I am an ex-primary head teacher and English, Maths and History specialist. I've mostly worked in KS2, often in Year 6. Although for the last two years, I've been working in Year 1, which has been delightful!
All the resources have been used successfully with children in a range of schools all over the country.
I am constantly reviewing and updating my resources. Please follow me to ensure that you have the most up to date versions of the resources you buy.
I am an ex-primary head teacher and English, Maths and History specialist. I've mostly worked in KS2, often in Year 6. Although for the last two years, I've been working in Year 1, which has been delightful!
All the resources have been used successfully with children in a range of schools all over the country.
I am constantly reviewing and updating my resources. Please follow me to ensure that you have the most up to date versions of the resources you buy.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs:
To be able to emphasise with a character from the past.
To use contextual clues to date a book.
To think about how one piece of new can change the tone of a story.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs
To make predictions about a text.
To empathise with a character
To use skimming and scanning to find evidence that a book was written in the past.
To understand how events are perceived differently by children and adults.
To reflect upon a completed text.
This set also includes a PDF of A Christmas Carol
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activities based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs
To use cover, contents and preface to make predictions.
To read and understand a classic text.
To understand how memories can help change a person.
To understand how an author can have a character changed by what he experiences first hand.
To understand how knowledge of the future can help change a person.
To understand the many different ways an author can show a character has changed.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs
To use skimming and scanning to answer questions about the opening section of a story.
To emphasise with the children in the story.
To use skimming and scanning to make sense of a text.
To understand how an author can use a letter to summarise a story.
To make predictions based on what you have read to date.
To be able to empathise with the main characters as they reach the end of their journey.
To reflect upon a completed novel / to produce a piece of biographical writing.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests.
LOs:
To make deductions and predictions based on the first chapter of a novel.
To be able explain how layout contributes to the information being provided in a text.
To be able to understand how dialogue can be used to describe something or someone
To understand how an author can reveal his personal opinions and experiences through the way he portrays his characters.
To consider how the author can make us understand that Witches are not like real people.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs
To make predictions based on what can be learned from a book before reading it.
To reflect on how a historical novel begins.
To reflect upon a key turning point the novel.
To understand how an author drops hints about the importance of certain characters.
To understand how one event changes that whole focus of a narrative.
To understand how an author uses book conventions to bring tension to a narrative.
To reflect on a completed novel.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs
To form opinions about a text based on its opening chapter.
To understand how an author shifts her narrative in time.
To understand how an author builds a sense of tension.
To understand how the author uses background information to further develop characters.
To empathise with the main character.
To use inference and deduction to understand how the main characters feel upon receiving unexpected news.
To reflect upon a completed story.
Key Stage 2 comprehensions. Text includes a range of non fiction, fictionalised, historical texts and short poetry. Questions include whole range of SAT style questions such as: inference and deduction, prediction and factual recall. Ideal for Guided groups, homework or whole class activities.
Four weeks of comprehension, dictionary and grammar homework based on the Greek Myths of:
The birth of Zeus
Theseus and the Minotaur
Jason and the Golden Fleece
Perseus and the Gorgon
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs:
To understand how non fiction books differ from fiction books, to be able to scan non fiction books for information.
To understand the way that non fiction books follow certain conventions.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs
To make comparisons between similar experiences today and those in the past.
To be able to understand the conventions of a non-fiction text.
To be able to skim and scan for information in a whole text
Boudicca – Fact from Fiction
LO: To understand how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world. (KS2)
LO: To apply the above to the study of an aspect or theme in British history that consolidates and extends pupils’ chronological knowledge from before 1066 (KS3)
A complete activity to help children understand the way that information about historical figures although rooted in fact, can also have legends attached to them.
The activity consists of:
Teaching Input:
1. A powerpoint providing information about the life and significance of Boudicca, both fact and fiction organised around the following sections:
- who Boudicca was
- her early life
- her relationship with the King Prasutagus
- her marriage
- The uprising
- The destruction of Camulodunum (Colchester
- her Victories
- her defeat and the end
- her legacy to Britain.
This can either be run as an introduction, or shared with children in groups or pairs.
Independent Task:
2. A sorting activity consisting of a series of statements which are either factual or legendary about Boudica. (This includes a fact sheet for teacher use, providing the correct answers and a series of websites which provide additional source information)
3. A template to allow children to sort the information provided into Truth or Legend.
Challenge / Extension / AG&T
Using websites listed, children could try to find additional information about both peoples.
Plenary
Mark with the children, getting them to identify how they knew whether or not something was a legend or the truth (links with Literacy language of myths and legends).
Pose and discuss the statement Why do you think there are so many stories told about Boudica.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs
To be able to use clues to decide what a new book will be about.
To understand that stories can be told from different points of view.
To form opinions about characters and justify these.
To understand how an author can describe feelings using a character’s actions.
To understand how an author builds tension.
To reflect on the whole story.
Key Stage 2 comprehensions. Text includes a range of non fiction, fictionalised, historical texts and short poetry. Questions include whole range of SAT style questions such as: inference and deduction, prediction and factual recall. Ideal for Guided groups, homework or whole class activities.
Drawing on the new History Curriculum and focussing on Aims: Strands 4 and 5 this resource includes:
A collection of eleven quotes from contemporary sources,
An explanation of five activities that can be carried out using these resources
Planning Templates to support arguments and a chart to help summarise arguments about Workhouses
Learning Objectives
• To understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance,
• To make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses
• To understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.
Learning Outcomes:
Pupils will be able to:
• recognise and discern between arguments made for and against the role of Workhouses.
• draw on primary resources to produce a reasoned debate on the pros and cons of Workhouse.
• produce their own persuasive argument in favour (or against) the abolition of Workhouses.
• produce a balanced argument on the advantages and disadvantages of Workhouses.
• Produce their own written narrative of life in a Workhouse
Drawing on the new History Curriculum and focussing on Aims: Strands 4 and 5 this resource includes:
A collection of eleven quotes from contemporary sources,
An explanation of five activities that can be carried out using these resources
Planning Templates to support arguments and a chart to help summarise arguments about education
Learning Objectives:
• To understand historical concepts such as continuity and change, cause and consequence, similarity, difference and significance,
• To make connections, draw contrasts, analyse trends, frame historically-valid questions and create their own structured accounts, including written narratives and analyses
• To understand the methods of historical enquiry, including how evidence is used rigorously to make historical claims, and discern how and why contrasting arguments and interpretations of the past have been constructed.
Learning Outcomes:
Pupils will be able to:
• Recognise the difference between fact and opinion
• recognise and discern between arguments made for and against the role of education
• draw on primary resources to produce a reasoned debate on the pros and cons of education.
• produce their own persuasive argument in favour (or against) the introduction of universal education.
• produce a balanced argument on the advantages and disadvantages of education.
• Produce their own written narrative of life at school
Alfred the Great – Fact from Fiction
LO: To understand how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world. (KS2)
LO: To apply the above to the study of an aspect or theme in British history that consolidates and extends pupils’ chronological knowledge from before 1066 (KS3)
A complete activity to help children understand the way that information about historical figures although rooted in fact, can also have legends attached to them.
The activity consists of:
Teaching Input:
1. A powerpoint providing information about the life and significance of Alfred the Great, both fact and fiction organised around the following sections:
- who Alfred was
- his early life
- his early reign
- Wessex under siege
- his flight and exile in the Marshes of Althelney
- his victory over the Vikings
- the subsequent peace
- the end of his reign
- his legacy to Britain.
This can either be run as an introduction, or shared with children in groups or pairs.
Independent Task:
2. A sorting activity consisting of a series of statements which are either factual or legendary about King Alfred. (This includes a fact sheet for teacher use, providing the correct answers and a series of websites which provide additional source information)
3. A template to allow children to sort the information provided into Truth or Legend.
Challenge / Extension / AG&T
Using websites listed, children could try to find additional information about both peoples.
Plenary
Mark with the children, getting them to identify how they knew whether or not something was a legend or the truth (links with Literacy language of myths and legends).
Pose and discuss the statement Why do you think there are so many stories told about Alfred the Great.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LO:
To be able to empathise with the main character.
To understand different layout forms and how they can be used in narration.
To be able to use contextual clues to understand unfamiliar and foreign language.
To understand how an author uses language to reveal things.
To be able to comment on the whole story
To be able to recognise the purpose of a glossary, its layout and organisation.
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs
To form and revise opinions about the Victorians
To make comparisons between past and contemporary entertainment.
To make comparisons between today and the past.
To use skimming and scanning to find information for research.
To gather information in order to write persuasively.
To reflect on a completed text
A series of questions, answers and reading journal activity based around all areas of reading. Great alternative to SATs tests or written comprehensions.
LOs
To form and revise opinions about the Romans
To make comparisons between past and contemporary entertainment.
To make comparisons between today and the past.
To use skimming and scanning to find information for research.
To gather information in order to write persuasively.
To reflect on a completed text
