I have been an SLT co-ordinating English, dance, drama and music. I have covered PPA by delivering drama and dance to children from EYFS - Y6. I have delivered INSET on drama, dance and music both in schools and at a county level. I have delivered the drama module for B.Ed students at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford.
I write children's poems and have had some published in compilations. I have written drama and dance lessons based on poetry, for Early Years Educator and Scholastic.
I have been an SLT co-ordinating English, dance, drama and music. I have covered PPA by delivering drama and dance to children from EYFS - Y6. I have delivered INSET on drama, dance and music both in schools and at a county level. I have delivered the drama module for B.Ed students at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford.
I write children's poems and have had some published in compilations. I have written drama and dance lessons based on poetry, for Early Years Educator and Scholastic.
Five packs of dance lessons for KS1 (23 lessons in total).
Fairy Tales (three lessons for Y1)
Minibeasts (five lessons for Y1/2)
The jungle & the Rainforest (five lessons for Y2)
Toys (five lessons for KS1)
Weather (five lessons for KS1)
These five packs would sort out your KS1 dance curriculum for a whole term!
Lessons are very detailed and resource sheets are included. Music recommendations are made where required.
This pack is based on two Greek myths, and each myth has three lessons. Various drama strategies are used as well as individual, paired, group and whole class work. The drama strategies are all explained, and there are also tips for using the pack.
Resource sheets and PPT slides are included where necessary.
Both myths come with an original version of the story.
King Midas and the Golden Touch:
Lesson 1: creating a conversation; improvising, planning and rehearsing an ‘off-stage’ scene
Uses - improvisation and dialogue
Lesson 2: considering what a character should do and what he thinks; creating a conversation
Uses - thought tapping and hot seating
Lesson 3: improvising a group scene; considering what a character should do and what he thinks; creating an ending for the story
Uses - hot seating, improvisation and conscience alley
Theseus and the Minotaur:
Lesson 1: using body language and tone of voice; considering what a character thinks; thinking, speaking and reacting in role
Uses - freeze frames, thought tapping, conscience alley and T.I.R.
Lesson 2: considering a character’s feelings; being in role for a whole class drama; deciding on what will happen next
Uses - hot seating, sculpture, freeze frame and T.I.R.
Lesson 3: choreographing movements; improvising a paired scene, considering a character’s feelings; predicting a character’s actions
Uses - movement, improvisation, hot seating and flash backwards & flash forwards
This is an 11 stanza, rhyming poem about nine minibeasts.
Each stanza is about a different minibeast but doesn’t give away which on it is. The stanza is then followed by a stunning photograph of the minibeast.
The poem is presented as a 22 slide PPT presentation, with each verse being mounted on a background photograph.
There is also a written version of the poem.
This poem would be ideal for teaching basic facts about minibeasts, and would be very good for an assembly.
This is a pack of five dance lessons for K.S.1, based on the theme of Toys. There is also a resource pack and a PPT presentation to support it. Ideally an actual toy should be used for each lesson, but if this isn't possible, the picture resource provided will do.
Each lesson uses music and the two CDs required are:
'The Synthesizer Album' by Project D & 'Children's Games' by Bizet
The pack includes an original poem called 'The Toy Box' which isn't referred to in the lessons, but is there as an extra resource if required. Each verse corresponds to a lesson, and the individual verses are included in the PPT presentation.
Each lesson culminates in a whole class dance, with the movements for the dance being taught in the lesson. This gives you a short performance at the end of each lesson and, if done with a smaller group of children, can be used in an assembly.
Puppet: looks at the jerky movements of a puppet
Rubber Ball: looks at the different movements of a ball
Robotic Toy: looks at the stiff movements of a robotic toy
Kite: looks at the gentle movements of a kite
Rag Doll: looks at the floppy movements of a rag doll. Includes partner work
This is a unit of five dance lessons based on the jungle and rainforest. Each lesson is individual and will stand alone, however I would recommend that you do ‘The Machines are Coming’ after doing either ‘Rainforest’ by Helen Cowcher or ‘Rainforest Dance’ so you won’t have to use time going over the same animals.
Lesson 1: 'The Jungle' - group dances based on a poem
Lesson 2: The Machines are Coming - whole class dance based on the diggers coming into the rainforest. Uses the CD 'The Art of Noise' but any music with a mechanical, heavy beat will do
Lesson 3: 'Where the Forest Meets the Sea' by Jeannie Baker - whole class dance telling the story of the book
Lesson 4: Rainforest Dance - upbeat dance using the movements of the rainforest animals. Uses CD 'One World - A Musical Journey Around the Globe' but any upbeat piece of music will do
Lesson 5: 'Rainforest' by Helen Cowcher - whole class dance telling the story of the book.
This pack is accompanied by a power point presentation of the resources used in the lesson ‘The Jungle’. If you don’t have an IWB in the hall, the resources are also included in the lesson pack for you to print out.
This is a pack of five poems about transport, for E.Y.F.S. and K.S.1. The poems are all simple and rhyming. A suggested activity for each poem is included.
THE WATER LAPS…: a four stanza rhyming poem describing being on a ship.
BICYCLE, BICYCLE: a seven stanza rhyming poem with a repetitive pattern. Each stanza describes a different part of the bike e.g. wheels, handlebar etc.
HERE COMES THE TRAIN!: an eight stanza rhyming poem describing the journey of a train. It uses onomatopoeia and has a repetitive pattern. Great for adding actions to in P.E.
STRANGE SILVER BIRD: a poem describing a rocket, written as one long stanza. It could also be broken up into six short stanzas. Each line is very short to keep the poem moving along.
THE CAR: a calligram poem using the shape of the car.
ACTIVITIES
THE CAR: There is a template for each mode of transport to be used for calligram poems. There is also the same template but with details added to be used as colouring sheets, if so desired.
The poems BICYCLE, BICYCLE and HERE COMES THE TRAIN! have writing frames for the children to have a go at creating their own stanzas, or full poems. These can then be put together to make a whole class poem or done individually, in pairs or in groups.
STRANGE SILVER BIRD: I have included the poem cut up into stanzas so the children can have a go at putting it back together. I have also included it split into pairs of lines, so the children can put it back together using the rhymes.
THE WATER LAPS…: Read this to the children, or show it on the PPT and ask them to draw what’s being described. Is it a calm picture? Is there a storm? What’s in the picture besides the ship? Is the ship big or small? What shape are the windows? Are the dancing horses actually horses? I have also included some reading comprehension questions to go with this poem.
This is a pack of five dance lessons based on minibeasts, for K.S.1 children. The first four lessons focus on one minibeast, and the fifth lesson brings all of the minibeasts together into a dance.
Lesson 1: Spider - this uses the movements of a spider and the shape of its web, and includes group work
Lesson 2: Bee - this uses the movements of a bee and the shape of it's hive, and includes group work
Lesson 3: Ladybird - this uses the movements of a ladybird and includes pair work
Lesson 4: Butterfly - this uses the movements of a butterfly, looks at symmetry and includes pair work
Lesson 5: Minibeast Dance - this brings together all of the minibeasts into one big class dance, to music
The lessons are supported by a 14 slide power points presentation. The pack also includes a poem. Each lesson uses a verse of the poem.
This is a 14 stanza, rhyming poem about creatures that live in the sea. It is ideal for K.S.1 children.
It is presented as a 15 slide PPT presentation. Each stanza is about a different creature and is accompanied by a beautiful picture of said creature.
There is also a written version of the poem.
This poem would be ideal for individual, paired, group or whole class poetry work, as well as perfect to support work on the sea. It would also be excellent for use in an assembly.
Five poetry lessons about Spring:
Lesson 1. Umbrella Chant - a choral chant, performance poem
Lesson 2. Spring Acrostic - a non-rhyming acrostic poem (includes a framework)
Lesson 3. A Tale of Spring - a rhyming list poem (includes a framework)
Lesson 4. Golden One - a non-rhyming descriptive poem (includes a format)
Lesson 5. Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer poem (includes a framework)
All lessons are supported with power point slides and resources
This unit uses three traditional stories from Spain, Poland and Norway.
Copies of the three stories are included.
SPAIN: Half-a-Chick - This story has three accompanying drama lessons and covers body language, tone of voice, conversations, characters' thoughts & feelings and the giving & receiving of feedback. The drama strategies used are: listening circle, improvisation and conscience alley.
POLAND: The Dragon of Krakow - This story has two accompanying drama lessons and covers creating a setting, role work and whole class performance. The drama strategies used are: sculpture, process drama, T.I.R., moving pictures and scene carousel.
NORWAY: The Boy Who Went to the North Wind - This story has three accompanying drama lessons and covers the use of effects to illustrate key points in a scene. The drama strategy used is scripts
If you want to learn more about drama strategies take a look at my pack of 23 strategies for £5
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/drama-strategies-primary-23-strategies-for-the-non-specialist-to-develop-speaking-and-listening-11602421
A pack of five original poems using Christmas as their stimulus, for K.S.1 and K.S.2. There are general activities which can be used with all of the poems, as well as specific activities for some of them. The poems are supported with a 43 slide power point presentation.
I Looked Outside - a rhyming poem about a snowfall in the night
No Crown of Jewels - a rhyming poem about the birth of Jesus, and the truth about Christmas rather than the glitz
It's Christmas! - a rhyming poem using a different Christmas element for each stanza, for example; the tree, Santa and a present. This poem also follows an obvious pattern
What? - a rhyming poem comparing the baby Jesus to the latest toy that children desperately want at Christmas
Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer (verse and chorus) poem, again with an obvious pattern.
This is a set of eight original poems all about ME! The poems are all simple and rhyming. They follow a quatrain pattern, vary in length and have a similar rhythm. They are great for using with actions.
Each poem has a worksheet with a writing idea - this can then be turned into the children's own poems.
There is a PPT presentation of the poems included.
Magic Me! - this is about the five senses with a stanza for each sense
I Like... - this is seven stanzas long and looks at some of the things that children typically like
I Don't like... - this is seven stanzas long and looks at some of the things that children typically don't like. It is in the same style as I Like...
How Do I Feel? - this looks at emotions, with a new stanza for each one
I'm Really Rather Complex - this is six stanzas long and looks at what makes us unique, both in how we look and how we behave
Friends - a simple three stanza poem
What Can I Do? - this looks at some of the different things that parts of the body can do, with a new stanza for each body part
Will I Have Some Post Today? - this is six stanzas long and looks at a child waiting for the post, imagining what might be delivered
This is a pack of eight original poems to use with various science topics for K.S.2. Included are general activity suggestions for all of the poems, and specific activities for the individual poems.
The poems are supported by a 37 slide PPT presentation.
1) Colours Say...: a non-rhyming poem with a pattern. Each stanza is about a different colour
2) FIZZLE! CRACKLE!: a rhyming poem about electricity. This would be ideal for a rap
3) FIRE! FIRE!: a non-rhyming two stanza poem which describes fire, using two different viewpoints
4) Machine: a rhyming poem about the sounds and movements of a machine. This would make an excellent performance poem, and could also be used for a dance lesson
5) MAGIC ME!: a simple rhyming poem about the five senses. Ideal for an U.K.S.2 class to prepare as a performance for K.S.1 children
6) How Does an Animal Move?: a non-rhyming poem with each stanza looking at the movement of a different animal
7) Sounds Around...: a rhyming poem about the sounds of everyday objects, without actually naming the objects.
8) A Mass of Puzzling Questions: a non-rhyming poem about space
This is an original poem written to support a theme on food and shopping. It has 13 four line, rhyming stanzas
This pack includes a 14 slide PPT of the poem as well as a written version.
It is ideal for using to inspire the children to write their own list/rhyming poems, or for group/whole class poetry lessons, or to support the class work on shopping.
This pack includes 16 original poems about Spring, Autumn and Christmas.
AUTUMN: This is a pack of six poems - spanning both key stages - using Autumn as the stimulus.
Autumn - a rhyming poem about the transition from autumn to winter
Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer poem about autumn
Friend or Foe? - a rhyming poem about Halloween which can be written in three different ways
Crackle! Spit! - a rhyming poem with a pattern, about Bonfire Night. There are two accompanying dance lessons for K.S.1 with this poem
Bonfire Night - a non-rhyming poem which can be written in a straightforward way, or as calligrams
We Dare You To! - a rhyming poem about the dangers of playing with fireworks, and also the issue of wanting to fit in. This has an accompanying Y5/6 drama lesson
The pack includes general activities to do with the poems, as well as specific activities for the individual poems.
There is a 40 slide PPT presentation to support the activities.
SPRING: This is a pack of five poems about Spring for Y2/3. Each poem is accompanied by a full lesson.
Lesson 1. Umbrella Chant - a choral chant, performance poem
Lesson 2. Spring Acrostic - a non-rhyming acrostic poem (includes a framework)
Lesson 3. A Tale of Spring - a rhyming list poem (includes a framework)
Lesson 4. Golden One - a non-rhyming descriptive poem (includes a format)
Lesson 5. Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer poem (includes a framework)
All lessons are supported with power point slides and resources
CHRISTMAS: This is a pack of five poems about Christmas, spanning both key stages. Four are based on Christmas itself and one is about snow.
I Looked Outside - a rhyming poem about a snowfall in the night
No Crown of Jewels - a rhyming poem about the birth of Jesus, and the truth about Christmas rather than the glitz
It’s Christmas! - a rhyming poem using a different Christmas element for each stanza, for example; the tree, Santa and a present. This poem also follows an obvious pattern
What? - a rhyming poem comparing the baby Jesus to the latest toy that children desperately want at Christmas
Yes, Yes, Yes It Is! - a non-rhyming question and answer (verse and chorus) poem, again with an obvious pattern.
The poems are supported with a 43 slide power point presentation
There are general activities which can be used with all of the poems, as well as specific activities for some of them.
