Here are a few lessons from our Monkey Puzzle focus which forms part of our larger ‘amazing animals’ topic where we are also covering ‘rainforests’ and ‘hot and cold places’. We use ‘talk for writing’ generally but in this block I am focusing on ‘riddles’ (using adjectives and question marks) and on creating poems. I have also added an idea for art.

Here are six literacy lessons designed to fit around the story of Where the Wild Things Are. We use Talk for Writing so I will be encouraging lots of ‘imitation’ from the children during this block but our focus is on innovating our own characters, writing a letter to Max, describing story settings (using similes), using verbs to describe the wild rumpus and explorring Max’s feelings. This is aimed at Year 1 but could be adapted for Year 2. I have also added Twinkl links. I have also added an idea for an Art lesson.

I have used these resources as part of our work on the Little Red Hen - usually carried out in the autumn term of Year 1, but would be fab for Reception Class or Year 2 if differentiated. I use the Talk for Writing method to teach the story using the Powerpoint and we learn this off by heart. We map the story ourselves on the flipchart, or the children do their own version. Once the children can imitate the story we move onto innovation. I have created innovation worksheets for them to come up with their own ideas for the main character, setting, the corn and the secondary characters. When story mapping our innovated ideas I usually give them this scaffolded story map to help them with the structure whilst they slot in their own ideas. The series of lessons can end here or can be followed by a big write. I would usually allow three lessons for the big write - beginning, problem/solution, ending - and model each part. I have also added the resources for making bread during topic lessons, plus writing frames that can be used in Literacy to support this.

Revisit the story of How to Catch a Star using the story map to retell. Discuss ideas for catching a star! Explain that today they are going to write these as special instructions. Read letter from ‘the boy’ asking us to help him catch the star - see letter Revisit features of instructions - instructional language/imperative verbs, sequential/in order, can use numbers, laid out clearly, in the present tense Show Talk for Writing gestures for time openers such as ‘first’. Model on flipchart. Model also how you can go back and ‘check’ your work - write a sentence with some mistakes. Read it back together and edit with a purple pen. Provide word bank for all - openers, verbs , nouns Provide this numbered, boxed instruction template *Provide a choice of instruction openers for them to choose from and order ***Differentiated by OUTCOME

Here are some of the resources I use whilst I cover Owl Babies in my English lessons with Year 1. We use the Talk for Writing method to learn / imitate / retell the story. I have attached the script I use to assist me when not telling from the book with the gestures used to support in brackets. I have attached a ppt used to help retell the story and a cut and stick sequcning activity. I usually follow this lesson with a speech bubble lesson. I have used these lessons in the autumn term of Year 1.

Lyrics for Big Red Combine Harvester on a ppt - used as part of our work surrounding harvest time / Harvest Festival. I have used these to teach the song but also printed the pages 4xA4 and carried out sequencing activities with them in both EYFS and KS1, differentiated of course. You can edit if you sing a different version.

I have used these resources in a number of ways with both EYFS and KS1. Great to introduce the idea of making bread before a cooking activity, can follow by sequencing and/or instructional writing. I also tend to talk Talk for Writing gestures to help the children learn the sequence by heart. Great as part of a Little Red Hen topic.

Building a zip wire to help Zog fly: Read the story of Zog. He was very resilient wasn’t he? He did struggle to fly though, didn’t he? What ways can you think of to help someone fly? Hear ideas and write on the board. Zip wire, that’s a good idea! Today we are going to make a zip wire to help our Zog fly! We will use some characters to test it! Children are to choose a character from the small world basket. Watch zipwire videos for inspiration. Recap the forces associated that we have covered in science. What are the variables here and which forces will effect the speed of the zipwire? What could change how well the zip wire works? Hear ideas: The type of string/ribbon used - friction Whether it is windy, whether we push it - thrust Whether it is on an incline - gravity What variable shall we change? Let’s change the incline - what do they think will happen and why e.g. “I think the highest one will go fastest because it has more gravity.” Ask children to fill in their prediction Allow children to make their own zipline character by using a pipe cleaner, threading it through a straw to attach it to the character and then tying it around the character Allow children to make a zipline in groups and try it out Test it together to compare against our prediction

To use alongside work on this classic Oliver Jeffers book. Included: One document contains: A letter from the penguin Lost poster template Template for brainstorming adjectives to use The other contains: A template to write a diary by ‘the boy’ Word mat to support

A speech bubble from both Bill and Janet from the Julia Donaldson Classic, The Smeds and the Smoos. Editable

Here are some resources I have used as part of a series of lessons looking at the story The Way Back Home, by Oliver Jeffers. We follow a creative curriculum and use the Talk for Writing (Pie Corbett) method as our basis for Literacy teaching. I have included (in the order I taught it): Lesson planning for a series of lessons with differentiated objectives A ‘questions for the boy’ worksheet - we talked about how the story raised more Qs than it answered and looked at how to write a question. We made question word wands (I used Twinkl for the words) and looked at question marks. The children thought of a question, or some questions, for ‘the boy’ A letter from ‘the boy’ - The boy wrote back! He challenged us to help us think of a way to fix his spacecraft. Instructions template Instructions wordmat - split into imperative verbs and nouns A settings Powerpoint, with adjectives

I use the animals to help the children grasp the concept of ‘around the world’, then we look at our place in the world. I usually follow this with a craft to home in on their place in the world.

I use this worksheet as part of a lesson looking at character descriptions in line with my Room on the Broom lesson series.

I use this workshop alongside topic work surrounding any story with a witch or wizard to help enrich the creative curriculum and introduce some early science. I have used with Reception and Year 1. In Year 1, the focus is predicting and testing. We talk about what waterproof / absorbent means and look at some materials at carpet time. We made predictions on the worksheet. We then use some materials to make a cape for a paper/card template. We then tested with spray bottles filled with water.

I use this record sheet alongside the classic ‘rocket balloon’ experiment as part of my series of science lessons. It can be used for Years 1 or 2.

I created this checklist to help a child in my class remember which items to bring each day. It is editable.

I love this, and so do my children. They have to start on the first one and then find the strip that has the answer in orange, then answer that one! It is editable so you can make more!