A pick-up-and-go lesson covering the Year 3 National Curriculum objective, compare and contrast the diets of different animals including pets. This presentation includes vivid images of different animals alongside their diets in general terms. It prompts children to think about what their own pets eat, or mustn’t have and links to a BBC classroom clip. I have used this lesson in Year 3, and the children were exceptionally engaged. The activity creates an imaginary scenario, where there is a new zoo keeper who has lost her notes explaining which bucket of food is to be taken to which enclosure. Children help by matching the menu with the enclosure. This resource includes: lesson plan, activity, lesson presentation, and printed L.O. Tip: Print the activity on the ‘two sides per sheet’ setting to fit into books nicely without wasting too much paper and ink, leaving space for additional writing below. I hope you enjoy using this resource. I would be grateful if you could leave a review once it has been used in class.

This assembly looks at the issue of single use plastic. Children are asked initially to use words to describe an idyllic scene, which they later find out is cropped, and the image reveals a litter-strewn beach. The slides talk through the origins of plastic and explore some of the benefits of plastic, so children can understand how we have arrived at this situation. The assembly goes on to look at the drawbacks -in simple terms, not too hard-hitting or upsetting. The final part of this assembly encourages children to think about what they can do to address the situation. There are slides encouraging recycling, not using in the first place, and participation in litter picks. The assembly ends with a prayer, but a good alternative would also be a silent promise - one thing the children will do in the next week to help the situation. There are also external links to two clips that could be used in the assembly - one a classroom clip about different types of plastic and another You Tube clip that’s quite a nice opportunity to ask children what unsustainable choices the man is making, and what the drawbacks for him of each of his choices are. I hope you enjoy using this resource. It is such an important issue and I’m very pleased it is becoming increasingly topical. I would be grateful if you would leave a review, once you have used the assembly.

This is a slide show that contains 22 slides of puzzles and riddles. They are easy enough to guess the answers but hard enough to present a fun challenge for primary school-aged children. I used these riddles as part of an English lesson in Year 5 and they were very well received. It also includes a worksheet where the riddles have been differentiated to solve in groups as an alternative to a whole-class activity. This is a light hearted end-of-term fun activity for the children who are tired, and in need of something a bit lighter, but it will nonetheless develop their critical thinking skills, and hopefully foster a love of these word-play type problems. The presentation includes slides explaining what riddles are and how they work, and giving several guided examples before launching into the whole class slides. Each separate riddle is presented on one slide, which is then animated to reveal the answer, alongside an explanation of any that may need further clarification. Having carried out this lesson previously where children simply read the printed riddles from a worksheet, I am really pleased with the slide show, as the pictures add another element of deception - you are further able to mislead their thinking with subtle/subconscious red-herrings! I hope you have fun using this resource. I would be grateful if you could leave a review.

A lesson that focuses on the witches’ use of word play and how this influenced Macbeth’s course of action. This includes a lesson plan, lesson presentation and differentiated activity. This lesson allows for a more detailed consideration of the role of the witches, and the use of the deliberately misleading in order to influence, but it is more than this, as it aims to foster a love of words and wordplay with the children. (There are some nice PSHE elements in terms of things people might say nowadays that are not actual lies, but not actually the truth, too.) There’s a great link to a clip from Shrek II where Pinocchio is attempting not to give away Shrek’s position but cannot lie. He uses double negatives and babble to mislead without lying! Children will really enjoy attempting to solve the riddles, which have been pitched so that at least 1 or 2 per bundle should be solved, possibly more. I’ve tried to source new ones, but there are a couple of oldies, too. The riddles should be distributed in tables or groups of 4-6. They are read and discussed in the groups. Once the solutions are given, pupils consider how the language was misleading/what it was about the riddle that was deceptive. This can be a piece of written work, or remain a spoken activity. I have used this resource in Year 5, with a re-written story version of Macbeth, once the story had been completed, so they could appreciate the significance of the second prophecies. We had puns and riddles galore for weeks afterwards! I hope you enjoy using this resource. I would be grateful if you could leave a review, once you have used it in class.

Third resource of a three-part survival-themed set of maths lessons. Children imagine themselves shipwrecked on a desert island. After reading a shipping map/timetable to know when they will be rescued, they have to create a look-out rota.This is a power point to introduce the idea and facilitate the initial discussion. It is based on 4 individuals wishing to have 24 hour a day look-out duty. Pupils can decide on the best way to do this. There are extension scenarios, for if one person is ill and only 3 people can carry out look at duty in a 24 hour period. The other accompanying resources can be found at: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/i-can-reading-timetables-and-shipping-maps-desert-island-survival-theme-11904303 https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/coordinates-in-four-quadrants-desert-island-map-11866571

This resource was prepared for a themed project at the end of a survival-themed learning journey. I wanted something different, maths but not the usual maths, that would continue to engage the children into that final week of term. Children imagine themselves shipwrecked on a desert island, and need to be able to read the shipping map and the timetable to know when a ship will come close enough to their island to be able to pick up their radio signal for help. This is quite different to a typical timetable reading lesson, and will need careful modelling for the pupils to experience success. ( The slides do this.) There is an alternative, more traditional timetable for LA pupils, but they may still need the help of an adult. Print the activities directly from the power point slides. (Slides 8 and 12) This lesson leads nicely to the second and third lessons of the project (create a look-out rota, and draw a map using coordinates in all 4 quadrants). https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/coordinates-in-four-quadrants-desert-island-map-11866571 If you do use this resource in class, I would be really interested to hear your feedback.

This is a resource prepared for key stage 2 to be used in the maths session either in the first few days of the September term, or as a structured maths activity as part of a transition. Children solve the calculations/problems to find a number that corresponds to a letter. The letters spell out a phrase. The secret phrase is ‘Maths is fun!’ or ‘Maths is awesome’ when completed. Children can then go on to create their own phrases/coded words. I have used this activity in Year 5, but because there are four different levels of challenge, this activity could easily be carried out in lower years, or even Year 6. The children enjoyed it - because the phrase is the same for all levels, children can race to solve it first (swear them to secrecy, by asking them to only whisper the phrase to you for a reward if they are correct). Works well if partners are working together - if the sheet is too hard, or one question on the sheet is too challenging, they can always look at the question on an easier sheet. I found this exercise to be helpful to get an overall sense of how the class were with number and their ability and confidence with a range of maths overall - probably as helpful as a test for a quick sense of where a new class is at, but without any of the threat. It gave me some good ideas about where to pitch my planning for the next couple of weeks, whilst I got to know them and their strengths/gaps better, so I would consider it of much more value than simply a ‘holding’ teacher-meet type exercise. Tip: Set the printer to double sided, so they can flip over to create their own code once they have found the answer. I hope you enjoy using this resource. I would be grateful if you could leave a review, once used in class.

Children solve the maths equations in order to determine what colour to colour the chameleon. There is an easy version, suitable for lower year groups or older pupils with additional maths needs. There is a harder version, suitable for year 4 upwards, due to the fact it contains squares, brackets and square roots, but the calculations themselves are not too tricky. There is also a blank version that children can use to create their own calculations. A slide show accompanies the printouts, that can be used to model what to do. It also includes a couple of facts about chameleons - and introduces ‘Charmander the maths chameleon’. The calculations can be modified directly on the ppt and printed directly from the ppt to suit the needs of your class. I imagine this resource to be suitable for a maths activity as part of a meet the teacher transition, as a light hearted end to a topic/learning journey that covers rain forests, or towards the end of term/a busy week e.g. if there have been tests, when pupils are tired, so they can still engage in maths but in a less formal/structured manner. Tip: if there are some calculations that are too tricky on the harder version, have a few spare easier versions printed, so pupils can cross reference. I hope you enjoy using this resource.

This is a printable activity with the option of printing with grid lines, without grid lines, in colour or in black and white. Developed initially for the Harry-Meghan royal wedding, but it is a standalone activity that is useful in its own right, not simply because of a royal wedding (although, that gives the perfect excuse to use it!) This uses a triangular shaped flag, that might be used for bunting - it could be displayed as bunting on a maths working wall once completed! Tip: N:rich has a nice activity on flag symmetry that could precede this or follow this lesson. https://nrich.maths.org/7749 (alternatively, download their ‘getting started’ advice, for questions that could be used to enrich this activity.) 50% of the author proceeds of this purchase will go to our partner school in Sierra Leone.

Available in pdf and editable word, for personalisation options. The first is a larger flag simply to print and colour, the second a smaller flag, that can be folded and displayed over a washing line type rope. These would be good for younger classes, where you are attempting to improve pencil grip and writing stamina. I would print one per pupil and use it to create eye-catching bunting over the classroom. 50% of the author proceeds of this resource will be donated to our partner school in Sierra Leone.

Resource developed for teaching children to convert between g and kg in context based problems. This resource includes a teaching presentation with guided examples and differentiated activities with answers - the activities can be used with different ability groups or over the course of several lessons for progression. There are four sets of ‘what weighs more …’ comparison questions allowing for two days of activities moving to the next level up over the course of both days or for four-way differentiation. The tasks are presented as word problems. The answers are included as slides on the presentation so children can mark their own work. The presentation allows for: Re-visiting the metric units of measurement for weight (mass) grams and kilograms (and milligrams/tons in relation to these) Encouraging children to use knowledge of halves/doubles and patterns etc. to convert mentally between grams and kilograms using knowledge the 1000g = 1kg. Explaining how to use place value (grids) for more complex calculations by going forwards or backwards three places to convert between g and kg or kg and g. The problems are designed to include more complex use of number, as well as conversions as the level of challenge increases. Includes a print-friendly Word version of all activities. For neatness of presentation, ask children to cut and stick each box as they go, showing their workings out beneath. Ideal for use in Year 5 or year 6. I would be grateful if you could leave a review once you have used this resource in class. If you like this, you may also like: imperial to metric conversions https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/imperial-measurements-11869571 Updated: Nov 2019

This is an animated Power Point that can be used over several sessions of teaching telling the time. Introduces: firstly, the time on the hour; quarter past then half past; midday/midnight; minutes past; and finally minutes to. The slides have been animated to carry out listen/repeat type exercises first, then recall exercises next. Option to print out slides as worksheets/ or play games with slides - I’ve included some notes about which slides can be used for what purposes. I hope you enjoy using this resource. I would be grateful if you could leave a review.

One reading sheet Scenario: French teenagers talking about what they like doing in their hometown of Lille. The vocabulary has been deliberately chosen so that children can work out the meaning of the small paragraphs in the speech bubbles even if they have not been taught the vocabulary. This would be good for pair work - to try and figure out what is being said, for learners prior to it being read through and explained by the teacher. The second worksheet is a set of simple questions so it can be completed in a more traditional way.

Whole lesson presentation. Teaches 'tu aimes …?' And Oui, j’aime …/Non, je n’aime pas … For activities that are typically done in one’s home town. Builds upon a lesson(s) where learners have covered the basic vocabulary for places in a town. Includes recorded French.

Power Point presentation and games to introduce vocabulary for places in town. This includes an auto play recording of each piece of vocabulary introduced. It is selected to introduce vocabulary for what might be found in most English towns. It has vocabulary for seaside towns included. Includes typical games that can be played to help consolidate new vocabulary (noughts and crosses, que manque-t-il) Includes a slide to help guide some writing using the new vocabulary. There is an optional printout in the slides of a map of a UK town - there are spaces to write the French equivalent next to the English symbol (practise map reading skills too!) Print directly from Power Point. I hope you enjoy using this resource. I would be grateful if you could leave a review.

Use skateboarding as a novel way to teach acute, obtuse, reflex, right and straight angles. These are eye catching posters that can be printed at size, or enlarged, and are suitable for a classroom working wall. They support a skater-themed learning journey. These posters were developed to support resources: Skateboard Angles, and Skater Turns.