Alphabet letters g, h, i, and their sounds, are presented here in pale colours for over-writing, alongside pictures of familiar things starting with those letters/sounds: gorilla, hat, igloo. The full words are left to the young reader to think of and sound out, bringing meaning and relevance to the letters, rather than baffling them with whole written words. This activity links up with my others in this style, so far a, b, c, d, and (recapping) c, d, e, f. You’ll find these and lots more simple phonics activities at my shop (search for ‘Phonics’ and ‘Phonic’). Also colouring to do. Tried and tested with success.

The climate change crisis, global warming, the greenhouse effect - these are key phrases in today’s heated global debate about the future of our planet. This word bank supports climate emergency discussion in the classroom with words for all aspects: causes - fossil fuels, carbon emissions, deforestation… , cattle-breeding, to effects - melting ice, rising sea levels, extreme weather, damaged ecosystem, broken food chain…, and goals - cleaner air, renewable energy sources, alternative lifestyles. The double column of words will help teachers and students alike, in group chats, debates, writing tasks and research projects. Rather than offer a vast maze of terms, it offers a broad selection, each potentially spurring further concepts and word choices.

Simple writing and colouring autumn leaf sheet for emergent and newly independent writers. Children can either write on the lines (leaf veins), turning the paper round as need be, which is fun to do, or they can write their words in the gaps or round the outside of the picture. Suggested words to prompt for: yellow, brown, red, golden, curly, floaty, light, colourful, soft, thin, old, torn, spotty, pretty, flappy, delicate, crispy.

Bring your dinosaurs topic alive with this fun, punchy, crazy, rhyming poem about a school child sighting a dinosaur. As a published children’s poet, I wrote this specially for TES users, for this purpose. It can also be used as reading material, an example of rhyme or rhythm, or just a great way to start the day and put a smile on everyone’s face. But DID the dinosaur cheat in the spelling test, as the narrator suspects? What’s the verdict in your classroom.

8 outdoor-classroom literacy ideas. Outdoor learning addresses obesity, fitness, mental wellbeing, brainpower, and pupil attitude, inspiring and stimulating through fun, fresh air and free movement. The change of setting from the classroom, and the sensual stimuli of outside influences brings learning alive for children. This ideas list for Literacy lessons will help you maximize use of your school grounds and environment for reading, writing, creativity and performance skills, motivating and stretching students of all abilities and ages.

Pirate treasure from the sea bed could be beautiful, mouldy or smashed to bits. It could be flamboyant or faded, delicate or dangerous, and you might find it floating and drifting or submerged and water-logged. It’ll probably be secret, too - stolen, smuggled and concealed. All these words and many more are listed in this mind-stretching word bank. Either read out from it yourself or copy and distribute it around your class, for selecting and trying out, or to trigger other ideas. Encourage some of these words in conversation too. VIDEO SUPPORT: me reading my published poem, ‘Treasure Chest Mystery’ - details on my website, poemsforfun.wordpress.com : https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMarEm9uVBDEGPTykSlkAfT6jdVArKlPen6X5lk1le7dqUc89gEztNjSO7V6qsxUQ?key=X0hIWmdaV1M0Q2lHYURKbDdIVFFPMTVBTWRUdkhn SEE ALSO: **Under the Sea **poem frame: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/under-the-sea-poem-frame-example-y2-4-11922054 , Seabed Rhymes Y2-4: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-seabed-rhymes-fun-rhyming-couplet-frames-ks2-11892578 . Seabed Mystery Poem Frame KS2: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/seabed-mystery-poem-frame-ks2-guide-11892739 and Treasure Map alliteration game: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/treasure-map-alliteration-game-yr1-6-guide-for-use-11887395

Sea life and a scattering of treasure fill this lively picture, with patterned fish, a graceful seahorse, a playful dolphin, various types of shell, seaweed and other details, plus sailing boat, kite, gulls and summer sky. Ideal for bright, varied, detailed colouring, teaching children about the world as they draw. See also my simpler colouring sheet: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/boat-on-sea-colouring-sheet-12096606 Supporting video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wkeZ8K6iCfcFQneZ9

National Curriculum word lists for Year 2 are represented, category by category, in these 2 spelling tests. Each comes with teacher’s version to read out and children’s child-friendly version to write. First test has 15 questions; second has 16. The children’s versions have gaps to fill; the teacher’s versions have words highlighted to instruct children to write in the gaps provided, as in SATs tests. Children’s papers also have stars to colour in at start and end. See also child-friendly word lists for reading practice and assessment: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-spelling-reading-assessment-practice-mid-level-12107263, https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-spelling-reading-assessment-practice-sheet-hardest-12107572 (mid-level + hardest).

Get your reluctant writers dashing down ideas on this crazy-fun writing sheet! Supporting video (2nd half): https://youtu.be/sITQrMuDrfg What would a Martian, or alien, like to eat? Star dust salad? Rocket roast? Soup served on a flying saucer? The starter words spur ideas to fill up the lines, with desserts and drinks included! Accompanying Ideas Sheet offers teacher-support for prompting and guiding. Supports space study, literacy and food science, all in one! **SEE ALSO: Funny Space Rhymes: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/funny-space-rhymes-12051967. ** Also many space poetry resources to read, write and build together, at my TES shop, .e.g. on page 2: ces/shop/katewilliams_poetry?p=2 .

24 hardest level KS1 words for practice and assessment of reading and spelling. Attractively decorated sheet with unconnected words, each type taken from the National Curriculum KS2 word list (2018) - wide range included. **See my two easier versions also in blue and peach: 3-letter word list (easiest), https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-reading-test-practice-3-letter-words-12107255 harder (mid-level) - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-reading-assessment-practice-harder-12107263

This KS1 reading/spelling assessment or practice sheet contains 28 words of low to mid difficulty. The word types are drawn from the National Curriculum Y1-2 spelling list, and include 2-letter vowels, as in cart and fur, long vowels, as in lake, double letter followed by ed/ing, consonants of 2 letters, e.g. ch, unusual spellings, as in call, and other spellings beyond basic phonics. A bright, cheerfully decorated sheet for practice and monitoring. See also KS1 reading test - simpler version (pale orange) - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-reading-test-practice-3-letter-words-12107255

Alphabet letters a-z are included in the 22 simple words in this decorative reading assessment/practice sheet. The vowels are all short, 1-letter ones, as in zip, pot and fun. There is one 4-letter word - quit - to include q. Suitable for early years and lower ability Yr 1 readers. See also - harder version also, in blue https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ks1-reading-assessment-practice-harder-12107263

Bring Literacy, Space studies and Healthy Living to life with this hilarious writing sheet. How do Martians keep fit? By swinging from the moon? By running round black holes? By competing in floating races? The line-starters and prompts will fire up ideas and set pens rolling. See the accompanying guide sheet for examples and ideas to prompt with. Recommended for Yr 2 upwards. Pool ideas first - both for space features and keep-fit methods, and share ideas for filling the gaps before independent writing. SEE ALSO: Meals for Martians - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/meals-for-martians-fun-sheet-guide-12115040, and Funny Space Rhymes - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/funny-space-rhymes-12051967 . More space writing resources at my shop: https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/katewilliams_poetry?sortBy=newest&p=2 .

Promote exercise and physical fitness with this acrostic poem sheet, using the letters of ‘Active’ to start words or phrases, e.g. Alive for A. Examples page accompanies the writing sheet, with suggestions for single words and whole phrases. SEE ALSO: Keeping on the move - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/keeping-on-the-move-fitness-rhyme-for-all-ages-12106811

This fruit rhyme lists some of the many ways that fruit can help you - by giving you energy, making you feel and look good, etc., with references to hair, skin, weight, figure, mood and more. For girls and boys of all ages. Rhythmic, rhyming, punchy and fun. SEE ALSO - Healthy Eating Acrostic https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/healthy-eating-acrostic-writing-frame-ideas-sheet-12075496 and Oranges rhyme - **https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/oranges-rhyme-healthy-eating-support-12076883 **

Children of all ages will love this inspiring, yet simple creative writing frame. The flowing lines between the gliding, twirling dragonflies offer infinite scope for poetic expression. IDEAS: Some children may like to fill the lines with adjectives (glittery, bright, fast, delicate…), others with verbs (darting, gliding, shooting, dancing…); others again might write phrases (like - dazzling dragonflies hovering in the silky blue), similes (fast as jets, bright as bows…), or rhymes (delicate dragonfly/in the azure sky/lightly, brightly zig-zagging by). PREPARE your class by building ideas and language, perhaps with the help of watching real ones, live or on a video, miming their movements and sharing language ideas. Supports Literacy, including poetry, vocabulary and creativity. Also supports topics: seasons & weather, mini-beasts, flight, animals, forces, travel, symmetry, colour, movement, environment, and more. **SEE ALSO: BUTTERFLY - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/butterfly-picture-poem-frame-eyfs-y1-guidance-notes-11885225 , LADYBIRD - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/ladybird-picture-poem-frame-early-yrs-yr1-guidance-notes-11885212, SPIDER - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/2-spider-picture-poem-frames-guide-11887282 .