Everyone needs a hand with structure and planning. This is a simple one-page word document which breaks down a story into 8 paragraphs. Students can draw a picture for each box to help them visualise the most important part; higher ability students can write key vocabulary and style notes; or, for less able or SEN students, they can write a sentence or two and this can become a topic sentence for developing later.

Students not adding enough detail to narrative writing? Are they unsure when to go in to a new paragraph? This game for two or more players can help support them in adding depth to their ideas while clearly defining what wouldn't be acceptable. It's lead to some really fun results which kids like to read out afterwards. Less able students may only do one each, whereas more able students can have a go at later ones independently. I've used this with students from KS3, 4 and even 5 as either a starter or development activity. It makes progress really clear to you and them.

The shortened tracks to accompany the short Sweeney Todd script available from my store. First three tunes: Prelude, London and Alms here are all playable through Media Player or VLC.

Mrs Lovett's first song, shortened for the script available from my store. This plays in Media Player and VLC.

My Friends, London and Alms songs, shortened to fit the script available from my store.

Toby's song, Perelli's Miracle Elixir, shortened to fit the script available from my store.

Pirelli's introduction and the shaving contest.

Mrs Lovett persuading Sweeney Todd what to do with the body.

The 10th and 11 musical snippets for the short Sweeney Todd script available from my store. Mrs Lovett and Toby sing as they sell their delicious pies, followed by the Beggar Woman's curses at the bakehouse.

"Don't I...know you...mister?"

The grand finale! Hold for applause....

City on Fire!

This part has lesson by lesson story writing support for students of all abilities as well as extracts from a range of fantasy stories to be performed, analysed and inspired by. There is more of a focus on spelling and grammar skills in starters for these writing lessons covering apostrophes (contraction and omission); there, their and they're; punctuating speech; paragraphing (how to develop and when to move on) and tension building techniques as well as clear instructions for acceptable and unacceptable endings (...or are there????? Yes. Yes there are.) During writing, we listened to the soundtrack from Oblivion, which is suitably epic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpqSdORmCX4 Lesson 7 was a Geography cross-over lesson to support map making. The Hogfather would make a nice extract to analyse in the run up to Christmas. The last section, writing up, was run in conjunction with ICT and Art, giving students the chance to produce their own short story collections which were then sold at school to raise money. The kids and their parents loved seeing their work in print and I'm sure yours will too! Reviews are much loved and appreciated!

My favourite fairytale of all time! Read it with the students (or watch the animated version here on YouTube which uses the words from the text) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Aank8bDtcE and then let them answer the comprehension questions. I find this is a great story to tackle before Christmas as it deals with themes of charity, poverty and the value of our lives in service to others. It creates really interesting critical discussion with more able students on the didactic nature of fairytales and how they express morals. The PowerPoint then asks students to organise the traditional structure of a fairytale and then plan their own fairy tale with a moral element.