This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make sustained and developed links between Dickens’ Great Expectations and its social and historical context. In particular, students learn about the contrasts between the lives of the rich and poor in Victorian society, crime and the justice system, and the implications of an underdeveloped healthcare system. They then link this understanding to what they read in the opening of the novel. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Understanding key information about Charles Dickens, his life, and influences; - Researching and sharing key contextual understanding about the rich, poor, healthcare, crime and the justice system in the 19th Century; - Reading extracts from the opening of 'Great Expectations' and identifying evidence of contextual influences; - Analysing how Dickens presents his views about the cruelty of 19th Century life through the opening of the text; - Peer assessing each other's learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Extract - Opening of Great Expectations; - Template for researching 19th Century life (and completed answer sheet for teachers); - Analysis template with success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Comprehensive lesson plan. All documents are attached as Word and PDF in case formatting differs on your computer. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to mixed ability year 10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to compose sophisticated, imaginative creative writing, through producing a first person account about competing in the opening stages of The Hunger Games. In order to do so, students first analyse the descriptive writing devices and sentence structures used by Suzanne Collins in Chapter 11 of The Hunger Games - the section in which the Hunger Games commence – before applying what they have learnt to their own compositions. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: Defining each of the different types of descriptive devices, through playing a fun, interactive bingo game; Reading an extract from Chapter 11 of the text (provided) which describes the moments immediately before and after the Hunger Games commence; Identifying the language techniques used in the extract to paint an image of place in the minds of the readers, and to create the desired atmosphere; Analysing the effectiveness of each of Collins’ descriptive devices; Analysing the sentence structures and lengths employed by Collins in the extract; Creating their own first-person description of the horrific moments at the Cornucopia, before and after the Hunger Games begin; Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Bingo Cards for the starter activity (and host instructions/ questions);’ Extract from Chapter 11 of The Hunger Games; Structure strips to support the descriptive writing; Writing to Describe Helpsheet to support the descriptive writing; Comprehensive Lesson Plan. All resources are provided in Word (for easy editing) and PDF (to ensure formatting remains fixed between different computers). There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with year 8 classes, however colleagues have used them for between years 5 and 10 with some adaptations. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Denise Levertov’s power and conflict poem 'What Were They Like?’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; The Poet’s Influences. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. The resource is designed to be printed onto A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images used are licensed for commercial use and are cited on a separate document (included).

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Carol Rumens’ power and conflict poem 'The Emigree.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; The Poet’s Influences. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. The resource is designed to be printed onto A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images used are licensed for commercial use and are cited on a separate document (included).

This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of Michael Morpurgo’s ‘Private Peaceful.’ Teachers have found them particularly useful in comprehension or guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of children towards meeting the KS3 expectations within the new National Curriculum framework. Children have found these resources extremely engaging, and for teachers there is explicit information within each task regarding which comprehension strands the task is designed to demonstrate. They also relate to key extracts, characters, and themes from the story, ensuring that children gain a deep understanding of the text. Activities within the booklet include: - ‘Context: World War One’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Know the purpose, audience and context of the writing and drawing on this knowledge to support comprehension.’ - ‘Morpurgo’s Description’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Know how language, including figurative language, vocabulary choice, grammar, text structure and organisational features, present meaning.’ - ‘Horrible Hanley’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Study setting, plot, and characterisation, and the effects of these.’ - ‘Vocabulary Inspector’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Learn new vocabulary, relating it explicitly to known vocabulary and understanding it with the help of context and dictionaries.’ Plus many, many more activities (the booklet is 21 pages in length!) I’ve also added it as a PDF in case the formatting differs on your computer. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on a separate document (included).

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make precise, detailed interpretations regarding the relationship between Ferdinand and Miranda in The Tempest. In particular, students consider their introduction to one another at the end of Act 1 Scene 2, before tracking the development of their relationship throughout the play. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which students learn through: Reading and comprehending how Ferdinand and Miranda are introduced to one another in Act 1 Scene 2; Using textual exploration to discover how the characters’ relationship is then developed over the course of the play; Considering Shakespeare’s intentions in his portrayal of the relationship; Answering an essay-style question about Ferdinand and Miranda’s relationship; Self-assessing their learning through the lesson; Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Essay template (includes structure strip); Tracking template; Copy of extract from Act I Scene 2 (freely available online); Comprehensive lesson plan. Resources are provided in PDF (to maintain formatting) and Word (so that they are easily editable - they can be found in the zipfile) The lesson contains opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with year 10 and 11 classes, however colleagues have used them for between year 9 and year 13 with some adaptations. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Daljit Nagra’s love and relationships poem 'Singh Song.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; The Poet’s Influences. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. The resource is designed to be printed onto A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images used are licensed for commercial use and are cited on a separate document (included).

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Mary Casey’s conflict poem 'The Class Game.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; Wider Reading Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. The resource is designed to be printed onto A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images used are licensed for commercial use and are cited on a separate document (included).

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to explore and consider the ideas and perspectives regarding human cloning in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go. In particular, students research and understand the key factors in the human cloning debate, interpret and analyse how Ishiguro applies these concepts throughout Never Let Me Go, and then use these influences to argue their own viewpoint on the human cloning debate. . The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: Understanding and further researching the key factors in the human cloning debate; Linking their understanding of the human cloning debate to what they read in the novel;’ Answering comprehension questions about human cloning in Never Let Me Go; Analysing Ishiguro’s key intentions in his depiction of life for clones in the novel; Applying their understanding of human cloning to their own writing to argue piece; Debating as a class whether human cloning should be allowed using their research notes and argument points; Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts; Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Guided research template Selected extracts (from chapters 7, 12, 14 and 22); Writing to Argue Structure Strip; Writing to Argue Helpsheet; Comprehensive Lesson Plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with year 10 and 11 classes, however colleagues have used them for between year 9 and year 13 with some adaptations. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Kazuo Ishiguro’s ‘Never Let Me Go.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Chapter by Chapter Summary (with quotes); Main Characters; Themes; Ishiguro’s Language Devices; Influences on the Writer. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. The resource is designed to be printed onto A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images used are licensed for commercial use and are cited on a separate document (included).

This interesting and highly-stimulating lesson enables students to gain a clear understanding of the key meanings in the Greek Myth ‘Pandora's Box.’ Through engagement with the story, students learn to interpret and infer the key elements of plot in texts, comment upon the writer’s purposes and messages in texts, challenging and building upon their ideas, and apply the key messages to other contexts. The lesson follows a clear, logical, bite-size learning journey, which guides students towards differentiated learning objectives. Over the course of this journey, they become able to: - Understand the phrase 'opening Pandora's Box' and apply it to modern contexts; - Read the story 'Pandora's Box' and interpret the key meanings; - Summarise the key events of the story through a storyboard; - Identify, explain, and analyse the writer's key messages in 'Pandora's Box;' - Engage deeply with the text by challenging and building upon the ideas/messages raised by the writer;' - Test their understanding of the story by creating their own recreations; - Peer assess each other's learning attempts. This resource pack includes: - A visually engaging whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation; - Paper copies and online links to a copy of Pandora's Box; - Pandora's Box Storyboard; - The Writer's Message Worksheet; - A detailed lesson plan, complete with what the teacher and students should aim to achieve at each stage of the lesson. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the PowerPoint.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Seamus Heaney’s love and relationships poem 'Follower.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Line-by-Line Analysis; Poetic Devices/ Language Devices; Themes; Form/Structure; Poems for Comparison; The Poet’s Influences. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. The resource is designed to be printed onto A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images used are licensed for commercial use and are cited on a separate document (included).

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make precise interpretations of the descriptive language used by Suzanne Collins in her descriptions of District 12 in ‘The Hunger Games.’ They also learn how the depiction of settings can have a profound impact upon the tone and atmosphere of a novel, and apply this understanding (along with their knowledge of the key language devices) to form their own vivid and imaginative descriptions of places. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: Understanding the power of places and settings, especially the impact that they have on atmosphere and tone; Defining each of the different types of descriptive devices, through completing an interactive group activity; Reading extracts from the text in which Collins describes District 12, and identifying the language techniques used to paint an image of place in the minds of the readers; Analysing the effectiveness of each of Collins’ descriptive devices; Creating their own description of a desolate, run-down place, utilising appropriate and effective descriptive devices throughout; Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Cards for the Card Sorting Activity;’ Extracts from The Hunger Games; Individual analysis worksheet; Writing to Describe Helpsheet; Comprehensive Lesson Plan. All resources are provided in Word (for easy editing) and PDF (to ensure formatting remains fixed between different computers). There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with year 8 classes, however colleagues have used them for between years 5 and 10 with some adaptations. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make detailed and precise interpretations of the introduction and development of the relationship between Pip and Estella in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations. In particular, students learn about how the two characters feel and act towards one another throughout the novel, linking this to their understanding of context and to Dickens’ key messages about love, morality, and class. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Understanding key contextual information about love and courtship; - Reading a key extract introducing their relationship in ‘Great Expectations’ and identifying their behaviour traits towards one another; -Using clues to track their developing relationship throughout the novel; - Analysing the development of their relationship through the novel, considering Dickens’ key messages to the readers; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Analysis template with success criteria for creating well-structured responses; - Estella and Pip text retrieval worksheet; - The necessary extracts to aid the lesson; - Comprehensive lesson plan. All documents are attached as Word and PDF in case formatting differs on your computer. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to mixed ability year 10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Susan Hill’s ‘The Woman in Black.’ It contains comprehensive sections on: Context; Chapter by Chapter Summary (with quotes); Main Characters; Themes; Hill’s Language Devices; Features of Gothic Novels. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference. The resource is designed to be printed onto A3, and is provided as both a PDF and a Word version (so that you can edit if you want to). All images used are licensed for commercial use and are cited on a separate document (included).

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make precise interpretations regarding the characterisation of Kensuke in Michael Morpurgo’s ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom.’ In particular, children comprehend how Kensuke’s character is initially introduced in Chapter 5 of the text, before tracking how his character develops throughout the story. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: Developing a contextual understanding of Japan, including the events of World War II, and how Japan has changed more recently; Reading an extract from the text in which Kensuke is introduced, identifying his key characteristics and answering comprehension questions about his character; Tracking the development of Kensuke throughout the story; Creating their own character for the island, drawing on Morpurgo’s characterisation techniques; Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Character Development Tracking Graph; Character Profile Template; Comprehensive Lesson Plan All resources are provided in Word (for easy editing) and PDF (to ensure formatting remains fixed between different computers). There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with year 4 and 5 classes, however colleagues have used them for between years 3 and 8 with some adaptations. The word documents are within the zip file. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This engaging and informative lesson helps students to make detailed interpretations about two of the main characters in David Almond’s Skellig: Michael and Mina. In particular, students comprehend the character traits of the two characters, before analysing the development of their relationship over the course of the story. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Defining and exemplifying the key character traits of both Michael and Mina; - Reading and tracking Michael and Mina's relationship development throughout the story; - Analysing how and why Michael and Mina's relationship becomes so strong by the end of the story; - Peer assessing each other's learning attempts; Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - Character Profile Sheets - Michael and Mina (pdf and word); - Relationship Development Graph (pdf and word); - Essay Template; - Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with a year 7 class, however colleagues have used them for between years 4 and 9 with minimal adaptations. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make clear, detailed and well-informed interpretations of the character of Ruth in ‘Never Let Me Go.’ In particular, students develop their understanding of how the character is introduced and developed, drawing on a varied range of textual evidence from across the novel, before demonstrating their understanding of how the character through writing a letter from her viewpoint. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: Reading an extract detailing Ruth’s introduction in the novel and answering comprehension questions about the initial portrayal of her character; Finding quotations in order to back up ideas about how her character is developed over the course of the novel; Understanding how Ruth reflects Ishiguro’s key meanings and ideas; Using their deep understanding of Ruth’s character to write a letter from her perspective; Peer assessing each others’ learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Quote Detectives Worksheet; Selected extract (from chapter 5); Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with year 10 and 11 classes, however colleagues have used them for between year 9 and year 13 with some adaptations. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This engaging and informative lesson enables students to make clear, detailed and well-informed interpretations of the theme of life and death in ‘Never Let Me Go.’ In particular, students develop their understanding of how this theme is introduced and developed, drawing on a varied range of textual evidence from across the novel, before demonstrating their understanding of how the theme is used to get across Ishiguro’s key ideas. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: Reading an extract detailing the introduction to the theme of life and death in the novel, and answering comprehension questions to demonstrate understanding; Tracking and analysing the development of the theme of life and death throughout the novel, through a interesting timeline task; Understanding how the theme of life and death is used to portray Ishiguro’s key meanings and ideas; Using their deep understanding of the theme of life and death to answer an exam-style question; Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; Novel TImeline Template; Selected extract (from chapter 7); Essay Template Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with year 10 and 11 classes, however colleagues have used them for between year 9 and year 13 with some adaptations. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.

This full double lesson (the resources are enough for at least 2-3 hours of teaching time) provides an engaging and highly-informative study of Alfred Lord Tennyson’s conflict poem ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade.’ Students learn to interpret and analyse the poem in terms of content, language, and structure, learn more about the context of the Crimean War and the Battle of Balaclava, and gain crucial skills in structuring analytical responses to texts. Included is: Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and substantial; (including hyperlinks to informative and engaging videos) Context of the Light Brigade - worksheet (teacher’s answer-sheet also provided); Copy of poem; Content, language and structure mind map; Analysis template with success criteria for creating well-structured responses; Comprehensive lesson plan. There are also opportunities for group learning, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. This was originally taught to middle-ability year 10 groups, but can easily be differentiated for groups of different ages and abilities. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.