I have been a primary teacher since 2007. I have taught across the primary range. I am also a qualified SENDCo and I have a MA in Education and a MSc in Developmental Psychology. My resources are aimed at children in KS1 and KS2 and can be adapted to meet the needs of a class.
I have been a primary teacher since 2007. I have taught across the primary range. I am also a qualified SENDCo and I have a MA in Education and a MSc in Developmental Psychology. My resources are aimed at children in KS1 and KS2 and can be adapted to meet the needs of a class.
The National Curriculum states that children should be taught to use basic geographical to refer to key physical features, including beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather. Also children should be taught to use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage.
In this lesson children will learn about mountains. Firstly, children will label a mountain landscape and discuss the geographical terms. Children will then participate in a quiz about mountains. Children will learn about the highest mountains in each of the four nations. Children will label the locations of the highest mountains if each of the four home nations on a map of the United Kingdom. There are extension activities for the higher-achieving children.
What is included?
Full lesson plan.
PowerPoint for the lesson.
Labelled mountain landscape (differentiated on three levels)
Mountain landscape extension questions for higher-achieving children.
Mountains quiz!
Photographs of mountains in the United Kingdom and fact cards.
Map of the United Kingdom with labelled locations of its mountains (differentiated on three levels).
Map of the United Kingdom with mountains labelled extension questions for higher-achieving children.
Files included:
Mountains of the United Kingdom: Single Lesson for Year 1/2 Lesson Plan in PDF file.
Mountains of the United Kingdom: Single Lesson for Year 1/2 Lesson PowerPoint.
The National Curriculum states that children should be taught to name and locate counties and cities of the United Kingdom, geographical regions and their identifying human and physical characteristics, key topographical features (including hills, mountains, coasts and rivers, and land-use patterns); and understand how some of these aspects have changed over time. Children should also be taught how to use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied.
In this lesson children learn about the cities of the United Kingdom. Prior learning from key stage 1 is revised including the capital cities of the four nations. Children participate in a cities of the UK quiz which can either be presented in paper form or used for the basis of a ‘Corners Game’. Children use google maps or an atlas to find cities in the UK and plot their location on a blank map of the UK. Children identify landmarks of cities in the United Kingdom and then children create fact files on landmarks in the UK and/or a city in the UK of their own choice.
In this informative bundle children learn all about the weather and climate. In lesson 1 children learn about recording and forecasting the weather. In lesson 2 children identify the four seasons in the United Kingdom and the changes in the weather that occur. In lesson 3 children learn about extreme weather and its effects on people’s lives. In lesson 4 children learn about the polar regions including their location and climate. Children also learn about animals that live there including polar bears and emperor penguins. In lesson 5 children learn about desert regions including their location and climate. Children learn about plants and animals that live in the desert including the meercat and the saguaro cactus. Finally, in lesson 6 children learn about tropical rainforests including their location and climate. Children can conduct research into a rainforest animal of their own choice.
About this unit:
This is a ten-lesson unit of English work based on the reading and writing of instructions. It is intended for Lower Key Stage 2. This unit follows the 2014 National Curriculum objectives which are outlined below. The English objectives covered by this unit are highlighted in yellow.
The ten lessons in this unit allow children to explore, discuss and understand instructions writing. During the first week children will plan, write and edit instructions based on making a margherita pizza. However, before this process begins the teacher will model how to prepare the pizza using the model instructions. This allows children to experience instructions in real life. In the second week, children will use their instructions from the previous week to make their own pizza. In addition, children will create an instructions PowerPoint based on this process. Children will be able to adapt and improve their written instructions whilst making their own pizza and this learning will be reflected in their final PowerPoint presentation. Sample pictures of a margherita pizza have been included with this resource and can be found in a separate Word file.
What is included?
• A sheet with the National Curriculum English objectives for Y3/4 which are highlighted to help track and assess the progress of the class; to track coverage of the English curriculum and to show what objectives the unit covers.
• NEW Printable child-friendly learning objectives for children’s books.
• Instructions planning for ten days including possible D&T cross-curricular links.
• NEW Now includes a PowerPoint containing the lesson structure and learning activities for all ten lessons of the unit which can be presented to the children. The PowerPoint design and content can be adjusted to suit the needs of a class.
• Instructions texts that children could read and discuss including a simplified version for lower-achieving children.
• Boxing-up plans for instructions (differentiated on two levels with writing frame included for lower-achieving children).
• Success criteria for instructions (differentiated on three levels).
• Margherita pizza pictures in a separate Word file.
The photographs taken in Resource 12 are of the finished margherita pizza.
he National Curriculum states that Children should be taught to use basic geographical to refer to key physical features, including beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather. Also children should be taught to use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage. Children should be taught to use simple compass directions (North, South, East or West) and locational and directional language for example: near and far; left and right, to describe the location and features and routes on a map.
In this lesson children will learn about rivers in the United Kingdom. Firstly, children learn about the course of a river and label a simple diagram. Children will then participate in a quiz about rivers which tests children’s knowledge about the features of the course of a river. Children will then name and locate some of the rivers in the United Kingdom before learning about some of the animals that live in or around a river.
What is included?
*** Complete lesson plan.**
PowerPoint for the lesson.
Labelled course of a river diagram (differentiated on three levels)
Course of a river extension questions for higher-achieving children.
Rivers quiz!
Photographs of rivers in the United Kingdom and fact cards.
Animals that live in rivers: links to YouTube videos.
Animals that live in rivers: fact sheet for class and extension for higher-achieving children.**
Files included:
Rivers of the United Kingdom: Single Lesson for Year 1/2 Lesson Plan in a PDF File.
Rivers of the United Kingdom: Single Lesson for Year 1/2 Lesson PowerPoint.
he National Curriculum states that children should be taught to identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the equator and the North and South Poles. Children should be taught to use world maps, atlases and globes to identify the United Kingdom and its countries, as well as the countries, continents and oceans studied at this key stage.
In this lesson children learn about the equatorial climate of the world’s tropical rainforests and their location across the world. Children label the location of the world’s tropical rainforests on a map of the world and also consolidate their previous learning about the continents of the world. Children complete a tropical rainforests quiz which consolidates their learning about the climate and location of the tropical rainforests. Children visualise and draw what they imagine a tropical rainforest looks like. Children conduct research into a tropical rainforest animal of their own choice.
What is included?
Complete lesson plan.
PowerPoint for the lesson.
World map with rainforest locations labelled.
World map: tropical rainforest location questions activity.
Tropical rainforests quiz!
What do you think a tropical rainforest looks like? Activity sheet.
Photograph of a tropical rainforest.
Link to YouTube video describing the layers of a tropical rainforest.
Links to YouTube videos about tropical rainforest animals.
Tropical rainforest animals activity sheet for the class and extension activity sheet for higher-achieving children.*
Files included:
Tropical Rainforests: Single Lesson for Year 1/2 Lesson Plan in a PDF file.
Tropical Rainforests: Single Lesson for Year 1/2 Lesson PowerPoint
This informative bundle contains five lessons teaching children about the United Kingdom and the wider world. In the first lesson children will identify the five oceans and seven continents. In the second lesson children will identify the countries of the United Kingdom. In the third lesson will research about one of the countries of the United Kingdom. In the fourth lesson children will identify the oceans and seas surrounding the United Kingdom and in the fifth lesson children will describe the location of the United Kingdom in relation to nearby countries and continents. Throughout this unit of work will develop their location knowledge and skills using maps. Click on each lesson for information.
The National Curriculum states that children should be taught to name, locate and identify characteristics of the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas. Children should also be taught to use basic geographic vocabulary to refer to key physical features including: beach, cliff, coast, forest, hill, mountain, sea, ocean, river, soil, valley, vegetation, season and weather.
This lesson enhances children’s knowledge of geographical vocabulary referring to the seaside. A picture of a coastline is used as a stimulus to build children’s knowledge of such vocabulary. Children consolidate their knowledge of the countries of the United Kingdom and learn to identify the names of the seas and oceans that surround the United Kingdom. Children label the locations of the seas and oceans on a map of the United Kingdom.
What is included?
PowerPoint for the lesson.
Coast picture to discuss geographical vocabulary.
Coast picture activity for children to complete based on discussed geographical vocabulary (differentiated on three levels).
Map of the United Kingdom with labelled countries, cities, seas and oceans.
Outline of map of United Kingdom for children to label countries, seas and oceans (differentiated on three levels).
Files Included:
The United Kingdom Coasts, Seas and Oceans: Single Lesson for Year 1/2 PDF File.
The United Kingdom Coasts, Seas and Oceans Lesson PowerPoint.
In this informative bundle children will learn about coasts, rivers and mountains.
In lesson 1 children learn all about coasts . They will learn and understand geographical vocabulary used to describe coasts. Children will also use a map of the world to identify countries with a coastline and countries that are landlocked. Children will also research animals that live by the coast…
In lesson 2 children will learn about the rivers of the United Kingdom. The will take part in an informative quiz learning facts abouts rivers. Children will identify the locations of rivers and they will identify animals that live in and around rivers.
In lesson 3 children will learn about mountains. Children will learn the geographical vocabulary associated with rivers. Children will also locate the mountains of the United Kingdom using a map of the United Kingdom.
The kangaroo quiz contains 30 questions relating to the kangaroo including its appearance, habitat, life cycle and adaptations.
A script for the teacher including the questions and answers is included.
The quiz is presented in two ways:
As a PowerPoint for whole class participation;
As a set of 30 quiz cards intended for a pair-share starter activity where children answer the questions and then swap cards. This process is then repeated until they have answered several questions each.
National Curriculum links: Science:
Year 3/4/5: Animals, including humans;
Year 4/5/6: Living things and their habitats;
Year 6: Evolution and inheritance.
The Tasmanian devil quiz contains 30 questions relating to the Tasmanian devil including its appearance, habitat, life cycle and adaptations.
A script for the teacher including the questions and answers is included.
The quiz is presented in two ways:
As a PowerPoint for whole class participation;
As a set of 30 quiz cards intended for a pair-share starter activity where children answer the questions and then swap cards. This process is then repeated until they have answered several questions each.
National Curriculum links: Science:
Year 3/4/5: Animals, including humans;
Year 4/5/6: Living things and their habitats;
Year 6: Evolution and inheritance.
The brush-tailed possum quiz contains 20 questions relating to the brush-tailed possum including its appearance, habitat, life cycle and adaptations.
A script for the teacher including the questions and answers is included.
The quiz is presented in two ways:
As a PowerPoint for whole class participation;
As a set of 20 quiz cards intended for a pair-share starter activity where children answer the questions and then swap cards. This process is then repeated until they have answered several questions each.
National Curriculum links: Science:
Year 3/4/5: Animals, including humans;
Year 4/5/6: Living things and their habitats;
Year 6: Evolution and inheritance.
The National Curriculum states that children should be taught to use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key human features, including: city, town, village, factory, farm, house, office, port, harbour and shop. Children should be taught to use aerial photographs and plan perspectives to recognize landmarks and basic human and physical features; devise a simple map; and use and construct symbols in a key.
In this lesson children learn about villages, towns and cities including what they are and the differences between them. Children complete a quiz based on these differences. Children learn about the human features and natural features of a local village. Using Google Earth children identify the human and natural features of the village. Children learn about the different kinds of facilities available to people in towns. Children use Google Earth to identify the facilities in a town. Children carry out research into major city landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty.
The National Curriculum states that children should develop knowledge about the world, the United Kingdom and their locality. They should understand basic subject specific vocabulary relating to human and physical geography and begin to use geographical skills, including first-hand observation, to enhance their locational awareness.
In this lesson children define the difference between a route and a journey. Children participate in a quiz about routes and journeys. Children discuss their everyday journeys and research and record them. Children use a tally chart to record transport methods used to take everyday journeys. Children describe where they went on holiday and how they got there. Children research facts about migrating birds such as the osprey or swallow stating their migration routes.
About this unit:
This is a ten-lesson unit of English work based on the reading and writing of a non-chronological report. It is intended for Upper Key Stage 2. This unit follows the 2014 National Curriculum objectives which are outlined below. The English objectives covered by this unit are highlighted in yellow.
The ten lessons in this unit allow children to explore, discuss and understand a non-chronological report. During the first week children will explore a non-chronological report based on the southern cassowary which is an amazing animal living in Australia! Through guided and shared activities children will write their own version of this text ensuring they have included the correct language and organisational features. In the second week, children will carry out their own research into an Australian animal of their own choice. Children will then apply what they have learned in the first week and plan, write and edit a non-chronological report based on the Australian animal which they have chosen and then they will write a non-chronological report independently.
What is included?
• A sheet with the National Curriculum English objectives for Y5/6 which are highlighted to help track and assess the progress of the class; to track coverage of the English curriculum and to show what objectives the unit covers.
• NEW Printable child-friendly learning objectives for children’s books.
• Non-chronological report planning for 10 days including possible science cross-curricular links.
• NEW Now includes a PowerPoint containing the lesson structure and learning activities for all 10 lessons of the unit which can be presented to the children. The PowerPoint design and content can be adjusted to suit the needs of a class.
• A non-chronological report about the southern cassowary which includes details about the southern cassowary’s appearance, habitat, diet, adaptions, social behaviour and life cycle.
• A non-chronological report about the southern cassowary that has been simplified for lower-achieving children.
• A glossary for the non-chronological report about the southern cassowary.
• Boxing-up Plan for the non-chronological report about the southern cassowary (differentiated on two levels but writing frame included for lower-achieving children).
• Success Criteria for non-chronological reports (differentiated on three levels).
• Non-chronological report about the southern cassowary writing frame for lower-achieving children.
• Boxing-up Plan for research into own Australian animal (differentiated on three levels).
About this unit:
This is a ten-lesson unit of English work based on the reading and writing of a non-chronological report. It is intended for Upper Key Stage 2. This unit follows the 2014 National Curriculum objectives which are outlined below. The English objectives covered by this unit are highlighted in yellow.
The ten lessons in this unit allow children to explore, discuss and understand a non-chronological report. During the first week children will explore a non-chronological report based on the koala which is an amazing animal living in Australia! Through guided and shared activities children will write their own version of this text ensuring they have included the correct language and organisational features. In the second week, children will carry out their own research into an Australian animal of their own choice. Children will then apply what they have learned in the first week and plan, write and edit a non-chronological report based on the Australian animal which they have chosen and then they will write a non-chronological report independently.
What is included?
• A sheet with the National Curriculum English objectives for Y5/6 which are highlighted to help track and assess the progress of the class; to track coverage of the English curriculum and to show what objectives the unit covers.
• NEW Printable child-friendly learning objectives for children’s books.
• Non-chronological report planning for 10 days including possible science cross-curricular links.
• NEW Now includes a PowerPoint containing the lesson structure and learning activities for all 10 lessons of the unit which can be presented to the children. The PowerPoint design and content can be adjusted to suit the needs of a class.
• A non-chronological report about the koala which includes details about the koala’s appearance, habitat, diet, adaptions, social behaviour and life cycle.
• A non-chronological report about the koala that has been simplified for lower-achieving children.
• A glossary for the non-chronological report about the koala.
• Boxing-up Plan for the non-chronological report about the koala (differentiated on two levels but writing frame included for lower-achieving children).
• Success Criteria for non-chronological reports (differentiated on three levels).
• Non-chronological report about the koala writing frame for lower-achieving children.
• Boxing-up Plan for research into own Australian animal (differentiated on three levels).
About this unit:
This is a ten-lesson unit of English work based on the reading and writing of a non-chronological report. It is intended for Upper Key Stage 2. This unit follows the 2014 National Curriculum objectives which are outlined below. The English objectives covered by this unit are highlighted in yellow.
The ten lessons in this unit allow children to explore, discuss and understand a non-chronological report. During the first week children will explore a non-chronological report based on the kangaroo which is an amazing animal living in Australia! Through guided and shared activities children will write their own version of this text ensuring they have included the correct language and organisational features. In the second week, children will carry out their own research into an Australian animal of their own choice. Children will then apply what they have learned in the first week and plan, write and edit a non-chronological report based on the Australian animal which they have chosen and then they will write a non-chronological report independently.
What is included?
• A sheet with the National Curriculum English objectives for Y5/6 which are highlighted to help track and assess the progress of the class; to track coverage of the English curriculum and to show what objectives the unit covers.
• NEW Printable child-friendly learning objectives for children’s books.
• Non-chronological report planning for 10 days including possible science cross-curricular links.
• NEW Now includes a PowerPoint containing the lesson structure and learning activities for all 10 lessons of the unit which can be presented to the children. The PowerPoint design and content can be adjusted to suit the needs of a class.
• A non-chronological report about the kangaroo which includes details about the kangaroo’s appearance, habitat, diet, adaptions, social behaviour and life cycle.
• A non-chronological report about the kangaroo that has been simplified for lower-achieving children.
• A glossary for the non-chronological report about the kangaroo.
• Boxing-up Plan for the non-chronological report about the kangaroo (differentiated on two levels but writing frame included for lower-achieving children).
• Success Criteria for non-chronological reports (differentiated on three levels).
• Non-chronological report about the kangaroo writing frame for lower-achieving children.
• Boxing-up Plan for research into own Australian animal (differentiated on three levels).
About this unit:
This is a ten-lesson unit of English work based on the reading and writing of an explanation text. It is intended for Upper Key Stage 2. This unit follows the 2014 National Curriculum objectives which are outlined below. The English objectives covered by this unit are highlighted in yellow.
The ten lessons in this unit allow children to explore, discuss and understand an explanation text. During the first week children will explore ‘How does a Hot Air Balloon Fly?’ which is an example of explanation text linked to ‘Forces’ which year 5 children learn about in science. Through guided and shared activities children will write their own version of this text ensuring they have included the correct language and organisational features. In the second week, children will research ‘How does a Plane Fly?’ Children will then apply what they have learned in the first week and plan, write and edit an explanation text about ‘How does a Plane Fly?’ which they will write independently.
What is included?
• A sheet with the National Curriculum English objectives for Y5/6 which are highlighted to help track and assess the progress of the class; to track coverage of the English curriculum and to show what objectives the unit covers.
• NEW Printable child-friendly learning objectives for children’s books.
• Explanation planning for 10 days including possible science cross-curricular links.
• NEW Now includes a PowerPoint containing the lesson structure and learning activities for all 10 lessons of the unit which can be presented to the children. The PowerPoint design and content can be adjusted to suit the needs of a class.
• ‘How does a Hot Air Balloon Fly?’ Explanation text.
• ‘How does a Hot Air Balloon Fly?’ Technical words glossary.
• Hot air balloon annotated diagram.
• Hot air balloon annotated diagram and explanation (for lower-achieving children).
• Text analysis for ‘How does a Hot Air Balloon Fly?’ Explanation text (for higher-achieving children).
• Boxing-up plan for ‘How does a Hot Air Balloon Fly?’ (differentiated on three levels).
• Success criteria for an explanation text (differentiated on three levels).
• Writing frame for lower-achieving children for ‘How does a Hot Air Balloon Fly?’
• ‘How does a Plane Fly?’ Diagram.
• Boxing-up plan for ‘How does a Plane Fly?’ (differentiated on three levels).
• Writing frame for lower-achieving children for ‘How does a Plane Fly?’
• Instructions for ‘How to Pack a Hot Air Balloon Away.’
About this unit:
This is a ten-lesson unit of English work based on the reading and writing of a non-chronological report. It is intended for Lower Key Stage 2. This unit follows the 2014 National Curriculum objectives which are outlined below. The English objectives covered by this unit are highlighted in yellow.
The ten lessons in this unit allow children to explore, discuss and understand a non-chronological report. During the first week children will explore a non-chronological report based on the mudskipper fish which is an amazing animal living in Australia! Through guided and shared activities children will write their own version of this text ensuring they have included the correct language and organisational features. In the second week, children will carry out their own research into an Australian animal of their own choice. Children will then apply what they have learned in the first week and plan, write and edit a non-chronological report based on the Australian animal that they have chosen and then they will write a non-chronological report independently.
Alternatively, in the second week, children could focus on a fish living in the United Kingdom. This would allow children to explore the similarities and differences between the two animals in science lessons.
What is included?
• A sheet with the National Curriculum English objectives for Y3/4 which are highlighted to help track and assess the progress of the class; to track coverage of the English curriculum and to show what objectives the unit covers.
• NEW Printable child-friendly learning objectives for children’s books.
• Non-chronological report planning for 10 days including possible science cross-curricular links.
• NEW Now includes a PowerPoint containing the lesson structure and learning activities for all 10 lessons of the unit which can be presented to the children. The PowerPoint design and content can be adjusted to suit the needs of a class.
• A non-chronological report about the mudskipper fish which includes details about its appearance, habitat, diet and lifecycle.
• NEW A non-chronological report about the mudskipper fish that has been simplified for lower-achieving children.
• NEW A glossary for the non-chronological report about the mudskipper fish.
• NEW Mudskipper fish food chain diagram.
• Boxing-up plan for the non-chronological report about the mudskipper fish (differentiated on two levels but there is a writing frame for lower-achieving children).
• Non-chronological report about the mudskipper fish writing frame for lower-achieving children.
• Success Criteria for non-chronological reports (differentiated on three levels).
• Flexible boxing-up plan for independent research into an Australian animal or an animal living in the United Kingdom (differentiated on three levels).
Please Note: Mudskipper Fish: Non-Chronological Report Planning for Year 5/6 is also available!
About this unit:
This is a ten-lesson unit of English work based on the reading and writing of a non-chronological report. It is intended for Upper Key Stage 2. This unit follows the 2014 National Curriculum objectives which are outlined below. The English objectives covered by this unit are highlighted in yellow.
The ten lessons in this unit allow children to explore, discuss and understand a non-chronological report. During the first week children will explore a non-chronological report based on the blue penguin which is an amazing animal living in New Zealand! Through guided and shared activities children will write their own version of this text ensuring they have included the correct language and organisational features. In the second week, children will carry out their own research into a New Zealand animal of their own choice. Children will then apply what they have learned in the first week and plan, write and edit a non-chronological report based on the New Zealand animal which they have chosen and then they will write a non-chronological report independently.
What is included?
• A sheet with the National Curriculum English objectives for Y5/6 which are highlighted to help track and assess the progress of the class; to track coverage of the English curriculum and to show what objectives the unit covers.
• NEW Printable child-friendly learning objectives for children’s books.
• Non-chronological report planning for 10 days including possible science cross-curricular links.
• NEW Now includes a PowerPoint containing the lesson structure and learning activities for all 10 lessons of the unit which can be presented to the children. The PowerPoint design and content can be adjusted to suit the needs of a class.
• A non-chronological report about the blue penguin which includes details about the blue penguin’s appearance, habitat, diet, adaptions, social behaviour and life cycle.
• A non-chronological report about the blue penguin that has been simplified for lower-achieving children.
• A glossary for the non-chronological report about the blue penguin.
• Boxing-up Plan for the non-chronological report about the blue penguin (differentiated on two levels but writing frame included for lower-achieving children).
• Success Criteria for non-chronological reports (differentiated on three levels).
• Non-chronological report about the blue penguin writing frame for lower-achieving children.
• Boxing-up Plan for research into own New Zealand animal (differentiated on three levels).