I provide a wide range of resources for use in the classroom and around school. My resources build on children's learning and consider the smaller steps children need to take to achieve the learning. My resources have a focus on 'mastery' style questions where possible, to develop children's critical thinking and reasoning skills. As a practicing primary teacher myself, I know how essential it is to have well organised lesson resources with engaging activities that focus on the learning.
I provide a wide range of resources for use in the classroom and around school. My resources build on children's learning and consider the smaller steps children need to take to achieve the learning. My resources have a focus on 'mastery' style questions where possible, to develop children's critical thinking and reasoning skills. As a practicing primary teacher myself, I know how essential it is to have well organised lesson resources with engaging activities that focus on the learning.
54 spelling lists for year 1.
Each spelling list covers a specific rule/sound from the curriculum.
Easy to use in class and can be used easily alongside other resources for learning spellings. Also useful to help you identify spelling rules to teach.
Sheets can be sent home to help children with learning their spellings.
These have also been used for recap work in year 2 and lower KS2 where required.
Comprehension questions on explorers, exploration and discovery (past, present and future).
Set of images to develop children's reading comprehension skills and discussion. Each image has two questions. These are particularly aimed at developing children's inference skills, justifying from using evidence in the pictures and broadening vocabulary. These will give any ability of child the opportunity to develop their comprehension skills.
Lesson 1: We are learning to understand what different types of communication are available on the internet.
Link to website for children to conduct their own research into types of online communication.
Some questioning to develop children's thinking, particularly around which types of communication are most useful for what.
Touches on being respectful, kind and polite online.
Choice of activity for differentiation.
Plenary is a self assessment, which is included.
Lesson 2: We are learning to understand the dangers of online communication.
Clear learning, with lots of questions to get children to consider how they communicate online, what is safe and what is not safe.
Video to hook children and show how communicating with strangers online can be dangerous.
Opportunity for lots of discussion.
Choice of activity for differentiation and plenary.
6 week medium term planning for a Brazil Topic (30 lessons), some focus on the Olympic Games.
Planning/resources provided for each lesson, including coverage links for 2014 curriculum.
Includes range of key critical thinking (mastery) questions.
There’s planning, PowerPoints, resources and exemplar text for 12 literacy lessons-writing a persuasive letter. Literacy is linked to Brazil topic.
Fully interactive PowerPoint about Brazil (61 slides). Use in full screen mode to navigate between sections. A range of mastery style questions included. Covers:
Rain forest
Rubber Trade
Tribes
Climate
Geography
Lifestyles
History
Art
Olympics (Rio/ Ancient Olympics).
We are learning to's:
Geography: use scale maps to locate places in Brazil; use critical thinking skills (to compare areas of Brazil); understand what deforestation is and where it occurs; create a persuasive text about deforestation; investigate the similarities and differences between village and city life in Brazil; investigate what it is like to live in a tribe; investigate and compare the lives of Indigenous Indians; describe the structure of the Amazon Rain forest; investigate Fair Trade in Brazil; understand the importance of Brazilian carnivals.
History: investigate how the rubber trade started; explore the ancient Olympic games; understand the chronology of the Olympics.
Art: use pencil sketching skills; use pencil sketching skills; observe details; create a collage; observe details and create urban art; design a symbolic Olympic mascot; design a symbolic Olympic medal.
ICT: search safely on the internet; create a PowerPoint document; program hyperlinks in a PowerPoint; create and present data in a bar graph (using PowerPoint); create and present data in a line graph (using PowerPoint); present and evaluate a PowerPoint.
Design Technology: research and design a carnival float; build and evaluate a carnival float.
Music: listen to and recall sounds; experiment with percussion instruments; perform, using percussion instruments.
R.E: explore religion in Brazil.
P.E. apply a range of athletics skills (to compete in a mini Olympics).
Lessons can be adapted
Lessons differentiated.
Fact sheets, images, planning sheet, evaluations sheets etc provided for many lessons.
List of other suggested resources for each lesson.
List of suggested books and websites.
All images have been taken from: http://search.creativecommons.org/ where no attribution is required.
Lesson PowerPoint, planning and activities for identifying invertebrate groups and developing children's understanding of invertebrates that live in their local environment. Lots of mastery thinking required.
The fifth in a series of lessons to develop children's knowledge about 'Living Things and Their Habitats,' for the 2014 primary curriculum. Links to coverage of the curriculum are explicit in the planning.
We are learning to identify invertebrate groups in their own habitat.
An interesting starter to intrigue children and develop their scientific skills in estimating and discussing.
Recaps, revisits and builds on prior learning on living things, vertebrates and invertebrates.
Develop's children's scientific knowledge about grouping animals in different ways and looks at the specific scientific characteristics of invertebrate groups that are likely to be found in the local environment, as well as exploring examples of each group and their habitats.
Opportunity for outdoor work to identify invertebrate groups in the school grounds/ locality, with a focus on the type of habitat they were found in (recording sheet provided, although you will need bug hunting equipment from school and to set safety rules).
Lots of 'mastery' thinking required through the questions posed, for deepening and mastering learning.
Choice of 3 differentiated, engaging follow up activities to design a bug hotel, focusing on the type of habitat each invertebrate group would prefer (2 tasks are provided, all 3 are explained on the PowerPoint). Further resources e.g. prompt cards and pictures are provided too.
Opportunity for giving written peer feedback about the learning that has taken place.
An optional homework task is provided for children to develop their learning about classifying plants and consolidate their use of classification keys and scientific explanations.
All images have been taken from: http://search.creativecommons.org/ where no attribution is required.
4 lesson PowerPoint. Lessons 1-3 have 3 differentiated work sheets each.
Lessons are generally 'sports' themed to engage and motivate boys, as well as girls.
The lessons develop and build upon children knowledge of using direct speech in their writing.
Each lesson initially recaps children's learning from the day before, prior to building upon it.
Lesson 1 - We are learning to identify and correct punctuation in direct speech. 3 differentiated follow up tasks included.
Lesson 2- We are learning to turn speech bubbles into direct speech. 3 differentiated follow up tasks included.
Lesson 3 - We are learning to choose verbs to describe how something is said. 3 differentiated follow up tasks included.
Lesson 4 - We are learning to use direct speech. Mixed ability, group task included, with 8 scenarios for children to turn into speech/ conversations after being read aloud by members of their group.
Peer assessment included as part of lesson 4.
If you only have a short period of time for SPaG, there is enough material to cover 8 sessions as each lesson PowerPoint has practise activities on it too. The tasks could be used on the following day.
Cross-curricular link - lessons also encourage children to be good team players/good sports.
Lesson PowerPoint, planning and activity resources.
The fourth in a series of lessons to develop children's knowledge about 'States of Matter,' for the 2014 primary curriculum. Links to coverage of the curriculum are explicit in the planning (for both States of Matter and Working Scientifically)
We are learning to observe when different materials change state when heated or cooled.
An interesting mastery question for a starter, to develop children's critical thinking and reasoning.
Recaps, revisits and builds on children's prior knowledge from previous lessons.
Develop's children's scientific knowledge freezing and melting for materials other than water.
Fun investigation to complete as a class. Safety warnings on planning and PowerPoint for children to avoid the hot items.
Step by step modelling of the experiment modeled on the PowerPoint.
Further 'mastery' thinking required for deepening and mastering learning, through thought provoking questions etc.
3 differentiated activities (two are provided, one is an independent task and is on the PowerPoint- tasks can link with writing in literacy)
The tasks are linked to an Ancient Greek topic (writing to a Greek Goddess), although this can be very easily adapted to suit any topic.
All images have been taken from: http://search.creativecommons.org/ where no attribution is required.
Everything you need to teach a States of Matter science topic for a half term.
7 lessons, including planning, PowerPoints and resources. Mastery questions included throughout. Plus an end of topic assessment paper and answer paper.
Lesson plans and PowerPoints are explicit and easy to follow.
Where equipment is needed for experiments, equipment lists are provided on the lesson plans and PowerPoints. There are also step by step guides for completing the experiments on the PowerPoints.
All lessons have 3 differentiated follow-up tasks. Most are provided, the rest are on the PowerPoints.
All lessons have an interesting starter, either a brain-teaser mastery style question or a zoomed in photograph to identify (that is relevant to the topic).
Lessons recap, revisit and build upon children's prior knowledge. The repetition during the recapping sections of the lessons are great for supporting children with retaining information.
Throughout the lessons, there are thought provoking 'mastery' style questions, to encourage children to reason and explain.
There are opportunities for peer assessment.
We are learning to's include:
to compare and group materials;
to identify states of matter and their properties;
to investigate freezing and melting/ to conduct a fair test;
to observe when different materials change state when heated or cooled;
to understand an irreversible change;
to identify evaporation and condensation in the water cycle;
to explain the processes of evaporation and condensation.
Opportunity to develop science skills is also covered.
Links to 2014 National Curriculum is made clear on each lesson plan.
Some activities are linked to an Ancient Greek topic through hooks, letters and instructions (not all lessons), however this could be VERY easily adapted to another topic.
All images have been taken from: http://search.creativecommons.org/ where no attribution is required.
How to make a cloud in the classroom! Lesson PowerPoint, planning and Activity
The seventh (final) in a series of lessons to develop children's knowledge about 'States of Matter,' for the 2014 primary curriculum. Links to coverage of the curriculum are explicit in the planning (for both States of Matter and Working Scientifically)
We are learning to explain the processes of evaporation and condensation.
An interesting mastery question for a starter, to develop children's critical thinking and reasoning.
Recaps, revisits and builds on children's prior knowledge from previous lesson on the water cycle, evaporation, condensation and precipitation. .
Develop's children's scientific explanations of evaporation and condensation, through participation in an engaging experiment.
Step by step explanation of how to make a cloud in a class. Equipment is easy to obtain, a list is provided on the planning an in the PowerPoint.
As the experiment needs the use of boiling water and a match, a warning is given on both the PowerPoint and in the planning, to be shared appropriately with the class to keep children safe.
Further 'mastery' thinking required for deepening and mastering learning, through thought provoking questions etc.
Choice of 3 differentiated follow up activities (2 are provided, one is an independent task and is on the PowerPoint).
Opportunity for written peer assessment as a plenary (included within tasks 1 and 2 and provided separately for group 3)
As an engaging hook, the follow up activity is linked to the Ancient Greeks (writing instructions for the King of Gods and God of the weather, Zeus). However, this could very easily be adapted to another topic.
All images have been taken from: http://search.creativecommons.org/ where no attribution is required.
Lesson PowerPoint, planning and activity resources.
The first in a series of lessons to develop children's knowledge about 'States of Matter,' for the 2014 primary curriculum.
We are learning to compare and group materials.
Children begin by working in groups and making their own decisions on how to group a range of materials and reason their choice to the class.
Opportunity for children to consider what the states of matter are and identify these within their own environment to make their learning meaningful.
Children start to explore the properties of materials.
Some 'mastery' thinking required for deepening and mastering learning.
3 differentiated activities (2 of these are provided, one is an independent task and is on the PowerPoint)
Lesson PowerPoint, easy to follow, explicit planning and activity resources.
The second in a series of lessons to develop children's knowledge about 'States of Matter,' for the 2014 primary curriculum.
We are learning to identify states of matter and their properties.
An interesting mastery question for a starter - 'If sand can be poured from one container to another, does this mean that it is a liquid?'
Recaps children's prior knowledge.
Develop's children's knowledge of the states of matter and their properties - specifically around particles.
Links to Ancient Greek topic as covers the Ancient Greek who first suggested particles.
Further 'mastery' thinking required for deepening and mastering learning, through thought provoking questions etc.
3 differentiated activities (2 of these are provided, one is an independent task and is on the PowerPoint. It has strong links to literacy)
16 worksheets for working on area and progressing against the year 4 and year 5 curriculum.
All work sheets have answer sheets
All work sheets have 'We are learning to' at the top, which can be edited to suit your school format.
1 - Counting squares to find the area of quadrilaterals, using the measures cm, and m (2 worksheets).
2 - Counting squares INCLUDING HALF SQUARES to find the area of quadrilaterals, using the measures cm and m (2 worksheets plus bonus challenge work sheet, including quarter squares).
3 - Counting squares to find the area of compound shapes, using the measures cm and m (2 worksheets).
4 - Estimating the area of right angled triangles by counting squares (1 worksheet).
5 - Calculating the area of quadrilaterals, using the measures mm, cm, m, km (2 worksheets, 1 with supporting grid lines, one without).
6 - Calculating the area of quadrilaterals INCLUDING HALF SQUARES, using the measures mm, cm, m, km (2 worksheets, 1 with grid lines, 1 without).
7 - Calculating the area of compound shapes, using the measures mm, cm, m, km (2 work sheets, one with prompt lines, one without).
8 - Measuring sides to the nearest mm to calculate area (2 worksheets, 1 quadrilaterals, 1 compound shapes).
Lesson PowerPoint, planning and activities for identifying invertebrate groups and developing children's understanding of invertebrates that live in their local environment. Lots of mastery thinking required.
The sixth (final) in a series of lessons to develop children's knowledge about 'Living Things and Their Habitats,' for the 2014 primary curriculum. Links to coverage of the curriculum are explicit in the planning.
We are learning to understand how environments change and the dangers this can cause for wildlife.
An interesting 'who am I?' starter to intrigue children. Clues reveal themselves one at a time and explore each of the invertebrate groups covered in the last lesson.
Recaps, revisits and builds on prior learning on living things.
Develop's children's scientific knowledge about habitats and how they change - both through natural causes and the impacts of humans. Lots of critical thinking and explaining required.
Learning walk around the locality required - children to look out for ways humans have changed the environment - both positive and negative. Opportunity for children to discuss what they saw, particularly any positive impacts.
How do humans harm habitats? Explores deforestation, what it is and the impacts.
Opportunity for children to consider why humans harm the environment and the impacts.
Opportunity for children to consider ways to improve the environment that are relevant to their locality.
Children work in mixed ability groups to develop, carry out and evaluate a plan to improve their environment.
Lots of 'mastery' thinking required through the questions posed, for deepening and mastering learning.
This may actually take 3-4 lessons:
Introducing the learning and taking the learning walk.
Creating an action plan
Carrying out the mission
Evaluating the mission and sharing with the class.
All images have been taken from: http://search.creativecommons.org/ where no attribution is required.
Self and Peer assessment forms to encourage children to critically consider the learning that they or their partner has achieved and give praise for these by identifying what has gone well. Children also become more aware of the presentation of their work.
Encourages children to think about giving constructive feedback to themselves or a peer and set a target to work toward next time. Children are much more engaged in remembering and responding to such targets.
Can be edited to include specific learning objectives or success criteria, hence this resource can be used for any lesson.
Helps you identify what children really know about their learning and how well they are doing.
A great edition to children's books to for book scrutiny or inspections, particularly in line with the 2014 curriculum.
Could support your marking, cutting down the time you spend on marking.
Used very effectively across KS2 and has really improved children's thinking about their own work. They no longer finish work and never look back over it again. It has really started children talking about their work. For less able children, a class discussion before hand about what learning may look like and possible targets to set has been helpful.
Comprehension questions on rain forests, polar regions, coral reefs, deserts and savannas (suitable for a topic on biomes/climate)
Set of images to develop children's reading comprehension skills and discussion. Each image has two questions. These are particularly aimed at developing children's inference skills, justifying from using evidence in the pictures and broadening vocabulary. These will give any ability of child the opportunity to develop their comprehension skills.
Y4 SPaG tests. Total of 6 tests and 6 answer sheets.
Tests are written for the 2014 curriculum for year 4 and get progressively harder throughout the year.
The tests assess children on:
Nouns/ pronouns/ proper nouns
Adverbs/verbs
Adjectives
Expanded noun phrases
Fronted adverbials and use of commas
Direct/indirect speech
Some Y4 spellings
Homophones
Past/present/future tense verbs
Correct use of tense in a sentence
Determiners (articles)
Use of Standard English
Correct use of there/their/they're/been/being/too/to/two
Co-ordinating conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions/subordinate clauses
Plus more!
Two sets of 20+ images to develop children's reading comprehension skills and discussion. Each image has two questions. These are particularly aimed at developing children's inference skills, justifying from using evidence in the pictures and broadening vocabulary. These will give any ability of child the opportunity to develop their comprehension skills.
One set will link well with a Brazil/ South America theme and will also develop subject knowledge in this area.
One set is for a topic on biomes.
Exemplar persuasive letter based on oil extraction in Brazil.
To be used as a good example of a persuasive letter for KS2.
Uses a wide range of vocabulary and sentence structures.
Two lessons to help children understand remembrance day.
One lesson focuses on remembrance day itself, the other on the significance of the poppy - and the different types of poppy available today.
Both lessons are detailed and end in a choice of learning tasks. The lessons are well researched and informative.
Statements to help you with assessing children against the 2014 Computing Curriculum, or with setting targets.
There are separate documents for years 3 and 4, which break down the learning and help to show progress between year groups.
As the assessment grids help identify learning for children in each year group, they can also be used to guide planning, again to ensure progress between year groups.