This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of Louis Sachar’s ‘Holes.’ Teachers have found them particularly useful in comprehension or guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of children towards meeting the upper KS2 expectations within the new National Curriculum framework. Children love learning from these resources, whilst they are also of great use to teachers, as 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: - ‘An Interview with Stanley Yelnats’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Understand what is read by drawing on information from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas, and using quotations for illustration;’ - ‘Sachar’s Description’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Explain meanings of words that they know and ask the meaning of new words. Link the meaning of new words to words that they already know;’ - ‘Yellow-Spotted Lizards!’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Understand what is read by drawing on information from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas, and using quotations for illustration;’ - ‘Figurative Language in Holes’ - to enable students to demonstrate that they can: ‘Discuss and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, to create an impact on the reader.’ 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 purposeful lesson is the fifth in a series of lessons in which children develop an in-depth understanding of Ancient Greece. There is a particular focus on the achievements of the Ancient Greeks and how these have influenced the world. In this lesson, children learn all about Greek culture and religion. Specifically, they: -Learn and recall key facts about Ancient Greek craftsmanship, theatre, philosophy, discovery and architecture; -Explain what the Greeks believed about various Gods and Goddesses, and how they honoured them; -Describe the key responsibilities, powers and traits of a God or Goddess. The learning is guided by a clear and colourful PowerPoint presentation, which guides students through the following step-by-step journey: -Knowledge recall of history skills and prior facts about the Ancient Greeks; -Understanding of the concept of ‘culture’; -Exploring clues from a range of sources to find out more about the key areas of Ancient Greek culture: craftsmanship, theatre, philosophy, discovery and architecture; -Watching an engaging, age-appropriate video to learn about the main Gods, their roles and what the Greeks believed about them; -Using clear guidance to research a God of their choice and complete a character profile about them; -Understanding how the Greeks’ religious beliefs influenced their achievements; -Self-reflecting on the extent to which they feel they have met the learning objective. Included is the comprehensive PowerPoint presentation (26 slides), which contains all of the information needed to teach the lesson, the sources for the investigation activity, and the template for the character profile (provided in both Word and PDF). In the past, I have used this lesson with children in lower KS2 (years 3 and 4), however this was an advanced class and these resources could easily be used with upper KS2. The key learning is aligned with KS2 curriculum expectations for history. All images are licensed for commercial use.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children learning about Richard the Lionheart (Richard I), either as a part of their history study of ‘Significant Individuals’, or as part of a wider study of The Crusades. It contains comprehensive sections entitled: -Overview; -Times in His Life; -Important Vocabulary; -Richard the Lionheart Timeline; -Answers to the Important Questions; -Top Ten Facts. The resource is designed to be printed onto either A4 or 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.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Simon Armitage’s power and conflict poem 'Remains.’ 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 clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for Year 1 children, teachers and parents covering knowledge relating to ‘Everyday Materials’, as a part of their science learning. It contains comprehensive sections on: Overview; Types of Materials; What are Objects Made from? Composites; Soft/Hard Materials Continuum; Key Vocabulary (underlined). The content is fully aligned with the NC expectations for Year 1 children relating to ‘Everyday Materials:’ -distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made -identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock -describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials -compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple physical properties. 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 clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children, teachers and parents learning about ‘Mechanisms’ as a part of the KS1 curriculum in Design and Technology. The organiser is clear, logical and fully meets the expectations of the National Curriculum. This organiser has a particular emphasis on sliders and levers. It includes sections on: -Overview - Mechanisms, Sliders and Levers; -Example Mechanisms - Seesaw, Scissors, Children’s Books, Drawers; -Designing; -Making and Evaluating; -Health and Safety Guidance. 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 clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for Year 4 children, teachers and parents covering knowledge relating to ‘Animals including Humans’, as a part of their science learning. It contains comprehensive sections on: Overview and ‘what you should already know’ (from their prior learning); Food Chains Explanation and Key Terms; Example Food Chains; Teeth; The Digestive System; Key Vocabulary (underlined). The content is fully aligned with the NC expectations for Year 4 children relating to ‘Animals including Humans:’ -describe the simple functions of the basic parts of the digestive system in humans -identify the different types of teeth in humans and their simple functions -construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying producers, predators and prey. 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 interesting lesson aims to improve students’ understanding of the context of the of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Some of the primary topics that are addressed are William Shakespeare himself, James I and superstition, witches and witchcraft, religion, mortality rates, and the theatre. This knowledge should enable students to make convincing links between the play and the events of the time. It is a vital lesson in any Macbeth theme that can be taught before, during, or after reading. The lesson uses a range of tasks, that require students to be visual and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey: - Understanding who William Shakespeare was, and remembering key details about his life; - Identifying words and phrases that he coined that are still in use today; - Taking part in a quiz about the some of the more basic key events and ideas of the time; - Researching the key events of the time (e.g. witch-hunts and the ascension of James I as King) and understanding which ideas were prominent. (e.g. divine right and religion) - Utilising speaking and listening skills in order to communicate gathered knowledge, and obtain knowledge from others. - Evaluating the learning in the lesson. All images in this resource are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the lesson presentation.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children learning about Robert the Bruce as a part of their history study of ‘Significant Individuals.’ It contains comprehensive sections entitled: -Overview; -Times in His Life; -Important Vocabulary; -Robert the Bruce Timeline; -Answers to the Important Questions; -Top Ten Facts. The resource is designed to be printed onto either A4 or 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.

This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising knowledge relating to the The Great Fire of London. It contains comprehensive sections on: The Great Fire of London Overview; Map and description of the Affected Areas; Key People; The Great Fire of London Timeline; Answers to the Important Questions; Top Ten Facts. 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). It is most suitable for students in upper KS2 and KS3.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Seamus Heaney’s power and conflict poem 'Storm on the Island.’ 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 clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students revising knowledge relating to North America, as a part of their study of physical and human geography. It contains comprehensive sections on: Overview and map; Regions and Countries of North America; Longest Rivers; Highest Mountains; Human Geography Features; Physical Geography Features. 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). The resource is most suitable for students in KS2 or KS3.

This engaging and informative lesson helps students to understand one of the main recurring themes in Louis Sachar’s Holes: The effect of the past upon the present. Students study several of the flashbacks in Sachar’s non-linear narrative, and establish how different objects, ideas, and settings are evidence of the links between past and present at Camp Green Lake. The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through: - Reading and understanding the selected extracts to comprehend how past and present events are linked at Camp Green Lake; - Exploring different objects and ideas, such as the spiced peaches and the treasure, to demonstrate how different sub-plots are interwoven; - Using textual evidence to show a deeper understanding of the writer’s purpose in linking the features of past and present together; - Analysing how the effect of the past becomes an effective theme throughout the story; - Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts; Included is: - Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive; - ‘Text Detectives’ worksheet - (PDF and Word versions); - Selected extract - Chapter 7; - Essay template for analytical paragraphs; - 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 7 and 8 classes, 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 purposeful lesson is the third in a series of lessons in which children develop an in-depth understanding of Ancient Greece. There is a particular focus on the achievements of the Ancient Greeks and how these have influenced the world. In this lesson, children learn about Ancient Greek democracy and law, with a particular focus on Ancient Athens. By the end of the lesson, they: -Understand the difference between monarchies, dictatorships & democracies; -Explain how matters were decided by democracies in Ancient Athens; -Describe the similarities and differences between democracy in Ancient Greece and today. The learning is guided by a clear and colourful PowerPoint presentation, which guides students through the following step-by-step journey: -Knowledge recall of basic history skills and prior facts about the Ancient Greeks; -Understanding key information about different types of leadership (monarchies, dictatorships and democracies) and how they vary; -Understanding that Greek city-states had different forms of leadership and that Athens formed one of the world’s first democracies; -Understanding the different roles and procedures within Ancient Athenian democracy and law; -Comparing and contrasting Greek systems to modern-day democracy, and evaluating to what extent they feel that the Athenian system was fair/ effective; -Demonstrating their knowledge of democracy and law in Ancient Athens through completing a ‘Bloom’s Taxonomy’ style worksheet, with questions requiring progressively more difficult skills and depth of knowledge; -Self-reflecting on the extent to which they feel they have met the learning objective. Included is the comprehensive PowerPoint presentation (23 slides), which contains all of the information needed to teach the lesson, and worksheet for the main task (provided in both Word and PDF). In the past, I have used this lesson with children in lower KS2 (years 3 and 4), however this was an advanced class and these resources could easily be used with upper KS2. The key learning is aligned with KS2 curriculum expectations for history. All images are licensed for commercial use.

This engaging and purposeful lesson is the fourth in a series of lessons in which children develop an in-depth understanding of Ancient Greece. There is a particular focus on the achievements of the Ancient Greeks and how these have influenced the world. In this lesson, children learn about the Ancient Olympic games. Specifically, they: -Learn and recall key facts about the Ancient Olympic Games; -Use a range of information to develop their knowledge of Ancient Olympic events and values; -Explain how the ancient games influenced the modern Olympic Games. The learning is guided by a clear and colourful PowerPoint presentation, which guides students through the following step-by-step journey: -Knowledge recall of basic history skills and prior facts about the Ancient Greeks; -Understanding key information about how, when and where the Ancient Olympic games took place; -Watching an interesting, age-appropriate video (hyperlinked) about the different events and values of the games, and demonstrating their understanding of this through comprehension questions; -Understanding how the Ancient Olympic games ended and the Modern Olympic Games started; -Explaining how the Modern Olympic sports and values are influenced by the Ancient Olympic Games; -Self-reflecting on the extent to which they feel they have met the learning objective. Included is the comprehensive PowerPoint presentation (23 slides), which contains all of the information needed to teach the lesson, and the worksheet for the further research activity (provided in both Word and PDF). In the past, I have used this lesson with children in lower KS2 (years 3 and 4), however this was an advanced class and these resources could easily be used with upper KS2. The key learning is aligned with KS2 curriculum expectations for history. All images are licensed for commercial use.

This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Imtiaz Dharker’s power and conflict poem 'Tissue.’ 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 Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol.' Teachers have found them particularly useful in exam revision, comprehension tasks, or guided reading sessions. They are perfect for aiding the progress of students towards meeting the KS4 expectations within the new National Curriculum framework - this makes the tasks suitable for all examining bodies. Students 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 students gain a deep understanding of the text. Activities within the booklet include: - 'Context: 19th Century Britain' - to aid students with 'Drawing on knowledge of the purpose, audience and context of the writing, including its social, historical and cultural context and the literary tradition to which it belongs, to inform evaluation;' - 'Dickens' Description' - to aid students with 'Analysing a writer’s choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features, and evaluating their effectiveness and impact;' - 'The Ghost of Christmas Past' - to aid students with 'Seeking evidence in the text to support a point of view, including justifying inferences with evidence;' - 'Editing the Text' - to aid students with 'Making an informed personal response, recognising that other responses to a text are possible and evaluating these.' Plus many, many more activities (the booklet is around 30 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 clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for Year 5 children, teachers and parents covering knowledge relating to ‘Forces’, as a part of their science learning. It contains comprehensive sections on: What you should already know (from prior learning); Gravity; Definition of Forces; Machines and Mechanisms; Types of Machines and Mechanisms; Key Vocabulary. The content is fully aligned with the NC expectations for Year 5 children relating to ‘Forces’: -explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object; -identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces; -recognise that some mechanisms, including levers, pulleys and gears, allow a smaller force to have a greater effect. 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 wide-ranging and comprehensive KS2 history quiz contains 60 questions. It was originally designed for year 5/6 classes as an end of term activity, but may also be suitable for knowledge recall or retrieval practice activities throughout KS2. Questions are split into 6 rounds of 10 questions each. To add variety and promote engagement, there are a range of regular, finish the sentence, and picture questions. Answers are given at the end of each round. The rounds included are: 1.) Stone Age 2.) Ancient Greece 3.) The Romans 4.) The Vikings 5.) Victorians 6.) World War II A team answer sheet is included, and is provided in both Word and PDF.

This wide-ranging and comprehensive KS2 geography quiz contains 60 questions relating to the KS2 geography national curriculum. It was originally designed for year 5/6 classes as an end of term activity, but may also be suitable for knowledge recall or retrieval practice activities throughout KS2. Questions are split into 6 rounds of 10 questions each. To add variety and promote engagement, there are a range of regular, true or false, multiple choice, finish the sentence, and picture questions. Answers are given at the end of each round. The rounds included are: 1.) Locational Knowledge 2.) Rivers, Lakes and Oceans 3.) Biomes 4.) Population 5.) Human and Natural Disasters 6.) Geography Skills A team answer sheet is included, and is provided in both Word and PDF.