This Valentine’s Day English Lesson is aimed at key stage 3 and key stage 4. In the lesson, students will learn about the history of Valentine’s Day, consider Shakespeare’s sonnets and iambic pentameter, and then write their own Shakespearean sonnet. Learning Questions: What are the origins of Valentine’s Day? How did Shakespeare write about love using the sonnet form? How can I write my own sonnet (love poem)? This works really well as a one-off English lesson to celebrate Valentine’s Day, whilst also keeping students focused on English-specific skills and knowledge. Lesson Overview: Do It Now: What would be the worst ever Valentine’s day gift someone could get? Starter: Brief history of Valentine’s Day followed by think-pair-share and discussion. Main task 1: Explanation of Shakespearean sonnet followed by students reading out lines of iambic pentameter. Main task 2: Students look at an example sonnet and then write their own sonnet. Share and celebrate student sonnets. Plenary: Students choose five words to summarise what they’ve learned about the origins of Valentine’s Day. I really hope you and your students enjoy this! Leave a review and choose any other resource, of up to the same value, for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

2 hours of engaging activities and discussion to introduce students to gender roles and gender equality. This could easily be split into 2 or 3 one-hour lessons. It is suitable for students in key stages 3 and 4. These resources are in-depth but made accessible by the different and fun activities. This resource includes: A detailed powerpoint with 2 hours of activities (22 slides). All preparation instructions (these resources are ready-to-teach, but some preparation is required). A worksheet in ppt and pdf form. The session covers three main questions. This could be split into three lessons each addressing one of the questions with very little adaptation required: What is gender and what are gender roles? What is the impact of gender roles and why does it matter? What can we do to reduce gender inequality? Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

In this lesson, students are guided through the court room scene in Act 4 Scene 1 of The Merchant of Venice. Students will consider the implications of justice and mercy and then consider how a Shakespearean audience would have viewed Shylock’s fate as compared to a modern one. Learning Objective: Compare and contrast how a Shakespearean audience and a modern audience would respond to the trial scene in Act 4. Learning Outcomes: Students will discuss the implications of justice and mercy in practice. Students will answer comprehension questions about Act 4 Scene 1. Students will compare the response of a Shakespearean audience with a modern audience to Shylock’s fate. Students will write a paragraph to address the question of to what extent do they feel pity for Shylock. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Students write their ideas on a post-it note examining a quote by the Duke about Shylock. Starter: Introduction to key vocabulary (justice and mercy) and discussion around them. Activity 1: Read and discuss a summary/extracts from Act 4 Scene 1. Questions are interspersed. Activity 2: Class discussion exercise. Students share their opinions on to the extent that feel sorry for Shylock followed by an outline of the contextual differences between a Shakespearean and a modern audience. Plenary: Students write a paragraph to answer this question: “Shylock is the true victim of The Merchant of Venice”. To what extent do you agree with this statement?” More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A 35 question quiz on The Merchant of Venice! This quiz has four rounds: characters, quotes, the casket tests and literary techniques. Many questions are multiple choice to scaffold learners and the quiz includes a range of more accessible and more challenging questions. More Merchant of Venice Resources: A complete bundle of resources for The Merchant of Venice which includes lessons to take you through the entire play, a quiz, knowledge organiser and revision posters. . This bundle includes: 1) A 40 Question Shakespeare Quiz 2) Introduction to Characters and Themes in The Merchant of Venice 3) Act 1 Scene 1 (Antonio and Bassanio) 4) Portia’s Choice in Act 1 Scene 2 (FREE) 5) Shakespeare’s Portrayal of Shylock in Act 1 Scene 3 6) Jessica’s Character in Act 2 Scenes 1-3 7) The Casket Test in Act 2 Scene 7 8) Shylock’s Portrayal in Act 2 Scene 8 9) Prince Arragon in Act 2 Scene 9 10) Interpretations of Shylock in Act 3 Scene 1 11) Dramatic Irony in the Casket Scene in Act 3 Scene 2 12) Independently Interpreting Shakespeare Using Act 3 Scenes 3-5 13) Act 4: The Courtroom Scene 14) Evaluate the Ending of the Play in Act 5 15) A 35-Question Quiz on the Play with Answers Included 16) A knowledge organiser with key information for studying the play. Merchant of Venice Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced and differentiated lesson to teach students what an infographic is and the purpose of one. I have used this lesson both in teaching English (looking at purposes of texts or for a way to present student research) or as part of teaching GCSE Media Studies. I have included it as one-lesson but it could easily be split into multiple lessons in which students research a chosen topic and then create a final version of their own infographic. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring different interpretations of Shylock through the analysis of his “Hath not a Jew” monologue. Learning Objective: Consider different interpretations of Shylock in Act 3 Scene 1. Learning Outcomes: Students will use a worksheet to independently analyse Shylock’s speech to find language devices and consider their effect. Students will consider the multiple ways that Shylock’s character can be interpreted in this scene. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Students complete questions individually on definitions of tension and suspense. Starter: Summary of Act 3 Scene 1 followed by reading of Shylock’s speech. Activity one: Students individually analyse the scene using the worksheet followed by class discussion and suggested answers. Activity two: Watch different interpretations of Shylock’s monologue followed by discussion of what different emotions they portray. Plenary: Students perform excerpts of the speech applying different emotions to it each time. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A detailed lesson on Act 5 of The Merchant of Venice in which students are introduced to Freytag’s Pyramid so that they understand how the falling action leads to a resolution at the end of the play. They then consider which characters do or do not have a happy ending and write a review of the play. Learning Objective: Evaluate the experience of different characters at the end of the play. Learning Outcomes: Students will be introduced to Freytag’s Pyramid and understand how the action falls towards the end of the play. Students will read and discuss a summary of Act 5 scene 1. Students will evaluate the experience of different characters at the ending of the play. Students will write a review of the play. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Recall questions about Act 4 Starter: Introduction to Freytag’s Pyramid. Activity one: Read and discuss summary of Act 5. Activity two: Students complete a worksheet about whether the characters have a happy, sad or mixed ending. Students then swap and peer assess each other’s work. Plenary: Students write a review of the play. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring how Shakespeare uses dramatic irony in Act 3 Scene 2 to create tension as Bassanio chooses a casket. Students will be guided through and discuss the scene. Learning Objective: Understand how Shakespeare uses dramatic irony to build tension in Act 3 Scene 2 Learning Outcomes: -Students will experience dramatic irony through a class demonstration. Students will understand how dramatic irony can be used for humour or to create tension. Students will discuss Act 3 Scene 2 and interpret the meaning of Shakespearean language. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Recall questions about the casket tests from Act 2. Starter: Dramatic irony explanation and examples. Activity one: Think – pair – share after students watch and discuss two examples of dramatic irony. Activity two: Summary of scene with discussion and interpretation tasks interspersed. Plenary: Students answer questions on mini-whiteboards or scrap paper. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring the casket test in Act 2 Scene 7 of The Merchant of Venice. Students will be guided through the reading of the scene and then creatively respond by predicting what they believe will be in the other incorrect casket. Learning Objective: Explore the casket test for Portia’s suitors. Learning Outcomes: Students will read summaries of Act 2 Scenes 4-6 and complete recall questions. -Students will be guided through the reading of Act 2 Scene 7 and consider the reasons the Prince gives for rejecting or choosing each casket. -Students will creatively respond to the scene by predicting what will be in the remaining incorrect casket. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Match the character description to the name. Starter: Summary of Act 2 Scenes 4-6 followed by recall questions and think-pair-share to consider Shylock’s reaction. Activity one: Guided reading of the scene with student questions interspersed. Activity two: Students creatively predict what will be inside the other incorrect casket. Plenary: Act 2 Scene 7 ends with Portia saying “a gentle riddance” as she is happy to see the Prince leave. Why do you think she says this? Is it because she doesn’t want to marry the Prince specifically or is there another reason? More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring the question of ‘how is Prince Arragon presented in The Merchant of Venice?’ Students will be guided through a class discussion of the scene and then will complete a slow writing PETER paragraph on Prince Arragon. Learning Objective: Write an analytical paragraph about how the Prince of Arragon is presented in Act 2 Scene 9. Learning Outcomes: Students will consider the morphology of the word ‘analysis’. -Students will unpick the meaning of Act 2 Scene 8 with teacher support. -Students will be guided through how to write a PETER analytical paragraph. Students will write predictions about what will come next in the play. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Recall questions about the first casket in act 2 scene 7 Starter: Think – pair – share about the meaning of the word ‘analysis’ followed by morphological explanation of the word. Activity one: Class discussion and reading of Act 2 Scene 9 to support students in unpicking the meaning of the text. Activity two: Slow writing of PETER paragraph to answer the question of ‘how is the Prince of Arragon portrayed?’ Peer Assessment Plenary: Based on selected points, students write a prediction for what will happen next in the play. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

Engaging and ready to teach one hour lesson to cover chapter twelve of ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne. This lesson prompts students to consider how John Boyne shows Bruno and Shmuel’s innocence and requires them to compare and contrast the two characters. Learning Objective: Compare and contrast Bruno and Shmuel. Learning Outcomes: Bronze: Create a timeline of Bruno and Shmuel’s life so far. Silver: Find the similarities and differences between them. Gold: Explain why John Boyne has created similarities between these two characters. Lesson Outline: Do It Now: Venn diagram of Bruno and Shmuel. Starter: In chapter 12, how does John Boyne show the innocence of Shmuel and Bruno? (Reading focus). Activity 1: Think-pair-share – quote inference activity. Activity 2: Students complete a timeline comparing and contrasting Bruno and Shmuel’s lives. Peer assessment Plenary: One minute recall challenge: what are the main similarities between Bruno and Shmuel? Freebies: Two pre-reading lessons to introduce students to the context of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A lesson on chapter 1 of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A scheme of work for teaching the entire novel is available for free here. If you find this lesson useful, please consider purchasing this ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ Bundle or have a look at other resources available in my shop. . Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from my shop.

A fully-resourced one hour lesson to support students in exploring the question of ‘to what extent was Shakespeare Anti-Semitic in his writing of The Merchant of Venice?’ Students will be guided through a class discussion and then work in pairs to unpack the language in act 2 scene 8. Learning Objective: Consider to what extent Shakespeare’s portrayal of Shylock is anti-Semitic. Learning Outcomes: Students will learn key vocabulary such as cultural context, stereotype etc. Students will be introduced to the cultural context of anti-Semitism in Elizabethan England and in Venice. Students will work in pairs to analyse the language in act 2 scene 8. Students will write a PEE question on Shakespeare and anti-Semitism. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Match the key terms to the definition. Starter: Cultural context of anti-Semitism in Jacobean society. Activity one: Reading Act 2 Scene 8 and discussion questions. Activity two: Students work individually or in pairs to complete the worksheet. Plenary: Write a PEE paragraph to answer the question ‘to what extent do you think Shakespeare was anti-Semitic?’ More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

In this comprehensive lesson, students are guided through how to understand and interpret Shakespeare independently using word roots and context clues to unpick meanings of familiar words. They will work through Act 3 Scenes 3-5 with varying levels of support. Learning Objective: Independently comprehend and interpret scenes from The Merchant of Venice Learning Outcomes: -Students will be guided through how to comprehend and decipher Shakespearean English using word roots and context clues. Students will work both in pairs and individually to interpret scenes. Students will make a prediction about what will happen next in the play. Lesson Outline: Do it now: Students infer details from image. Starter: Overview of differences between Shakespearean and modern English. Task one: Teacher modelling of how to interpret Act 3 Scene 3. Task two: Students work in pairs to interpret Act 3 Scene 4. Task three: Students work individually to interpret Act 3 Scene 5. Plenary: Students predict what will happen next in the play. More Resources for The Merchant of Venice Click here for a bundle of all the lessons to take you through the play plus a quiz, knowledge organiser and character revision posters. Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

A detailed knowledge organiser to support students studying ‘The Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare. It includes the following: A brief section on William Shakespeare Key quotes Overview of all the important characters Important literary terms for studying the play Key terminology used This is suitable for any age group studying the play. It is an excellent resource to be used for setting homework, quizzing in classes or as a support mat. If you find this helpful, have a look at my other resources for The Merchant of Venice: 1) A BUNDLE of lessons plus extras (knowledge organiser and revision posters) which can be bought for a big saving. 2) A 40 Question Shakespeare Quiz 3) Introduction to Characters and Themes in The Merchant of Venice 4) Act 1 Scene 1 (Antonio and Bassanio) 5) Portia’s Choice in Act 1 Scene 2 (FREE) 6) Shakespeare’s Portrayal of Shylock in Act 1 Scene 3 7) Jessica’s Character in Act 2 Scenes 1-3 8) The Casket Test in Act 2 Scene 7 9) Shylock’s Portrayal in Act 2 Scene 8 10) Prince Arragon in Act 2 Scene 9 11) Interpretations of Shylock in Act 3 Scene 1 12) Dramatic Irony in the Casket Scene in Act 3 Scene 2 13) Independently Interpreting Shakespeare Using Act 3 Scenes 3-5 14) Act 4: The Courtroom Scene 15) Evaluate the Ending of the Play in Act 5 Freebies: For character revision posters for your classroom, click here. For an English/Drama lesson based on Portia’s choice in Act 1 Scene 2, click here. For a Scheme of Work overview for the unit, click here. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the <a href="https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/LikeAnExpert ">LikeAnExpert</a> shop.

Engaging and ready to teach one hour lesson to cover chapter eight of ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne. This lesson helps students to consider the character of Grandmother and why John Boyne has included her as a character. Students will infer details about Grandmother from the argument that she has with Father and then write a script between Grandmother and Grandfather which they will perform to the class. Learning Objective: Infer details from the text to write a script about Grandmother. Learning Outcomes: Bronze: Use scanning and skimming reading skills to find details about Grandmother in the text. Silver: Infer information about Grandmother and her relationship with Father. Gold: Synthesise what you know about the characters with information you have learned about the Holocaust to add details to your writing. Lesson Outline: Do It Now: Discuss with partners: how does it feel to experience conflict with family members? Starter: Read chapter 8 and then students answer comprehension questions in their books. Discuss as a class. Activity 1: Students write a script between Grandmother and Grandfather on their way home from Christmas dinner. Activity 2: Students perform their scripts and peer assess each other. Plenary: What has John Boyne included the character of Grandmother? What is he trying to show? Freebies: Two pre-reading lessons to introduce students to the context of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A lesson on chapter 1 of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A scheme of work for teaching the entire novel is available for free here. If you find this lesson useful, please consider purchasing this ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ Bundle or have a look at other resources available in my shop. . Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from my shop.

Engaging and ready to teach one hour lesson to cover chapter ten of ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne. This lesson introduces students to STEAL analysis as a way of understanding a character. Students complete STEAL analysis of Shmuel and then make predictions on what they think will happen in the text. Learning Objective: Use STEAL analysis to understand Shmuel as a character. Learning Outcomes: Bronze: Find appropriate quotes from the text to analyse Shmuel. Silver: Infer details from the quotes. Gold: Make links between parts of the text. Lesson Outline: Do It Now: Make a prediction based on the chapter title. Starter: Reading focus – how is Shmuel described? Activity 1: Discussion of STEAL analysis Activity 2: STEAL analysis poster in pairs Peer assessment Plenary: Now that Shmuel and Bruno have met, what do you predict will happen? Freebies: Two pre-reading lessons to introduce students to the context of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A lesson on chapter 1 of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A scheme of work for teaching the entire novel is available for free here. If you find this lesson useful, please consider purchasing this ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ Bundle or have a look at other resources available in my shop. . Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from my shop.

Unlock your students’ critical thinking skills with this 90-minute, fully resourced lesson focused on teaching inference through crime scene investigation. Designed to captivate students’ imagination, this lesson challenges them to propose solutions to a fictional crime based on evidence found at the scene, before creating their own crime scene scenarios. The lesson ends with students inferring information about their classmate’s criminals based on the clues at the crime scene. Perfect for a range of settings, this versatile lesson can be easily adapted for different age groups and abilities. It provides a balanced mix of independent and group work, with both oracy and writing activities included to reinforce learning. Ideal as part of a detective fiction unit, a precursor to crime writing, or as a standalone lesson dedicated to honing inference skills. This resource includes: An 18-slide PowerPoint presentation guiding the entire lesson. A scaffolded inference worksheet for individual student use. Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

Engaging and ready to teach one hour lesson to cover chapter five of ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne. This lesson teaches students the difference between direct and indirect characterisation (with an exercise to practise writing their own examples). It then prompts them to consider the characterisation of Father. Students then write a personal response to an emotional extract from the text in which Father expresses his opinion on the Jewish people in Auschwitz. Learning Objective: Write a personal response explaining how I feel about an extract. Learning Outcomes: Bronze: Describe how you feel about an extract. Silver: Explain the reasons for your feelings. Gold: Ask questions and make links between what you know from the text and your other background knowledge. Lesson Overview: Do It Now: True or false questions about the Holocaust Starter: Indirect vs direct characterisation – explanation and whole-class activity. Activity 1: Popcorn reading and class discussion of how Father is characterised. Activity 2: Write a personal response to an extract from the text. Plenary: Think-pair-share: how did this extract make you feel? What do you think the author wants us to feel? Freebies: Two pre-reading lessons to introduce students to the context of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A lesson on chapter 1 of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A scheme of work for teaching the entire novel is available for free here. If you find this lesson useful, please consider purchasing this ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ Bundle or have a look at other resources available in my shop. . Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from my shop.

This one-hour lesson focuses on independent analysis of Macbeth or Lady Macbeth using the STEAL framework (Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions, Looks). Perfect for students studying Act 2, Scene 2, this lesson promotes deep understanding through a structured approach to character analysis. This resource includes: A fully editable PowerPoint with step-by-step teacher instructions, ready for immediate download and use. Learning Objective: Complete STEAL analysis on Macbeth or Lady Macbeth. Learning Outcomes: Students will read and summarise Act 2 Scene 2. Students will answer questions to check their understanding and inference of the scene. Students will use the STEAL framework to analyse either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth in detail. Lesson Outline: Do it now: How would you describe the end of act 2 scene 1? How would the audience be feeling? Starter: Read act 2 scene 2 and discuss questions Activity 1: Independent STEAL analysis of either Macbeth or Lady Macbeth Activity 2: Carousel to peer assess each other’s work Plenary: What did you learn about the characters from your analysis? For more Macbeth resources, check out our Macbeth Bundle (some freebies in there too). Leave a review and choose any other resource for free from the LikeAnExpert shop.

Engaging and ready to teach one hour lesson to cover chapter three of ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ by John Boyne. This lesson introduces the key word mondegreen (misheard words that are given a new meaning) and prompts students to analyse the effect of the Fuhrer being misheard as “The Fury” and Auschwitz being misheard as “Out-With”. Students are given scaffolding to write an analytical paragraph to consider the effect of this technique. Learning Objective: Analyse the effect of mondegreens as symbols in the text. Learning Outcomes: Bronze: Understand what a mondegreen is and give examples from the text. Silver: Explain clearly how these words are used as symbolds. Gold: Explain clearly what the effect is on the reader. **Lesson Outline: ** Do It Now: What do you notice about the chapter titles? Starter: Listen to ‘Message in a Bottle’ – what is a mondegreen? Activity one: Discussion and reading Activity two: PETER paragraph Peer assessment Plenary: Would all readers of this book be able to consider the mondegreens? Freebies: Two pre-reading lessons to introduce students to the context of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A lesson on chapter 1 of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is available for free here. A scheme of work for teaching the entire novel is available for free here. If you find this lesson useful, please consider purchasing this ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ Bundle or have a look at other resources available in my shop. . Leave a review and choose any other resource of up to the same value for free from my shop.