Welcome. My resources include CPD self-study units for teachers as well as whole units of work specifically designed for the English classroom. Whole units come with detailed teacher notes, teaching PPTs and all student resources. I hope you enjoy using them as much as I have. Questions are very welcome and I can be contacted at roseandmay2@virginmedia.com.
Best wishes, Sam
Welcome. My resources include CPD self-study units for teachers as well as whole units of work specifically designed for the English classroom. Whole units come with detailed teacher notes, teaching PPTs and all student resources. I hope you enjoy using them as much as I have. Questions are very welcome and I can be contacted at roseandmay2@virginmedia.com.
Best wishes, Sam
English Teaching Poetry Unit: Seamus Heaney’s 'Digging’
This short unit is designed to introduce and explore Seamus Heaney’s poem ‘Digging’ as well as develop students’ ability to write analytically using a specific, taught paragraph structure. This unit is collaborative in nature with lots of opportunities for paired, group and class discussion. It includes a very nicely presented 30 slide teaching PPT as well as all 12 student resources and a set of detailed teacher’s notes explaining how you can deliver the unit. Outcomes include an analytical PETAL paragraph which could be extended into a longer essay using the structure provided. I have also included a free self-study professional development unit on teaching poetry. Please note that all resources are provided in pdf format and units on other Heaney poems are available. These include ‘Follower’, ‘Storm on the Island’, ‘Mid-term Break’ and 'An Advancement of Learning.
You might also like:
William Blake’s ‘London’
Seamus Heaney’s ‘Storm on the Island’
Wilfred Owen’s ‘Exposure’
Ted Hughes’ ‘Hawk Roosting’
Seamus Heaney’s ‘Follower’
English Teaching Poetry Unit: Seamus Heaney’s 'Follower’
This short GCSE unit is designed to introduce and explore Seamus Heaney’s poem ‘Follower’ as well as develop students’ ability to write analytically using a specific, taught paragraph structure. This unit is collaborative in nature with lots of opportunities for paired, group and class discussion. It includes a very nicely presented 32 slide teaching PPT as well as all 16 student resources and a set of detailed teacher’s notes explaining how you can deliver the unit. Outcomes include an analytical PETAL paragraph which could be extended into a longer essay using the structure provided. Please note that all resources are provided in PPT and Word as well as pdf format. Ideal for GCSE Anthology study.
You may also like the following poetry units:
You might also like:
William Blake’s ‘London’
Seamus Heaney’s ‘Storm on the Island’
Seamus Heaney’s ‘Digging’
Wilfred Owen’s ‘Exposure’
Australian curriculum-aligned resource - Narrative and Descriptive Writing for Years 6-7
This highly engaging and enjoyable unit of work is designed to help students write creatively with a particular focus on narrative and descriptive writing. It supports students in actively exploring and enjoying both descriptive and narrative texts, looking at excellent and varied models from a range of literature and identifying successful features before moving to composing their own creative responses. It is ideal for a Year 6-7 class. A well presented 83 slide teaching PPT is included as well as a detailed set of teacher’s notes with suggested approaches and all thirteen classroom resources.
I enjoyed teaching this unit and hope you do too.
English Teaching Poetry Unit: Carol Ann Duffy 'War Photographer’
Perfect for teaching the AQA Poetry Anthology ‘Power and Conflict’ cluster, this short unit explores Duffy’s ‘War Photographer’ and develops students’ ability to write analytically using a specific, taught paragraph structure. It is collaborative in nature with lots of opportunities for paired, group and class discussion. It includes a well presented 41 slide teaching PPT as well as all 13 student resources and a set of detailed teacher notes explaining how you could deliver the unit. Outcomes include an analytical PETAL paragraph which can be extended into a longer essay using the structure provided and a comparative essay as an extension activity. Please note that all resources are in both Word and pdf formats with the teaching Powerpoint in PPT and pdf formats.
You might also like:
William Blake’s ‘London’
Seamus Heaney’s ‘Storm on the Island’
Wilfred Owen’s ‘Exposure’
Ted Hughes’ ‘Hawk Roosting’
This short sequence of lessons is designed to help GCSE students revise descriptive writing in the run-up to the GCSE Paper 1 exam. After a reminder of AQA’s exam requirements and revising key literary techniques, they will explore two models of good texts (‘Edgar Sawtelle’ and ‘Mosquito Coast’) and identify successful features before moving to composing their own based on a choice of two tasks and using the box planning method. This is an excellent method to help them plan in the exam itself. It comes with a fully editable PPT and all five resources as well as a set of notes for teachers.
This half-termly unit of work is designed to help prepare students for the Edexcel English Language Paper 1 exam with particular focus on narrative and descriptive writing. I have written this for my own mid to high ability GCSE class. It supports students in actively exploring and enjoying both descriptive and narrative writing, looking at excellent and varied models of texts and identifying successful features before moving to students composing their own creative responses. The 63 slide teaching PPT is included as well as a detailed set of teacher’s notes with suggested teaching approaches and all eleven classroom resources in both Word and PDF formats. I hope you enjoy teaching the unit.
This half-termly unit of work is designed to help prepare students for the WJEC Eduqas GCSE in English Language Component 1 exam with a particular focus on narrative writing. It supports students in actively exploring excellent and varied models of texts and identifying successful features before moving to students planning and composing their own creative responses. A well-presented 51 slide teaching PPT is included as well as a detailed set of teacher’s notes with suggested teaching approaches and all nine classroom resources in both Word and PDF formats. I hope you enjoy teaching the unit.
Seamus Heaney’s ‘Death of a Naturalist’
This short unit is designed to introduce and explore Seamus Heaney’s poem as well as develop students’ ability to write analytically using a specific, taught paragraph structure. This unit is collaborative in nature with lots of opportunities for paired, group and class discussion. It includes a very nicely presented 39 slide teaching PPT as well as all 14 student resources and a set of detailed teacher’s notes explaining how you could deliver the unit. Outcomes include an analytical PETAL paragraph which can be extended into a longer essay using the structure provided. Please note that the teaching PPT is fully editable and all resources are in pdf and editable word format.
You might also like:
William Blake’s ‘London’
Seamus Heaney’s ‘Storm on the Island’
Seamus Heaney’s ‘Digging’
Wilfred Owen’s ‘Exposure’
Key Stage 3 English: Reading Between the Lines Teaching Unit
This unit of work is focused on developing the skills of reading between the lines and is based around extracts from the novel ‘Deep Water’ by Ann Turnbull. It covers key skills such as inference and deduction, questioning the text, prediction and visualising the text. It was written for my Year 8 lower ability English class though could easily be used for a year 7 group. All short extracts are provided so you do not need a copy of the novel though you may wish to buy one to read and enjoy other sections with the class. I have included a 47 slide teaching PPT, all nine resources in word and pdf formats and a detailed set of teacher’s notes. Hope you enjoy teaching the unit.
Key Stage 3 English Units also available
English Key Stage 3 Creative Writing Unit for Years 7-8
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12487013
This highly engaging and enjoyable unit of work is designed to help students write creatively with a particular focus on narrative and descriptive writing. It supports students in actively exploring and enjoying both descriptive and narrative texts, looking at excellent and varied models from a range of literature and identifying successful features before moving to composing their own creative responses.A very nicely presented 83 slide teaching PPT is included as well as a detailed set of teacher’s notes with suggested approaches and all thirteen classroom resources.
This unit of work is focused on developing the skills of reading between the lines and is based around extracts from the novel ‘Deep Water’ by Ann Turnbull. It is aimed at a first year Junior Cycle class and covers key skills such as inference and deduction, questioning the text, prediction and visualising the text. All short extracts are provided so you do not need a copy of the novel though you may wish to buy one to read and enjoy other sections with the class. I have included a 47 slide teaching PPT, all nine resources in word and pdf formats and a detailed set of teacher’s notes.
Learning outcomes (from Junior Cycle Specification) addressed in this unit include:
Reading
3. Use a wide range of reading comprehension strategies appropriate to texts e.g to retrieve information and to link to previous knowledge.
7. Select key moments from their texts and give thoughtful value judgements on the main character or a key scene.
8. Read their texts to understand and appreciate language enrichment by examining an author’s choice of words.
11. Identify and comment on features of English at word and sentence level using appropriate terminology.
Writing
3. Write for a variety of purposes e.g to imagine, explore, narrate.
I hope you enjoy teaching the unit.
AQA Step Up to English: Component 1 Music Unit
This updated unit of work is designed to prepare students for the AQA Step Up to English Component 1 Literacy topics Music unit. It supports students to engage with relevant text types, develop some of the key skills and practice the style of assessment questions before they tackle the actual AQA assessment papers. It is designed to last around 4-5 weeks depending on the number of English lessons you have… It includes a well-presented 58 slide teaching PPT and all ten resources in word and pdf formats plus a detailed set of teacher’s notes based on my experience of delivering the unit.
Please check current list of NEAs with AQA and note that information, guidance, support and resources are available from AQA.
More Step Up to English Resources
Complete courses and individual teaching units on all component 1 and 2 topics are available. They include teaching PPTs, all student resources and a set of detailed teacher’s notes and can be found at:
RoseandMay’s TES English Classroom Resources
New individual units:
AQA Step Up to English: Component 1 STYLE Unit
AQA Step Up to English: Component 2 CRIME Unit
New Complete Course
AQA Step Up to English: Complete Course (Leisure, Crime and Style Units)
You may also like:
AQA Step Up to English: Grammar and Punctuation Starters
AQA Step Up to English: Component 2 Creative Writing Unit
Welcome to a world of black dogs, goblins and boggarts! This practice unit is built around the Step Up topic of Myths and Legends for the AQA Step Up to English Component 2 Creative Reading and Writing assessment. It includes a detailed 78 slide teaching PPT with lots of engaging activities and both fiction and non-fiction extracts to ensure students develop the skills necessary to complete the assessment tasks for reading and writing. The writing section, for example, includes sections on good story openings, writing dialogue, creating character, narrative voice and varying sentences using a ‘visual grammar’ approach.
All 18 resources with all texts and student resources are included in word and pdf formats as well as a very detailed set of teacher’s notes explaining how I have used the resources
Please check current list of NEAs with AQA and note that information, guidance, support and resources are available from AQA. Please note that the ‘Myths and Legends’ topic was last assessed in 2024 therefore is intended to be used as a practice unit.
More Step Up to English Resources
Other individual teaching units and complete courses which include teaching PPTs, all student resources and teacher’s notes can be found at:
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/RoseandMay101
All component 1 and 2 units are available including new units on ‘Crime’ and ‘Style’ .
Edexcel Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Unit - Climate Change Crisis
This engaging and fully resourced unit of work is designed to teach some of the key skills required for tacking the Edexcel Functional Skills Level 2 English exam paper. It is built around the topic of the climate crisis.
There are two sections:
Reading section – students explore three different non-fiction texts including a letter, web pages and a blog.
Writing section – students learn how to write a persuasive letter and a blog and complete two pieces of work which can be assessed formally.
This unit includes a well-presented 60 slide teaching PPT (editable PPT format) as well as a set of detailed teacher’s notes and all 11 resources in both word and pdf formats. Tasks and texts are relevant and engaging as well as ideal preparation for the Level 2 exam.
You may also like:
Edexcel Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Complete Course
Edexcel Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Unit - Leisure
Edexcel Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Unit - Taking the Next Step
Edexcel Functional Skills English Level 1 and 2: Speaking and Listening Unit
This is a collection of four teaching units for Edexcel’s new Functional Skills in English Level 2 exam. Together they form a complete course which can be taught across one academic year or form the basis of a 2 year course. The Speaking and Listening unit prepares students for the discussion and presentation assessments on the topic of setting up lunchtime clubs. The Taking the Next Step unit, which explores preparing for the world of work and college, offers alternative speaking and listening tasks and also includes sections on developing key reading and writing skills for the exam. The Leisure and Climate Crisis units also explore non-fiction reading and writing with a focus on exam-style tasks and approaches. Each unit comes complete with a teaching PPT, detailed teacher notes and all resources in both word and pdf formats.
**All Functional Skills units available individually:
Edexcel Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Unit - Climate Change Crisis
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12455287
Edexcel Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Unit - Leisure
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12453334
Edexcel Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Unit - Taking the Next Step
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12450057
Edexcel Functional Skills English Level 1 and 2: Speaking and Listening unit
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12408393
**
This engaging and fully resourced unit of work is designed to teach some of the key skills required for tacking the AQA Functional Skills Level 2 English exam paper. It is built around the topic of Leisure.
There are three sections:
Reading section – exploration of three different non-fiction texts
Writing section – culminates in an assessed piece of work
This includes a 47 slide teaching PPT as well as a set of detailed teacher’s notes and all 9 resources in both word and pdf formats. Tasks and texts are relevant and engaging and ideal preparation for the Level 2 exam.
AQA Functional Skills in English: Level 2 - Complete Course
This is a collection of four teaching units for AQA’s Functional Skills in English Level 2 exam. Together they form a complete course which can be taught across one academic year or form the basis of a 2 year course. The ‘Speaking and Listening’ unit prepares students for the discussion and presentation assessments on the topic of setting up lunchtime clubs. The ‘Taking the Next Step’ unit, which explores preparing for the world of work and college, offers alternative speaking and listening tasks and also includes sections on developing key reading and writing skills for the exam. The 'Leisure and ‘Climate Change Crisis’ units also explore non-fiction reading and writing with a focus on exam-style tasks and approaches. Each unit comes complete with a well-presented teaching PPT, detailed teacher notes and all resources in both word and pdf formats.
All AQA Functional Skills in English Units available individually:
AQA Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Unit - Climate Change Crisis
AQA Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Unit – Leisure
AQA Functional Skills in English: Level 2 Unit - Taking the Next Step
AQA Functional Skills in English: Speaking and Listening Unit
Edexcel Functional Skills in English: Level 1 Unit - Climate Change Crisis
This engaging and fully resourced unit of work is designed to teach some of the key skills required for tacking the Edexcel Functional Skills Level 1 English exam paper. It is built around the topic of the climate crisis.
There are two sections:
Reading section – exploration of three different non-fiction texts including a letter, web pages and a blog.
Writing section – focus on writing a persuasive letter and a blog which can be formally assessed
This includes a well-presented 55 slide teaching PPT (editable PPT format) as well as a set of detailed teacher’s notes and all ten resources in both word and pdf formats. Tasks and texts are relevant, engaging and ideal preparation for the Level 1 exam.
More Edexcel Functional Skills Resources
Edexcel Functional Skills in English: Level 1 - Complete Course
This is a collection of four teaching units for Edexcel’s Functional Skills in English Level 1 exam. Together they form a complete course which can be taught across one academic year or form the basis of a 2 year course. Each unit comes complete with a teaching PPT, detailed teacher notes and all resources in both word and pdf formats.
This engaging and fully resourced unit of work is designed to teach some of the key skills required for tacking the AQA Functional Skills Level 2 English exam paper. It is built around the topic of the climate crisis.
There are two sections:
Reading section – exploration of three different non-fiction texts including a letter, web pages and a blog.
Writing section – focus on writing a speech and a blog and culminates in an assessed piece of work.
This includes a 61 slide teaching PPT as well as a set of detailed teacher’s notes and all 13 resources in both word and pdf formats. Tasks and texts are relevant and engaging and ideal preparation for the Level 2 exam.
This highly engaging and carefully designed unit of work is designed to teach some of the key skills required for tacking the AQA Functional Skills Level 2 English exam paper. It is built around the idea of preparing for the world of college or work.
There are three sections:
Speaking and Listening – preparation for the discussion and presentation task
Reading section – exploration of three different non-fiction texts
Writing section – covers writing a personal statement and a formal e-mail - culminates in a assessed piece of work
This includes a 73 slide teaching PPT as well as a detailed set of detailed teacher’s notes and all 15 resources in both word and pdf formats. Tasks, activities and non-fiction texts are relevant and engaging and ideal preparation for the Level 2 exam. I hope you and your students enjoy the unit.
Welcome to a world of snakes, rats, chameleons and cats! This half-termly unit is built around the latest Step Up topic of Pets (valid from January 2024) and is designed to prepare students for their AQA Step Up to English Component 1 Creative Reading and Writing assessment, including the Spoken Language component. It is aimed primarily at Gold award candidates however it is also applicable to those doing the Silver award if, like me, you have candidates doing both awards in the same class. It is designed to ensure students develop the skills necessary to complete the assessment tasks which include responses to reading and an extended piece of writing. It includes a nicely presented 41 slide teaching PPT with lots of engaging activities and extracts from a range of texts including fiction and non-fiction.
All 13 texts and student resources are included as well as a detailed set of teacher’s notes explaining how I have used them.
I have included all resources in PPT, Word and PDF formats.
Please check current list of NEAs with AQA and note that information, guidance, support and resources are available from AQA.
More Step Up to English Resources
Other complete courses and individual teaching units on all component 1 and 2 topics are available. They include editable teaching PPTs, all student resources and a set of detailed teacher’s notes and can be found at:
RoseandMay’s TES English Classroom Resources
New individual units:
AQA Step Up to English: Component 1 STYLE Unit
AQA Step Up to English: Component 2 CRIME Unit
AQA Step Up to English: Component 2 Dystopia Unit
You may also like:
AQA Step Up to English: Grammar and Punctuation Starters
AQA Step Up to English: Component 2 Creative Writing Unit