All maths teachers, regardless of the age they teach, know how important it is for children to be fluent in their root addition and subtraction facts. I couldn't find them as a word document anywhere, so I made these two simple grids. They can be used in so many ways, for teaching, practising and assessing how children are doing with their basic number facts.

This is a whole lesson about the spelling patterns able and ible. It includes 2 short quizzes, making up new words and a fun writing activity that encourages children to apply their understanding, using a tried and tested word bank and a fun (persuasive) context. Great for spelling and sentence work.

Quiz, Quiz, Trade is a fun and active way for children to learn facts. The cards can be tailored to cover any subject area, topic or learning objective and are particularly useful for introducing a new subject area that your class wouldn't already know lots about. You could include a range of differentiated questions, but I have often found that the children you least expect will learn the more complicated facts after playing this game. The idea behind Quiz, Quiz, Trade is that it is a fun, non-threatening and exciting game that is inclusive for all and will help all children in your class to acquire knowledge quickly. Really handy when you just need them to have a bit of background knowledge or learn something quickly in order to apply or develop the knowledge in their work. Quiz, Quiz, Trade can be used for any age group (my cards are all aimed at years 4-6) that will be able to read the questions and answers. I have used Quiz, Quiz, Trade in observations with much success (see instruction page) and consistently use it to introduce new topics in class-the children love it!

Quiz, Quiz, Trade is a fun and active way for children to learn facts. The cards can be tailored to cover any subject area, topic or learning objective and are particularly useful for introducing a new subject area that your class wouldn't already know lots about. You could include a range of differentiated questions, but I have often found that the children you least expect will learn the more complicated facts after playing this game. The idea behind Quiz, Quiz, Trade is that it is a fun, non-threatening and exciting game that is inclusive for all and will help all children in your class to acquire knowledge quickly. Really handy when you just need them to have a bit of background knowledge or learn something quickly in order to apply or develop the knowledge in their work. Quiz, Quiz, Trade can be used for any age group (my cards are all aimed at years 4-6) that will be able to read the questions and answers. I have used Quiz, Quiz, Trade in observations with much success (see instruction page) and consistently use it to introduce new topics in class-the children love it!

A simple time saving resource. Working in pairs, children have to pick numbers from one group and then pick operators from another group. Every class I have taught needs practise at this key skill, and this is a quick and easy way for them to generate lots of questions and discuss their answers. This resource is 3 PowerPoint slides designed to be used as activity sheets. The activities become more challenging, involving more decimal places and more digits. I recommend using place value sliders with this activity - they are easy to make if you don't have any. I have also included a very simple dice game, covering the same objective. This can be easily differentiated by using more (or less ) dice. I hope you find these activities as useful as I have.

Quiz, Quiz, Trade is a fun and active way for children to learn facts. The cards can be tailored to cover any subject area, topic or learning objective and are particularly useful for introducing a new subject area that your class wouldn't already know lots about. You could include a range of differentiated questions, but I have often found that the children you least expect will learn the more complicated facts after playing this game. The idea behind Quiz, Quiz, Trade is that it is a fun, non-threatening and exciting game that is inclusive for all and will help all children in your class to acquire knowledge quickly. Really handy when you just need them to have a bit of background knowledge or learn something quickly in order to apply or develop the knowledge in their work. Quiz, Quiz, Trade can be used for any age group (my cards are all aimed at years 4-6) that will be able to read the questions and answers. I have used Quiz, Quiz, Trade in observations with much success (see instruction page) and consistently use it to introduce new topics in class-the children love it!

A version of battle ships which could be used to teach any spelling pattern you like. tried and tested in class. This version is for plurals, but you could quickly edit the game to be played with any 10 words. I hope your class like it as much as mine.

A simple presentation about active and passive sentences, with some key questions. It leads into a board game that could be used for independent work, in pairs. The game could be recorded in written sentences or simply to used to orally practise active and passive.

Here is a fun 2 player dice game to liven-up exploring silent letters. There is also a PowerPoint with plenty of activities and questions to get the session started. There is an extension task for speedy players who finish games quickly.

Lesson plan, presentation and two dice games (the main game is differentiated 3 ways) included. Ready to go! Apostrophes! Why do so many of us get them wrong? This is a carefully planned lesson about apostrophes for Years 4, 5 or 6. It would also be an ideal revision tool for the Year 6 Grammar Test. First, children are given the chance to revisit prior learning through the fun warm up game ‘The Memory Test’. Following that, they will learn about possessive apostrophes and common misconceptions during the presentation. When they are ready, the two player game ‘Apostrophe Abduction’ will provide them with plenty of challenge or support, depending on the version you give them. I have included three versions of the game : A ‘support’ version - this game uses a very short text, with only 10 highlighted apostrophe words to focus on. An ‘on track’ version - children have to hunt for plurals, possessive apostrophes and contractions. A challenge version - the same as the ‘on track’ version, but across a full story - quite a challenge to find every plural, contraction and possessive apostrophe.

Talk! Drama! Reading skills! Grammar skills! Games! Writing an information text! In this three week non-fiction writing unit, children look at an information text (a poster about the now destroyed Brighton Chain Pier). Then they play with the text and create new sentences of their own, developing key Year 2 grammar skills. Finally they create an information text of their own (Brighton Palace Pier), applying the skills taught in the previous two weeks. Every resource is included and resources are differentiated 3 ways - there’s a lot of work here! You could easily swap the model for an attraction local to you. I would simply keep the model and swap the outcome to an attraction near you - the skills in this unit are all transferable. When you download, use the full unit and planning in the zip folder - ignore the files uploaded for the preview. Here are the objectives covered thoroughly across the three weeks: This unit revisits Y1 grammar: I can make up sentences. I can join my ideas using ‘and’. This unit introduces new Y2 grammar concepts: I can use commas for lists. I can use questions, statements, exclamation and commands. I can use expanded noun phrases to describe and specify [for example, ‘the polished stones’]. I can add a chunk (clause) using ‘and’ (coordination) This unit introduces the following Y2 terminology: noun, noun phrase, statement, exclamation, command, adjective, verb, comma This unit introduces these Y2 composition objectives: I can write an information poster. I can plan or say out loud what I am going to write about. I can use new words (vocabulary). I can write my ideas in sentences (continued from Y1). I can make improvements and changes with the teacher or with my friends. I can re-read to check that my writing makes sense. I can proof-read to check my spelling and punctuation [Are the ends of my sentences punctuated correctly?] I can read aloud what I have written clearly and with expression. Reading skills : I can spot meaning breakdown. I can repair a meaning breakdown. Enjoy!

This is a 3 week English unit on myth writing. If you buy this, just use the zip folder - the other resources are just there to preview. I have used this myth many times and developed it each time. It always gets fantastic writing from children, regardless of their attainment. The model text follows the pattern of a ‘warning story’, and it is flexible enough allow young writers to create their own unique myths. I have adapted it for use in Y4, 5 and 6. I am sure it would work in other year groups too. Within the zip you will find: detailed and creative planning to a high standard; a very short version of the traditional story the Asrai, to be used as a model text; a tool kit (or set of success criteria); planning sheets (differentiated); peer assessment sheets (differentiated); some of my dice grammar games that can be used during the unit; writing prompts; comprehension questions. I am sure you could quickly adapt this for use in your own class - it is ready to be used! I hope your class enjoy writing some incredible myths, using the simple pattern of ‘The Asrai’.

Word and PDF both included Assessment focus I can build solid sentences Explanation We teach a lot of grammar in primary schools, but many children still struggle to see how it all fits together. There are plenty of children in upper KS2 who cannot compose grammatically correct sentences. Whilst it is true to say that reading, story-telling and listening to stories are the best ways to build awareness of sentences, it may also be helpful to give children some basic sentence patterns to use. If children can internalise these basic patterns, they may be able to use them in infinite different ways. Ultimately, we hope that children feel confident enough to move away from the patterns we give them and onto creating patterns of their own. Who is this for? On Track (ARE) The ‘4 brick’ version of this activity is for writers who could be at age related expectation if they could create grammatically correct extended sentences. Support There is also very simple ‘3 brick’ version of the activity for learners who are not able to write in simple ‘one clause’ sentences. Going deeper Children who are already confident at writing in accurate sentences can try the ‘Follow the dice’ activity (included). These learners will focus on using sentence variety.

This lively whole class game involves stealing words and wearing blindfolds - it causes a real buzz of excitement around creating complex sentences. It is one of my most involved games, but very easy to get the hang of. You’ll need a full lesson to play it. A fun whole class grammar game promoting the use of subordinating conjunctions in complex sentences. My class loved it - I hope yours will too.

Prepositions can be a tricky group of words for some children. Through these three games, children will become very comfortable at knowing, classifying and using prepositions and prepositional phrases. First, play the memory test - some surface level learning that ensures that children know some examples of prepositions. Next, play the sorting game. This goes a little deeper, and children learn the different functions of prepositions. In the final game, children move on to prepositional phrases and use them in sentences. The last game is differentiated 3 ways to support those that need it and challenge those that are ready. Play these games over two lessons and your class will be confident at explaining the functions of prepositions and able to use prepositional phrases within written compositions. Explanations of the concepts, rules and resources all included, as always.

*In this resource I have argued against space travel and computer games as I thought it was likely that most of my class would like to take the opposing view for their own writing, later on. A fully planned and resourced lesson, complete with differentiated activities and a model text. First, children learn the opening paragraph to the model text ‘Computer games are harmful to children’. This should be quick and easy to learn – add a few actions if you wish. Use the PowerPoint or a text map to support. Then, take a quick look at how the text has been changed to the subject of space travel. What has changed? What has stayed the same? Briefly explore the idea that, in persuasive writing, if you can write one opening paragraph, you can write hundreds. It is simply: • Introduce the subject of the debate • Introduce which side you are on • State that you have many strong arguments Next, move on to looking at the how the first argument is structured. Again, it follows a pattern: • Topic sentence – to introduce the key idea of this particular paragraph • Facts and opinions • A rhetorical question On a flip chart or screen, show how you can use this simple structure to write a paragraph against exploring space on the subject of safety. There is an example of how you could do this on slide 8. Now the children should be ready to try this structure themselves. During independent time they use the same structure to create their own persuasive paragraphs about space travel. After this they can organise persuasive paragraphs about anything they choose. I have had great success with this approach and so have my colleagues. I hope you find it useful too.

This is a fun and engaging whole class activity about organisation within a paragraph. Using a non-fiction context (information about space) pupils go to a paragraph party. They have to work out who is hosting the party (the topic sentence), who is the uninvited guest (information that doesn't belong) and various other activities. In short, it's a lively and memorable way of exploring non-fiction paragraphs.

THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE PARAGRAPHING A FUN AND CONCRETE EXPERIENCE. This is a fun and engaging whole class activity about organisation within a paragraph. Using a non-fiction context (information about football) pupils go to a paragraph party. They have to work out who is hosting the party (the topic sentence), who is the uninvited guest (information that doesn’t belong) and various other activities. In short, it’s a lively and memorable way of exploring non-fiction paragraphs.

Updated for 2019! Young people are interested in drones, so if you are teaching argument, persuasion or discussion, make the most of their enthusiasm for these popular flying gadgets. Also, drones are always in the news and it is motivating to pick a current issue. Here are two fantastic drone themed lessons (around 150 minutes required) broken into nine activities, suitable for Key Stage 2 writers and no doubt useful for KS3 as well. All children will have opportunities to ‘talk the language of debate’ and produce a piece of writing either ‘for’ or ‘against’ drones. It’s a winner! There is also drone background information; links to videos; key argument cards; banks of useful sentence openers; modal verbs; suggestions for support/extension activities; a planning sheet; an example text and a detailed self/peer assessment sheet (or toolkit). Everything you need. The nine fully resourced activities are: 1. Get to know drones! 2. Meaning breakdown – understand tricky new words 3. Pick a side 4. ‘For’ or ‘against’? 5. Organise your debate 6. Useful sentence openers for debate and persuasion 7. Switch sides! 8. Write a persuasive letter/blog for the school website 9. Self assessment/peer assessment

I can spell ‘ie’ and ‘ei’ words Lots of children (and adults) get mixed-up when spelling 'ie' and 'ei' words. Is the rule 'i before e except after c' actually helpful? This dice game encourages children to explore the rule and decide for themselves. Here are some words that keep to the rule: field, shield, brief, chief, belief, believe, unbelievable, relief, relieved, piece, achieve receive, conceit, deceive, deceit, conceive, misconceive, perceive, perceivable, ceiling, receipt Here are some that don't: neighbour, weigh, counterfeit, foreign, kaleidoscope, their, caffeine, leisure, protein, seize, weird ancient, deficient, glacier, proficient, society, science, sufficient, species Play the game ‘Follow the rule/break the rule’, classifying words into two groups. After the game, the class could consider if this rule may work best: “i before e except after c, but only if it rhymes with a bee!”