3k+Uploads
2055k+Views
2345k+Downloads
All resources
Never Let Me Go - The Dystopian Novel!
This engaging and informative lesson enables students to understand how ‘Never Let Me Go’ fits the form of a dystopian novel. In particular, students develop their understanding of the key features of dystopian texts, before identifying and explaining where these are prevalent in the novel. Subsequent to this, they consider the messages that Ishiguro aims to get across through his dystopian features, before designing their own dystopian story plans.
The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through:
Defining utopias and dystopias, and gaining an understanding of their key features;
Finding the features of dystopias within the text, using relevant and precise textual evidence;
Reflecting on Ishiguro’s key meanings and ideas behind his dystopia, through watching and reading his interviews, and answering comprehension questions;
Using their deep understanding of dystopian texts to create their own dystopian story plan;
Peer assessing each others’ learning attempts.
Included is:
Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive;
‘Features of Dystopia in Never Let Me Go’ worksheet;
Interviews with Kazuo Ishiguro (video link and printed extract);
Dystopian story plan 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.
Macbeth Comprehension Activities Booklet!
This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth.’ 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 play.
Activities within the booklet include:
- ‘Context: Shakespearean 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;’
- ‘Shakespeare’s Description’ - to aid students with ‘Analysing a writer’s choice of vocabulary, form, grammatical and structural features, and evaluating their effectiveness and impact;’
- ‘Lady Macbeth’ - to aid students with ‘Seeking evidence in the text to support a point of view, including justifying inferences with evidence;’
- ‘Editing the Play’ - 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).
The Hunger Games KS3 Comprehension Activities Booklet!
This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of Suzanne Collins' 'The Hunger Games.' 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:
- 'Links to the Historical Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur' - 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.'
- 'Collins' 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.'
- 'President Snow' and 'Peeta Mellark' - 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 over 20 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).
Wonder - Auggie's Development!
This engaging and informative lesson enables students to understand how the main character –Auggie – is introduced and developed in R.J. Palacio’s ‘Wonder.’ In particular, students consider Auggie’s character traits in the opening section of the text, and how these alter as the novel progresses. They also consider R.J. Palacio’s intentions in her characterisation of Auggie.
There is easily enough content for at least 2 lessons here, following a step-by-step learning journey. Children learn through:
-Playing an interactive group quiz in order secure a base-level understanding of Auggie;
-Comprehending further details about how Auggie is introduced to the reader, through close re-reading and understanding of identified extracts in Wonder;
-Trackign Auggie’s personal development throughout the novel, whilst also considering J.P Palacio’s intentions in her characterisation;
-Creating their own additional chapter, describing the next stage of Auggie’s life, using information about his character gained over the lesson;
-Peer assessing each other’s learning attempts.
Included is:
Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive;
Character tracking template;
Writing to describe helpsheet;
Comprehensive lesson plan.
Due to the nature of the lesson, it works best when it is utilised post-reading of the text. All resources are provided in Word (for easy editing) and PDF (to ensure formatting remains fixed between different computers). Word documents are in the zip file. There are also opportunities for group learning, speaking and listening, peer assessment, and whole class discussion. I originally used these resources with a year 6 class, however colleagues have used them for between years 5 and 8 with only minor adaptations.
All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.
Poppies - Jane Weir
This engaging, comprehensive lesson aims to improve students’ understanding of Jane Weir’s contemporary war poem ‘Poppies’ with particular focus upon the symbolism, language, and structure used within the poem. By the end of the lesson, students demonstrate their knowledge of the text analytically, through assured, appropriate, and sustained interpretations.
The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through:
- Defining what symbols are, and considering some popular examples (including poppies);
- Securing contextual understanding of both the use of poppies, and Jane Weir the poet;
- Reading and interpreting the poem, using a provided line-by-line analysis, and interactive group activities;
- Developing their understanding through inferring and analysing key language and structural choices;
- Analysing how the themes of loss and remembrance are conveyed through Weir's use of symbolism;
- Peer assessing each other's learning attempts.
Included is:
- Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and substantial; (including hyperlinks to informative and engaging videos)
- Copy of poem;
- Deeper thinking worksheet (and teacher answer sheet);
- 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 9/10 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.
DT: Textiles - Sewing Techniques - Lower KS2 Knowledge Organiser!
This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children, teachers and parents building their knowledge of Textiles as a part of the KS2 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 developing sewing techniques.
It includes sections on:
-Overview - Textiles and Sewing Techniques;
-Example Textiles - Phone Cases, Wallets and Purses;
-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).
The Merchant of Venice Knowledge Organiser/ Revision Mat!
This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ It contains comprehensive sections on:
Context;
Scene by Scene Summary (with quotes);
Main Characters;
Themes;
Dramatic Devices;
Features of Comedy.
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).
England in 1819 - Percy Bysshe Shelley - Knowledge Organiser/ Revision Mat!
This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem 'England in 1819.’ It contains comprehensive sections on:
-Context;
-Line-by-Line Analysis;
-Poetic Devices/ Language Devices;
-Themes;
-Form/Structure;
-Poems for Comparison;
-The Poet’s Influences.
The organiser is perfect for those studying the ‘Worlds and Lives’ anthology. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference.
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.
The Holocaust Knowledge Organiser/ Revision Mat!
This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising knowledge relating to the The Holocaust. It contains comprehensive sections on:
Holocaust overview;
Stages of the Holocaust;
Key People;
Holocaust Timeline;
Important Holocaust Events;
Life in the Concentration Camps.
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.
The Hunger Games - Collins' Key Messages!
This engaging and informative lesson enables students to understand the key messages communicated by Suzanne Collins throughout ‘The Hunger Games.’ Students gain knowledge about Collins’ life, influences, and beliefs, in addition to developing their understanding of the other contextual features of the novel. They link this knowledge to what they read in several extracts from the text.
The lesson follows a step-by-step learning journey, in which children learn through:
Gaining knowledge Suzanne Collins’ life in order to understand her influences in writing the novel;
Researching features of social and cultural context;
Linking their knowledge about Collins’ life and their understanding of context to what they read in extracts from the text (extracts from Chapters 1, 18, and 27);
Determining Collins’ key messages in writing the text;
Arguing the extent to which they agree with Collins’ key ideas;
Self assessing their learning attempts.
Included is:
Whole lesson PowerPoint - colourful and comprehensive;’
Extracts from The Hunger Games (from Chapters 1, 18, and 27);
Research template;
Essay template for the writing to argue piece;
Writing to argue helpsheet;
A 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.
Please note that students will need internet access for the introductory research task. All images are licensed for commercial use, and image rights are listed on the last page of the presentation.
No Problem Knowledge Organiser/ Revision Mat!
This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising Benjamin Zephaniah’s poem 'No Problem.’ 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).
DT: Food and Nutrition - Upper KS2 Knowledge Organiser!
This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children, teachers and parents covering the ‘Food and Nutrition’ elements of your upper KS2 curriculum in Design and Technology. The organiser is clear, logical and fully meets the expectations of the National Curriculum.
It includes sections on:
-Preparing and Cooking Processes;
-A Healthy and Varied Diet;
-Where Food Comes From (including seasonality);
-Foods Around the World;
-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).
DT: Textiles - Combining Different Fabric Shapes - Upper KS2 Knowledge Organiser!
This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children, teachers and parents developing their knowledge of Textiles as a part of the KS2 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 combining different fabric shapes
It includes sections on:
-Overview - Textiles and Combining Fabric Shapes;
-Example Textiles - Embroidered Clothes and Tie Dye Bags;
-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).
Northern Lights Comprehension Activities Booklet!
This resource booklet contains a wide range of age-appropriate, engaging, and meaningful comprehension activities for use throughout the reading of Philip Pullman’s ‘Northern Lights.’ 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: Religion’ - 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.’
‘Pullman’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.’
‘Lyra’s Character Profile’ - 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 23 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).
Lines Written in Early Spring - Knowledge Organiser/ Revision Mat!
This detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for students learning or revising William Wordsworth’s poem 'Lines Written in Early Spring.’ It contains comprehensive sections on:
-Context;
-Line-by-Line Analysis;
-Poetic Devices/ Language Devices;
-Themes;
-Form/Structure;
-Poems for Comparison;
-The Poet’s Influences.
The organiser is perfect for those studying the ‘Worlds and Lives’ anthology. Key words and ideas are underlined for easy reference.
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.
Ancient Greeks - Culture and Religion - Lesson!
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.
Romeo and Juliet: The Montagues and The Capulets (Analysis of Act 1 Scene 1)
This lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of the opening scene in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Students learn to make sustained and developed inferences and interpretations in relation to both characters and plot. Students also produce a family tree to demonstrate the relationships between the characters, using colourful and interesting images and resources.
The lesson utilises a range of tasks, that require students to be attentive and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey:
- Defining the key term 'feud' and apply this understanding to a range of contexts;
- Reading and interpreting the prologue and Act 1 Scene 1, and establishing how Shakespeare sets the scene in Verona;
- Reflecting upon what effect this may have had on audiences at the time;
- Making detailed inferences/ interpretations into clues about characterisation and social structure;
- Analysing Shakespeare's intentions in including such an energetic scene at the outset of the play;
- Peer/self evaluating the learning in the lesson.
Included in this resource pack are:
- A well-presented, thorough, and informative, whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation;
- Resources for the reading and interpreting activity - full scene transcript with space for notes;
- A template to help scaffold the main task, complete with P.E.E instructions;
- A family tree template and character list;
- A challenging and thought-provoking worksheet, and an answer sheet for the teacher.
All images in this resource are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the lesson presentation.
Romeo and Juliet: The Tragic Ending!
This detailed and informative lesson enables students to gain a detailed understanding of the features of tragedy evident throughout final act of William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. Students learn to demonstrate a developed understanding of key plot meanings and tragedy features such as inevitability, idealism, and vengeance, through analysis of precisely-selected textual evidence.
The lesson utilises a range of tasks, that require students to be attentive and interactive learners. It follows this learning journey:
- Defining the key features of tragedy;
- Remembering and sequencing the key events of the text leading up to Act V
- Reading and interpreting Act V, interpreting and inferring the key meanings;
- Identifying and analysing the key features of tragedy used throughout the scene;
- Considering the effect that these features are intended to evoke;
- Peer/self-evaluating the learning in the lesson.
Included in this resource pack are:
- A well-presented, thorough, and informative, whole-lesson PowerPoint presentation;
- Resources for the reading and interpreting activity - full Act V transcript with space for notes;
- A closer analysis worksheet based upon the features of tragedy (with teacher answer sheet);
- Features of tragedy definition cards;
- A template to help scaffold the main task, complete with P.E.E instructions;
- A challenging and thought-provoking worksheet, and an answer sheet for the teacher.
All images in this resource are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide of the lesson presentation.
Ancient Greeks - A Lasting Legacy - Lesson!
This engaging and purposeful lesson is the sixth and final lesson 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 consider how modern society has been influenced by the achievements of the Ancient Greeks. Specifically, they:
-Understand how Ancient Greek discovery and learning has impacted the world;
-Understand how Ancient Greek democracy and law has impacted the world.
-Understand how Ancient Greek sport, culture and religion has impacted the world.
The learning is guided by a clear and colourful PowerPoint presentation, which guides students through the following step-by-step journey:
-Understanding the meaning of the key concept ‘legacy.’
-Considering Greek achievements in each of the key areas (discovery and learning, democracy and law, and sport, culture and religion) and then linking these achievements to what is seen in the modern world;
-Using clear guidance and a structure strip (provided) based on what they have learnt to form a clear, organised response to the enquiry question: 'How have Ancient Greek achievements influenced the world?
-Self-reflecting on the extent to which they feel they have met the learning objective, and considering the questions that they have for further learning.
Included is the comprehensive PowerPoint presentation (24 slides), which contains all of the information needed to teach the lesson and the structure strip for the main enquiry-response 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.
Robert Burns - Knowledge Organiser!
This clear, detailed and visually-appealing resource offers a complete reference point for children learning about Robert Burns, particularly those studying his works in English or completing a history study of ‘Significant Individuals.’ It contains comprehensive sections entitled:
Overview;
Times in His Life;
Important Vocabulary;
Robert Burns 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 are licensed for commercial use.