Hello, thank you for looking around my shop. I am a teaching deputy head teacher, with 16 years of experience, who works in a rural primary school. I know how wearing many hats can eat into your time but understand how important excellent resources are for engaging pupils so they make accelerated progress. I have included lots of free resources in my shop but placed a small charge for resources which have taken me many hours to create. I hope you enjoy them and use them to motivate your pupils.
Hello, thank you for looking around my shop. I am a teaching deputy head teacher, with 16 years of experience, who works in a rural primary school. I know how wearing many hats can eat into your time but understand how important excellent resources are for engaging pupils so they make accelerated progress. I have included lots of free resources in my shop but placed a small charge for resources which have taken me many hours to create. I hope you enjoy them and use them to motivate your pupils.
This is a 3 week unit of work that is aimed at a year 4 and 5 class. The 3 week unit builds the pupils skills through drama and targeted lessons to give them the skills to write an excellent newspaper article. I have included all the resources you need to teach this today. The pupils in my class have always loved this unit and have never failed to create outstanding pieces of work from it. For a great hook I have also been known to dress up as a gorilla and run through the school the first day of teaching this unit.
The learning objectives for the unit are :
• To write a newspaper report
• To write common themes of the books of author Anthony Browne
• To write a job description
• To explore characters through role-play
• To explore the characters feelings and motivations in the story
• To raise questions for different audiences
• To understand the features of newspapers reports
• To identify the features of newspapers reports
• To identify the author’s style and use of language
• To use more descriptive verbs instead of using said
• To identify the differences between direct and reported speech then to convert direct speech into reported speech
• To write cohesive paragraphs
• To plan the introduction to a newspaper article including writing a catchy headline
• To draft and then write a newspaper article
• To write a newspaper article
This unit of work uses the 3 stage planning process of:
• Stimulate and generate
• Capture, sift and sort
• Create, refine and evaluate
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a fantastic whole book planned guided reading unit based on the book Oranges in No man’s Land by Elizabeth Laird. The story tells the struggles of a little brave girl called Ayesha during the civil war in Lebanon. I have planned a unit of work that has between 9 and 5 questions for each chapter (18 chapters in total).
I have also included printer friendly pages where there are 4 copies of the questions on each page so it is easy to prepare for lessons. I have included all the answers too as this is a great time saver. The questions are designed to easily fit English books as I have adjusted the margins so they fit. I hope your class enjoys this book as much as mine have always done.
This is a 3-week unit which is based on the text ‘Roman Soldier’s Handbook’ by Lucia Fabricius Imperiosa. This is a graphically pleasing and informative book which my class have enjoyed reading during our Roman topic. The final piece that this unit produces is a historical information text based on an area of Roman life (that interest each pupil). Most times pupils are inspired to either write about the army, Gladiators or the sanitation!
I have listed the learning objectives for all of the lessons below. Also, I have included all of the worksheets, PowerPoints, links and resources you will need to teach this unit straight away.
Stage 1 - Stimulate and generate- Learning outcomes
To gather information in note form
To write an information text
To find the meaning of words
To retrieve and record information from text
To gather information in note form
To use notes to write an information text
Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes
To find key features of an information text
*To write in the third person
*To know how to write in the past tense
*To write using technical vocabulary
*To write headings and sub-headings
*To write captions
*To retrieve and record facts from a variety of texts
Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes
*To plan an information text
*Extended Writing - To write an information text
*To publish an information text using digital media
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a bundle of success criteria, that I use for the end of units. There is a column for both pupils and teachers as the expectation is pupils use the assessment tool to self assess their own work.
The success criteria include:
Biographies
Descriptive Writing
Diary Extracts
Explanation Texts
Instructions - Recipes
Information Texts
Newspaper Reports
Non-Chronological Reports
Persuasive Writing
Play Scripts
Poetry
Poster - Advertisement
Settings
This is a 2 and a half week unit of work which focuses upon writing a persuasive letter to a famous footballer to stop them from releasing thousands of balloons when they open a supermarket. The main character is a boy called Finn who is trying to save the dolphins that swim near his Scottish seaside house. He discovers they eat them as they look like jellyfish and this can have very dangerous consequences. The unit is great for looking at plastic pollution in our seas and explores some interesting subjects as his Mum is rumoured to be a Selkie. The author is Elizabeth Laird and she writes very descriptive, funny and engaging stories that children love.
The end written piece is an opportunity to generate a great piece of writing as there is a well-structured plan to support your less able pupils. My class have always loved this unit as the story is great and they get very interested in how they can improve awareness about plastic pollution in our oceans. I have included all the resources including worksheets and displays so you can start using this straight away. The learning objectives for this unit are;
Stimulate & Generate
• • To locate and retrieve information using skimming, scanning
• To retrieve and record information from non-fiction
• To discuss words and phrases that capture the reader’s interest and imagination
• To draw sound inferences, supported through reference to the text
• To identify how language, contribute to meaning
• To identify key points of an argument
• To make persuasive statements
• To write a balanced argument
• To write persuasive statements
Capture, Sift and Sort
• To find the key features of a persuasive letter
• To use a variety of conjunctions
• To write a cohesive paragraph
• To write convincing conclusions
Create, Refine and Evaluate
• To plan a letter written as a character in a story
• To write and edit a letter written as a character in a story
This unit of work uses the 3-stage planning process of:
• Stimulate and Generate
• Capture, Sift and Sort
• Create, Refine and Evaluate
Stimulate and Generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, Sift and Sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, Refine and Evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a Christmas Carol Playscript that has five scenes; Christmas Eve, Ghost of Christmas Past, Ghost of Christmas Present, Ghost of Christmas Future and Christmas Day.
It also comes with a list of props needed and stage layouts for each scene. This has been used to perform an excellent show with 10 and 11 year olds.
It lasts about an hour.
This is a 3 and 1/2 week unit of work that is based on the book 'Street Child' by Berlie Doherty. The book tells the story about Dr Barnados and how the ragged schools were created through the eyes of an orphan Jim. Every time I have taught this unit there has been a special atmosphere as pupils have lots of ideas to discuss philosophical and moral issues and realise how lucky they are to be alive today in England. The end of the unit has two possible choices which are either writing as Jim in a diary extract or an alternative ending to the story.
The learning objectives for this unit of work are;
• To write a diary extract as a poor Victorian child.
• To find and improve adverbs in a piece of text.
• To make a freeze-frame to show what characters are feeling in a story.
• To describe a character from a novel.
• To write as a character from a novel.
• To convey character by using colloquialism (slang).
• To understand how a character from a novel feels. + Write expanded noun phrases.
• To write a list poem.
• To describe a character from a novel.
• To make a key scene into a freeze frame, considering the characters feelings and emotions.
• To map the story of a novel.
• To map out a characters journey and feelings throughout a novel.
• To find key information about Dr Barnardos.
• To write complex sentences.
• To identify cohesive devices for paragraphs. + I can describe the effect created by different cohesive devices
• To plan a diary extract. OR To plan an alternative ending.
• To write a diary extract. OR To write an alternative ending.
This unit of work uses the 3 stage planning process of:
• Stimulate and generate
• Capture, sift and sort
• Create, refine and evaluate
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a list of over 140 fronted adverbials that include:
• How
• When
• Where
• Frequency
This is a great resource to improve pupils sentence starters that I use in most creative writing sessions in my class.
This is a 3 week unit of work which focuses upon writing in an informal style. The end written piece is an informal email from Jamie to his Father who is an astronaut. The tone is conversational as he expresses how much he is missing him . It also teaches pupils how to use idioms, lively language, anecdotal comments all while writing in role as a character from a book. Pupils love this unit as it allows them to write in a different style that to what they normally undertake in class too.
The book is great class reader which makes for an excellent guided reading text. I have included all the resources including worksheets, WAGOLL and displays so you can start using this straight away. The learning objectives for this unit are;
Stimulate & Generate
• To use a range of strategies to explore a text
• To describe using expanded noun phrases and powerful adjectives
• To use inference to build knowledge about a character
• To draw inferences from the text
• To justify inferences with evidence from the text
Capture, Sift and Sort
• To imitate an author’s style
• To find the key features of an informal email
• To describe using expanded noun phrases and powerful adjectives
• To edit my writing to improve and clarify
• To write in a conversational tone
• To generate ideas in role
Create, Refine and Evaluate
• To draft writing by composing orally first
• To write an informal email in role
• To edit my writing to improve and clarify
This unit of work uses the 3 stage planning process of:
• Stimulate and Generate
• Capture, Sift and Sort
• Create, Refine and Evaluate
Stimulate and Generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, Sift and Sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, Refine and Evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a 4 week unit of planning that supports pupils to write an ancient Greek Quest Myth. The beginning part of this unit is focussed on Persephone by Sally Pomme Clayton and Virginia Lee. This is used as a model and WAGOLL for pupils to write their own story. All children love Greek gods and goddesses and this unit of work has never failed in supporting pupils write some excellent myths that are richly descriptive and engaging for the reader.
I have listed the learning objectives for all of the lessons below. Also I have included all of the worksheets, PowerPoints, links and resources you will need to teach this unit straight away.
Stage 1 = Stimulate & Generate
• To write a review of an ancient Greek myth
• To use a range of strategies to explore a text
• To show understanding through intonation, tone, volume and action when performing a playscripts
• To retrieve and record information from non-fiction
• To describe using adverbial phrases and drop in clauses
• To demonstrate understanding of key details and main points of a text
Stage 2 = Capture, Sift & Sort
• To find the key features of a myth
• To start sentences using verbs, adverbs and connectives
• To write using commas to clarify meaning
• To use an increasing range of sentence starters
• To write in the style of the model text
• To edit writing to improve sentence structures and range of vocabulary
Stage 3 = Create, Refine & Evaluate
• To use expanded noun phrases and figurative language to describe
• To vary sentence structure and type for effect
• To plan a quest myth
• To write a descriptive setting for my myth
• To write a build-up in my myth
• To write a conflict
• To write a resolution to my myth
• To edit and improve my work
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece
This is a word mat I made for my class to help them choose the correct conjunctions for their writing. The list includes:
• Causal
• Comparative
• Coordinating
• Explaining
• Listing
• Opposing
• Subordinating
• Time
There is also an explanation which I stick on the back of the list as a reminder to the pupils what a conjunction is.
This is a great resource for working on pupils speaking and listening skills. Pupils choose a category and then have to describe the object, character, adjective or nature suggestion without using that word. I give the pupils a set time of 1 minute to try to describe as many different suggestions from each category. I have included the Excel version so it is fully adaptable to suit your class.
This is a 3 and a ½ week unit of work where pupils create their own charity inspired leaflet. The book used to stimulate the thoughts of being unselfish and thinking of others is ‘The Selfish Giant’ by Oscar Wilde. This is a great story with a strong moral of sharing one’s wealth in order to find happiness.
The end piece is a digitally created persuasive leaflet where pupils create logos, slogans and persuasive writing to produce an engaging charity inspired leaflet. This unit of work is targeted best at Year 4 - 6 pupils. I have included all the resources you need to start teaching this tomorrow. Below are all the learning objectives and resources included for the unit:
Stage 1- Stimulate and generate - Learning outcomes
• To write a letter to a persuade
• To understand themes in a book
• To draw inferences from the text.
• To retrieve and record information from a piece of text.
• To discuss philosophical ideas
• To find the meaning of words
Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes
• To find the key features of a leaflet
• To write a persuasive slogan
• To write captions
• To write an engaging opening statement
• To write a heading and subheadings
• To use causal conjunctions
Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes
• To retrieve and record information from a piece of text
• To design a campaign slogan and logo
• To write an engaging opening statement
• To plan and organise my ideas to effectively support my writing
Resources Include:
• Selfish Giant LOs PowerPoint
• 1 – Sign
• 2 - Themes in a book
• 3 - Extract of the Selfish Giant
• 4 - Philosophical Questions
• 5 - The Selfish Giant Word Mat
• 6 - Key Features of Leaflets
• SEAQAB PowerPoint
• 7 – Slogans
• 8 – To write captions
• iPads & Computers
• 10 - Headings & Subheadings
• 11 – Causal Conjunctions
• 15 – Plan a Leaflet
This unit of work uses the 3 stage planning process of:
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a sentence starter display for ADD SPICES which stands for:
• Adverbs
• Drop in clause
• Describing word
• Similes
• Preposition
• Ing word
• Connective
• Ed word
• Sub-ordinate clause
There is an explanation next to each spice jar which has the first letter of the acronym. This is a great display to have up all year round as a visual reminder to your class.
This is a 3 week unit of planning that supports pupils to write an alternative ending to an African folk tale about an eagle that thinks it is a chicken. The book is ‘Fly Eagle Fly’ by Christopher Gregorowski who was inspired to retell the story after his daughter became very ill. The theme of the book is about unlocking the potential in all and pupils I have used it with have always loved it. It is set in the country side of Ghana and has wonderful illustrations by Niki Daly. This is an important tale and the book has a foreword by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
I have listed the learning objectives for all of the lessons below. Also I have included all of the worksheets, PowerPoints, links and resources you will need to teach this unit straight away.
Stage 1- Stimulate & Generate learning outcomes
• To write expanded noun phrases
• To find the meaning of words
• To understand themes in a book
• To draw inferences from the text
• To discuss philosophical ideas
• To take notes to summarise details
Stage 2 - Capture, Sift & Sort learning outcomes
• To find the key features of descriptive writing
• To use a fronted adverbial to explain how, when or where something took place.
• To write expanded noun phrases
• To write a descriptive setting
• To use and punctuate direct speech
• To use different conjunctions
Stage 3 - Create, Refine & Evaluate learning outcomes
• To plan an alternative ending
• To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing
• To write an alternative ending in the style of another author x 2 lessons
Stimulate and generate = This usually starts with a hook to interest the class where the class realise who they are going to write for so they have a clear purpose and audience. Activities can include reading excellent model texts, drama or researching more about the author or the content of the book.
Capture, sift and sort = This is the part of the unit where pupils look at key features, practise skills they will need in order to complete the final piece or new learning for objectives they have not learnt yet.
Create, refine, evaluate = This is where you bring all you have learnt together and plan the final piece before you write it and then edit it to improve the piece. This can include self, peer or teacher led reviewing.
This is a word mat for the suffix ous. This is targeted at years 3 and 4 as it is part of the spelling curriculum. This is a useful resource for pupils to use to improve their spellings as well as a useful tool to improve their word choices and quality of their writing. It has two versions; one with colour and the other just in black and white to save on printing costs.
This is a display I have made for my class. Every pupil has an individual coat of arms where they add their own interests and things they are proud of. The larger class coat of arms is for writing class generated rules and expectations. It is displayed with pupils coat of arms surrounding the class coat of arms with rules and expectations. There is space around the large coat for pupils to sign their names.
I run an after school club for cards as it is excellent for teaching pupils about probability, tactics and requires higher level thinking. I have included 3 sets of rules for the games I play, they are:
The Rules of Knockout Whist
The Rules of Hearts
The Rules of Contract Whist