This lesson includes three resources designed to teach Tatamkhulu Afrika’s harrowing apartheid poem ‘Nothing’s Changed’. Included is a PowerPoint with some background on Afrika’s life and Apartheid, and questions on the poem; a copy of the poem with contextual notes (as per Section A of the AQA exam); and a top-band exemplar response to a Section A question. This final resource is a detailed and sophisticated essay analysing Afrika’s poem. These resources are perfect for those studying POLITICAL AND SOCIAL PROTEST WRITING at A level with AQA, but could be adapted to teach the poem in a broader context.

This 23-slide lesson provides an introduction to John Boyne’s ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’. The lesson introduces students to the novel’s key ideas of friendship and childhood, as well as the historical context of World War II and anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany. Questions, discussion points, and tasks are included for students throughout, and the lesson ends with a creative writing task that could be used in class or as a homework activity. This lesson is designed for KS3 pupils. Given the novel’s subject matter, some historical context deals with mature content. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 33-slide lesson on Philip Larkin’s ‘Going, Going’ explores the poem in comprehensive detail. Examining Larkin’s seemingly impassioned warning against the dangers of capitalist industrialisation against the sardonic satire of his poetic persona, this lesson unpicks the poet’s masterful use of language, form, structure, and imagery. Questions and discussion points are featured for students throughout, encouraging them to unpick the poem in great detail. Other Larkin poems to which ‘Going, Going’ might be compared are suggested, and the lesson ends with an extended essay question for students to complete either in class or as a homework. This lesson is aimed primarily at A level students, but could be used for high-attaining GCSE sets. ‘Going, Going’ is particularly rich for pupils reading poems through an ecocritical lens. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 26-slide lesson explores John Donne’s ‘Death, Be Not Proud’. Against the backdrop of Donne’s own faith, this lesson explores the poem’s language, imagery, technique, and form as a meditation on fear and conquering one’s anxieties. Questions, discussion points, and tasks are included for students. The lesson ends with an extended essay question, for which some scaffolding support is provided. A copy of the poem is included. This lesson is ideal for KS3 students but could be used with GCSE sets. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

This 32-slide lesson explores William Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 130’. The lesson considers what we might expect typical love poetry to entail and how Shakespeare subverts our expectations. Students are prompted to question stereotypical depictions of romance and romantic imagery, and to think about how Shakespeare plays with the sonnet form itself. Questions, discussion points, and tasks are featured throughout, including an analytical ‘mini-essay’ in response to a question. The lesson ends with a creative writing (poetry) task that could be set in class or as a homework activity. This lesson is ideal for KS3. A copy of the poem (with glossary) is included.

This lesson provides an introduction to the sonnet form. The lesson explains the key features of the sonnet form, its stereotypes and conventions, and outlines the differences between Petrarchan and Shakespearean sonnets. Questions and discussion points are included throughout, and students are shown an example of a sonnet by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, which they are then invited to discuss. At the end of the lesson is a research task which could be set either in class or as a homework activity. This is an ideal introduction for any KS3 unit on poetry or specifically the sonnet form. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

Poster explaining the concept of pathetic fallacy in a fun visual way. Perfect for your classroom or corridor display!

A series of mock questions on Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’ designed to emulate AQA’s exam style in the Political and Social Protest Paper (Section B). Sixteen questions in total. Perfect for revision and practice assessments.

A revision lesson designed to deconstruct Dr. Rank’s significance in ‘A Doll’s House’. This is a detailed analytical summary of Dr. Rank, including his key quotations, function in the play, and an essay question for students to consider. Perfect for those studying the play with AQA for A level (Political and Social Protest Writing).

This lesson is a sophisticated and thorough introduction to the context and key ideas behind Henrik Ibsen’s ‘A Doll’s House’. This 23-slide PowerPoint lesson is perfect for those studying the play as part of AQA’s Political and Social Protest Writing course at A level, but easily adaptable to other A level courses (including Theatre Studies) too. The lesson includes biographical information about Ibsen, an explanation of Norway’s social history in the 19th century (with particular focus on the rights of women), and an introduction to the key themes and ideas in ‘A Doll’s House’. Questions and tasks are also featured for students. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

A lesson designed to revise Louisa Gradgrind’s character function in Dickens’ ‘Hard Times’. Ideal for students reading the text for AQA’s Political and Social Protest Writing A level course.

A PowerPoint all about the importance of names in Dickens’ ‘Hard Times’. Ideal for those studying the novel for AQA’s Political and Social Protest Writing A level course.

11 specially designed posters on linguistic techniques designed to aid students’ learning of key vocabulary. Each poster uses an example to explain each technique. Perfect for your classroom or corridor displays! Features: Simile Metaphor Personification Alliteration Rule of Three Hyperbole Repetition Onomatopoeia Rhetorical Question Imperative Oxymoron

This 20-slide lesson provides a comprehensive introduction to the context of Khaled Hosseini’s ‘The Kite Runner’. It features an overview of 20th century Afghan history and the rise of the Taliban, plus a brief synopsis of the novel and Hosseini’s intentions/message in writing it. Also included is a list of key words for students to research, some topical questions for classroom debate, and some key vocabulary. This is a useful first lesson for those reading the novel for their A level studies (particularly for AQA’s Political and Social Protest paper). Also included is a brief geo-political summary sheet of Afghanistan to help pupils to understand the nation’s context. PowerPoint saved as PDF.

A booklet featuring 25 poems for students to practise analysing ‘unseen poetry’ for the AQA GCSE Literature exam. Each poem is accompanied by a question emulating the style of AQA’s exam questions. Some poems are coupled together to allow comparative essays, as per the final question of the exam. Poets include Armitage, Blake, Heaney, Larkin, Plath, Sassoon and Whitman.

This lesson explores various elements and features of comedy as a genre. Students are introduced to various aspects of comedy, including wit/wordplay, satire, misunderstandings, and disguise - among many others - with detailed definitions of each and explanations for how writers use them. Key vocabulary is integrated throughout the lesson, as are some tasks for students to complete to test and consolidate their knowledge of the comedic genre. Students are invited to think about comedic films to make the genre more readily accessible. This lesson is particularly applicable for those studying the ‘Aspects of Comedy’ English Literature A level course with AQA, but it is easily applicable to other needs too, particularly Drama/Theatre Studies and general explorations of genre. PowerPoint is saved as PDF.

A comprehensive A-Z list of key terminology to help students understand and analyse political and social protest writing as part of the AQA A level Literature paper. This resource aids pupils’ expansion of vocabulary and promotes sophistication and maturity when analysing texts and their contexts.

Poster of William Shakespeare (including dates of birth and death) for your classroom or corridor display.

This is a top-band exemplar essay on how Dickens presents Scrooge as an outsider in ‘A Christmas Carol’. Based on a genuine AQA Literature past paper, this essay is perfect for HA pupils to see how to structure a sophisticated and perceptive essay. The extract and exam question are included on the first page.

Portrait and landscape posters featuring a quote from J.K. Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ series: “Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic”. Perfect for classroom and corridor displays, and promoting literacy across the school.