This resource is meant to be used by children in Key Stage 2 (English objectives pitched to Years 5 and 6) to investigate the warriors of Ancient Benin and write a story with a theme of bravery. Children will first read to learn about warriors and hunting in Ancient Benin before planning, writing and revising their own story using shifts in formality. A digital copy of the resource is included for editing and sharing on Google Classroom and Seesaw by following a link provided with download.

This resource is meant to be used by children in Key Stage 2 (English objectives pitched to Years 5 and 6) to investigate the history and significance of the commemorative heads made to honour the Oba of Ancient Benin. Children will first read about the heads through differentiated articles, then investigate the symbolism of different commemorative heads. They will then design their own commemorative head before carving it out of a bar of soap and evaluating their design. Lastly, children will write an explanation text about their commemorative head. Sequence of Sessions: Research Ancient Benin Investigating different examples of art commissioned by Obas of Ancient Benin Investigating the significance of animals in commemorative heads of Ancient Benin Obas Design own Oba head Carve own Oba head Evaluate own Oba head Features of an Explanation Text Write an Explanation Text There is also a digital file included for editing and sharing on Google Classroom and Seesaw.

This 69 page resource is designed to be used during Reading Workshop and is to be used with The Entirely True Story of the Unbelievable Fib by Adam Shaughnessy. ABOUT THE NOVEL: “What is the Unbelievable FIB?” That’s the question eleven-year-old Prudence Potts discovers on a baffling card no one else in Middleton--except ABE, a new kid at school with a knack for solving riddles--seems to see. Then a mysterious man asks for ABE and Pru’s help investigating mythical beings infiltrating the town, and that’s just the first of many things Pru finds hard to believe. Soon Pru and ABE discover another world beneath their quiet town, where Viking gods lurk just out of sight. And when the pair find themselves locked in a battle against a dangerously clever enemy, they must race to secure the Eye of Odin, source of all knowledge--and the key to stopping a war that could destroy both human and immortal realms. ABOUT THE RESOURCE: Designed in alignment with the 2014 National Curriculum of England’s reading objectives for Year 6, the pack includes: Chapter Summaries, Comprehension Questions, Digging Deeper Opportunities (includes character studies and plot studies), Creative Writing Tasks, and Non-Fiction Tasks related to content of the novel (Thor, Loki, Odin, runes, Vikings). Resource is provided as a PDF but a digital copy of the pack is available for editing and sharing on Google Classroom and Seesaw available with download. ----------- You might also like: The Entirely True Story of the Unbelievable Fib Novel Study + Viking STEAM

Children will look at popular avatars from different video games, including Super Mario, Bowser, Link, and Donkey Kong. They will look at how their design has changed over time, and will compare how characters are similar and different. Children will then design their own video game characters; a hero and an enemy. In the past I have used this alongside a unit on designing a video game on Scratch, where the children can include their avatar in their game. To do this, we took photos of the drawn characters and then edited them online before uploading them to the program. A link to digital resources for editing and sharing on Google Classroom and Seesaw is available with download.

Children will look at how video game controllers have changed over time, including controllers from Nintendo and Playstation. After plotting changes on a timeline, children will consider what makes the designs effective before designing their own to use and evaluate. In the past, I have used this learning outcome alongside an explanation text and video game design on Scratch (both also available in my shop). A digital copy of the file is available for editing and sharing on Google Classroom and Seesaw with download.

*Updated with new graphics Children will practice their writing with changes in formality by writing a cover letter and CV as a Conquistador. Other packs that can support this pack: Mayan Civilisation Study: History & Geography Diet of a Conquistador: Science & DT Mayan Civilisation Study: Art & DT In the past, I have used this pack at the end of a unit looking at the Conquistadors and their conquest of the New World so that the children are able to contextualise the CVs. Alternatively, the King of Spain might post a job advert and the same English standards can be met that way. A digital copy of the file is available for editing and sharing on Google Classroom and Seesaw by following the link provided with download.

Children will research the geography of the Yucatan Peninsula faced by the Conquistadors, before exploring sources to learn about the achievements of the Mayan Civilisation. They will then create a digital presentation to show off what they’ve learned. Children will use chronology to compare how their chosen focus has changed over time (before, during, after contact with the Conquistadors). This pack includes lesson plans, rubrics, and editable rubrics to support with the learning process. Lessons and objectives are aligned with the objectives of the 2014 National Curriculum of England, but ties are made to the CCSS where appropriate. A digital file for editing and sharing on Google Classroom and Seesaw is available with download.