A homework activity to build pupil’s vocabulary when discussing characters and themes in An Inspector Calls. Task asks pupils to look up definitions for key vocab and then apply and find the links to characters in the play. This can then feed into lessons.

A powerpoint which encompasses revision of key events of the whole play, mapping a timeline with key quotes, which all lend themselves to the theme of power, which leads on to a practice exam question which students began in lesson and completed for homework. Originally used as a 2 hour revision lesson prior to their mock exam (where they sat the June 2023 Macbeth Q).

Powerpoint resource on the assessment: ‘How does the writer use language in the text to present the character of Hyde?’ from an extract taken from CH. 1 of the novel. (Can easily be adapted to ask pupils to compare to the rest of the text too.) Included in the resource is: the assessment question with scaffold to remind pupils how to respond to the Q. a DIRT lesson that includes a model answer, a model annotation of a single quotation, and then a selected quotation for pupils to then annotate themselves (with the focus on, ‘a lot from a little’ ). Pupils can then rewrite new, improved PEA paragraphs based on the quotations selected for them, and the annotations made. A peer assessment task.

A lesson on exploring and reviewing the structural features used so far within the play (at the start of Act 2), with a task comparing the start of Act 1, with the start of act 2, searching for similarities and differences, moving onto specifically exploring the role of dramatic irony.

A lesson exploring the confrontation between the two mothers in Act 2, from the angle of exploring the power shift between the two mothers since Act 1.

Two lessons exploring the characterisation of Mr Lyons across the play, leading to an assessment task. Lessons are suitable for KS3 or lower ability KS4. Easily adapted for higher ability KS4.

I have created DIRT tasks on the AQA Lang P1 2019 paper Q2 & 3, which my class used as a mock/inidicative assessment. The slides include typed up copies of the indicative content, which pupils then used to ‘magpie’ ideas, to improve their own responses. This also enables pupils to be engaged with the markscheme and develop their understanding of have their responses are graded against 4 levels: simple, some, clear, perceptive - and what that may actually look like on paper.

Booklet to accompany study of Of Mice and Men (OMAM), considering the differences between dialect, accent and standard English. Can be used as part of a SOW on the text, but has also been successfully set as cover work too.

A lesson exploring the theme of crime and violence in the play, exploring the context of high unemployment in the 1980’s and Thatcherite Britain.

An introductory lesson to explore the theme of Nature vs Nurture in Blood Brothers. Suitable for first time study of the play.

DIRT tasks for AQA Lang P2, Q2 & 3 - ‘Discoveries’ with model answers. Best used for after the class have attempted these questions for themselves. I set the questions as a mini in-class assessment and then used the following for DIRT. Included are example answers for Q2 &3 where pupils are to mark and annotate the examples, from a ‘expert’ checklist, and then use ideas from the examples to improve their own: ‘magpie’. PLEASE NOTE: cannot be credited as creating Q paper, but the model answers and the PP is my own)

A powerpoint introducing the Christmas Truce of WW1, exploring how the soldiers would have been feeling. This culminates in pupils writing a letter home, as a soldier, explaining what has happened and how they feel about it. Used in conjunction with studying WW1 poetry.

An introductory lesson to persuasive speeches, using Room 101 tv show.

A series of four lessons exploring the context, key themes and plot summary of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for a ‘eyes wide open’ approach to teaching the novella.

A homework sheet for pupils to completed, locating quotations / lines that reflect themes. Used in a LA set.

8 week’s worth of homework on Macbeth to support the study and revision of the play. Tasks focus on supporting vocabulary of pupils, linking vocabulary to our study of the play, as well as tasks on context, SPaG and a ‘Elizabethan pronoun’ challenge. All tasks have been designed so they can easily be marked in class either as self/peer assessment (to reduce teacher marking!) but also designed to be purposeful to student’s learning. Pupils will need to know the plot / summary of the play in order to complete these tasks (i.e. I always begin teaching Macbeth with context and summary / main plot, before studying in more detail).

Worksheet for KS3/KS4 on word classes.

A reading log for pupils to keep track of where they are.

Shakespearean language Starter activity - Thou, thee, thine and thy Activity Task, with answer slide.