This is an adjectives word mat I have made to support the writing in my class. I have these on every table during lessons to encourage pupils to use new words and to check the spelling of words they want to use. They are in alphabetical order so pupils can find the word they want to write fast. The different sections include: • Positive feelings • Negative feelings • Size • People • Objects • Time

This is a 3-week unit of work which focuses upon writing a story poem about salmon on their run up stream where they need to avoid bears and eagles. I always teach this during my Raging Rivers unit as it fits so well in this topic. The text driver is a beautifully drawn book called ‘A River’ by Marc Martin. This unit focuses upon the key features of descriptive poetry such as; metaphors, personification, expanded noun phrases powerful adjectives and vivid language. It also exposes the pupils to a variety of different poets looking at their style and how they have used these key features. 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 love this unit as they are engaged by the story of how brave the salmon are though some of the class always choose to write a poem where their salmon does not make it! 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 find the meaning of words • To organise paragraphs around a theme • To identify specific techniques, e.g. imagery, metaphor, personification, powerful adjectives and repetition • To read and perform a poem Capture, Sift and Sort • To recognise the key features of descriptive poetry • To use figurative language such as metaphor • To use figurative language such as personification • To retrieve and record information from non-fiction • To use vivid language to describe • To write expanded noun phrases Create, Refine and Evaluate • To plan and organise my ideas to effectively support my writing • To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing x2 lessons • To perform poetry 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 3 week unit which is inspired by the great text Varmints by Helen Ward. The story is a lovely tale of nature dealing with the imposing expansion of man-made developments but finding a way to survive. The theme of the book is regeneration and natures battle to survive in a man-made world. I have taught this in my class and have really enjoyed the wide-ranging elements from looking at deforestation to creating a plausible follow up to the story. 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 compare a film version of a book *To write a character description of a varmint *To understand themes in a book *To identify specific techniques, explaining the effect on them as a reader *To discuss philosophical ideas *To take notes to summarise details *To debate an issue Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes *To use personification to describe objects *To describe using figurative language *To write expanded noun phrases *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 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.

I have put these resources together using the NCTEM Teaching for Mastery questions and have used it as an assessment tool for my year 4 pupils at the end of the year.

This is a 4 week unit of work that is based around Neil Gaiman’s ‘The Wolves in the Walls’ book. This is a challenging text, as it covers the issue of nightmares but it really engages the boys in my class. Neil Gaiman has a fantastic story telling ability (he also wrote Coraline). The end piece is designed to be a descriptive nightmare where the child experienced it learns what to do in their life after they wake up. 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 character in a book • To create a fantasy world • To select and retrieve key information • To discuss philosophical ideas • To find the meaning of words Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes • To find the key features descriptive writing • To write sentences using conjunctions • To find near synonyms • To write produce internally coherent paragraphs • To write sentences with embedded clauses • To write about all 5 senses • To use a fronted adverbial to explain how, when or where something took place • To write expanded noun phrases Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes • To plan my writing by discussing and recording ideas • To plan and organise my ideas to effectively support my writing • To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing • To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing • To create illustrations for a piece of writing • To read my story to another pupil Resources Include: • 1 - Postcard from Lucy • 3 - Animals in Dreams • 3 - Animals in Dreams Reading Comprehension • 4 - Philosophical Questions • 5 – Reading • 5 – Wolves Word Mat • 6 - Key Features of Descriptive Writing • 8 – Shades of meaning • 10 - Embedded clauses • 11 - 5 Senses • 11 - Fantasy Pictures • 12 - Fronted Adverbials WT • 13 - Monk & Monkey Photos • 14 – Storyboard • 16 - Success Criteria • WAGOLL • PowerPoint LOs 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. Acticitives 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 4 week unit of work that is based on the books 'Cracking Contraptions' by Wallace & Gromit and 'Until I Met Dudley' by Roger McGough (illustrated by Chris Riddell). The end piece of writing is an explanatory text that is based on an invention that the pupils have to design. This has always been a fantastic unit where pupil's are inspired to create a great explanatory text rich with technical language. There are lots of chances to link it with Science or Design & Technology work for circuits. The learning objectives for this unit of work are; Stage 1- Stimulate and generate- Learning outcomes • To understand the purpose of an explanation text • To write an explanatory text • To find evidence of an author’s style • To explain how to do something in a clear and logical sequence • To identify main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes • To find key features of an explanatory text • To write consistently in the present tense • To design a Cracking Contraption • To label a diagram • To write an opening statement • To label a diagram • To use causal conjunctions • To sequence in logical steps • To order an explanatory text correctly • To improve a given explanation text using time connectives • To write accurate titles for explanatory texts • To write complex sentences Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes • To create and label a Cracking Contraption • To write an explanatory text • To prepare a public presentation • To present clearly with good voice projection to an audience 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 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 display I use in my classroom where I attach a photo of the star so they can be celebrated all week.

This is a single A4 page of tips for using search engines. This can be used to help pupils use search engines more effeciently or as a training tool for staff at your school.

This is a useful resource for finding number pairs to 10, 100 and 1000.

This is SATs revision pack that I have shared with year 6 parents who want to do that bit more. It has lots of questions from the old style SATs but it is still useful as a revision aid.

Here is a great list of ideas for supporting creative writing. It is a list of 'twist in the tale' ideas that pupils can use to help them write an engaging story.

This is a 3 week unit of work that teaches all the skills to write a descriptive poem then perform this at the end of the unit. The book is a rich text by an excellent writer that helps support the unit as it is based about the after effects of a hurricane. Pupils really enjoy the creative process of this unit as they get to paint elaborate and engaging pictures in the reader’s minds. I have included every resource you need to teach this unit tomorrow. Also below I have listed all of the learning objectives from the unit of work. Stage 1- Stimulate and generate- Learning outcomes • To write a descriptive poem • To find the meaning of words • To retrieve and record key facts • To use drama to explore characters’ feelings • To read and perform a poem Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes • To recognise the key features of descriptive poetry • To use figurative language such as similes • To Identify how language contributes to meaning • To use figurative language such as alliteration • To use figurative language about your senses • To use figurative language such as personification to describe objects • To use figurative language such as metaphors • To use descriptive language to engage the reader • To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes • To plan and organise my ideas to effectively support my writing • To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing • To perform poetry Resources included: • Hurricanes LOs PowerPoint • Hurricanes Word Mat • Fact file template • Facts About Hurricane Cards • Lesson 5 - Descriptive Poems • Lesson 6 - ARE + GDS • Lesson 6 – WT • Lesson 7 – Photo • Lesson 7- Simile WT • Lesson 8 • Lesson 9 - S Word • Lesson 10 – Diamonds • Least Effective & Most Effective • Lesson 11 - Senses • Lesson 12 – Personification • Lesson 13 – Metaphors • Lesson 14 - Pictures • Success Criteria for Descriptive Poetry Display • Success Criteria for Descriptive Poetry 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 of words with the prefix un. 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 3 week unit of work which focuses upon writing a descriptive narrative for an astronaut who has landed on the planet Pandora. The end written piece is a descriptive narrative about an alien animal, that is a Hexapod, which the pupils get to create themselves. This unit has word level focuses, guided reading, expanded noun phrasing, variation of sentence types as well as how to structure paragraphs. Pupils really enjoy the creativity and wonder of Pandora as the video is very engaging. The end written piece is always amazing in my experience, as pupils are incredibly engaged by the stimulus of a video compared to the usual text that this unit provides. 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 learn the meaning of new vocabulary including technical vocabulary • To identify the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary • To Retrieve, Record & Present Information from Non- Fiction • To explain and discuss their understanding of what they have read • To describe using expanded noun phrases • To write a logbook entry as an astronaut Capture, Sift and Sort • To find the key features of descriptive writing • To write expanded noun phrases • To add embedded Clauses • To use conjunctions to link paragraphs • To vary sentence structure and type for effect • To write a paragraph with restrictions Create, Refine and Evaluate • To plan and organise my ideas to effectively support my writing • To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing 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.

I wrote this Oliver Twist Playscript for a year 6 production. It includes all the song lyrics, character list, set production ideas and 21 pages of a script which lasts approximately 65 minutes. It was a great success when our school performed it. Scene 1 = The Orphanage Scene 2 = The Funeral Parlour Scene 3 = Meeting Dodger Scene 4 = Fagin's Gang Scene 5 = Oliver starts working for Fagin Scene 6 = Bill Sikes shows his true colours Scene 7 = Oliver settles into his new life Scene 8 = The truth will out

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 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 4 week unit of planning that produces a flashback recount from the time during the Lebanese civil war by a young girl called Ayesha. She has to brave the war zone to travel across enemy lines to find help for her sick granny by searching for medicine from a doctor. The story is fantastic and the writing produced as a result of it is even better. This text is best suited to Y4 and above as there are aspects of war such as loss (her mother dies after a shell hits their house) but the richness of the text has really engaged all my class and especially the boys. 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 write a flashback. • To find the meaning of words. • To retrieve and record information from text. • To take notes to summarise details. • To retrieve and record information from text. • To write a diary extract as a character from a story. • To retrieve and record information from text. Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes • To find the key features of a flashback. • To write expanded noun phrases. • To write similes using abstract nouns. • To find near synonyms of verbs. • To write in the past tense. • To write a descriptive setting. • To modify adjectives with adverbs. • To use a fronted adverbial to explain how, when or where something took place. Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes • To plan and organise my ideas to effectively support my writing. • To convey viewpoint by writing in role. • To revise, edit evaluate and improve my writing. • To convey viewpoint by writing in role. 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 short 2 week unit of work that focuses on improving word choices through improving adjectives and culminates in pupils writing then performing their own poem. The poem they are end up writing is based on the Sound Collector by Roger McGough but it requires pupils to think of tastes or how something feels instead of sound. This unit always engages the pupils and is a great end of half term unit as it fully engages the class. I have included every resource you need to teach this unit tomorrow. Also below I have listed all of the learning objectives from the unit of work. Stage 1- Stimulate and generate- Learning outcomes • To learn and read a poem by heart. • To write about an Author’s style. • To perform a dramatic version of a poem. • To write a poem in another author’s style. Stage 2 - Capture, Sift and Sort- Learning outcomes • To find the key features of a poem. • To write sentences with personification. • To write similes. Stage 3 - Create refine evaluate- Learning outcomes • To improve word choices by using thesauruses. • To write a Feel or Taste Collector poem. • To perform poetry. 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.