Poetry & literacy resources by published children's poet.
I also lead poetry workshops for UK primary schools.
Website: katewilliamspoet.com
Book news - Squeak! Squawk! Roar! Animal poems - out 9th January '25. Publisher: Otter-Barry Books.
Poetry & literacy resources by published children's poet.
I also lead poetry workshops for UK primary schools.
Website: katewilliamspoet.com
Book news - Squeak! Squawk! Roar! Animal poems - out 9th January '25. Publisher: Otter-Barry Books.
These four funny, punchy rhymes are about animals (elephants, monkeys and slugs) + a witch. Easy and fun to read, building confidence and nurturing the invaluable habit of reading for pleasure. Great for reading alone or out loud, for listening to, sharing and discussing. Develops rhyme and rhythm sense and encourages writing of rhymes too.
For more, see my others with similar covers.
Four more daft, comical rhymes for school children, each 4 lines long, with punchy rhymes and familiar, popular topics. They offer reading incentives to able and struggling readers alike, promoting all-round literacy. They also raise spirits and encourage communication and sharing.
For more, see my others with similar cover design, including 3-for-2 bundle:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/12-funny-rhymes-12289724
Four funny, punchy, 4-line rhymes by the author. These four are all about supernatural creatures: aliens, giants and fairies. Easy, fun and cheerful reading material, encouraging children to read, and to write their own rhymes too.
For more rhymes in this style, see:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/4-funny-rhymes-12289613
and
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/funny-rhymes-2-12289686
Young children will enjoy thinking up a word or more to complete the phrase - This frog is…, and having a go at writing it on the line provided. More words can be added below, as wanted. Encourage sounding out and emergent writing, rather than accuracy, with this writing activity, to build confidence in independent writing. Perhaps prompt for - green, hoppy, wet, patchy, jumpy, friendly, smiling, splashy or croaking, if ideas are needed. See my other simple writing sheets on wildlife themes for more variety.
Seasonal fun activity to stretch language and creativity! Beautiful autumn leaf picture to write on, with prompts and writing lines. Colouring potential too. Great for wall display. Let children gather, inspect and play with leaves, then write these sheets freely. Prompt for colour words, textures, movements - gliding, spinning, twirling through the sky. (What sort of sky?) Similes invited. Lots of poetic and expressive scope. Promotes calm and joy.
Four humorous 4-line rhymes that children can easily relate to. They’re all about food, spills, mouldy food remains and similar. Through the fun, children will naturally exercise their reading or listening skills. They can also develop their sense of rhythm and rhyme. The lightly humorous tone also promotes relaxation, cheer and joy of reading.
Dragon Rhyme Ideas video: https://youtu.be/iQhtFko3Y4U
This 61-word, springtime story is easy to read.
Newly independent readers will enjoy the little tale unaided, while those on the brink may need a little support as they sound out the words or make semi-informed guesses from the context.
See my other stories for more confidence-building reading practice.
This funny 60-word story is easy to read.
Newly independent readers will enjoy reading it alone, while those on the brink will benefit from adult support as they sound out the words or make wise guesses.
The text offers a wide range of phonics and familiar words, while keeping the reader engaged.
See my other stories for more reading practice.
A woodland poem example, featuring description, presented over a colourful autumn wood photo.
Writing frame also included.
Repetition of the opening line also features in this simple format.
**Offers a framework and idea spurs **for KS2 writers, and for KS1 verbal contributions.
Warm-up: go outside to experience trees (and woods?) with all the senses. Then discuss - what did the children notice? What creatures might live there, and what are they like? How would the trees be in different seasons? What might they be like on Halloween night? Enact trees together, then pretend you’re walking through a wood, finding “treasures”.
You’ll find more poem guides and poetry themes here at my TES shop.
This 48-word story is fun and simple to read, with large, clear text and supportive illustrations. Ideal for newly independent readers and those on the brink, with one-to-one support.
See my other stories in the series - all about Jack, his life and friends, e.g.
https://www.tes.com/resources/search/?authorId=23864398&q=at the zoo&shop=katewilliams_poetry
Note - there are no pictures of hero Jack. Readers are free to imagine him as they like - like them perhaps.
This short, simple story is fun to read.
Ideal for newly independent and emergent readers.
The zoo animals that Jack sees are vividly described in a few, simple words. The funny monkey offers humour too.
Plenty to discuss and follow up. There’s also a little space at the bottom for an extra illustration.
See my other simple stories too, for variety.
This phonics writing sheet offers the words ‘tap, pot, lid’ in pale colours for writing over, with extra initial letters for practice. The homely, hand-drawn pictures of these familiar objects will engage children and give meaning to the phonics and letters they’re learning. The pictures can be coloured in.
Help children sound out the words before and after writing over them, to ensure they understand and recognise them.
If interested, have many other phonics writing sheets to browse in this catalogue.
Simple, cheerful writing sheet. Pale coloured letters to write over, and some to copy below too.
Two short sentences:
the sun is hot
it is happy
Smiley sun and smiley face pictures add to the merriment. Children can also add a face and/or sun in the spaces.
I have many other phonics sheets in this catalogue.
This simple, two-verse rhyme about traffic and pedestrians in a busy street provides wide scope for variation and action, stretching vocabulary, dramatic expression, sound awareness, and creativity. The tips below the verses offer handy prompts and ideas for embellishment and development.
Children will develop language skills, including vocabulary-building and dramatic expression. The rhyme also teaches rhythm and rhyme, introducing the concept of poetry. It has a cheerful, upbeat tone, and also encourages physical movement, supporting mental and physical wellbeing. Its theme supports awareness of the outside world, social behaviour and even touches on carbon footprint issues - so there’s plenty to discuss here!
If you have a percussion or musical instrument to hand, you could take the rhyme even further by setting it to music.
Traffic light pictures with “stop” and “go” to copy below on red and green lines. Traffic light pictures to colour in. A fun and meaningful activity to bring phonics alive and encourage reading and writing. Colour differentiation also promoted, besides handwriting, fine motor skills, road safety awareness and transport-related topic studies.
A fresh, beautiful spring picture display comprising 7 pictures, showing spring flowers, blossom, robin, nest eggs, butterfly, and a home-produced scene of toy spring animals. Purpose: to inspire seasonal teaching and learning. Use as spurs for creative writing, artwork, nature study, colours teaching and discussion. They also offer cheer, comfort and hope.
Robin writing sheets in 4 grades (4 sheets, 1 file), with teacher’s guide, for young, emergent writers - Reception to Yr 2.
Descriptive language and imagery are invited, plus words for flying (gliding, flapping, darting?), and for the sky. Pictures to colour, hand-drawn by author. Topics addressed: garden birds, flight, movement, spring, animals, colour and more.
The Guide gives word suggestions for each line, for quick reference when providing examples to the children.
Pond picture for colouring and writing, with lines for five describing words and a longer line below for a simile. Also a spare curvy line for an extra thought. Lots of idea-triggering details in the picture, with space for more contributions. You could prompt for: splashy, green, busy, smooth, reflecting, wet, sprinkly, brown, muddy, fun, peaceful, deep, quiet, ploppy, cool or calm, perhaps, and as smooth as silk, velvet, milk, ink, skin, feathers or satin, perhaps.
See also harder and easier versions, and colouring-only pond for Early Years, and Pond Writing + Colouring Bundle for all.
This resource supports outdoor projects, writing skill development, creativity, colouring skills and nature appreciation.
Literacy boost, celebrating nature. Beautiful butterfly image with 10 gaps for words + space below for similes, with Guide Sheet / Word + Simile Bank for teacher reference. Clear picture also provided, for inspiration.
A fun, meaningful activity that engages children instantly, stretching vocabulary, firing ideas for creative writing, and enthusing them in butterflies and the natural world. Supports Literacy and Nature topics together.
Other themes in this gap-filling picture series so far: Dragons, Space, Meadow (free), Sea and Under Sea. Jungle + more coming soon.
Beautiful pictures linking with ‘b’ and ‘s’ letters to write over:
bee, butterfly, spider, snail, bat, bird and snake.
Early years and KS1 children will enjoy identifying the creatures, saying the words and writing over the softely coloured letters that they start with - b and s.
An attractive, engaging way to help children connect letters to words and real things. Brings meaning to phonics.