Macbeth Character Analysis: Differentiated writing frame for lower ability.
Grade 4: Point, Evidence, Analysis of language
Grade 5: Add second zoom in to language
Grade 6: Add alternative interpretations
Grade 7: Add supporting/complicating quotations
Also includes advice on how to create a thesis-style introduction.
‘A thesis-style introduction that demonstrates your understanding of the question can be a really helpful way of starting your answer. It shows that you are ‘in charge’ of your essay and that you know what you think. It can provide a strong foundation for the rest of the essay. Keep referring back to the introduction to create a coherent response.’ AQA examiner’s report 2022
Creating a thesis-style introduction is a challenge for many students but is essential in helping students to reach levels 4-6 in the mark scheme. I have produced a simple 3 point structure to help students quickly generate a thesis statement in timed exam conditions. There is an example of the 3 point structure being used and then students attempt to imitate the structure for 4 other exam-style questions.
Differentiated Writing frame that can be adapted to any text from Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet to A Christmas Carol and Jekyll and Hyde. Ideal to use with lower ability students.
Aiming for Grade 4: Point, evidence, analysis
Aiming for Grade 5: Double zoom in to language
Aiming for Grade 6: Double zoom in and alternative interpretations
Aiming for Grade 7: 2 contrasting quotations, double zoom in, alternative interpretations, summative comment
Also contains advice on how to write thesis statement introductions in an easy to emulate 3 sentence structure.
Structured worksheets to support the teaching of Reading Paper 1 AQA 2017 style 8 mark questions. The 5 worksheets are based on extracts from the following novels:
Great Expectations
Jane Eyre
Tender is the Night
Of Mice and Men
To Kill a Mockingbird.
A lesson that walks students through how to answer an exam question on attitudes to the supernatural in Macbeth. The featured extract comes from Act 1 Scene 3. The lesson includes annotations of the extract, a grade 9 sample answer and annotations for quotations to use from outside the extract to finish the response.
Also contains an alternative lesson which uses Act 1 Scene 1 as the starting extract. This lesson is actually better.
An exam walk-through lesson exploring the importance of masculinity in Macbeth. The lesson includes annotations for the given extract (Act 1 Scene 7) and then examines 3 other parts of the play that could be used to complete the response. There is also a model paragraph to help get students started on their response.
Planning sheet to give ideas for a creative writing exercise on the theme of trapped.
There is also a mid ability example response for students to annotate.
Printer friendly resource for a differentiated carousel group activity in which each group has to teach others a myth and complete the table.
The 5 myths in order of difficulty starting with the hardest:
Tantalus
Icarus
Trojan Horse
Perseus
Orpheus
GCSE Revision sheet containing key quotations linked to main characters and themes.
Includes an answer sheet for the test on key quotations for each character.
Also includes the play divided into scenes using page numbers with an activity asking students to find key quotations from each scene.
A handy revision grid containing key quotations for the main characters in Animal Farm. Can be used in lots of ways such as to help plan exam responses on characters and themes.
Contains an activity where students convert the character revision grid into a theme revision grid by finding character quotations to transfer onto the theme grid.
I also have a similar version which also includes brief explanations of the key quotations:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/dashboard/resource-management/add-resource/12272556/published
Here is a lesson that offers a step by step guide on how to plan and construct a grade 9 response on the theme of kingship.
Many teachers are predicting kingship may be the theme this year due to the recent coronation.
Also includes an aspirational high grade response for students to read which has been written specifically in the wake of the 2022 examiner report to ensure I am hitting level 6 for A03.
Also presented in the form of 6 revision flashcards to assist with revision.
A grade 9 response to the question about how Dickens presents ideas about joy and happiness in A Christmas Carol.
In yellow, I have the moments in the essay that do most to push the response into band 6 at the top of the mark scheme through the sensitive exploration word connotations and wider interpretations.
Also included is the essay converted into 6 revision cards to make revision easier.
Also contains a 24 slide lesson guiding students on how to create an exam response with perceptive inferences aimed at meeting A02 and A03.
Also contains two high grade responses side by side so students can judge which should go into level 5 and which should go into level 6. This always leads to fruitful discussions.
Check out my shop for other A Christmas Carol resources:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-theme-revision-cards-poverty-isolation-ghosts-christmas-family-11869145
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-gcse-differentiated-revision-sheets-on-themes-and-context-11387723
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/stave-1-and-stave-5-scrooge-s-transformation-in-a-christmas-carol-11503154
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-grade-9-lesson-and-essays-on-ghosts-11552659
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-100-comprehension-questions-with-answer-sheet-12450748
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/revise-themes-in-a-christmas-carol-family-isolation-poverty-charity-christmas-supernatural-11577227
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/grade-9-a-christmas-carol-exam-responses-12220340
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-top-50-quotations-11901568
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-3-grade-9-model-answers-for-eduqas-gcse-exam-style-11797550
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/grade-9-response-on-poverty-in-a-christmas-carol-12512988
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/6-grade-9-model-essays-on-a-christmas-carol-for-aqa-or-eduqas-11896608
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/a-christmas-carol-aqa-1-9-super-bundle-11532059#
Tes paid licence
A detailed 17 slide full lesson analysing Ralph’s character in Lord of the Flies. Includes a starter, summary task, detailed annotations of 8 key quotations and a sample high level model response answering the following question:
How does Golding present Ralph as a leader in Lord of the Flies?
Write about:
• what Ralph says and does as a leader
• how Golding uses Ralph to explore ideas about leadership.
Updated for 2023, 4 differentiated writing frames to 4 actual AQA power and conflict past exam questions. Each writing frame has 3 tiers of difficulty to allow for the fact different students in the class require different levels of support and guidance in the run up to the examinations.
Tier 1: Students add the analysis of the quotations. The topic sentences and recommended quotations are already filled in for them.
Tier 2: Students must pick their own 3 quotations from each poem and analyse the quotations.
Tier 3: Students must pick their own topic sentences, quotations and then analsyse the quotations.
The questions covered are as follows:
2021 question: Compare how poets present ideas about power and control in ‘London’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and conflict’. (30)
Nov 2020 question: Compare how poets present the ways people are affected by difficult experiences in ‘Remains’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and conflict’. (30)
May 2019 question: Compare how poets present the ways that people are affected by war in ‘War Photographer’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and conflict’. (30)
May 2018 question: Compare how poets present ideas about power in ‘Ozymandias’ and in one other poem from ‘Power and conflict’. (30)
Also includes more writing frames to help structure comparisons that I made a few years ago. The poems that feature in the writing frames include:
Storm on the Island and Exposure (conflict with nature)
Prelude and Ozymandias (power)
Tissue and Ozymandias (conflict)
Bayonet Charge and Charge of the light brigade (conflict)
Storm on the Island and The Prelude (conflict)
London and The Emigree (power of a place)
Remains and Poppies (conflict)
War Photographer and Remains (conflict)
My Last Duchess and Ozymandias (power of pride)
My Last Duchess and Checking out me History (frustration)
This was great for teaching students how to compare two poems from the Power and Conflict section of the anthology. Students follow the detailed writing frame to complete the comparison using the prompts and structure provided. The writing frame guides students to ensure they meet the criteria for A01, A02 and A03.
Also includes all lessons for teaching Poppies and Remains individually to prepare for the comparison with various resources.
A complete lesson about ghosts in the novel to help lead students towards creating a grade 9 response to a GCSE style question on the theme of ghosts in A Christmas Carol using a 9 step process. Students go on to read the grade 9 exemplars and trace how I have followed the 9 step process.
Also includes 6 revision cards about the supernatural in the novella.