I thought this would be a topical piece of Creative Writing for pupils in years 5/6 to tackle when they return to school after the Christmas holidays . The original story, based on the four pictures, is about a lad going with his mother to buy a special game with his birthday money. I created a phrase and vocabulary list plus an example answer a number of years ago. The Poetry Aid is a new extra.

Classes often have a 'starter' for the day. This can be How many words can you find in _________ On a special Christian festival why not take the name(s) as the starter. This could be looked at 4 ways:- 1. Creating a list. 2. Placing the words in a 3x3 or 4x4 square. 3. Creating a simple crossword with clues. 4. The teacher/parent creating a crossword for the children to solve using the answers given. The starter would be a combining of R.E. with an English spelling exercise.

have created three word searches about three of William Shakespeare’s plays -Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet plus A Midsummer Night’s Dream. They are based around the characters in each play . Answer sheet provided.

The first two sheets Researching Information and Animal Cycle can help children put together material before they begin to write a story. I have put together a number of phrase/vocabulary/poetry sheets(16 )to encourage children to write about animals- one of their favourite topics to write about. There are some A5 Clip art pictures, which could be enlarged, for their best ‘copy’. There are also five word searches/crosswords.to

I have put together some Phrase, Vocabularies and Poetry Aids about pets and farm animals. The work about Looking after a Miptor was originally a SATS question. There is some A5 clip art for 'best ’ copy which can be enlarged to A4.

Debatable Eight ideas with eight example answers. I have looked at Can I stay up?, Dear Diary, Fire,School Uniform, Snacks, Superstores. This work was created to be used with years 5/6.

I have attempted to show how a character ages- set up in three sets of three- child/young adult/mature adult The first sheet is an example answer, sheet 2 deals with physical appearance - body/ face/movement/posture, sheet 3 is the 'dressed ’ version of the character. I have added the forgetful character, fantasy human plus two outlines for creating a Fantasy Story

I have put together a number of phrase/vocabulary sheets plus some Poetry Aids about sport. I have tried to divide up winter and summer sports. Some sports of course are played throughout the year. I have added, at the end, a exam type sheet about trainers -sample answer included.

I have put together a number of former SATS style questions (11) where the children had to think of themselves in various situations. From visiting a market place, to How long can I stay up?, choosing a charity to raise money for, dreams, favourite meals, memories, moving house, pranks, talent competitions,flying in air balloon and left in charge of the classroom. For 9 of them I have also given example answers. There is also a Poetry Aid if they want to put their thoughts to verse.

This coming week-end is Children in Need. I have put together a Phrase and Vocabulary sheet for Children in Need 2018 plus a poetry aid sheet with some ideas. I have also ‘doctored’ a sheet about staying up to watch television which the older children might to try.

FEAR - False Evidence Appearing Real. I have written five phrase/vocabulary sheets relating to fear - Dream or Nightmare, Examination Nerves, In the Dentist Chair, Meeting a Ghost and Haunted House. Three example ideas have been added plus a Poetry Aid relating to Fear. The hope is the children can use the phrases and vocabulary sheets, or the Poetry Aid to create some interesting creative writing.

I found this wonderful page depicting Autumn by Mari Friend in a book called *Winter Survival. The picture encouraged me to sort out my Vocabularies on Poetry Aids on Autumn. There is a new Autumn sports vocabulary. I have also created an easier Poetry Aid .

A Christmas and New Year Vocabulary plus a clip art picture for the diary.

I have put together a number of Poetry and Vocabulary Aids about the winter season. The Poetry aids are set up in alphabetical order vertically and horizontally. There are also some clip art pictures, drawn by David Woodroffe, an established illustrator.

I have put together a number of differentiated diaries to allow for different times in the week. There is a mixture of ‘self’ topics starting with self portrait. From having an accident/being ill to celebrating a birthday. From Red Nose day to attending a carnival . A chance to write about hobbies or help dad/mum with some DIY.

I have created three phrase/vocabulary sheets about accident/illness plus a poetry aid. The sheets are differentiated in that the first one has incomplete sentences to finish. The second and third are very similar but the third one does not include the illustration. The clip art sheet can be used for finished article.

I have put together Vocabularies, Poetry Aids and clip art pictures for 'best copy about Spring, Harvest and Autumn Clip Art work is the work of David Woodroffe, an established illustrator. For Winter and Summer work look under those headings.

Jupiter Hammon is known as the founder of African - American literature. His poem An Evening Thought;Salvation by Christ, with Penitential Cries (EVSCPC), published in 1761, was the first by an African-American in North America. (Read copy of poem) Born into slavery he became a devoted Christian evangelist preacher. He was also a commercial clerk on long island. New York. He was a slave of the Lloyd family. He was born at the Lloyd Manor (now Lloyd Harbor). He served 4 generations of the Lloyd family for his entire life Like the Lloyds family Jupiter was a fervent Christian. Aged 22 he bought a bible from his master for 7 shillings and 6 pence. His writings reflected his spirituality. I Jupiter received rudimentary education through the Anglican Church’s Society of the Gospel in Foreign parts system. His ability to read and write aided the Lloyds in their commercial businesses and helped him exhibit a level of intellectual awareness through literature. EVSCPC was his first published poem. Composed on 25th December, Christmas day 1760 it appeared as a 'broadside in 1761. An Address to Miss Phillis Wheatley, 18 years later, was his second work to appear in print. The dedicated poem, to a fellow black slave, contained 21 rhyming quatrains (4 lines) , each accompanied by a Biblical verse -thinking it would help her Christian journey. On 24th September 1786, aged 76, and still a slave, Jupiter said this famous quote during his speech at the inaugural meeting of the African Society in New York City , If we should get to heaven, we shall find nobody to reproach us for being black, or for being slaves. He knew that slavery was deeply entrenched in American society and that immediate emancipation of all slaves would be difficult to achieve, The exact year of Jupiter Hammon’s death is unknown but it is believed he died in 1806. He ranked 327 in the top 500 poets. Sources All poetry Wikipedia

Phillis Wheatley Peters, also spelled Phyllis and Wheatly, was the first African-American author of a published book of poems - Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. Phillis was born in West Africa, probably present day Gambia or Senegal. She was sold into slavery aged 7 or 8 and transported to North America. She arrived in Boston, in the British Colony of Massachusetts, on 11th July 1761. She was enslaved by the Wheatley family of Boston. She was named Phillis after the name of the ship which transported her The Phillis. She was given the last name of Wheatley since it was common custom, if any surname was used, for enslaved people. The Wheatleys gave her the opportunity to learn to read and write and encouraged her talent for writing poetry. Their daughter Mary was her first tutor in reading and writing. Their son Nathaniel also helped. By the age of 12 she was reading Greek and Latin classics in their original language In 1770 she wrote a tribute to the evangelist George Whitefield. Many of her poems expressed Christian themes and many were dedicated to famous figures. In 1772 she successfully defended her authorship in court. The signed attestation is included in the preface to her book ( See ‘Poetry’) In 1773, aged 20, she made a trip to London, with her master’s son,seeking to find publication of her work. It was also thought it would help her health - she suffered from chronic asthma. Phillis met prominent people who became patrons. She had an audience with the Lord mayor of London, Frederick Bull. Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntington, subsidized volumes of her poems. Selina became ill so they never actually met. Poems on various subjects, Religious and Moral was published in London on 1st September 1773. It brought her fame in both England and the American colonies. She met George Washington in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1776. Jupiter Hammon praised her work in a poem. She *became the most famous African on the face of the earth *Voltaire. Phillis was emancipated (set free from slavery in November 1773 by the Wheatleys. But she soon lost the support of the Wheatleys, Susanna diedi n 1774, and John in 1778. She met and married John Peters, a free black grocer. They struggled with poor living conditions. They lost 2 babies. In 1784 he was imprisoned. Phillis went o work as a scullery maid in a boarding house. She became ill and died on th 5th December 1784. Her infant son soon after. Despite her early fame Phillis died in poverty and obscurity at the age of just 31. She is honored as the first African -American to publish a book of poetry and the first to make a living from her writings. 2002 Molefi Kete Asante listed her as one of his 100 greatest African- Americans For more ‘Legacy and Honors’ read notes. Sources Amazon Timelines from bBack History Wikipedia

I have create a Poetry Aid for children trying to write about Wind. I have differentiated it at two levels. I have included a list of Wind poems I found on Wikipedia and downloaded 5 poems - 3 by Annette Wynne.1 by Christina Rossetti and another by Clara W, Raymond. I hope the lists prove useful.