This 1 - 2 hour lesson allows pupils to review techniques for responding to essay based questions. It includes a print out of the passage that is being considered and some teachers notes which give some suggested responses. Time will vary depending on prior knowledge of the play, however it would be best to approach this task only once the whole play has been covered. Pupils can work in groups or independently and peer review allows for reflective learning.

A worksheet to help pupils work independently through the poem Lovers’ Infiniteness by John Donne. This poem can be done in class or as homework.

A worksheet to help pupils prepare for a diary entry based on the events leading up to and during Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet. Worksheet can be completed in class and the diary entry finished for homework. Helpful introduction to Shakespearean English with a simple matching exercise which can be used as a starter to the lesson. Suitable for KS3 or KS4 pupils.

A 2 hour class which consists of students creating their own revision worksheets on the poetry studied in class. Pupilis work in groups and respond to a series of questions, the answers of which should be included on the worksheet. At the end, pupils present their final worksheet to the rest of the class and then the teacher can collect these and photocopy/scan and share with all the class. Dead simple but very effective and engaging for pupils!

1 hour worksheet for GCSE or KS3. Includes answers. Suitable for revision or reviewing essay writing skills. Objectives: 1) To revise action in crucial scenes of the play; 2) Review essay writing techniques through looking at and applying good examples of detailed explanation, exploration and evaluation in PEE paragraphs. Additional extension activities could be to summarise another scene and find a quote to analyse.

This 1h30 minute lesson can be used to introduce or revise AO2 Writing & persuasive techniques for directed writing at IGCSE for the paper 3 (writing) paper for Cambridge. A great subject for getting pupils engaged but you’ll need a strong stomach! It looks at a recent news article regarding the Fatberg in London. It could equally be used to explore important themes about the negative impacts of modern society in a PSHE lesson. A full set of teacher notes is included, as well as answers.

This resource would be suitable for one or two hours of lesson time (or alternatively, the essay writing task could be given as a homework activity). It breaks down the aspects of essay writing, through identifying key terms in the essay title, brainstorming ideas using technical terms and helping pupils draft analytical points, supported by evidence. The final activity is a peer assessment task so pupils can explore what was successful in their partner’s work.

This fun 1 hour 30 minute lesson includes 2 worksheets and can be spread over one or two lessons depending on the level of detail you want in the interview. Great for revision session, or for pupils who are approaching the end of the play and need a recap. The lesson focuses on AO2 in the drama question: Comment on their actions in the play, words they might say, values and attitudes using the text to help you gather ideas. My experience is that pupils get very involved and even those who are more reticent about acting can take part. Some of the questions they ask can be quite advanced and it really gets them thinking about the character’s different points of view. Weaker pupils benefit from the opportunity to review events in the play up until this point.

A worksheet designed to explore the role of the character of Aunt Lizzy and prepare pupils for an essay style question at AS Level. If you like this resource, please visit my shop for a full unit of work on the play, together with other resources on other texts at KS3-5.

A resource designed to teach the entirety of the AS Level for the Cambridge AS level exam (paper 4) drama text, Philadelphia, Here I Come! The resource lasts 10 hours in total, not including homework tasks. It includes context, themes, structure and characterisation as well as a bridge into different interpretations in preparation for AO5 A Level analysis. It could also assist with study for this text at GCSE as it covers all the main elements for approaching and analysing the play. It comes with lesson plans/teacher notes to support, a worksheet for homework. Please do leave a review so that I can continue to improve my products.

A resource designed to teach the entirety of the AS Level for the Cambridge AS level exam (paper 3) Songs of Ourselves Volume 2 Anthology. Could be adapted to suit other poetry modules at this level. It could also assist with poetry at GCSE as it covers all the main elements for approaching and analysing poetry. It includes example response essays that can be used as a demonstration for teaching. Please do leave a review so that I can continue to improve my products.

This 1 hour lesson consists of a worksheet designed to encourage pupils to engage and sequence the components of a well-structured essay. They are required to identify how to organise and develop points in a way that is logical, using the PEE structure. It is also a good opportunity to discuss appropriate register and academic style of writing. Pupils are asked to guess the essay title at the end in order to help them recognise how the essay title should be apparent from the response.

1.5 hour lesson is aimed at KS3, GCSE and possibly A Level pupils who need a bit of an extra helping hand constructing PEE paragraphs based on poetry. It was inspired by the fact that I had read one too many poems where pupils simply ‘translate’ the surface meaning of poem into simple English without really analysing the poem in any way. It could be adapted to another poem relatively easily.

A 3 hours, differentiated lesson. Contains an interactive information exchange activity, the purpose of which helps to highlight to pupils the importance of efficient and clear summary points. Tried and tested with great success - I can confirm that pupils were really motivated by this and I have never seem them so eager to write a summary before! I recommend preparing a prize for the winning team as this helps spur them on even more. This lesson plan could also be used as a basis for a PSHE class on healthy lifestyle as it deals with the need to get a good night’s sleep, the impact of not sleeping and how best to ensure the sleep we get is restful.

This fun activity is designed to help pupils imagine Macbeth’s response to the witches prophetic apparitions when he returns to see them in Act 4, scene 1. The worksheet asks them to summarize what Macbeth sees then write Macbeth’s Whatsapp message to Lady Macbeth, telling her what he’s seen.

This 1 hour Powerpoint talks through the technicalities of using quotes in Literature essays for GCSE. It talks about why we use quotes, appropriate punctuation and how to embed. There are exercises to reinforce learning in class.

This lesson plan uses a mix of scaffolding and SOLO taxonomy methods to support an essay on Macbeth. It starts with the wider question then works back to help pupils identify how best to approach the question, ensuring points are tightly linked to the question and avoiding repetitive structures. I have used with both my year 10 and 11 classes with great success! Please do feedback - your comments are much appreciated!

This resource is for pupils whose first language is not English who are preparing for the GCSE English Literature exam. It includes typical slip-ups (e.g. confusing “this” and “these”) and asks pupils to reflect on accuracy at the end of the exam, by practising proof-reading skills. If you download, please leave comments so I can keep improving my materials! Thank you! Jenny

3 hour resource looks at the main components of narrative writing for GCSE, ranging from sourcing ideas, planning and technical suggestions.

This resource is to help teach pupils correct punctuation rules for punctuating dialogue correctly. It includes a short activity at the end which is based on the book Wonder by RJ Palacio. It can be adapted to any class reader.