Fiona, the founder of Teachers Telling Tales, has taught in the UK and international schools, trained teachers and worked as environmental educator. She is currently studying graphic design.
Teachers Telling Tales is a means to share this experience through creating high quality and affordable resources. While most are targeted at the primary age range, the aim is to provide versatile and adaptable resources to suit a range of ages and abilities. Many are inspired by stories to engage learners.
Fiona, the founder of Teachers Telling Tales, has taught in the UK and international schools, trained teachers and worked as environmental educator. She is currently studying graphic design.
Teachers Telling Tales is a means to share this experience through creating high quality and affordable resources. While most are targeted at the primary age range, the aim is to provide versatile and adaptable resources to suit a range of ages and abilities. Many are inspired by stories to engage learners.
This resource was created to celebrate #WorldSpaceWeek 2023 (October 4–10).
Planet Anagrams / solar system spelling
This fun activity sheet was created to celebrate #WorldSpaceWeek 2023 (October 4–10).
It features cute and colourful clip art and invites students to solve the anagrams of the names of planets in our solar system and write them in order. A sneaky way to squeeze in some spelling!
Check out the free Astronaut Spelling Activity pack featuring two levels and answer sheets.
You may also like this fun Alien poem reading and drawing activity.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/the-alien-read-and-draw-12166304
These fun activity sheets were created to celebrate #WorldSpaceWeek 2023 (October 4–10).
They feature cute and colourful clip art and invite students to make as many words as they can from the letters in ‘astronaut’. The simpler sheet encourages students to complete the countdown by finding ten words. A sneaky way to squeeze in some spelling!
There are colour and ink-saving versions of activity and answer sheets.
Also check out the Teachers Telling Tales free Planet Anagrams / solar system spelling activity.
You may also like this fun Alien poem reading and drawing activity:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/the-alien-read-and-draw-12166304
The classic tale of Sam’s Sandwich is fantastic for engaging students as they eagerly await to discover which creature will be added with each sandwich ingredient. This pack contains resources to accompany the book, including word and picture cards for participation in read-alouds and retellings, a fill the gaps activity focussed on rhyming words (with two levels) and reading comprehension questions.
Good for food and minibeasts topics.
You may also like the Teachers Telling Tales minibeasts resources: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/minibeasts-big-bug-bundle-12340248
This pack contains two formats, PowerPoint and PDF.
A simple sheet for students to complete to introduce themselves. Pictures and words guide and prompt through the sections and there is an open-ended space at the end for learners to choose something about themselves to share.
No-prep PDF and editable PowerPoint versions.
Perfect for first day / sessions with new students.
Celebrate #WorldBeeDay with some bee-themed handwriting patterns and cutting skills!
For more minibeast-themed resources including card and board games, mazes, sudoku and book making check out https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/minibeasts-big-bug-bundle-12340248
Teachers Telling Tales also have a free bee-themed maths activity here which can be adapted for different ages and abilities:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/buzz-off-square-numbers-multistep-game-12521661
A compilation of thirty dice games, presented in an easy to follow document with suggestions for adaptations to meet learners’ needs. The document can be trimmed to produce cards featuring simple instructions, perfect for support staff working with small groups.
Mathematics skills covered include: calculation using all four operations, comparing numbers, place value, doubling, odd and even numbers, times tables, square numbers, number bonds, probability, rounding, power of 10, negative numbers, fractions, sequences, area and perimeter.
Monsters is such a rich and engaging topic! Included in this monster bundle are lots of games and activities to develop and consolidate skills in literacy and numeracy.
Monster Match, Guess Who Games is great for vocabulary, describing, comparing and sorting according to color and characteristics.
My Amazing Monster includes Spot the Difference, phonics name creation and speaking / creative writing frames.
Monster Balloon Party packs cover a wide range of number facts and skills with different ability levels.
Contains presentations, printables, card games and worksheets.
This pack features fifteen adorable monsters to describe, compare and sort. They come in four colours with carefully selected similarities and differences, perfect for Guess Who games to develop observation, concentration and vocabulary skills. Use the quiz as a model for describing, for example, I am pink, I have three sharp teeth, I have horns.
The presentation can be used on screen / interactive whiteboard and there are PDF files for poster / cards. Ideas and instructions for games along with photograph illustrations are included.
For more monster-themed literacy and numeracy resources, check out the Teacher Telling Tales shop.
Through this interactive story students learn about different sources of water pollution and consider their impacts on marine life. They follow Finn the fish as he travels through different ecosystems encountering different problems along the way. Immersing a sponge fish in a container of water and adding substances to mimic the different kinds of pollution is a powerful visual way to demonstrate the problems. Follow up ideas including matching cards are included along with editable story scripts to adapt for different learners / contexts.
If you teach a wide range of ages and abilities then this pack is for you!
Covering number facts and skills across the primary age range these fun games are great lesson starters or time-fillers. Editable presentations allow for endless variation.
Also suitable for remote teaching, includes presentations and printables.
Packed with lots of editable games, the balloon party numeracy pack is perfect for consolidating number facts and skills. Dip into games as starters or time- fillers throughout the year.
The literacy pack can be used as a lesson or extended over time as a project. It includes differentiated phonics, vocabulary and creative writing activities. Using dice games to generate word part and detail for sentences, it is great for keeping students engaged.
PowerPoint / PDF with 19 pages. Guidance, answers and ideas in notes.
5 engaging games featuring cute monsters and balloons and a range of number facts and skills. Alternative versions of games and editable so the possibilities are endless!
Perfect for lesson starters, plenaries and fill in activities. Initially created as a remote teaching activity, suitable for distance learning.
Includes printable pages for follow-up consolidation.
Skills: addition and subtraction, times tables, fractions of amounts, rounding to nearest 10, double and half, number bonds
Vocabulary: multiple, factor, square number, square root, prime, odd and even, dozen, score, gross, sum, product
Games: Who has the winning balloon? Pop the Balloons, Colour the Balloons, Vocabulary Monsters, Make 100 Monsters.
UK spelling (colour) and US (color) versions.
You may also like the Teachers Telling Tales My Amazing Monster Literacy Lesson https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/my-amazing-monster-literacy-lesson-12564858 and Little Monster Balloon Party for younger / less able students. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/little-monster-balloon-party-maths-games-12564875
Buy two packs together as a bundle with a discount.
PowerPoint / PDF with 16 pages. Guidance, answers and ideas in notes.
5 engaging games featuring cute monsters and balloons and a range of number facts and skills. Alternative versions of games and editable presentation, so the possibilities are endless!
Perfect for lesson starters, plenaries and fill in activities. Initially created as a remote teaching activity, suitable for distance learning.
Includes printable pages for follow-up consolidation.
Skills: 2 digit numbers, place value, one more / less, addition and subtraction, 2, 5 and 10 x tables, odd and even, doubles, number bonds.
Games: Who has the winning balloon? Pop the Balloons, Colour the Balloons, Multiplication Monsters, Make 10 Monsters.
UK spelling (colour) and US (color) versions.
You may also like the Teachers Telling Tales My Amazing Monster Literacy Lesson https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/my-amazing-monster-literacy-lesson-12564858 and Monster Balloon Party https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/monster-balloon-party-maths-games-12564895 for older / more able students. Buy two packs together as a bundle with a discount.
Complete Literacy Lesson
PowerPoint / PDF with 14 pages. Guidance, answers and ideas in notes.
Spot the Difference (three activities)
Descriptive language: draw out vocabulary for body parts, colours etc.
Monster Names (Three levels of difficulty.)
Phonics: Roll a die to select beginning, middle and end sounds, combine to make a monster name. Can be completed as class / individual activity.
Record sheets are provided with 8 monsters.
The ink-saving version can be coloured by students.
Make a Monster
Roll a die to select colour, pattern/texture, body parts, home and food for a monster.
Annotate on screen or print, place in plastic envelope and use a dry wipe pen.
Say sentences about the monster created – the second version has sentence starters to support.
My Monster Writing Frame
Write sentences about the monster created using the ‘make a monster’ activity or your imagination. Draw the monster.
Follow up ideas: Create a class book of all the monsters. Create large paintings, collages or models of monsters for a class display.
You may also like the Teachers Telling Tales Little Monster Balloon Party numeracy games. Buy both together as a bundle with a discount.
Robot, Monster and Ogre get confused with tens and ones, can you help them?
Great starter activities for online and classroom sessions.
Count and create 2 digit numbers. Say which is most / least, double numbers, add one more and correct common mistakes.
A presentation with six problems to solve using tens and ones blocks and candles on cakes… Use the templates to create many more based on your students’ needs.
For more early counting activities check out
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/count-the-coins-treasure-chest-challenges-12563480
An animated presentation, perfect for starter activities. Students pick which treasure chest they think will have the most money, then, as each is revealed they count the coins to see if they were correct.
As it’s a game of luck, everyone has an equal chance of winning. All get to practise the calculation, which could be addition or counting in multiples of 2, 5 or 10. The more challenging quests have mixed coins. This is a good way to demonstrate how different values of coins can make the same amount, e.g. 10 ones and 1 ten.
There are 5 sections, each with 3 games; however, variations can easily be created by duplicating slides and rearranging the coins.
Sections:
Count in 5s
Count in 10s
10s and 1s
1s and 2s
10, 5, 2 and 1
The coins are inspired by UK money, however, as they are a simple design with a large number, no familiarity with UK money is required for the games so they are suitable for use in any location.
Answers and extension ideas are included in the notes.
The pack includes 2 versions: use ppsx to avoid changes in layout/formatting or pptx if you want to change or adapt the presentations. My students loved this and I ended up creating many variations by simply changing the coins.
You may also like the pirate-themed resources in the Teachers Telling Tales shop, including positional language, sudoku and phonics, for example, https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/pirates-pack-12183976.
More maths packs will be added shortly.
This cute and colourful presentation is designed to engage even the most reluctant mathematicians! With 4 different scenarios involving ice lollies and ice creams, there are word problems involving mixed operations and multi-steps.
In Powerpoint presentation so easy to adapt, however with a UK and US version and three levels for each problem, you should not need to spend time on preparation. Includes a guide and answers in the notes for each slide.
Suitable for classroom and distance / home learning.
Works well as a whole class starter when projected or small group activity when printed.
For more ice cream / ice lolly themed resources check out https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ice-ice-bundle-12355950 or ‘Delicious Description’, a complete lesson with a creative challenge.
A complete lesson in a Powerpoint presentation, easily adaptable.
Includes a starter activity to engage students and draw out vocabulary, group activities to describe ice lollies using adjectives, comparatives and superlatives and analysing features of advertising. Students then apply what they have learned in creating their own advertisement for a ice lolly of their choice.
A suggested lesson plan provides guidance to educators and two printable word mats support students with inspiration and spelling.
This lesson is suitable for classroom or distance / home learning.
I have a range of creative resources on the ice lolly / ice cream theme you can check out here: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ice-ice-bundle-12355950 and will be uploading some word problems on the same themes shortly.
These games are great for consolidating the four operations, calculation skills such as doubling, times tables, power of 10. Encourages accuracy as each step leads to the next and can be a paired or individual activity. Print, display or complete the game digitally. Includes blank sheets featuring the attractive designs to adapt to students’ needs or for them to complete as an extension activity.
The bundle contains 10 completed game sheets and 4 blanks in colour and ink saving versions. Instructions and answers also included.
This multi step maths game is excellent for consolidating square numbers knowledge. It features square numbers and square roots and familiarises students with the mathematical symbols.
The cute bees, flowers and hive design also features on blank sheets to add your own numbers and questions, or for students to create their own as an extension activity. There are colour and ink saving versions, (that students can colour themselves). If working with a partner students can pick a bee each, see who gets the highest answer and check each other’s answers. It also works well as an individual activity. Answers and guide included.
The game can be printed, projected on a screen or completed digitally. as students record their answers on paper or a whiteboard, the game can be used over and over.
There are similar packs available from Teachers Telling Tales with different designs and skills and the option to bundle and save.
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/climb-the-trees-multistep-maths-games-12521644
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/cross-the-pond-multistep-maths-games-12521614
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/climb-the-branch-multistep-maths-games-12521653
