A 6-week unit of work on the novel, Welcome to Nowhere by Elizabeth Laird, which is about the Syrian Civil War and being a refugee. The unit focuses on analysing skills and using quotes as evidence up until chapter 11. The second half focuses on writing a short story, based on the novel whilst still reading it.

This lesson can be used to welcome students and access their attitudes towards English and their writing skills. It begins with a few questions about what they like and dislike about English and a goal setting activity for the year. It then moves in to a brief intro to autobiographies, a criteria for writing one and then has students write a few paragraphs of one for themselves. The lesson can incorporate peer reviewing if you want AND/OR teachers can take a sample of the work to gain an idea of students’ writing capabilities.

A lesson on the background behind The Outsiders with a research project or two at the end.

Using the myth of Perseus and Medusa, this lesson discusses the demonisation of women (my 11-12 year old students really got this lesson!) in the media and myths and then discussed how language demonised the character.

A lesson where students discuss and explain the plot of the myth, Orpheus and Eurydice. Students answer comprehension questions, discuss narrative structure, and plot this. Ends with a fill in the gaps exercise and an imaginative task.

Four lessons of the film study of Hacksaw Ridge. Used for NCEA English in NZ for L2.

A lesson where students decide whether Caliban is a villain or victim/man or monster, looking at the colonialist context, watching the animated tales, and writing a PEEZA paragraph at the end to explain both sides.

A lesson about writing to advise, using agony aunts work and teaching the difference between modal and imperative verbs.

Discusses the difference between formal and informal letters and then how to write a formal letter with a writing exercise at the end. Follows the themes of heroes.

A lesson on the Greek myth, Hades and Persephone, which discusses setting, using evidence, and comparing the two settings in the myth.

A lesson where students use the title, cover, reviews, blurb and chapter one to make predictions about the characters, setting and plot of The Graveyard Book. This is part of a full 7-week unit I am putting together currently, which will be uploaded as a full SoW when completed.

A full 6-week ppt on The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon. Looks at context, inference skills, using quotes, and analysing quotes.

Lesson on effects of alcohol, facts about alcohol, and giving people advice about drinking/not drinking.

Looks at the plot of Macbeth and Macbeth’s decisions, leads to a discussion and piece of writing about whether Macbeth is a villain or not.

A lesson on what diaries are with examples from Anne Frank, what a diary should feature, and a diary writing task.

A lesson to discuss what a myth is and what a legend is. Uses Pandora’s Box to discuss myths.

A lesson where students discuss the meaning of first impressions and make some of their own. Students then read Chapter 2 and 3 and make first impressions of Bod and Scarlett before writing mind-maps with the info and finding quotes to back up their impressions. This is part of a full 7-week unit I am putting together currently, which will be uploaded as a full SoW when completed.

A lesson that aims to have a back to school poem written by the end of it. Students will discuss what a poem is and what features a poem may have. Teacher and students then discuss form, alliteration and similes, and planning a poem. There is an opportunity here to mark a given poem and find reasons why they give it that mark, alongside self-assessment using a success criteria. Some slides have printable resources but these can just be copied into a student’s book too. Poetry was written by me - I know it’s shoddy, feel free to bin that and never use again!

A lesson on what emotive language is, identifying emotive language in examples, making their own examples, and looking at bias.

About identiftying theme in the myth Daedalus and Icarus. Discusses characters, has comprehension questions, writing a PEEZR, and what foreshadowing is.