only one comprehension question, and then a related short writing activity. Since there was only one sample paper online, I created some of my own in a similar style. I was told by my student that the first mock I created, taken from ‘The Marriage Portrait’ by Maggie O’Farrell, was actually used as the City English exam in 2023. These are very useful for anyone working towards the City of London 11+ exam, but also for anyone taking a written English 11+ examination. This resource contains seven mock papers, each with a comprehension and a composition task.

A set of revision notes for key themes in Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’. This is tailored to the GCSE AQA course, but applicable for anyone studying the play. The notes are for the themes of love and marriage, fate, masculinity/violence/ honour and youth and age/parents and children. Each set of notes consists of the following: a generic introduction which can be tailored to any theme key context for the theme key concepts for that theme 4-5 key concepts within that theme explored in greater depth, each with relevant quotations, authorial intention and literary/dramatic devices highlighted

A set of revision notes for ‘Lord of the Flies’ by William Golding. This is tailored to the GCSE AQA course, but applicable for anyone studying the novel. The notes consist of the following: an outline of the AQA question and how to structure your response key contextual information split into historical, social, literary, biographical and religious subsections five key quotations for each of the main characters and themes in the novel, with language analysis and explanation, as well as reference to Golding’s intentions and links to key symbols (please note there is purposely some crossover with these quotations to enable students to more realistically remember them under exam conditions) key symbols in the novel and their significance past paper questions a level 9 model student response

A lesson focusing on what makes an effective story opening. Children will analyse published openings (extracts from ‘Noughts & Crosses’ by Malorie Blackman; ‘Watership Down’ by Richard Adams; ‘The Final Journey’ by Gudrun Pausewang; ‘Blart: The Boy Who Didn’t Want to Save the World’ by Dominic Barker; ‘Silverfin’ by Charlie Higson’) and categorise them by technique used to engage the reader, rating each out of 5. Children then experiment with these techniques (character, setting, dialogue, action and sound) using picture prompts to help them. Plenary/extension task: Play the teacher and mark another pupil’s attempts. If you like this resource, please look at my full ‘Short Stories’ unit of work. https://www.tes.com/resource-detail/resource-12952914

A glossary of literary devices, perfect for GCSE Language and Literature revision. These are split into the following: general literary devices structural devices poetic terms structure of poetry

This bundle contains a series of worksheets to accompany a reading of ‘Boy’ by Roald Dahl. I have taught this to a mixed ability Year 6 class, but could easily be adapted for any UKS2 class. This bundle includes: An extended reading list ‘Boy’ book review template Comprehension Facts and initial predictions ‘First Day at School’ by Roger McGough poetry comprehension Mrs Pratchett commprehension The Great Mouse Plot comprehension ‘The Car Trip’ by Michael Rosen poetry comprehension Mr Coombes comprehension The Matron close language analysis comprehension Captain Hardcastle comprehension Writing Sweet-shop sensory writing Corporal punishment letter and discursive essay Suspense writing Norwegian Fjords description Informal letter writing task ‘The Accident’ story writing Humorous anecdote writing Chocolates descriptive writing Grammar Subordinate clauses revision Colons, semi-colons and dashes revision If you would like to preview this resource, please download my ‘Goat’s Tobacco’ anecdote writing as a free resource

This resource guides students through the first few stanzas of ‘The Lady of Shalott’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Pupils will look at the poem’s setting, and use it to inspire a piece of writing about a castle. There is also a related vocabulary task. **If you like this, make sure to download my ‘The Lady of Shalott’ unit of work. **

I have used this bundle of resources alongside ‘The Lady of Shalott’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson. I have taught it to a mixed ability Year 6 class, but this could easily be adapted to Year 5-7. The bundle includes: An extended reading list 5 sets of comprehension questions with extension tasks for each part of the poem Castle descriptive writing Castle vocabulary task Direct speech grammar task Letter to Camelot writing task Predictions about the lady linked to Waterhouse paintings Writing the Lady of Shalott’s backstory Lancelot close language analysis Comparing the Lady and Lancelot Persuasive speech writing Script writing Pathetic fallacy task Andrew Waterhouse descriptive writing If you would like to preview this resource, please download ‘The Lady of Shalott Part I’ as a free resource

This bundle of resources, both PPTs and worksheets, has been used to teach ‘Animal Farm’ to a mixed ability Year 7 class. I have also taught this to Year 8 in the past, so could easily be adapted to any LKS3 class. The bundle includes: Extended reading list Allegorical significance of characters sheet Aesop’s Fables task Initial predictions activity PowerPoints for chapters 1-10 Old Major’s Speech persuasive techniques analysis Persuasive speech writing task Historical context for chapters 1-2 Battle of the Cowshed context (non-fiction task) Battle of the Cowshed newspaper article Analysing Squealer’s persuasive rhetoric Tracking the principles of Animalism Point of view writing task Boxer essay writing task (scaffolded) ‘A Case of Murder’ by Vernon Scannell poetry comprehension ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou poetry comprehension If you would like to preview these resources, please download my ‘Animal Farm chapter 1’ resource for free